Staff Team

heather@10carden.ca

Bringing over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience to her role at 10C, Heather is a passionate community leader and connector focused on activating your good work for long term sustainable change. Whether at the individual level through her leadership coaching or working with organizations to support systems change, Heather is passionate about purpose and transformation.

With over a decade of experience as a partner in a change communications company, board member for multiple sustainability-focused organizations, and facilitator of key community initiatives, Heather has created remarkable opportunities for positive change in the community.

Heather is a 2020 Canada’s Clean 50 Honouree, honouring outstanding contributors to sustainable development and clean capitalism in Canada.

Heather is deeply committed to her community and family. She lives in Guelph with her husband and 3 children and 3 dogs. Heather loves to cook, read and sew and stays active hiking, spinning, cross country skiing and cottaging.

jude@10carden.ca

Jude is an avid pedestrian and cyclist, a map-maker, and place-based researcher passionate about circularity in local food systems. They strive to share this enthusiasm for collaborative design in all places called home.

Since arriving in Guelph in 2018, Jude has contributed to various circular food projects supporting The SEED, Our Food Future and COIL. She started at 10C in July 2022 on the Harvest Impact team (as Intake and Impact Assessment Lead) to build out a framework for all things data and impact metrics for each of the various programs supported by 10C, helped by contract roles that are already a part of the Guelph-Wellington circular food movement.

Jude has a Masters in Geography from the University of Guelph, Diploma in GIS from COGS in Annapolis Valley, NS, and Bachelor’s degree in Geography from Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. Growing up in Athabasca, AB with settler family roots in farms on Prince Edward Island activated their desire for community building and deep placemaking.

julia@10carden.ca

Working with long-term community benefit as her core purpose, Julia has led 10C through nearly 15 years of innovation, expanding into new project areas and providing a voice for valuable community content – and action.

Julia is passionate about connection, community building, placemaking and demonstrating the linked potential of social finance and social enterprise, as 10C continues to explore locally relevant changemaking projects.

Using design thinking practices, she likes to make connections between multiple problems that might align to possible solutions, and enjoys seeing systems in complex multi-layered ways.

On the personal side, Julia strives for authenticity and prefers deep open-hearted conversations. A confidante of many, she has an ability to help others find their strengths by embracing their unknowns. With decades of experience as an entrepreneur, Julia can assist with the fortitude and self-awareness necessary on an entrepreneurial journey. #tenacity

Julia loves anything to do with craft beer, coffee and maple syrup.

jess@10carden.ca

Passion, enthusiasm, determination, bordering on stubbornness, and care for her community describe Jess well. Jess gained her community engagement experience supporting local non-profits in Guelph/Wellington and in the Co-operative movement in Alberta where she led corporate community investment programs in the agriculture sector. She was born and raised on a dairy farm in Bowmanville, Ontario, holds an Environmental Studies degree from the University of Waterloo and now calls Guelph home.

When she’s not supporting the community, you can find her outside gardening with her kids or exploring on cross-country skis with her family.

nayssam@10carden.ca

Nayssam holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on local food systems, and has over 10 years of experience in community- and food-based work. Nayssam joined 10C in March 2022 to join the FUN (Food Uniting Neighbours) team - a community-led project based in the Onward Willow neighbourhood, focused on improving access to nourishing food and food-based programming. She also supports other food workshops and programming at 10C.

Nayssam moved to Guelph four years ago, and lives with her partner and their cat (Kevin and Greg, respectively). Outside of work, you can find Nayssam gardening, baking, reading, checking out new places to eat, learning a new skill like crochet or woodworking.

nathan@10carden.ca

Nathan is a versatile musician, writer, artist, and project coordinator. With extensive experience in operations and event planning, Nathan also holds a Masters in History from the University of Waterloo and a Technical Writing Certificate from Simon Fraser University. Nathan has been a drummer and songwriter for 31 years, has played on countless albums, and put out 12 albums of original music under his own name and with his band Minotaurs.

Born and raised in Guelph and Ariss, ON, Nathan is deeply connected to the city of Guelph, where he lives with his wife and 2 kids, and is passionate about social justice and community.

