Say hi to Siobhan Takala, a valued member of ASI’s Members Network for Sustainability Professionals! As Program Manager for the Youth Climate Lab (YCL), Siobhan directs the implementation of all YCL programs, including managing program staff, supporting program design, and managing internal processes that ensure YCL programs have their intended impacts.
Siobhan is a program designer, facilitator, and climate justice advocate from Treaty 6 Territory. Siobhan grew up engaging in social justice movements, and education on the climate crisis while completing her B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Sustainability led to a sustained passion for climate justice. She was a Co-Founder and Co-Director of Let’s Sprout, a youth-led initiative dedicated to youth creativity, authentic leadership, and environmental education, and has been named a Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalist by The Starfish Canada. Siobhan is a life-long creative who loves to dance, sew, and sing. Find her in nature, exploring a new place, or with her near and dear.
We had the chance to ask Siobhan about all things climate action, sustainability, and leadership. Read her short interview below!
Q: Where do you draw hope from in the context of sustainability and climate action?
Siobhan Takala: An important practice that helps me remain hopeful during the climate crisis, is taking time to remember all of the phenomenal collectives and individuals working towards more sustainable, collaborative, and equitable futures. The multi-crises we are facing can easily make us feel alone, disconnected and disempowered as individuals. Hope to me is remembering there are so many people working alongside me.
Q: What does leadership mean to you?
Siobhan Takala: Leadership means creating environments that allow the people and creatures around you to thrive. I am a firm believer that anyone can be a leader, and that we all lead in our own way. As a shy introvert, my leadership falls well outside the realm of “conventional leadership.” To me, leaders have a deep sense of personal awareness, and are able to lead from the heart rather than the ego.
Q: How do you see the role of leadership evolving as we transition to a low-carbon, socially-inclusive economy?
Siobhan Takala: To realize low-carbon, socially-inclusive economies and communities, we need leaders that collaborate instead of compete, listen and prioritize community-led solutions, and use multi-solving approaches to address intersecting crises. We need to learn how to work better together across all the siloes we’ve created, such as industries or geographic boundaries, to push for the futures we need in innovative ways.
Join the Members Network!
ASI’s Members Network is a peer-to-peer network made up of Canadian sustainability professionals working to accelerate climate action within their organizations. The network offers a space to talk candidly about shifting organizational dynamics and adopting leadership models that support the transition to a sustainable future. Because let’s face it, outdated leadership models have built systems that no longer serve us or the planet.
Upcoming Member Event with Youth Climate Lab
Envisioning a More Just and Climate-Resilient Future
May 9, 2024
Climate conversations are often daunting, full of jargon, and constrained by what is “practical.” Envisioning Futures is a tool designed by Youth Climate Lab, prompting users to explore creative climate solutions and futures, and discuss how we might collectively achieve them.
