Staff
our team
administration + communications
Leigha Benford
Chief Executive Officer
Leigha has a graduate diploma in Science Communication from Laurentian University and a Bachelor’s degree in Bio-Resource Management from the University of Guelph
Leigha has been with reThink Green since 2016, first as Communications Director and now as its Chief Executive Officer.
Leigha believes that Sudbury has a major role to play in the environmental movement for northern Ontario communities.
Sustainability matters to Leigha for “a million reasons, but now mostly because I’m a mom. I want my daughter to grow up with clean water, clean air, and access to everything that I’ve been able to access. I do what I do for her and her generation.”
When Leigha isn’t working on rethink Green programs and advancing sustainability she practices yoga, active living and healthy eating. She can often be found outside enjoying what Sudbury has to offer with her family.
Simon blakeley
Regional Manager Program Development & Government Relations, Green Economy North
Simon Blakeley has a Masters’ Degree in Urban Environmental Design, an Undergraduate Degree in Geography and Planning, and a Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Business & Administration.
Simon has approximately 16 years’ international experience, supporting and enabling sustainable business practices, across different levels of government, not-for-profits, academia, and the private sector. Simon is an active member of the Board of Directors at the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) and the North Bay & District Multicultural Centre (NBDMC). He is also one of the founding members of Next Economy: North Bay (NENB)
David st. georges Communications & Sponsorship Manager
A graduate of Cambrian College, David St. Georges had spent near 15 years working to build community change through the charitable sector. Starting by developing ground-level efforts for the Canadian Red Cross, David shifted his focus to the environmental field through reThink Green a few years ago. Having worked to lead teams in many natural disaster responses at the Canadian Red Cross, he felt this was his chance to prevent these events before they occurred.
Now an expert in frontline waste reduction, David has built many carbon reduction plans for businesses and events here in Northern Ontario. Small changes over time that that are easy for people to understand is how David approaches every project. He believes living sustainably is a key strategy in growing social and economic efforts here in the North.
When not working in community sustainability, David volunteers as a community television host with Eastlink TV.
Amy Hallman Grout
Registered Energy Advisor
Amy was born in Sudbury, but went to school in Hamilton and Toronto, and lived for several years in Montreal. She has a Masters degree in Environmental Studies from York University with a specialization in Environmental Education. This training is serving her well in her role as a Registered Energy Advisor. Amy is very happy to be on the reThink Green team, helping to reduce carbon emissions one home at a time.
David Gagnon
Green economy North Technical Officer
Born in Greater Sudbury in Northern Ontario, Canada, David Gagnon is a multidisciplinary artist with work ranging from the architectural, to collage, to the written and more. He graduated from Laurentian University’s McEwen School of Architecture with a Master’s degree in architecture in April of 2021 with a thesis titled Post Apocalypse of the Future: Architectural Potentiality in a changing world. It explored ideas of climate change, apocalypse, and science fiction and how architecture and people might necessarily adapt to such a changing world. Since then, he has also started a master’s degree in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University, which he hopes to complete in 2025.