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.

UDAVI CRUZ MARQUEZ
Coordinator of the éco-quartier Pierrefonds-Roxboro

Since 2015, I have been involved in different projects to protect natural resources (our Mother Nature). I strongly believe in joint collaboration for collective well-being including all plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms on the planet. I am a biologist and master in tropical ecology, passionate about physical practices for health (yoga) and indigenous ceremonies of North America. Since the end of 2021, I have taken over the projects of the Pierrefond-Roxboro eco-quartier, happy to collaborate with my colleagues from VertCité.

PHILIPPE MARCHAND
Project coordinator at the éco-quartier Saint-Laurent

My curiosity has transported me through more than 10 years of experience in the community world, ranging from international solidarity to culture, obviously including the environment. Rooted in Saint-Laurent since my childhood, it is with pleasure that I drive the Éco-quartier Saint-Laurent program, the Quartier 21 project in the Chameran-Lebeau sector and the Érablière Urbaine.

CLÉMENCE BALLET
Urban Agriculture Project Manager

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.

ALEXIS LEGARÉ-HAMEL
Environmental Education Project Manager

Interested for many years in the socio-cultural and ecological issues facing contemporary societies, I attach great importance to the impact of environmental issues on the quality of life in urban areas.
I am therefore pleased to be involved in the realization of projects that promote eco-responsible practices and the collective well-being of all residents of the Saint-Laurent borough, where I grew up and to which I remain deeply attached.

ALEXSANDRA FOURNIER
Project Manager for Cultures Urbaines

Graduated in sociology at the University of Quebec in Montreal, the social dimension of urban food systems and agriculture are my greatest passions.
Enthusiastic, my challenge is to develop an accessible, sustainable, inclusive and united food system in order to fight against food insecurity in the borough of Saint-Laurent.

ALINE GUÉDÉ
Environmental Information Agent

With a degree in communication, I started a personal shift towards a more ecoresponsible life. Thus, raising awareness about the importance of protecting the environment was an obvious choice. The more we develop our knowledge about our beautiful planet, the more our interest grows and the more likely we are to protect it. My mission: to share the knowledge and tools necessary for citizens to save the environment at their level.

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.

MAXIME ROUSSEAU TURENNE
Vice-chairman

Eager to become more involved in the development of the Saint-Laurent borough community, where he has resided for over twenty years, Maxime joined the Board of VertCité as a director in 2017.
A member of the Quebec Bar since 2016, he practices within the commercial litigation team of the Montreal law firm Lavery, de Billy. Maxime is convinced of the importance for a citizen to be socially involved in his community and has been involved in charitable organizations for many years in this capacity.
Maxime holds a law degree from the Université de Montréal.

TONY LAM
Treasurer

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.

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 Clyde & Cie 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.

LAURENCE SOLAR-PELLETIER
Director

Laurence has served as a director on the Board of VertCité since 2014. She also served as Secretary of the Board from 2015 to 2020. She has a long-standing interest in environmental issues and is convinced that change comes through citizen involvement.
Laurence currently works at Polytechnique Montreal, where she coordinates a Canada Research Chair (CDC-Innov) as well as a research group (GMT). Innovation, the green economy, creativity and commercialization are at the heart of her work.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering (Polytechnique Montréal), a master’s degree and a doctorate in administration (HEC Montréal).

LOUISE MC DONALD
Director

Aware of the power of citizenship and the impact of our choices on the health of the planet, Louise joined VertCité in 2020 to contribute to an organization that shares her values.
She first arrived in Ville Saint-Laurent in 1987 and has been working as an executive assistant in the general administration of the Sisters of Holy Cross since 2012.
Louise holds a bachelor’s degree in translation from Université Laval and a master’s degree in translation from Université de Montréal.

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.