Our People

Cariad Garratt  |  Principal

Cariad has fifteen years of experience providing strategic planning, project management, facilitation and analysis to assist clients in achieving their sustainability goals. Her experience encompasses community-scale and corporate-scale energy and climate change strategic planning, air quality management planning, water and wastewater planning and policy development, and sustainability indicator definition and reporting.

Her strength lies helping clients navigate the path from a long-term vision to a set of strategies, objectives and specific policies that will assist in achieving that vision.  Having worked with over 30 local governments, she also has a strong understanding of the operational, policy and planning context for local governments and draws on this to develop strategies and action plans suitable for achieving her clients’ goals.

Cariad has been project manager, facilitator and writer for several corporate energy and climate strategies for local governments, including: Peace River Regional District and four member municipalities, Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, City of Chilliwack, and Fraser Valley Regional District. She also managed the inventory data collection for the Carbon Neutral Kootenays project – a project that completed over 35 local government inventories.

Prior to forming Pinna Sustainability Inc., Cariad was a key member of The Sheltair Group (and after acquisition, with Stantec Consulting’s sustainable solutions team) where she led numerous energy and climate action planning projects.

 

Gillian Aubie Vines  |  Principal

Gillian is a social geographer and planner holding a Masters degree in Cities, Space and Society from the London School of Economics, and has worked in Canada, the United Kingdom and Mexico on issues of sustainability, social justice, behavior change, climate adaptation, and inclusion in the urban environment.  Gillian has significant research and project experience with government, non-governmental organizations, and academia.

Gillian has been involved in many projects that bridge science with planning and public awareness including climate change and adaptation plans, strategic sustainability plans, ‘State of the Environment’ reports, and sustainability needs assessment and implementation plans. Currently, a main component of her work involves designing and facilitating public and stakeholder consultation processes that engage communities in discussions around sustainable development. She is a registered member of the International Institute for Public Participation (IAP2), and is known for her innovative and creative approach to gaining access to hard to reach audiences, bringing energy to engagement events, and facilitating engagement on technical issues

Before founding Pinna, Gillian worked locally with Stantec Consulting Ltd and The Sheltair Group, and abroad with LEAD International in London, UK. In addition to her consulting career, Gillian is a faculty member with the Geography Department at Langara College.  

Pinna's Staff

Jenny Baker, Ph.D  |  Senior Associate

Jenny is a public health practitioner with over 12 years of experience in community engagement, research and evaluation. Her background in health promotion and social marketing has led her to work with communities and organizations to address issues related to air pollution, active transportation, alcohol use, tuberculosis, physical activity, tobacco, and nutrition. She is a qualitative researcher with strong skills in quantitative research approaches. Jenny is able to strategize, plan and execute project plans and approaches, and demonstrates the ability to effectively meet deliverables on time and within budget.

Jenny has participated in the development, implementation and evaluation of quasi-experimental designs, community-based research and social marketing strategies. Jenny is an engaging facilitator able to work with diverse groups to share knowledge, exchange ideas and develop action plans. She has experience working with a wide range of stakeholders including youth, the public, First Nations, Inuit and officials from local, provincial and federal governments. Recently, Jenny led the development and implementation of responsible use of alcohol strategy with the Government of Nunavut, and, working with Health Canada, conducted pilot research to support a study aimed at updating a national survey to inform health impacts of change in air pollution.


Denni Clement, B.A.  |  Senior Associate - Indigenous Engagement

Denni Clement is from ʔAq'am, a Ktunaxa Nation community located in the Kootenay region of BC. She is a facilitator, planner, researcher, writer, community engagement, and sustainability specialist. Denni led the creation of ʔAq'am’s comprehensive community plan from 2009 to 2011, and has contributed to ongoing planning efforts since. Denni’s facilitation style is grounded in Ktunaxa teachings from ʔAq'am Elders and Knowledge Holders. She is able to understand diverse Indigenous protocols and has created safe, creative engaging spaces for Indigenous peoples for over 10 years. She has worked for the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy’s Climate Action Secretariat and the BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation supporting innovative engagement with Indigenous peoples on climate change. She is a contributing author for the BC chapter of the national assessment on climate change titled “Canada in a Changing Climate”. Denni holds a Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Victoria and is a dancer performing regularly with Indigenous women’s groups in Victoria. 


Dana Cook, M.A  |  Senior Project Manager

Dana is a sustainability practitioner with a diverse skill set that ranges from research and data analysis to community organizing and engagement. Her background in energy transition research, community organizing, and environmental consulting has led her to work with communities, government and industry on projects related to clean energy, climate action and policy, and the restoration of urban spaces. Dana has experience working with large data sets in both quantitative and qualitative research and analysis methods. As an environmental consultant, Dana was involved in all stages of the environmental requirements of community development and used GIS to spatially analyze data and create restoration plans for industry and municipalities. Dana is able to facilitate and train large groups both in-person and online. 


Kat Jin, M.F.R.E.  |  Climate and Sustainability Analytics Consultant

Kat is a versatile sustainability analytics professional who focuses on helping clients make data-driven decisions to achieve their sustainability goals. With over three years of experience in sustainability, she has developed a deep understanding of the challenges associated with climate change and the need for sustainable practices within community and organizational contexts. Kat's expertise in sustainability analytics is complemented by her Master's degree in Food and Resource Economics from the University of British Columbia, which provides her with a solid foundation in the economic drivers of sustainability practices. Additionally, her five years of experience in B2B and social marketing have equipped her with valuable data-focused expertise that she now applies to her work in sustainability analytics. 

