Our community

Leads, affiliates & fellows

CRF drives thought leadership on regenerative sustainability. Our centre is doing cutting edge research spanning a variety of topics to advance our understanding of the world’s most pressing sustainability issues.

Leads

CRF leads are responsible for guiding key strategic initiatives that align with the Centre for Regenerative Futures’ mission and long-term vision. They work with our CRF team to help shape, develop, and implement their initiatives, ensuring meaningful impact and collaboration across our network. Here are our leads:

• Sara Elias
• Christian Van Buskirk
• Jie Zhang 

Affiliates

CRF affiliates are faculty members who are interested in advancing their teaching, research and/or community engagement in regenerative sustainability to support the centre’s mission. They enrich our community through engaging in collaborative projects, knowledge sharing and participating in CRF events. Here are the CRF affiliates:

• Frank Bastien
• Rick Cotton
• Wade Danis
• Stacey Fitzsimmons
• Ricardo Flores
• Aloysius Marcus Kahindi
• Michael King
• Basma Majerbi
• Cheryl Mitchell
• Matt Murphy
• Linda Shi
• Doug Stuart

CRF Research Fellows

CRF research fellows are academics from around the world who contribute academic expertise and scholarly insight to the Centre for Regenerative Futures. Through collaborative research and knowledge exchange, they help advance regenerative approaches to business and societal transformation. Here are the research fellows for the CRF:

• Oana Branzei
• Frederik Dahlmann
• Andy Hoffman
• Kent Williams

CRF Practitioner Fellows

CRF practitioner fellows are experienced professionals who brings real-world insights and applied expertise to bridge the gap between academia and industry. As part of the CRF, they contribute to research, teaching, and collaboration that advances regenerative thinking and practice in organizations. Here are the current practitioner fellows for the centre:

• Cordell Jacks 
• Mckenna Liski

CRF advisory board

Our advisory board is made up of leaders from various sectors who walk the talk on regenerative sustainability to help Gustavson advance its vision.  

Current board members:

• • Anthony Everett, President & CEO, 4VI
  • Katie Gamble, CEO & Founder, Nature Bee Wraps
  • Stephen Huddart, Former CEO, McConnel Foundation
  • David Miller, Managing Director, C40 Centre for Urban Climate Policy and Econom
  • Cynthia Milton, Professor, History, University of Victoria
  • Kristen Needham, CEO, Founder & Owner, Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse
  • Tricia Thomas, Creative Director, Salish Eye Productions
  • Crystal Tremblay, Associate Professor of Geography & Director of CIFAL Victoria, University of Victoria
  • Christian Van Buskirk, Associate Teaching Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria 
  • Jayesh Vekariya, CEO & Co-Founder, joni