Climate Smart Co-Founder, Aaron Kuchirka.
We live, work, and raise our families in the same place we operate – Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.
Climate Smart saw its grassroots beginnings in 2017, when Curtis Blanchard went to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment to pursue a project partnership and found one in Executive Director Aaron Kuchirka—though not in the way he expected.
Climate Smart Co-Founder, Curtis Blanchard, discussing the PBCN IFM Project with local members from Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan.
As the larger vision began to take shape in 2020, Curtis and Aaron connected over a mutual desire to leverage their experience, knowledge, and existing industry frameworks to make a true difference in the fight against environmental degradation and built-to-burn-out resource extraction. They recognized the interconnectedness of the land’s health with the economic and social empowerment of its most dedicated, knowledgeable stewards: Indigenous communities. From this shared drive to steer the world towards lasting solutions, without compromise, Climate Smart was born.
Since then, they’ve brought together a passionate team of folks who are equally as invested in the success of Climate Smart’s efforts to create solutions that will benefit people from all walks of life, across the planet.
Our Mission
We cultivate partnerships with Indigenous communities that are based on mutual respect, transparency, trust, and a desire to work together for optimal social and economic outcomes while not only protecting the environment, but actively caring for it.
Meet Our Team
Leadership
Ezra Santos
Capital Lead
Dennis Kuchirka
Finance Lead
Nadina Gardiner
Portfolio Manager
Shawn Neuman
Industrial Lead
Jasmine Atay Ferguson
Marketing and Communications Lead
Marnus de Vos
Business Development Lead
Courtney Sevigny
Corporate Team Lead
Raffy Torio
IT Resources Lead
Executive Leadership
Aaron Kuchirka
CPA, CGA, BBA
Founder
Aaron formerly served with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment as both Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Forest Service and Executive Director of Ministry Workplace Health and Safety.
Curtis Blanchard
CRSP, DOHS
Founder
Curtis formerly served as the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Forest Industries Safety Association and has over 25 years’ experience in management of large-scale projects in forestry, construction, pipeline, power transmission, and manufacturing.
