Cherise Burda is the executive director of City Building TMU at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she specializes in relevant and proactive policy, strategic communications and creative engagement.Cherise’s research and activities have directly influenced policy change in Ontario and British Columbia on housing, transportation and energy. She has authored more than 40 policy reports, book chapters and academic publications, as well as dozens of magazine articles and op-eds. She previously served as Ontario director of the Pembina Institute, program director at the David Suzuki Foundation and senior researcher at the University of Victoria’s Eco-Research Chair in Environmental Law and Policy. She participates regularly in public and private sector working groups.