Staff and Board

Natalie Odd ([email protected])

Natalie Odd (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Alberta Environmental Network (AEN) and has worked in the environmental nonprofit sector in Alberta for over 20 years. AEN has a membership of more than 50 environmental groups that connect, collaborate, mobilize and impact ecosystems. Over the past two years, Natalie has worked to partner AEN with other organizations for the Defend Alberta Parks (CPAWS Northern & Southern Alberta) and Protect our Water - Alberta Beyond Coal (Council of Canadians - Prairies-NWT Region) ground campaigns. Natalie is also working collaboratively to build Drawdown Alberta - a crowd-sourcing, climate-solutions movement that has also emerged in BC and Ontario - and to advance a Just Transition in Alberta. Natalie has run in four federal elections, advocating for environmental and social justice. She was born in Holland and has lived in England, France, Sweden and Ecuador.

Russ Miyagawa ([email protected])

Russ Miyagawa (he/him) has provided administrative, communications, information technology, and technical services to environmental and community non-profit groups for over two decades. He is resides in Edmonton's Queen Alexandra neighbourhood, where he is an active member of the Queen Alexandra Community League's Board of Directors. He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering, and an MSc in Environmental Engineering from the University of Alberta.

Preet Kang ([email protected])

Preet Kang (she/her) is truly passionate about renewable energy and climate action. Preet’s formal education in chemical engineering has led to the understanding that the way energy is produced has a lasting effect on our world. She believes satisfying the increasing energy demand while maintaining sustainability and equity is a huge and complex issue in our communities. As a youth, she is curious about this challenge and eager to delve into opportunities that support climate policy and action. Preet is currently the Energy Transition Campaigner at the Alberta Environmental Network, working to advance a Just Transition in Alberta as the province moves to a low-carbon economy. 

Molli Bennett ([email protected])

Molli (she/her) lives in Mohkinstsis, also known as Calgary, AB. She is an experienced leader who is passionate about building community and organizing for change. She joined AEN to build her skills and have meaningful conversations with Albertans about climate change. She finds it rewarding to connect with people and builds hope for the future by taking action. She believes that we need a variety of perspectives to be able to address the climate crisis. She holds a Bachelors of Applied Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership from Mount Royal University. She is currently the Organizing Director for AEN. She loves spending time outdoors and is nerdy about the way we build and move through urban landscapes. 

Melanie Hoffman ([email protected])

An Albertan by choice, her curiosity about making nanoparticles and skiing in the Rockies brought Melanie (she/her) from Germany to amiskwaciy waskahikan, or as it is known in English: Edmonton. Mel fell in love with this province and this city, and is passionate about learning and connecting, and exploring how to do everything in a good way. An educator and Ph.D. chemist by training, she has spent recent years deeply in climate communication, reconciliation, and the mosaic of Project Regeneration / Project Drawdown climate solutions – co-founding Drawdown Alberta. She arrived here through her family, her work with the King’s Centre for Visualization in Science, the Climate Reality Project, collaboration with Canadian Drawdown groups and Paul Hawken, and exploring climate action in education through EcoSchools in Alberta. Mel loves life (she bets just like you do!); in particular horses, growing food, dancing, and trail running.