Get to know us | Team

Rébecca earned her undergraduate degree in agricultural and environmental sciences at McGill University’s MacDonald Campus. Her ten years of work in the agricultural sector in Québec—as a market gardener, consultant, and organic inspector—have helped her develop an intimate understanding of the key issues in this space. During this same period of time, she has also accumulated wide experience in the management and start-up of artistic, community, and agricultural projects. She is energized and motivated by taking on new challenges—by working to create initiatives that are close to her heart. Her diverse experiences and spirit of entrepreneurship inspire her to involve herself on a different scale to address the agricultural world’s complex and systemic challenges.

A CHALLENGE? “To build bridges between the agricultural world and the MIS to explore the possibilities of social innovation in the agri-environment.”

All paths that lead to social innovation are inevitably unconventional. Melanie’s path was rooted in one of the life sciences: biology. This is probably where she developed her ability to keep both the immensely large and the infinitely small – the systemic and the local – in perspective. Her studies in biology, her career in the socio-environmental milieu and her involvement in social innovation have led her into a variety of situations where she has developed her ability to act and interact with people with different intentions and languages. Naturally empathetic, she has the ability to listen, which is essential for building positive human relationships and generating change. Since 2013, she has been involved in the Québec and Canadian social innovation ecosystems and she understands their various languages ​​and perspectives. In this diversity of visions, she finds a wealth of ideas necessary to resolve our most glaring issues.

A challenge ? « TO HELP STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SOCIAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM, WHATEVER THEIR VISION OR APPROACH, FORGE TIES AND STRENGTHEN THEIR CAPACITY TO COLLECTIVELY RESOLVE COMPLEX CHALLENGES. »

Sensitive to inequalities, injustices and of an empathetic nature, Maud quickly became interested in municipal affairs, an area of pooling and confrontation by excellence. The social issues that are raised therein and the cultural diversity that enlivens the urban environment challenge her. After a bachelor’s degree in urban planning in France, she studied public relations at UQÀM and discovered the many possibilities in the field of communications. Maud worked as a project manager for more than six years in a communication, event organization and marketing agency and then worked as a communications consultant.
Eager to work as a team member for an organization that shares her values, in 2016 she joined the Société d’habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), which advocates the vision of a mixed and inclusive city. Concerned about the finality of projects and their concrete and direct impact on people, Maud enthusiastically joined the MIS team in early 2020, determined to democratize social innovation, encourage innovators to emerge and help them implement their projects.

A CHALLENGE? « To find the angles and tell the stories that will make more people understand what social innovation is and its power to change our lives. »

It was only natural for Caroline, a keen observer of the world around her, to choose to specialize in the social sciences. After completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography at UQAM, she studied strategic project management at Université Laval. It was as a master’s candidate, however, that she had the opportunity to join a living laboratory working on the rehabilitation of agricultural ecosystems in the Montérégie region. This experience spoke deeply to her curiosity about issues touching rurality, the environment, innovation, and local and regional development. After serving as a teaching and research assistant in UQAM’s geography department, she worked for several years as a networking agent and agricultural advisor for the ARTERRE program in the regional county municipality of Maskoutains (RCM), where she assisted a number of agricultural producers. In joining the Maison de l’innovation sociale (MIS), Caroline is not only returning to her old loves—namely, research and innovative projects focused on change and positive impact—but she is also linking her professional and personal ambitions, through both of which she expresses her desire to effect positive change and her reverence for nature and the outdoors. It’s clear that Caroline is resilient, methodical, and poised, three qualities essential to her role at the heart of social R&D projects.

A CHALLENGE? To collaborate in understanding and popularizing distinct visions of current challenges in the evolving farming community and to analyze the process of social innovation to optimize this field of practice as a lever for positive transformation.

Élisabeth has 20 years of experience in strategic communications, media relations and marketing, in both the public and private sectors. She draws her idealism from her studies at the Sorbonne and McGill, and her entrepreneurial spirit and her confidence from an organization she founded to support artistic creation. Democratizing art outside of galleries and museums instills in her a passion for societal communication. She is now embarking on a communications and marketing career in the public sector, where public finances, the environment, states of civil emergency and housing offer her unique insights into the challenges of living together as a society. In 2018, she brought her realism, warmth and commitment to the table with the goal of going further in the resolution of societal issues. She joined the formidable MIS team to democratize, this time, social innovation.

