GUY DÉZIEL
Director

Graduated from the University of Montreal in organic chemistry. After 35 years in the private sector, specializing in management and optimization of operations, I have been working in the community sector for 10 years. More specifically at the helm of VertCité since June 2011, I have been transferring knowledge and expertise within a direction focused on transparency, the search for efficiency and teamwork.

ELIZABETH ROBINSON
Project coordinator – Pierrefonds-Roxboro

I’ve always been inspired by the vibrant ecosystems, flora and fauna of our planet. Today, I channel this passion into coordinating ecological projects in Pierrefonds-Roxboro. My work is driven not only by my love for the environment but also by a commitment to social justice, ensuring our efforts benefit the entire community. I believe in the power of collective action and strive to empower citizens to make impactful, eco-friendly choices. Through collaborative initiatives, I aim to foster a deeper appreciation for the environment and inspire sustainable change.

ANTONIN LE LUC
Food security project manager

Since completing my studies, I’ve been firmly committed to ensuring that everyone, whatever their situation, has access to healthy, local and affordable food. For me, food security is not a luxury, but a fundamental right. I find it extremely meaningful to contribute, in my own small way, to ensuring that families have access to fresh, quality, home-grown produce.
What motivates me on a daily basis is creating links : between people, between ideas, between resources. It’s about helping to build a fairer, more human and more sustainable food system. I believe deeply in the power of the local, in the richness of the field and in the real impact of small collective victories.

CLÉMENCE BALLET
Project coordinator – Urban agriculture and food security

As a great lover of plants and nature, joining the wonderful world of urban agriculture seemed obvious to me after a 10-year career in marketing.
My main focus: accessibility to fresh and local products, make the cities greener and create social ties.

LÉONARD LABARRE
Project coordinator – Saint-Laurent

I am passionate about environmental and food security issues for many years and my time abroad has allowed me to see them from a new perspective and understand that they are closely linked. I am convinced that helping citizens in urban areas gain easier access to fresh, local produce while raising their awareness of the challenges facing food systems is one of the essential conditions for our society to transition to a sustainable model.

ALICE BILLAULT
Environmental education project manager

A French-Canadian who lived in Quebec for six years. Originally from the south of France, I grew up on the shores of the Mediterranean, an environment that shaped my sensitivity to nature, particularly the aquatic environment.
Over the years, this attachment has transformed into a passion for protecting the environment and sharing its values. Convinced of the importance of raising awareness and empowering citizens of all ages, I am actively involved in promoting sustainable behaviors and valuing the richness of our ecosystems, particularly aquatic ones.
My position at VertCité offers me the opportunity to combine work and passion by making a concrete contribution to environmental education. I firmly believe that environmental education is an essential lever for preserving biodiversity and ensuring a viable future for future generations.

JAMES DAO
Urban agriculture project manager

Since my childhood, I have had a spontaneous curiosity towards nature and I feel connected to it. In order to be more in harmony with my values of preserving the environment, I had to make different changes in my life. I started out as a medical laboratory technologist and then changed my career path to become an environmentalist. In 2022, I joined the VertCité team where I feel I can work on what I care about. I am convinced that taking better care of ourselves is intimately linked to taking care of our environment.

ALEXIA PAEMELAERE
Environmental information agent

Having always been concerned about the environment, and after several years working in various fields, I have now decided to put my skills to work for a cause that affects us all. I am delighted to be able to help citizens in their daily work at VertCité.
I’m delighted to be able to help citizens in their everyday actions at VertCité.
My goal is to share knowledge and motivate each and every one of us to take action to preserve our environment.

ROUSSA ALEXANDRAKIS
Environmental information agent

With a strong interest in the field of urban agriculture, I’ve been building a successful microgreens business since 2020. In my personal life, I have a deep love for the outdoors, herbalism, environmental preservation and  nature. Joining VertCité gives me the chance to align my passions with my work, and to engage with the community in realizing our shared mission.

MATHIEU ROY-CAISSY
Chairman

Mathieu has served as a director at VertCité since 2019. He graduated from HEC Montreal in business intelligence, and from the University of Montreal in mathematics. He worked for four years in marketing before transitioning to data science in order to follow his interest in artificial intelligence.
Mathieu believes that the change towards healthier living practices must happen at the local level: urban agriculture, clean-up chores, solidarity market, etc. This is what drives him to want to contribute to the success of VertCité.

TONY LAM
Vice-chairman

An accountant by training, Tony wanted to combine his professional skills with his personal interest in sustainability when he joined the VertCité Board of Directors as Treasurer in 2016. Tony has had a passion for sustainable development since his university education where he was successively project manager, secretary general and board member of HumaniTERRE, a student organization dedicated to raising awareness of sustainable development issues at HEC Montreal.
Tony is currently working as an audit engagement manager at KPMG. He holds a BAA and a DESS in Professional Accounting from HEC Montreal. He is in the process of obtaining his CPA Auditor designation.

JEAN-PIERRE MEKHAEL
Treasurer

After several years of experience in financial audit assignments and various specialized roles in investment and credit portfolio management, Jean-Pierre Mekhael became a senior advisor in the Montreal office’s Forensic Accounting team when he joined KPMG in 2022. He became a CPA in July 2023. Jean-Pierre holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a graduate diploma in accounting and auditing. His areas of expertise include litigation, quantification of damages and forensic accounting investigations. Jean-Pierre has always nurtured a desire for the collective improvement of society and quality of life on a global scale, and is deeply convinced that this begins with sustainable development and environmental protection. It was with this in mind that Jean-Pierre joined VertCité.

SOPHIE COURVILLE
Director and Secretary

Sophie has served as a director and secretary of the VertCité Board of Directors since 2021. She strongly believes in VertCité’s mission to facilitate environmental projects in community settings.
Sophie is a lawyer practicing in litigation and dispute resolution with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt in Montreal. She is very interested in the issue of climate change. As part of her studies, she wrote a master’s thesis on environmental litigation in Canada aimed at forcing the government to respect its commitments to reduce greenhouse gases.
Sophie completed a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Sherbrooke, a graduate program in common law at Queen’s University and a Master of Laws degree at Queen Mary of London University.

ISABELLE COUTURIER
Director

Isabelle has served as a director on the VertCité Board of Directors since 2022. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology (Université de Montréal) and a master’s degree in organizational development/human resources (HEC Montréal), she wanted to put her professional skills and knowledge to work for an organization like VertCité, and to participate in the realization of its mission and the communities it serves.

She believes strongly in VertCité’s mission, which includes teaching and raising awareness. Although environmental issues are not only played out at the individual and community level, she believes that these are important levers for mobilization.

CHRISTOPHER DUBÉ
Director

An architect by training, Christopher was looking to get more involved in the community on projects focused on sustainable development. While studying architecture at the University of Montreal, Christopher became interested in urban and ecological issues, and the role that citizens have to play in the fight against climate change. He believes that the quality of the built environment can only be guaranteed by decentralized citizen involvement.