Catherine O’Brien

Board Chair and President, Nestlé Canada Inc., Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs

Catherine O’Brien is Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Nutrition, Health and Wellness for Nestlé Canada. In this capacity, Catherine is responsible for corporate reputation management including internal communications, stakeholder relations, media relations, issues management, government relations, Creating Shared Value programs and community partnerships. She also oversees the Nutrition, Health and Wellness group which includes the corporate dietitians and oversees the company’s Environmental Sustainability strategy. Catherine joined Nestlé Canada in 2003 and prior to that, she was an Associate Director of Corporate Affairs at Bell Canada, focused on issues management and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Catherine has also worked in the financial services industry leading Corporate Communications for Maritime Life (formerly Aetna Canada) and began her career working in public relations at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto. Catherine has a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English from Carleton University and a diploma in Advertising and Public Relations from St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario. She is actively involved in numerous committees for Food Health and Consumer Products Canada, the Association of Canadian Advertisers and other industry committees and initiatives. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Coffee Association of Canada and also a Board member of the recently launched Canada Plastic Pact. Catherine served as past Chair of Companies Committed to Kids and was a long time Board member. In 2020 she was recognized as a leader in the Canadian food industry as a Star Woman of Grocery.

David Hughes

Board Secretary and Treasurer, President & CEO, Generate Canada

Generating solutions to the complex challenges at the heart of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution gives me a strong sense of purpose which I hope will benefit future generations.

David Hughes has served as the President and CEO of The Natural Step Canada since 2016. Since then the organization has expanded its research and public policy expertise through a partnership with the Smart Prosperity Institute, and increased its scale, scope and influence through the development of a number of innovation-focused multi-stakeholder “Solution Spaces”. These now include the Canada Plastics Pact, the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA), the Energy Futures Lab, the Nature Investment Hub, and Circular Economy Leadership Canada. Collectively these initiatives are enabling and incentivizing climate-smart and nature-positive systems change.  

David previously led Habitat for Humanity Canada and Pathways to Education Canada during periods of unprecedented growth and impact.   Prior to that he spent 10 years in senior positions at SOS Children’s Villages International which included postings to Africa, Asia, Europe, USA and the United Nations (New York and Vienna). Other management roles have included serving as Senior Vice President of YMCA Canada and President of AIESEC Canada. He also founded and operated The Impact Group, a management consultancy which provided strategic counsel to companies and not-for-profit organizations that were working to “bridge the gap between commerce and compassion”.

David is a Senior Fellow of the Smart Prosperity Institute (SPI), an inaugural member of the Business for Purpose Network (B4PN), and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, AIESEC Canada, and the Canadian branch of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project.  

He holds an economics degree from the University of Western Ontario, a postgraduate degree in social policy and not-for-profit management from the London School of Economics (LSE), an executive leadership certificate from Harvard University, and has been recognized as a Clean50 Honouree for “outstanding contribution to clean capitalism”.  

He lives in Toronto with his wife Laura and his two children, John and Alexandra, who collectively provide the inspiration and incentive to challenge the status quo and strive for a better future for Canada and our planet.

Ian Gordon

Loblaw Companies Ltd., Former Senior Vice President

Ian Gordon was Senior Vice President of Loblaw Companies Limited and led the development and innovations behind some of Canada’s largest consumer brands: President’s Choice, no name, Life Brand, and more.

He now leads Loblaw’s plastic reduction strategy and oversees the company’s inter-divisional steering committee. It brings a broad perspective to the plastic challenge, after holding senior sales and marketing positions with Unilever and International Multifoods consumer product companies and as President of ACLC Advertising.

He is a board member of the Canadian Sport Institute and a graduate of Queen’s University.

Ron Lemaire

Canadian Produce Marketing Association, President

Mr. Lemaire brings 27 years of extensive experience from a not-for-profit association perspective, with a focus on vertically integrated supply chains, sustainability, government relations, advocacy, marketing, public/private partnerships, capacity building and food systems thinking.

