Shauna Sylvester is a Fellow at the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue and the Executive Director of the SFU Public Square – a new initiative which convenes serious and productive dialogues on public policy issues in British Columbia. Shauna is also the Executive Director of SFU’s Carbon Talks a national initiative focused on increasing Canada’s global competitiveness by shifting to a low carbon economy.

Shauna is a skilled facilitator, a social entrepreneur and a communications professional. Prior to leading SFU Public Square and Carbon Talks, Shauna served as the Founding Executive Director of Canada’s World – a national citizen engagement initiative on foreign policy. In 1997 to 2006, Shauna co-founded and served as the first Executive Director of IMPACS – the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society - which served as Canada’s first full service communications centre for non-profits and an international media and democracy organization with programs in conflict and post-conflict zones around the world.

In addition to her international work, Shauna is involved in her community. She has served as Treasurer to Mountain Equipment Cooperative and on the boards of Vancity Credit Union, Vancity Capital, the Voluntary Sector Initiative, the BC Assessment Authority and numerous non-profit organizations.

In 2010, Shauna was recognized by The Simons Foundation as a Peace Leader. In 2003, she was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 in the Globe and Mail after receiving a similar award from Business in Vancouver Magazine in 2000.