Meet our team

Upswing Solutions was founded by Allison Murray, an international sustainability leader who has helped companies for over 20 years to create social and environmental change and build purpose into their business.

Allison has led strategies and programs at some of the world’s largest companies in the UK, Australia and Canada in the telecommunications, energy, insurance and transportation & logistics industries. Beyond creating change inside companies, Allison has also provided consulting services to CEOs and boards of start-ups and not-for-profit organizations.

Allison holds a Master’s degree in Science and Technology Policy from the University of Sussex (UK) and a B.A. (Hons) in International Development Studies from Dalhousie University (Canada).

Rahul Chandran is a senior sustainability executive with over 15 years of practical and policy experience. Prior to joining Upswing as Managing Partner, he was the VP of ESG Policy at Export Development Canada, where he defined EDC’s new ESG framework, built core teams and secured board approval. 

Before EDC, Rahul was the CEO of CARE Impact Partners, where he worked with major companies such as Mars, McCormick and Target to build corporate ESG strategies and translate them into operational plans, such as supply-chain processes. He also worked in sustainable development and innovation for over 15 years, leading a global alliance on scaling public-private partnerships in innovation, ran the sustainable development workstream at the Center of Policy Research at the United Nations, and worked for numerous technology start-ups.

Leor is a nationally-recognized senior leader with 20 years of sustainability and social impact experience - most recently as Executive Director at Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR). Leor is an active podcaster with his show Pipelines & Turbines and he has a new book launching this spring called How We Gather Matters all about sustainability, purpose, and diversity & inclusion in the events industry.

Michelle is a Senior Consultant with over 20 years of experience working with governments, non-profits, private and publicly traded companies to enhance sustainability and ESG.

Her areas of expertise include responsible supply chain management, ESG disclosure, biodiversity and conservation, human rights and labor rights, modern slavery, diversity, equity and inclusion and supplier diversity.

Michelle works across various sectors and markets – including professional and commercial services, finance, insurance, telecommunications, construction, retail, and manufacturing.

Michelle has a Masters of Science in Health and Environmental Sciences from the University of Waterloo, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Toxicology (minor in Statistics) from the University of Guelph. She holds the FSA SASB certification, the GHG Scope 3 certificate as well as the Climate Change and TCFD: Risks and Opportunities for the Banking Industry certificate from the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).

Dawne Skinner is a senior environmental engineer with significant project management experience across a variety of sectors. She holds an MBA in Innovation, Enterprise and the Circular Economy through an Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) pioneer school and has been chosen by the EMF, through a global competition, as a Schmidt MacArthur Fellow in the Circular Economy.

Through these programs, she has developed significant knowledge in innovation management, circular economy business models, material flow modelling, circular design and closed loop supply chains. She recently led six, first of their kind, circular economy studies in Canada and has been providing policy advice to federal, provincial and municipal governments on how to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Dawne is currently a PhD candidate in Industrial Engineering at Dalhousie University, where her focus is on designing, modelling and optimizing circular and closed loop supply chains.

Kai brings more than 6 years of knowledge and experience in developing medium- to long-term corporate business development strategies to the Upswing team.

With sustainability as the bottom line, Kai is able to balance the needs of the business and seek opportunities that complement their unique competitive advantage. Kai possesses strong business acumen and is adept at conducting in-depth market research for various new and emerging industries and technologies. Kai also served as an expat at the Toyota headquarters in Japan, joining the CTO & Executive VP-led new business development team. During his career he has developed strategies related to renewable energy (biomass and solar), electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. His most recent success includes a strategic investment in a Mobility-as-a-service business in North America.

Kai holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Environment and Business from the University of Waterloo.

Muhammad has a diverse set of experiences within sustainable finance, product strategy, non-profit program development, marketing, and sustainability consulting. Over the last 3 years, Muhammad led the strategy and development of the Impact Metrics product at Sustainalytics. He is a University of Waterloo graduate with a Master of Environmental Studies, Sustainability Management, where his research focused on impact investing and climate change. He also holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Environment and Business from the University of Waterloo, forming the foundation of his knowledge and expertise in corporate sustainability and sustainability standards.

Alexandrea (Alex) is a consultant with a focus on ESG strategy, materiality assessments, circular economy, and social impact. Alex brings over two and a half years of consulting experience to Upswing, having most recently worked at Deloitte. Throughout her career, Alex has supported clients with end-to-end ESG strategy and program design, including ESG governance, materiality, and reporting and disclosure.

Alex holds her Honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc) degree from McMaster University with a major in neuroscience, psychology, and behaviour and interdisciplinary minor in sustainability and her Master of Global Affairs (MGA) from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs.

Arjun Salu is a sustainability consultant with a focus on decarbonization, circular economy, and ESG principles. Arjun's professional journey is marked by his deep commitment to integrating environmental, social, and governance factors into corporate strategies.

Over the past two and half years in his previous role, Arjun has supported various clients in developing robust ESG strategies, crafting circular economy roadmaps, and conducting comprehensive economic analysis and GHG accounting. His strong project management and communication skills enable him to effectively lead research initiatives and strategic implementations that enhance sustainable practices across organizations.

Camilla is a sustainability professional with over 5 years of hands-on experience in Environmental Diagnostic, Reporting, and Performance, involving private and public industries around the world.

Camilla also has over 10 years of research experience within huge institutions, always ensuring compliance with national and international programs.

Her experience includes environmental KPIs tracking, ESG, and UN PRI Reporting Framework, GHG accounting and, implementing company’s climate change strategies.

Camilla holds a MSc in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture from the University of Exeter, UK, and a MSc in Agribusiness from the Federal University of Goias, Brazil and a BSc in Law from the Pontifical Catholic University of Goias.

She received several scholarships such as the Science Without Boarders and the prestigious Chevening Scholarship.

Sonja has kept organizations moving forward for over 20 years. She has designed and managed office systems from small technology startups, to high growth businesses, to large government departments.

Early in her career Sonja created the infrastructure to support the founding team during a high growth phase at one of Nova Scotia’s leading technology companies. Sonja has broad experience across HR systems and policies, optimizing office productivity, managing executive-level communications, and financial management software.

Most recently, Sonja joined Upswing from provincial government, where she was responsible for efficient management of the office of the Executive Director. Sonja has a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.