In 2019, Mr. Lemaire launched the CPMA Plastic Packaging Working Group to begin the process of identifying a path forward to address the use of plastics within the produce sector, identify efforts already undertaken by industry and determine best practices and develop an industry-supported roadmap to maintaining food quality and safety while reducing the environmental impact of plastics.

Working within the fresh produce world for over 19 years, Mr. Lemaire has become acquainted with the challenges and opportunities within the sector. The community throughout our fresh fruit and vegetable food system works to ensure they are stewards of our land for future generations, while meeting the need to supply safe, quality and affordable produce year-round. With this in scope, Mr. Lemaire works in a world of fast-paced change that manoeuvres through global regulatory swings, variable climate, food safety outbreaks, disruptive technology advancements and ever-changing consumer demands and expectations. In his role as CPMA President, Mr. Lemaire has worked to represent the needs and interests of over 800 Canadian and international member companies who are responsible for over 90% of the fresh fruit and vegetable sales in Canada.

Tony Moucachen

Merlin Plastics Group of Companies, President

Tony Moucachen is the President and one of the founders of Merlin Plastics. He is passionate about the environment, and feels blessed to have a career that is consistent with his personal environmental values. For the past 30 years, Merlin Plastics has planned, developed, and refined the re-processing of PE, PP, LDPE, and PET. The company began its recycling business in 1987 out of a two thousand square foot warehouse in Delta, British Columbia. Today, Merlin owns and operates recycling facilities totalling over one million square feet in space with sister plants located in Alberta, Ontario, California and Oregon. Tony is a current Director of the Association of Plastics Recyclers and the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. In 2001, Merlin Plastics received the “Outstanding Contribution to Recycling” award from the Recycling Council of Alberta. In 2005, the Recycling Council of BC recognized Merlin Plastics with an award “in recognition of ongoing commitment to the ideals of responsible environmental stewardship in the province of British Columbia”. Merlin Plastics is dedicated and committed to providing environmental services in an economically efficient, environmentally sound, and socially responsible fashion.

David Hughes

Board Secretary and Treasurer, President & CEO, Generate Canada

Generating solutions to the complex challenges at the heart of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution gives me a strong sense of purpose which I hope will benefit future generations.

David Hughes has served as the President and CEO of The Natural Step Canada since 2016. Since then the organization has expanded its research and public policy expertise through a partnership with the Smart Prosperity Institute, and increased its scale, scope and influence through the development of a number of innovation-focused multi-stakeholder “Solution Spaces”. These now include the Canada Plastics Pact, the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA), the Energy Futures Lab, the Nature Investment Hub, and Circular Economy Leadership Canada. Collectively these initiatives are enabling and incentivizing climate-smart and nature-positive systems change.  

David previously led Habitat for Humanity Canada and Pathways to Education Canada during periods of unprecedented growth and impact.   Prior to that he spent 10 years in senior positions at SOS Children’s Villages International which included postings to Africa, Asia, Europe, USA and the United Nations (New York and Vienna). Other management roles have included serving as Senior Vice President of YMCA Canada and President of AIESEC Canada. He also founded and operated The Impact Group, a management consultancy which provided strategic counsel to companies and not-for-profit organizations that were working to “bridge the gap between commerce and compassion”.

David is a Senior Fellow of the Smart Prosperity Institute (SPI), an inaugural member of the Business for Purpose Network (B4PN), and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, AIESEC Canada, and the Canadian branch of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project.  

He holds an economics degree from the University of Western Ontario, a postgraduate degree in social policy and not-for-profit management from the London School of Economics (LSE), an executive leadership certificate from Harvard University, and has been recognized as a Clean50 Honouree for “outstanding contribution to clean capitalism”.  

He lives in Toronto with his wife Laura and his two children, John and Alexandra, who collectively provide the inspiration and incentive to challenge the status quo and strive for a better future for Canada and our planet.

Cher Mereweather

Managing Director, Canada Plastics Pact

I’m here because the work we do everyday, has real tangible impact.