Dale joined the team in 2009 and is integral to the function and look of the 10C space.

joy@10carden.ca

rye@10carden.ca

Rye has spent most of her life living on the Haldimand Tract and currently lives with her partner and incredibly adored cats. Her professional work to date has focused on agriculture, environmental sustainability, and program management, but has always thrived by finding opportunities for new skill development within those roles. Rye loves to engage with data, often examining how we can reveal deeper intersectional insights (or understand the limitations of the data!) and works to enfuse quantitative data with an empathetic perspective.

Outside of 10C, they work to build and strengthen queer communities, working with SPECTRUM Waterloo Region and serving as the Board Secretary for TransCare+. Her values are firmly rooted in intersectional feminism, community care, and harm reduction, and you'll probably find it at a locally owned cafe, the library, or a thrift store!

noura@10carden.ca

nicole@10carden.ca

paige@10carden.ca

Paige Bromby is a Guelph-based artist, cultural manager, and community activator. She grew up in Erin Ontario and now lives in Guelph’s Two Rivers Neighborhood with her partner and their dog, Zeke.

Her work has largely been anchored in communications, event management and program development. Paige has continued in those areas of focus within her position at 10C as the Arts and Community Activator. An involved member of the Guelph arts community, she brings to 10C a passion for community building, systems organization and a drive to amplify the voices of people around her. Paige holds a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Guelph.

She is a lover of books, an avid gardener, and someone who always has a few projects on the go. Through all her work, Paige is dedicated to supporting inclusive, accessible and sustainable creative environments.

alex@10carden.ca

Alex has spent the last 11 years either working in organic farming or teaching English abroad. He continues to serve the farming community through working at the Farmers’ Market, supporting vendors and operations to serve the Guelph community. His hobbies and passions include language learning, playing guitar and discovering new music, reading, martial arts, and discussing the state of global affairs. You can often find Alex at the Farmers’ Market, alone at a cafe with a book, or hanging out in the local parks with his young son.

emily@10carden.ca

Emily is a community planner, designer and researcher. She holds a Masters degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of British Columbia and has worked on community-engaged research and planning projects with a focus on food systems, policy and collaborative governance.

Emily grew up on a small farm outside Guelph where she farmed alongside her parents and cultivated a deep passion for land, food and community.

In 2021, Emily moved back to Guelph after nearly 10 years living, working and exploring British Columbia, from the Okanagan to Salt Spring Island. She joined the 10C team leading the SDG Cities project with a focus on exploring local activation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

katie@10carden.ca

In addition to a deep commitment to and passion for community gathering and sharing, Katie brings more than 10 years of experience working in non-profit organizations across Ontario to her role at 10C. Her work has always been rooted in education, outreach and advocacy primarily in the food and farming sector - working as part of Ontario farms, organizing community events, and engaging with communities.

With an eye toward good systems and a heart rooted in the magic of collaboration, her favourite place to be is in the background of big ideas, moving things forward and supporting individuals to find and celebrate their magic. Hearing your stories and dreams continues to remind Katie of the strength of community and power of gathering, sharing and learning together.

When not at 10C, you’ll probably find Katie in the kitchen, on the porch, or among the trees with her family.

emily.aimola@10carden.ca

erin@10carden.ca

romina@10carden.ca

If Romina had the time to write a book it would be titled “Every problem has a solution, so get it done!” Challenges are what make her life exciting. She is Italian, born and bred in South Africa, and immigrated to Canada with her family in 2020. With over 20-years of experience in the operations and finance field, systems, procedures and action plans are what keeps her going.

margaret@10carden.ca

Margaret is passionate about engaging youth, students and the wider community in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She joined 10C in September 2022 as the Network Coordinator for the SDG Cities Project. Previously, she worked at the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) as a Researcher and Education Program Coordinator for the project on Advancing the 2030 Agenda in Nogojiwanong | Peterborough and developed a series of interactive workshops to raise awareness and to promote partnership and bridging efforts across various sectors in support of the Agenda 2030.

Margaret holds an MSc in Environmental Management from the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Public Health, specializing in Environmental Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling and exploring new places.