​Nancie focuses her energy on progressing sustainability programs for clients which incorporate practical and innovative solutions. She has worked in the environmental and sustainability management space for over ten years. She has a strong background in sustainability disclosure and implementation, environmental remediation and reclamation, Indigenous relations, and business development. ​
Please tell us about your current field of work and your daily responsibilities.
I’m currently working in sustainability, but I actually started out in the environmental field—specifically in remediation and reclamation within the regulatory space. At the time, I was mainly doing compliance reporting. Pretty quickly, I realized that fieldwork wasn’t really for me, and I began seeing that as an environmental scientist, field work was necessary to move up in a lot of cases.
That’s when I heard about the Sustainable Energy Development Master’s program at the University of Calgary, and I decided to use it as a way to pivot my career. That helped me transition from the environment field into sustainability. Along the way, I explored some related areas like Indigenous relations and business development in renewables, which rounded out my background.
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What I’ve found is that sustainability is so broad and interconnected—having experience across environmental, social, and even business sides helps. It gives you a more complete picture, and people come into this field from all kinds of paths.
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Why are you interested in the sustainability?
I think my interest really started with climate change. Back in grade nine, we were studying Canadian politics and the federal election, and we did a mock vote. That’s when I realized the environment was the issue I cared about most. Since then, I’ve wanted to find a way to help.
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Sustainability stood out to me because it’s so broad—there are so many different ways to make a difference. It’s also such a complex issue, tied into everything else: climate change, biodiversity, social justice, equity. It felt like working in sustainability was a meaningful way to contribute to something that really matters.
Sustainability can be a complex area. After developing strategies for clients, have you encountered challenges in the implementation phase?
Yes for sure. We’re seen as the sustainability experts—we know the best practices, what should be done, what the ideal scenario looks like. So we propose something, but the organization might not be ready for it yet.
Maybe their operations aren’t quite there, or they don’t have the right people internally, or they can’t get everyone on board. Sometimes it’s just a resource or budget issue—they’re not in a place to act on it right now.
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That’s why it helps to set expectations from the start—what are they actually looking for? What are they willing and able to do at this point? And sure, maybe they have bigger ambitions for the future, but it’s really about balancing what’s feasible now with what might be possible down the road.
Nancie at Devonian Gardens in Calgary - May 2025
Day-to-day, my work can vary a lot. I might be helping draft sustainability reports, supporting companies as they figure out what targets to set, or outlining how to communicate sustainability strategy to their executive team or Board. Companies may be developing their sustainability report for the first time, or they may be mature on their sustainability journey and need strategic help in something specific. Every company has a different need, so no two days look the same.
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For someone new to the environmental and sustainability fields, how can they find their focus or direction?
Personally, I try not to say no to opportunities—I stay open. It’s hard to know what you really want until you’ve tried a few things. Even if something isn’t a perfect fit, it still adds to your experience.
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Early on, it’s good to explore and build a range of skills. Later, as you grow in your career, you can start narrowing your focus because you’ll know yourself better.
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You don’t need to have it all figured out from the start. Careers aren’t always linear, and being open gives you more flexibility and resilience. I’m still figuring things out, even after over a decade. Everyone’s path is different, but those early years are the best times to try, learn, and adjust.
Kananaskis Field Station - First field job
July 2011
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Could you briefly outline the main areas within the environmental sector and what job opportunities exist in it?
I think there are a few different directions people can take. In the environmental sector, especially in Alberta, a lot of people work directly for the energy industry—oil and gas or renewables. Others go into consulting, either with large firms or small ones, and the work can really vary depending on the size of the company.
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In a big consulting firm, you might focus on a very specific task day-to-day, while in a smaller firm, you might be expected to wear more hats and do a bit of everything. It really depends—bigger companies might have more entry-level roles available, while smaller companies might only hire when they really need someone, and often that means someone more senior. But sometimes, if they know you and like you, they’ll bring you in as a junior too. So it's kind of case by case.
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Tree planting at Tree Canada event
September 2024
When you begin your first job in the sustainability field, how did you feel? How do you manage the gap between what you learned in school and the real world?
I think when you’re starting a job, it’s really like another crash course — a kind of real-world school. You’re still learning, just in a different way. In school, you get the theory, which is valuable because it gives you a foundation. But in the workplace, it becomes more practical and realistic. People show you how things are actually done, and you pick up a lot just by being around them.
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In my sustainability Master’s program, they tried to be practical and teach us direct applications for what we were learning. For example, we learned about the Global Reporting Initiative — GRI — and I remember thinking later, “Oh yeah, I learned about that!” I may not have gone back to my notes exactly, but I had that recognition and could apply what I learned. School is less about memorizing details and more about having that foundational understanding — so you can look something up or refresh your memory when you need it.
Engineering might be a bit different — maybe you’d refer more directly to specific equations, like fluid dynamics or something. In my case, I had a physics concentration, so it gave me a strong foundation in how to think analytically, even if I don’t use the exact equations on the job. It wasn’t about remembering quantum mechanics formulas, but more about being comfortable with equations, concepts, and structured thinking.