Kat is also an experienced researcher with a proven track record in designing, implementing, and analyzing data collected through qualitative and quantitative research methods. She is highly skilled in conducting literature reviews, environmental assessments and market analysis, as well as collecting data through interviews, focus groups, workshops, and surveys. With her research proficiency and expertise in various data analytics and statistical tools (e.g., Microsoft Excel, NVivo, Qualtrics, SPSS, SAS, Power BI, and Tableau), Kat excels in translating large amounts and complex information through data modelling and visualization into actionable insights that drive sustainability initiatives. Moreover, Kat is able to communicate complex sustainability data to diverse audiences and develop compelling sustainability strategies that align with the goals of key stakeholders. Her extensive knowledge in sustainability spans a wide range of topics, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture practices, sustainable transportation, waste solutions, and circular economy. With a commitment to lifelong learning and a dedication to innovation, Kat continually expands her knowledge in sustainability-related topics. 

Kat possesses excellent project management skills, which she has demonstrated through her successful collaborations with indigenous communities, various levels of government, crown corporations, universities, non-profits, and private sector clients. In addition, her leadership abilities and commitment to teamwork have enabled her to lead teams toward success, resulting in positive sustainability outcomes.


Rodrigo R. Baston, B.A.  |  Sustainability Specialist

Rodrigo R. Baston is a Registered Professional Forester and sustainability practitioner with extensive knowledge in natural resources market and policy, forest management and sustainable development. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of British Columbia where he specialized in Forest Resources Management. Prior to becoming a sustainability consultant, Rodrigo acted as a professional forestry consultant for over five years in a diverse portfolio of land and forest management projects across British Columbia. He is a skilled GIS analyst, well-versed in using specialized mapping software (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS) to collect and analyze spatial data, manage databases and generate meaningful and easy to visualize maps that meet reporting needs. Rodrigo possesses strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills, liaising with different levels of government, private companies, landowners and First Nations in projects related to land and sustainability. He also has excellent writing and communications skills and is experienced in preparing and conducting engaging workshops and surveys, for both large and small audiences, through his background in coordinating climate action planning. Rodrigo believes that through his understanding of the biological, physical and social aspects of land systems he is able to help organizations achieve their sustainability and climate change goals.


Steve Roddick, M.A.  |  Senior Resilience Practitioner

Steve is a climate resilience and adaptation specialist, a skilled researcher and analyst, and a strategic thinker who loves tackling complex challenges. Born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Steve has lived, worked, and volunteered in Mali, India, and Bangladesh, and has also worked across four different orders of government in Canada (First Nations, Federal, territorial, and municipal). While Steve's career has focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation, first as an Adaptation Analyst with the government of Yukon and subsequently in his work leading Resilient North Consulting, Steve also served as a Whitehorse City Councillor from 2018-2021 - and he remains passionate about municipal sustainability and resilience.  Steve holds a B.A. in political science from St. Francis Xavier University and an M.A. in public and international affairs from the University of Ottawa, as well as a certificate in risk management from the University of Toronto. 


Pinna's Associates

Samantha Agtarap, P.Eng

Samantha has over ten years of experience working with clients to translate complex technical information into accessible communications material.  Her core strengths include the ability to synthesize large amounts of information while ensuring that key messages are conveyed clearly.   Samantha is a Professional Engineer with experience in energy options analysis and planning. She has worked on community energy planning and forecasting with First Nation and non-aboriginal communities, building energy consumption analysis and program development.   Samantha has a wide range of experience, primarily focusing on energy and the environment.  Through her work, she has gained valuable experience working with First Nations and remote communities.  In particular, her work on the Haida Gwaii Community Electricity Plan and BC Hydro’s Remote Community Electrification Program provided her with an understanding of the unique set of issues facing First Nations and remote communities throughout the province.

Dara Edmonds, B.A, LL.B

Dara is a skilled sustainability consultant who specializes in sustainability reporting and has extensive experience in report development, the application of reporting frameworks, and report assurance. Previously, Dara managed sustainability reporting at Teck Resources, Canada’s largest diversified mining company. Dara is currently an internal consultant at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA), supporting sustainability reporting and strategic initiatives to embed sustainability in corporate culture. She supports other companies with reporting, performance and compliance, strategy development, and stakeholder engagement. She has provided report assurance to clients including Vancity and Diageo Inc., and reporting and advisory services for Goldcorp, lululemon, Metro Vancouver, McCain Foods, and Transport Canada. 

Tamsin Mills, M.Sc, RPP 

Tamsin is a Registered Professional Planner with over ten years of experience as a planner, project manager, facilitator and sustainability specialist with municipal and provincial levels of government, First Nations and the private sector. Her experience ranges from watershed-level sustainability planning with First Nations to urban development planning. Tamsin has developed an internationally recognized expertise in climate change adaptation and natural hazard risk management and communication.

Tamsin led the development of the first Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in Canada that follows the ICLEI framework – the City of Vancouver’s Adaptation Strategy http://vancouver.ca/green-vancouver/climate-change-adaptation-strategy.aspx. As project manager and author of the strategy, she has also been responsible for implementing the strategy and monitoring progress. Development and implementation of the Strategy relied on strong project management skills and relationships throughout the organization and with partners. Tamsin has a large, international network of adaptation colleagues, climate scientists, and adaptation subject matter experts.  

Tamsin’s experience includes development planning providing a valuable background in how cities are built and in structured decision-making, an important element of all planning initiatives.