Saralyn Hodgkin

Saralyn Hodgkin is the Senior Director of Design and Development at The Natural Step Canada. She has played a leadership role in growing the organization since 2004 and is currently leading two new initiatives: developing the Sustainability Transition Lab program, and introducing Developmental Evaluation across the organization.

The Sustainability Transition Lab program focuses on multi-stakeholder collaborations designed to create sustainability shifts within complex systems. Saralyn’s role includes brokering cross-sector partnerships, leading research, convening dialogue, stewarding multiple initiatives, designing transformative processes, and mobilizing resources for a number of active lab projects. Saralyn is also pioneering the use of Developmental Evaluation for The Natural Step globally to build capacity in organizational learning, impact analysis and adaptive program design and management.

Saralyn’s past contributions to the growth of The Natural Step in Canada have been significant. She has led development of award-winning eLearning courses, designed sustainability learning programs, developed communities of practice, and conducted advisory work with public and private clients. Saralyn has also been a champion of people and capacity development internally for the organization.

Prior to joining The Natural Step, Saralyn was an early participant in the sustainability movement when she graduated from Mount Allison University with a degree in sociology, commerce and geography–before she was even aware of the triple bottom line. After completing a Masters in Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, she joined a United Nations Global Compact project. Saralyn’s passion and curiosity have taken her abroad to work on sustainability initiatives in Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. Saralyn currently resides in Ottawa, where she enjoys family life in a busy household.