A challenge? « TO DEMYSTIFY SOCIAL INNOVATION TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND THUS ACCELERATE CHANGE. »

Having grown up in the city, Pénélope has always been sensitive to urban realities. As an undergraduate at McGill, she explored the different ways in which social inequalities are manifested in urban environments. She then moved to London—rich terrain for experiments in her chosen field—where she continued her studies for a master’s degree in City Design and Social Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Since then, she has been working with municipal, institutional, and community actors in London and Montreal on projects at the intersection of urban research and local development, notably on the protection of cultural spaces, the social value of civic infrastructures, and the revitalizing of heritage sites for collective use. Given that there are no boundaries for her, but rather third spaces that make room for interdisciplinary approaches, it is not surprising to see her begin, concurrent with her work at MIS, a certificate in creative writing. It’s a medium that gives her insight into how others express the same reality. Penelope excels in the art of unpacking problems by bringing clarity to that which is fuzzy and conceptual—a strength in social innovation!

A CHALLENGE? “Creating an alignment between the objectives and complementary expertise of different stakeholders invested in projects that bring about change.”

Thomas began his career in geopolitics after completing a Master’s in business intelligence at King’s College in London. He has worked in Europe and the United States for consulting firms specializing in political, security and governance risk management. Over a period of 10 years, Thomas completed over 100 consulting mandates in 20 countries on three continents, all in four languages. This experience has given him insight into the impacts of economic activities and public policy on our lifestyles both here and abroad. This prompted him to get involved in the socio-ecological transition. After completing advanced management studies at Harvard Business School, Thomas led several consulting teams from Montreal dedicated to territorial development and the social economy. In 2022, he was named one of “250 Emerging Leaders” by Canada’s Governor General. He joins MIS as director of strategic coaching to support the emergence of a greater number and wider diversity of social innovations.

A CHALLENGE? “Translating analysis into action to create opportunities for innovation.”

Always conscious of environmental and social issues – even as a child, picking up empty bottles and cigarette butts in the ditches of his native countryside -, it was while studying engineering that Loïc became active in the NGO Engineers Without Borders Canada and discovered the complexity of human systems. His interest in cooperation and cultural exchanges led to work on three continents. After earning his M.A. in public administration, Loïc became involved in housing, first as a project manager in the cooperative housing movement, then in affordable housing policies and programs within a federal public entity. At the same time, he was actively involved in various social and political organizations. His eclectic career path and strategic instinct are valuable assets in his strategic advisory role with MIS, particularly in the areas of governance, organizational management, planning, and evaluation.

A CHALLENGE? “Channelling collective intelligence to generate solutions for the complex challenges faced by agents of change.”

An economist by training, Ghyslain began his career in the cultural sector before moving to the private sector in the entertainment industry. He has held several positions in project management, as general manager and as a strategic consultant, in Paris and Montréal. He then joined the Société des arts technologiques (SAT) in the administrative department and as co-director general. After 12 years at the SAT, he is now enthusiastically committed to the MIS project, passionate about contributing to the deployment of this young NPO. Eager to align the team’s ambitions with the human and financial resources available to the organization, his colleagues recognize him as “the man who says no before saying maybe!” Nevertheless, his ability to mobilize private and public stakeholders around exciting projects is undeniable and his agility to do much with little contributes to the vitality of the MIS.

A challenge? « To Identify the most cost-effective human and financial resources to support the development of social innovation actors throughout the Québec region. »

As long as he remembers, Hugo has always been drawn to riddles, puzzles and other thinking games. This fascination for solving complex problems first attracted him to the field of science, then to the field of management, where he worked for ten years as a consultant in strategy and innovation. This experience allowed him to discover within himself the joy of helping people to learn and excel, something he achieves through teaching at university and coaching project leaders. At the MIS since its foundation, his role as director of social entrepreneurship lets him combine his two main motivations – problem-solving and coaching – in the service of positive impact.