In your opinion, what is the key skill that contributes most to your success in your role?
One of the most important aspects that has helped me in my career is being willing to be bad at something. You may have heard this advice, but it can be agonizing to put into practice. It’s easy to do tasks you’re comfortable with. You know with high probability that you will succeed. These types of tasks are important to gain self-confidence and grow your experience. However, it is helpful to counterbalance by pushing yourself to try something new that you might not be good at. I encourage you to volunteer for that challenging project, actively participate in that meeting with people who intimidate you, or learn something from a colleague who is in a different field from you. It is normal to be bad at something the first time you try it, and it will get easier each time.
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For sustainability, we’re eventually toward mandatory reporting in a lot of places. In the future, companies will have to report not just their financials, but also their greenhouse gas emissions. That way, investors can look and say, okay, here’s how much money they make — and here’s how much they emit, and linking the two together.
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It’s not a huge shift, because a lot of big companies are already reporting emissions. But it’ll just become more standardized — including climate risks, opportunities, stuff like that. It’s about being more transparent around how companies are handling climate change.
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​Right now, it’s mostly voluntary — and companies do it sometimes to gain a competitive edge or improve their image. But the trend is going toward making it mandatory. And there’s more focus now on greenwashing — making sure companies are doing what they say they’re doing. So, it’s this balance of encouraging more reporting, but also making sure it’s genuine.
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Mentoring Avatar Ignite team - May 2025
I basically followed everything I could on LinkedIn — every oil and gas company, every renewable energy company, consultancies, people across the value chain, regulators, and individuals working in the space.
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That was really useful, especially in sustainability, because it gave me such a broad range of content. Now, when I scroll through my LinkedIn feed, I get this wide sweep of perspectives — news, updates, and posts from all sorts of people. Maybe it's someone from the federal government posting about a new announcement, or other consultants like me sharing something relevant.
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Sometimes I see something and think, “Oh wow, that’s actually really useful,” and I wouldn’t have come across it otherwise. So I think whatever area you're in, it helps to build that kind of network. There isn’t one single source that gives you everything — no magic wand — but now, with this approach, I feel like I’m much more in the loop.
What’s your strategy for using LinkedIn to stay informed and gather insights?
I signed up for a few email newsletters — some of them are actually pretty useful. Personally, I like Bloomberg, especially Bloomberg Green, and there are also carbon market updates that I follow. There's one Insider newsletter by Aaron Foyer that shares a lot of general sustainability news. But I think it’s important not to overload yourself — if something isn’t relevant, too much info can get overwhelming.
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Whatever field you’re in, it helps to get multiple perspectives. Like if you follow a nonprofit, a government agency, a company, and a consultant — they’ll all see things differently. So it’s about getting a broad view of the topic you're interested in. At the same time, it’s also about knowing yourself and what’s useful to you.
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If you’re just starting out, becoming familiar with the job landscape helps a lot. Like, what are the common job titles? What qualifications are most often asked for? What’s the typical scope of the role? If a posting lists a salary, is it reasonable?
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It also helps to notice trends — like which jobs are in high demand and which ones are rare? And where to find those jobs — is it just through Google, or should you also look at networking, career fairs, and other channels?
Google is a good starting point — just seeing who’s hiring and what’s out there. Then from there, you can go deeper, maybe realize, “Oh, I know someone at that company,” or “That job fits what I’m looking for.” It’s really about building awareness and getting comfortable with exploring the job landscape so you can navigate it more confidently.
There’s also the different stages of a project to consider: you could work on environmental assessments before a project starts, support during operations, or do remediation and reclamation work after it ends. And depending on your discipline—whether it's water, soil, wildlife, etc.—your role will vary.
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There are other options out there, like government or non-profits. There are a lot of different types of opportunities, and it takes work to become familiar with what’s possible.
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I’d say follow your interests, but also be realistic. You might not love everything at the beginning, but if the topic excites you, it’s worth building on that. Over time, try to align your passion with areas that have strong job prospects. One thing I learned later is to pay attention to the whole career path—look at what senior roles in that field look like. Would you want to be doing that someday? That can help guide your decisions early on.
Avatar Ignite Shark Tank presentation
May 2024
In your opinion, what are the major trends shaping the future of the environmental industry? Which areas are expected to generate more job opportunities? What should newcomers to Canada pay attention to?
​There’s also a growing trend around biodiversity — more focus on including it in sustainability disclosures. Say you’re putting up wind turbines to help with climate, but you’re putting them in bird migration zones — that’s still a problem. So the thinking is moving toward seeing the full picture. As this trend evolves, I think the environmental field will get pulled in more to the sustainability field. Canada already has strong environmental regulations, and I think that’ll mostly stay the same — maybe a bit stronger, maybe not, but it’s already well-regulated.
Could you recommend any platforms, publications, or professionals that you regularly follow to stay updated in the industry?
Photo taken by mentee from Big Brothers Big Sisters
November 2023