Meet Level's New Environmental Justice Program Manager, Tasha Stansbury!

Dear Friends of Level,

We are excited to announce the appointment of our new Environmental Justice Program Manager, Tasha Stansbury, effective January 2, 2025.

Tasha is a lawyer and educator based out of Ottawa (unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory). She identifies as queer and neurodivergent, and is a second-generation Canadian with mixed Armenian-Lebanese and European ancestry. Her intersecting identities inform and influence an equity-centered approach in every aspect of her work.

Tasha holds an Honours B.A. in Equity Studies from the University of Toronto (2016), a J.D. from the University of Windsor (2020), and an LL.M. from the University of Ottawa (2021). She was called to the bar in Ontario in 2022 and has worked in family, immigration, social benefits, housing, and criminal law. Currently, Tasha is working towards earning her Ph.D. in law, focusing on the right to culturally appropriate food for migrant communities in Canada and the environmental impact of international food trade.

Tasha has received several awards in recognition for her work in social justice, including an Appreciation in Motion Award (OMNRF, 2018), a J.W. Whiteside Award, and an Equity and Diversity Award (both University of Windsor Faculty of Law, 2020). She is also the current recipient of a Graduate Scholarship in Environmental Law and Sustainability (University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, 2024).

As an active member of her various communities, Tasha enjoys volunteering her time and skills to help them thrive. She is a Board member of the Canadian Association of Food Law and Policy, as well as of Ottawa Valley Roller Derby. She additionally volunteers with Rocky Road Rescue, an Ottawa-based dog rescue, as an adoption coordinator. Tasha spends her free time playing roller derby, reading fantasy and science fiction novels, and exploring the outdoors with her two rescue dogs.

We are confident that Tasha's passion and expertise in environmental justice will create important and effective programming that will address the urgent need for climate action in the legal sector. We look forward to her leadership.

Level's team, Board and I will continue to support Tasha during her orientation to Level and welcome you to reach out if you have any questions.

Please also feel free to join us in welcoming Tasha to our team - tasha@leveljustice.org.

Sincerely,

Shelan Markus