Our People

Around the world, our network of dedicated staff, board members and local partners make our mission possible.

Together, every decision we make ensures our work is efficient, effective, and sustainable, and takes us closer to our goal: making clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene a normal part of everyday life for everyone, everywhere.

Making change happen on a global scale

WaterAid Canada is part of a global federation alongside six other members: Australia, India, Japan, Sweden, the UK, and the USA. Together, we work with partners around the world, local governments , WASH sectors, community organizations, and religious leaders.

WaterAid Canada Staff

Justin Murgai

CEO

Julie Truelove

Head of Policy and Advocacy

Aneesha Hampton

Head of Communications and Brand

Freya Struthers

Associate Director, Philanthropy

Blanche Talbot

Donor Services and Data Administrator

Shahran Ahmed

Manager of Philanthropy

Brett Massey

Director, International Programs

Sara Marshall

Business Development Manager

Nicole Dagher

Project Manager

Elise Lapalme

Project Officer

Judy Erskine

Director of Finance and Administration

Lori Lejeune

Project Accountant

Dianne Dowling

Bookkeeper

WaterAid Canada's Board of Directors

Martin Munro (Chair)

Martin's career began as an engineering procurement officer with Government of Canada's Supply and Services department. He has held executive roles at Allen Vanguard, Cubic Field Services Canada, and was VP of Strategy and Business Development at DRS Technologies Canada. He is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario. In 1987-88, he volunteered in Papua New Guinea building infrastructure for the local Department of Health.

Ashley Meek

Ashley is an Executive Advisor, Knowledge Systems and Participatory Science, in the Office of the Chief Scientist Alberta Environment and Parks. She holds a chemical engineering degree from McGill and an environmental engineering master's from the Technical University of Denmark. Ashley has worked in Europe and Canada on Environmental Management Systems and has led emergency and development WASH programming in Africa and Asia.

Carol-Anne Kemp

Carol-Anne began her career in Deloitte in South Africa and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. She serves as a finance and operations executive, providing interim CFO services. Carol-Anne has held finance leadership roles in organizations including Intellectual Property Ontario, War Child Canada, McCarthy Tetrault & Plan International Canada. She is a proven change leader , leading organizational transformations and cultural change initiatives.

Diana Stephenson

Diana joined BC Hydro in 2021, and holds nearly two decades of electricity industry experience in Western Canada’s regulated and competitive electricity marketplaces. She holds a Bachelor of Sociology from Simon Fraser University and a corporate governance designation from the Institute of Governance Professionals. Before joining BC Hydro, Diana served as VP, Public Affairs & Sustainability with ENMAX Corporation.

Garvey Chui

Garvey is an impact investor and advisor to organizations focusing on bringing innovation and technologies to the bottom of the wealth pyramid. Garvey is passionate about sanitation and menstrual health, primarily as the driver to ensure girls receive education and women's economic participation. In recognition for the impact of her work , she was selected as a ‘Champion for Diversity’ by UNAC and as one of Hong Kong’s “Women of Hope” by SCMP.

Indra Prashad

Indra is an engineer with over 30 years’ experience in water and wastewater systems.  Indra has worked with Municipal and First Nations communities to support the development and implementation of safe, accessible, and sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure.  She was previously a Board Director with Water for People in Denver and Chair of Water for People Canada. 

John Hinds

John was the President and CEO of News Media Canada, advocating on public policy issues and leading research and marketing. As a lawyer he has held senior political roles and is experienced in public affairs consulting. John sits on several boards, including United Way of Toronto, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Harbourfront Centre, and Solus Trust Company. He is a former Chair of Casey House Hospice and Vice Chair of St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

Max Binnie

Max is a lawyer with the government of Canada with significant experience in rights litigation and policy development. Having worked both as a political staffer and a public servant Max brings a broad understanding of government to his work with WaterAid and a strong appreciation for how public policy is formed and implemented. 

Palash Sanyal

Palash is a Strategic Partnerships and Project Manager at the Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan focusing on water risk management. He contributed significantly to the Valuing Water Global Assessment report. Palash holds master's degrees in Engineering , Economics and Water Security. He is an Ambassador for the School of Environment and Sustainability, the Clinton Global Initiative, and Thought for Food. Palash is pursuing his CPA designation. 

Sylvain Dufour

Sylvain is a former Chief Financial Officer of the International Development Research Centre with executive experience nationally and internationally. He worked in governance of non-profits, focused on risk management. As an engineer, Sylvain specialized in Geo-technique, consulting on mine waste management and water protection. Now retired, he volunteers on non-profit boards and researches about his family's history and ancestral village.

Trent Hoole

Trent is an experienced executive, having served in senior legal, governance, and operations roles with organizations working on sustainable development for 20+ years. A lawyer by training, Trent spent the early part of his career in progressively responsible legal roles at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He became Corporate Secretary and General Counsel to IDRC in 2012.

WaterAid Canada's history

In 1987, Michael Lubbock founded the Canadian charity WaterCan/EauVive, because no other organization in Canada focused on access to clean water. Mr. Lubbock recognized that clean water and sanitation are human rights and felt that water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) were under-recognized and underfunded issues in the Canadian international development sector.

WaterCan was established with the mission to bring clean, safe drinking water, basic sanitation, and hygiene education to the world’s least developed communities.

Working with local partners, WaterCan’s programs reached more than one million people, breaking the cycle of poverty and disease and increasing opportunities for health, education, gender equality, and economic growth.

In 2013, WaterCan joined the global WaterAid Federation becoming WaterAid Canada. Since joining WaterAid in 2013, we coordinate activities and make decisions collectively with six other national members of the WaterAid federation: Australia, India, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We bring together our different experiences and expertise to build strong connections and stay focused on our vision of a world where everyone has access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

WaterAid's history

We started in 1981, when several UK water companies came together at the Thirsty World Conference. Determined to find a solution to a global crisis that had left billions without water, toilets or hygiene, the idea for WaterAid was born.

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