A challenge? « To MOBILIZE THE APPROACHES AND TOOLS OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL sector AND DEMOCRATIZE THEM within THE SOCIAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF PROJECTS. »

In three parts of the world – Quebec, Peru and France – Raphael maintains his social commitments, work, and love for his family. Social justice issues are one of his deepest motivations, having himself navigated fragmented circumstances in different regions from a young age. After time spent in the field of economics, Raphaël discovered that design was a useful practice that took him from abstract to object, enabling him to act concretely in the real world. He earned an undergraduate degree in product design, followed by a Master’s in design research at École de Design de l’Université Laval. Since then, Raphaël has collaborated with numerous community and municipal organizations, particularly in the cultural sector, combining his knowledge from both educational paths. His ability to make connections helps him to inject new insights into innovation processes. For Raphaël, the impossible is just a question of perspective. He applies this motto to his work each day at MIS.

A CHALLENGE? “Helping project leaders put their ideas into perspective and maximize their impact by looking at systemic issues ingrained in the challenges of socio-ecological transition.”

Virginie has always been touched by the vulnerability and resilience of living beings and she has been working for more than twenty years in her search to find a positive balance between human beings and nature. Specializing in environment and sustainable development, then in territorial planning and socio-economic development, she experimented with regional approaches to consultation in the public sector and explored how education, technologies, design and the animation of collective intelligence could be used as levers to solve contemporary societal problems. She then decided to make the leap into the entrepreneurial world to support the innovation of organizations and communities, cofounding a living laboratory for the rehabilitation of agroecosystems in Montérégie. It became a reference in the implementation of complex projects, linking research, actors in the field and citizens. At the MIS, she guides and equips the team and partners in their reflections, designs, adaptations and in the management collective projects.

A challenge? « To STIMULATE THE ADAPTATION OF INDIVIDUAL PRACTICES AND MODELS OF COLLECTIVE PROJECTS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CAPABILITIES IN ACCELERATING THE ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION SPECIFIC TO THE REALITY OF EACH COMMUNITY. »

Inspired by the development of systemic solutions for current societal issues, Camille is certain that the reinvention of our models requires the democratization of knowledge and the emancipation of prevailing social paradigms. With a Master’s in social innovation management, she developed her expertise in the roles and processes of social projects. She also collaborated on knowledge mobilization projects and contributed to strengthening the social innovation ecosystem through her role as a community manager with a social impact network organization. For Camille, there can be no environmental justice without social justice, and this is what motivates her to get involved in various activist organizations, always with a benevolent approach to awareness-raising and grassroots education. Attentive to the needs of the agents of change she supports, Camille hopes to break down the silos between the different levels of society through the collective appropriation of collaborative processes. With this in mind, she joined MIS as an advisor on a team dedicated to providing strategic advisory services for social innovation approaches.

A CHALLENGE? “Helping others to negotiate the uncertainty inherent in the social innovation process while maintaining a continuous learning mindset.”

Driven by her curiosity and the discovery of new disciplines, Nathalie is constantly expanding the field of vision of the kaleidoscope of her professional life. A lawyer by training, she began her career in the cabinet of a minister of a French city before coordinating projects to build shelters. Upon her arrival in Montréal, she held the position of Head of Administration and Finance at an NGO in crime prevention and a non-profit organization. Fascinated by the innovative potential of the Agile philosophy applied to social impact projects, she is now completing a master’s degree in project management, in parallel with her professional mandate to improve the management of an international human rights education program. Joining the MIS is Nathalie’s was the next logical step in her professional career, offering the opportunity to consolidate her interests in and passions for social innovation, continuous process improvement and management of collaborative projects.

A CHALLENGE? « TO CONNECT THE DIFFERENT HUMAN AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY perspectives AND MOBILIZE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF STAKEHOLDERS TO SUPPORT THE EMERGENCE OF INNOVATIONS WITH HIGH SOCIAL IMPACT. »

What makes a person an agent of change? And how can we best empower them to reach their full potential and create solutions to structural challenges in society? These are the questions Sarah has always been passionate about. After receiving her master’s degree in management with a specialization in entrepreneurship, she worked in France and Switzerland, within the Ashoka network, to develop her expertise in the fields of social innovation and community support. In Montreal, Sarah has engaged with both local and national mobilization projects. She has joined MIS to expand these incubation programs and to support projects with socio-environmental impact. A good listener, determined and articulate, Sarah knows how to identify and connect the needs and strengths of individuals to create effective and creative collaborations.

