Joumana ElShahed

Joumana ElShahed holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from McMaster University, where she developed a deep interest in the intersection of sustainability, business, and public engagement. Her academic journey led her to a question that extends beyond science itself: how sustainability information is communicated, understood, and acted upon, by organizations, communities, and individuals alike. Her interests span sustainability strategy, circular economy, corporate sustainability, sustainable innovation, and the role of storytelling in driving meaningful environmental change.

Growing up between Saudi Arabia and Canada gave Joumana a formative and distinctly cross-cultural lens on global environmental challenges. Immersed in two markedly different cultural, geographic, and economic contexts from an early age, she came to understand how deeply development priorities and environmental attitudes are shaped by place and history,  and how rarely sustainability solutions account for that complexity. That realization became a driving force behind her commitment to approaches that are both innovative and locally relevant. Her professional experience spans financial services, hospitality, and technology, diverse industries that deepened her understanding of organizational decision-making and reinforced a core belief: sustainability cannot function as a standalone initiative. It must be woven into the fabric of how businesses operate, strategize, and lead. Alongside her professional work, Joumana founded AkoïA, an emerging platform dedicated to making sustainability more accessible and inspiring. Through AkoïA, she bridges the gap between academic research and public understanding by challenging common misconceptions, spotlighting innovative solutions, and creating space where sustainability intersects with culture, design, entrepreneurship, and everyday life.

Outside of her academic and professional life, Joumana is an avid traveler with a genuine curiosity for different cultures, fashion and ways of life, experiences that continually refresh her perspective on global sustainability. She has a passion for organizing creative events and finds joy in building community around shared ideas. These personal interests are not separate from her professional mission; they are, in many ways, the foundation of it.