This is our second feature for Employee Fun Fact Friday! We have asked each team member a series of questions to find out more about each of them so you can get to know us a little better.
Shawna McKinley
Director of Sustainability
What project are you currently working on?
Several! This morning I’m focused on helping the Oracle plan a healthy, sustainable OpenWorld in San Francisco, California.
Why do you like your job?
It permits me the opportunity to work with diverse and interesting people around the world who are passionate about making things better through meetings. No event or project is ever the same! Things are also always changing, so I’m always learning.
What accomplishment in life are you most proud of?
It’s hard to think of a single big thing I’m proud of. It makes me feel good when I can work on an event sustainability project and at the end of it see a permanent shift in thinking, practice or outcomes. For example, we just wrapped up an event and saw a 60% drop in waste per participant over our baseline year. Seeing the people who worked so hard to get there happy with their accomplishment is really rewarding.
How do you give back to your community?
The last few years our family has become active in Community Shared Agriculture. We live in a dense urban area where we can’t farm so you can feel disconnected from your food. I enjoy that once a week I can connect with the person who grows what we eat. And who also teaches me about healthier eating. This year our family opted into additional CSA shares to provide local produce to new refugee families settling in the city. It’s a very small, simple thing but hopefully makes what they are going through a little easier.
What do you do in your free time?
Enjoy Vancouver’s great outdoors in any way with my family. We’re blessed to live in a beautiful area of the world. Getting out there reminds you why you do sustainability work.
What is on your bookshelf?
The Best Hikes and Walks of Southwestern British Columbia by Dawn Hanna. A bit dog-eared after too much use!
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