Desirée (she/her) is a passionate sustainability practitioner. Prior to joining Environmental Leadership Canada, she was the Head of Youth Programmes at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). In the last decade she has worked on numerous projects to advocate for youth- and civil society focused participation in climate and sustainability decision-making processes. She holds a Master of Environment and Sustainability from the School of the Environment at the University of Toronto, a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development from Stellenbosch University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of the Witwatersrand and a BA in Anthropology and Portuguese from the University of New Mexico.