Cher is one of Canada’s leaders in food system sustainability. She has dedicated her 20+ year career to enabling companies with embracing sustainability, purpose and circularity in order to create a more resilient food system. Her work has focused on many facets of circularity including circular plastics, food waste prevention, upcycling, regenerative culture and behaviour change.

Before founding Provision Coalition Inc., recently acquired by Anthesis Group, Cher’s career included time with the Guelph Food Technology Centre (now NSF International) where she established and directed the Sustainability Consulting Business Unit, and held several executive positions in environmental economics and policy with the George Morris Centre, a Canadian agri-food think tank. Cher holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Economics and Policy and is certified in both project and change management. Cher has also been the recipient of the Canadian Grocer Generation Next award for her leadership, innovation and excellence in sustainability within the food and beverage industry. Learn more at LinkedIn.

Paul Shorthouse

Managing Director, Circular Construction Canada

The whole is greater than the individual parts. That’s what inspires me about the power of Generate Canada… the synergies that come from connecting across our various solution spaces.

Paul Shorthouse is a distinguished business leader whose career has spanned three decades, driving sustainability-inspired innovation and impact.
Paul has held executive roles at Generate Canada, including as Managing Director of Circular Construction Canada (CCC) and Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC), as well as the Interim Managing Director of the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP). His experience extends to other impact-focused roles with sustainability strategy consultants (Delphi Group and GLOBE Advisors), as the Conference Director for the GLOBE Forum, and as a researcher and SCUBA dive biologist in the first half of his career.
Paul has a proven track record of providing strategic solutions and engaging with senior leaders from business and government. He has a demonstrated ability to build national-level partnerships and collaborative platforms, which he has leveraged to provide thought leadership and technical expertise for clients and partner organizations across the country.
Paul possesses a unique blend of scientific and business acumen, with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Diploma of Technology in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Paul’s career is marked by his capacity to lead and manage complex and diverse projects, inform policy, and advise both corporate and non-profit institutions through board and committee memberships. 
Paul lives in Victoria, BC, with his wife and two children.

Shalyn Fladager

Senior Project Manager, Canada Plastics Pact

I am here to help our team and partners execute on the important work that keeps the right plastics in the economy and out of people, animals and nature.

Shay (she/her) studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, with degree specialties in Biochemical Engineering and Communications. Prior to joining CPP, Shalyn has over 8 years of experience in the food and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, providing project and operations management expertise at greenfield GMP manufacturing facilities. She has also worked with Métis Nation – Saskatchewan as an Environmental Program Manager, facilitating delivery of climate change, conservation, and consultation programs to Métis communities and citizens in Saskatchewan.

Madeleine McGillivray

Manager, Partner Engagement, Canada Plastics Pact

I’m here because I believe collaboration is essential to solving complex challenges like plastic waste. The Canada Plastics Pact brings together people and organizations that are ready to lead change.

Madeleine holds a Master’s degree in Health and International Development from the London School of Economics (LSE), where her research focused on the health impacts of climate change-induced permafrost thaw on Indigenous communities in Northern Canada. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Global Development from Queen’s University, where she developed a lasting interest in the intersection of environmental change and human health. Before joining the Canada Plastics Pact, Madeleine held the role of Research Associate at the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Meg O’Shea

Director of Strategic Initiatives, Canada Plastics Pact

I love that we are enabling competitive businesses to work together on their shared challenges. Maybe we go faster alone, but we go further together!

Meg earned her PhD at University of British Columbia studying the tension we experience between dogmatic instruction for climate conscious choices and our embodied, lived experience in everyday life. Outside of academia, Meg continues to practice and facilitate collaborative approaches to motivate collective action in many fields including the Arts, social-serving non profits, industrial lands, cooperative housing, and economic development.

Meg has over a decade of experience supporting transformation in business for greater economic, environmental, and social sustainability. She is a skilled facilitator, systems thinker, change manager, and team leader. Meg is also an amateur textile artist, an adventurous vegetarian cook, and a lover of spontaneous dance parties.