Kass Harris: Network Coordinator

Kass grew up on Cape Breton Island and completed her Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) in Environment at CBU. She found her passion for environmental advocacy after discovering the impact of our food choices, which inspired her to pursue environmental studies in more depth. After having the opportunity to take on a variety of roles in the environmental field, she knew that her dream was to work with a nonprofit.

Kass is especially passionate about sustainable food choices, environmental justice, policy, and the psychology of environmentalism. She is eager to support NSEN’s environmental caucuses, in particular, to advance environmental initiatives being taken in Nova Scotia. Outside of work, she spends all her time with her dogs, Sam and Lincoln, who appreciate nothing more than spending their time outside enjoying all that nature has to offer.

Chris White: Chair

Chris grew up in Deer Lake, Newfoundland before first moving to Halifax in 2008 to study mechanical engineering at Dalhousie University. After earning a Bachelor of Engineering in 2013 and a Master of Applied Science in 2015, Chris is now working towards a PhD as a member of Dr. Lukas Swan’s Renewable Energy Storage Laboratory at Dalhousie. His ongoing research aims to reduce the economic cost and environmental footprint of the clean energy transition by repurposing used electric vehicle batteries into grid-scale energy storage facilities. During his academic career, Chris also gained engineering experience in the USA at Tesla Motors (2013) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2019), and co-founded a battery technology startup company in 2016.

Makayla Cole: Vice Chair

Makayla grew up in rural New Brunswick and moved to Nova Scotia to pursue her Bachelor of Arts in Geography and History at Saint Mary’s University. She works on the Development & Communications team at The North Grove as their Communications Specialist. Her passion for non-profit work and community building began with her work at the Cole Harbour Heritage Farm Museum, a charity-run community museum and local treasure in the HRM. Makayla joined the NSEN staff in the winter of 2021-22 and worked on the production of the documentary film "Connections - The Story of the Nova Scotia Environmental Network", and the NSEN History Timeline. She continues to support NSEN’s communications, member relations, and general operations as a volunteer in her role as Vice Chair. Makayla also enjoys sustainable travel, nature photography, cooking, gardening, and connecting with folks from all backgrounds and cultures.

Joshua Cadegan-Syms: Secretary

Joshua Cadegan-Syms (he/him) was born in Cape Breton, but raised in Calgary, Alberta. In 2014 Joshua moved back to Nova Scotia and made his home in Dartmouth. Joshua has a degree in Computer Science from Dalhousie University (2020). He is proud to call himself a Nova Scotian and is passionate about conservation, community building, and sustainability. In addition to working with the Nova Scotia Environmental Network, Joshua is active in his community and volunteers with other not-for profits in the Halifax area as a community organizer, board member, and event organizer. In his off time you can find him exploring this beautiful province, hiking with his family, enjoying a good cup of coffee, renovating his house, and listening to indie rock.

Christina Goudy: Treasurer

Growing up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the ocean and the environment have always been important to Christina. She attended Dalhousie University for both her BSc, Earth Sciences and MBA. While completing her master’s, she had the opportunity to help develop a professional development day curriculum for the high school course, Oceans 11.

 Her career has taken her from working for a mid-sized mining company in northern Ontario, to an eight-month co-op as a corporate banking analyst on Bay Street, to spearheading a social media influencers program for a federal government campaign. Since 2018, Christina has been with a local start-up medical device company, and since 2020 has served as the company’s Vice President of Business Development.

Christina believes that sustainability should be inherent in everything we do, but recognizes that this is difficult to achieve without buy-in from corporations and the government. She currently makes her home in rural HRM with her partner, dog (who she is obsessed with) and cat – making excellent use of all of the trails and beaches the Eastern Shore has to offer.

Emily Dodge

Emily was born in Massachusetts and first moved to Nova Scotia to attend Dalhousie University where she received her BA in International Development and Environmental Studies. From there she went on to earn her MS in Ecological Leadership and Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Since then she has worked for various non-profits developing and delivering environmental themed programs and events, including helping to establish one of the first Forest Schools in Nova Scotia. She currently lives in Hammonds Plains with her husband, newborn son, and dog.

Tory Byrne

Tory is blessed to have been surrounded by nature throughout her life, and this has left her with a need for a healthy environment, and a fear of its possible disappearance. Interest in the living earth led Tory to a degree in geology, which in turn led her to starting a master’s degree focused on the study of foraminifera (single cell creatures whose shells were useful in oil exploration) in estuarine habitats.  Becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of fossil fuels was a gift from early environmentalists.

After moving to Halifax, Tory found a job in laboratory medicine, solving life-threatening dilemmas and working with people in crisis. This led her back to a long-ago calling (back when “girls can’t do that”), and she went back to school to take up her call to ministry. Tory is now an Anglican priest and working-retiree. She feels the spirituality of all aspects of the environment:  evolution & extinction, eons of orogeny & the brief life of a fruit fly, eco-justice & living justly, past-present-future, all bound together.

Tory has become a part of the Diocesan Environment Network (DEN) through the Anglican Diocese of NS & PEI.  As a big-picture person, the networking approach suits Tory, which is why she represents DEN on the NSEN board.

Haley Evans

Haley moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia from New Brunswick in 2022. She is a purpose-driven marketing communications consultant with a love for the natural world and a passion for sustainability.

Haley is a Senior Consultant at CCGoodwin Consulting. Through her work, she helps organizations engage with stakeholders, tell their stories, and reduce their environmental and social impact through research, reporting, and continuous improvement. She has experience working with organizations of all sizes, spanning many industries, including professional service agencies, energy companies, tech start-ups, digital media publishers and more.

She holds diplomas in Business Administration: Marketing and Event Management from the New Brunswick Community College, as well as certificates in Corporate Sustainability from NYU Stern School of Business and Indigenous Canada from the University of Alberta.

Larissa Dean

Larissa grew up in Coquitlam, B.C. before traveling east and completing her Bachelor of Arts in Social Sustainability (ESS) and English through Dalhousie and the University of Kings College. A long-time lover of the outdoors, she hopes to contribute meaningfully to the Nova Scotia environment through her work with the NSEN. 

Larissa is passionate about climate change communication and crafting easy-to-understand nature-based solutions to wicked problems at all levels. Outside of the network, Larissa loves teaching loved ones about the outdoors and discovering new knowledge herself.  

Yvonne Nnaji

Yvonne, a Computer Science graduate, proudly embraces her identity as an IT professional with extensive experience in data and business analysis. Over her career in both private and public sectors, she has excelled in extracting valuable insights, optimizing processes, and driving informed decision-making.

Her field recognition stems from a talent for leveraging data to enhance business efficiency and strategic planning, fostering continuous improvement, and achieving successful outcomes. Yvonne's passion for her community and environment is rooted in her commitment to positive impact, sustainability, and ensuring a thriving future for herself and generations to come.

During her downtime, Yvonne treasures quality moments with family and friends. An avid basketball player and fan, she finds joy in the camaraderie of the sport. Currently residing in Dartmouth with her family, Yvonne balances her professional expertise with a fulfilling personal life.

Emily Laage

Emily is originally from Michigan and did her undergraduate degree at Purdue University where she studied Natural Resources and Environmental Science with a concentration in Sustainability. After finishing her undergraduate, Emily attended Dalhousie to pursue her Master of Environmental Studies: researching greenhouse gas emissions on organic farms across Canada. Since her graduation, she has been working full-time as a Sustainability Analyst for Coca-Cola Canada.

Emily now lives in Kentville and is exploring homesteading. She has two dogs and a small flock of chickens and ducks. In her free time, Emily enjoys gardening, tinkering with crafts, and making pickles!