A CHALLENGE? “Creating a fire from the spark in the hearts of those who dream of changing the world by giving them the tools to bring their vision to life.”

Even when she was young, Stéphanie loved numbers, columns and calculations, but also saw order as the proper state of affairs. With her Cartesian nature, she pursued studies in administration and accounting, and began a career that led to the Autorité des marchés financiers (the French Financial Markets Authority). For more than fifteen years, she navigated between accounts payable/receivable, billing, collections, and the management of disputes with client and supplier accounts. Bank reconciliation, a real headache for some, is child’s play for her (even if we do not tell her that!). The MIS’s mission and its human scale were like love-at-first-sight for Stéphanie, convincing her to revolutionize her long-standing career to join the team as coordinator in administration and logistics. Since then, she has pivoted between numbers and logistics, calculation and action, accounting and coordination, and represents a true pillar on which the team relies with confidence and affection.

A challenge? « To PROVIDE AGILITY TO SUPPORT THE MULTITUDE OF MIS PROJECTS, WHICH CONTINUally helps me to become more open and gives meaning to everything I DO. »

Timothée likes to juggle with digital tools and put them at the service of inspiring projects. After ten years in IT support in France and in Québec, and a stint organizing musical events, a desire to write resurfaced one fine morning. Creating a positive impact from the local café – isn’t that the mission of a modern “geek”, with one hand on the keyboard and a latté in the other? Always seeking to understand deeper social issues, themes such as fair trade, the circular economy and social initiatives resonate most with her reflections on social challenges and current environments.

A CHALLENGE? « TO AWAKEN THE AGENT OF CHANGE THAT LAYS DORMANT IN US ALL. »

Clara developed an interest in Canadian and Québec politics and public administration during her undergraduate studies in political science, later specializing in analyzing socio-economic issues. Her deep interest in the study of public programs that address the reality of marginalized populations prompted her to pursue her graduate studies at the École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP). Very early on in her career, and in parallel with her studies, she held management positions for socially oriented projects in Montréal, which enabled her to combine fieldwork with her own understanding of research and analysis. Through these experiences, Clara became familiar with the social and environmental impact ecosystem, both in terms of its stakeholders and the different socio-economic issues that are specific to each of Montréal’s neighbourhoods.
By getting to know a multitude of environments and working with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences, Clara has learned to continuously question the limits of her own world view. She now wants to make the most of her skills and use innovative tools to move projects for societal change forward.

A CHALLENGE? « To see change as a long-term process »

After completing a master’s degree in anthropology and doctoral studies on the theory of complexity, Patrick began a career in innovation in the medical sector, then with a variety of organizations. He co-directed the research department at the Société des arts technologiques (SAT) for six years and founded Umvelt Service Design, an open innovation consulting firm behind several collaborative projects involving SMEs, community organizations and territories. His experience has made him a key player in the emergence of a community of living laboratories and the development of communities in social innovation in Québec. Executive Director of the MIS, his ability to “go from an altitude of ten thousand feet to twenty thousand leagues under the sea” in a fraction of a second, according to the team, represents an essential strength in the design projects supported by the MIS and allows for a rapid understanding of their key issues, from both a conceptual and a practical point of view.

A challenge? « TO HELP AGENTS OF CHANGE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COMPLEXITY AND DISCOVER THE IMPACT MECHANISMS OF THEIR SOCIAL INNOVATION PROJECTS. »

Passionate about history, literature and sports, it was through her studies in political science and literature that Elena discovered her fascination for those who write history, even more than the events of history themselves. Before joining the MIS, she spent several years in an organization that uses innovative technologies to make television content accessible to the hearing-impaired. When she wasn’t doing live captioning of a hockey game or a parliamentary session, she was responsible for recruitment, training, and even organizing all special events. This gave her the opportunity to refine a wide range of skills which, according to the team, is an important quality that she adds to her expertise in multitasking. In 2019, Elena joined the MIS team with a sincere desire to form closer ties with agents of change who are “writing history every day in their own way.”

A challenge? « To FIND available SPACE IN THE DIRECTION TEAM’ calendars! OTHERWISE, to CONTRIBUTE TO THE RELEVANCE AND ADDED VALUE OF MIS PROJECTS BY SUPPORTING THE TEAM MEMBERS EVERY DAY. »