Who We Are
We are a team of operators with decades of sales, leadership, recruiting and legal expertise to support founders.
OUR values
We act with purpose. We work for outcomes, not optics or aesthetics. We do what’s important, not what seems urgent.
We put founders first. Our founders are the most important thing in our business. Always. Their needs, schedules and challenges are our first priority, and we don’t hesitate to roll up our sleeves.
We are courageously candid. We stand behind what we do and what we believe in. We challenge norms that stand in the way of truth, encourage dissenting opinions, and share tough feedback if we think it can help.
We get shit done … together. We choose continuous, incremental improvement over perfection. We take initiative and come with solutions, not problems.
We prioritize joy. We make time for moments of reflection and moments of celebration. We believe that work is something we do, not a place we go. Hard work has to be sustainable.
Meet Our Team
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Founder and Managing Partner
Mike has spent over 20 years in executive roles in software, professional recruitment and venture capital. Mike founded Active Impact after his role as COO at Traction on Demand and President of Traction Rec. Prior to that he was President of Randstad Professionals, running $300M in revenue and placing thousands of people in key roles. Mike brings strong expertise in enterprise sales leadership and building high performing teams. He’s an advisor at several accelerators including CDL Vancouver Climate and Spring Activator, and serves as a Board Director for portfolio companies RailVision, Future, Agrology, Othersphere and Lumo.
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General Partner
Tom has spent 27 years practicing tax law with Thorsteinssons LLP, Canada’s leading tax law firm, including a tenure as the Managing Partner. Recognized as a Canadian leader in that field, he worked with high net worth individuals and major corporations. He joined Active Impact as a Partner in early 2018 shortly after it was founded and provides his expertise on evaluating portfolio opportunities, legal matters, raising capital and anything else that can increase impact in the portfolio and financial returns for investors.
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Partner
A Fulbright Scholar, Sam has studied financing and support systems for startups around the world and most recently has helped Harlem Capital Partners and Opportunity Hub source quality deals and collectively raise $40M+ for their impact investing initiatives. He is the co-founder of an economic development NGO, Let’s Innovate Through Education (LITE), that’s been recognized as one of 5 grassroots ideas creating change in America by The Atlantic. He has extensive experience as an angel investor, with a portfolio including companies in Aerospace & Defense, Agriculture, Healthcare, Insurtech, Logistics Tech and Advanced Materials. Sam serves on the board of directors at our portfolio companies Aquacycl, Sametrica and Flair.
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Principal
Born and raised in Austria, her broad experience includes roles with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP’s, Emerging and High Growth Companies group, 180 Degrees Consulting and Creative Destruction Lab West Accelerator. Sophie is a BComm graduate of UBC, where she was also an inaugural student team member of the Vancouver Social Value Fund, and where she was recognized with numerous scholarships and academic awards. Aficionado of classical music and staunch foodie, Sophie is passionate about rethinking and redesigning society and the economy to build a more sustainable future.
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Principal
Sophia is a dynamic investor and strategist with a proven track record in building and scaling startups. After starting her career in government intelligence, she spent 5 years identifying and backing early-stage consumer and enterprise companies on the investment team at Greycroft. Her diverse experience also includes strategy work at Reformation, a leading sustainability-focused fashion brand, and building startups from 0-1 at Struck Studio. Recognized for her exceptional contributions, Sophia was named one of Business Insider’s 13 Under 30 in Los Angeles VC.
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Associate
Qhalisa was born and raised in Kenya, and cares about how innovation can create global impact, and empower sustainability. She built her early career in the venture ecosystem, most recently with Amplify Capital, Georgian Partners and Information Venture Partners. Qhalisa holds a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Waterloo, where she gained 16 months of diverse co-op experience at large organizations, and pursued her CFA Level 1. Her Kenyan roots inspire her love for coffee, culture and travel. When Qhalisa is not on a plane, you might find her at your local café, exploring new neighbourhoods or conversing with strangers.
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VP, Impact & Finance
Imran is a veteran of KPMG in the Technology, Media and Telecommunications group. For six years, he advised clients with revenues ranging from $10 million to $2 billion and financial institutions managing over $20 billion in assets. Working at the nexus of sustainability and business, he advised companies on their ability to respond to climate change, impact and financial reporting, and impact investing strategies. Imran is a sessional instructor teaching Sustainable Finance and Accounting to students at BCIT and an instructor for the CPA Professional Education Program.
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VP, Operations
Elyse began her career cultivating climate and sustainability campaigns at Ecojustice, Canada’s largest environmental law charity, where she recognized the need for financial incentives to drive environmental action. Elyse then spent five years with Renewal Funds where she supported their raise of $147M for sustainable consumer goods and environmental technology. Elyse was most recently with Rhiza Capital, helping cultivate an accessible place-based venture fund. She brings her generalist knowledge to our operations, communications and community cultivation. Outside of work, board and advisory activities, Elyse is usually exploring the BC coastline or planning elaborate dinner parties. In 2020, Elyse was named a Clean50 Emerging Leader.
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Talent Network & HR Manager
Cayley has over 20 years as an HR executive primarily within the service sector. She is experienced in talent acquisition, learning and development, culture and employee engagement, and strategic executive support. In 2020, Cayley founded Thrivity HR, a consulting and coaching firm that helps service-oriented businesses to thrive in the ever-evolving world of work. Cayley is a certified Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2021 Leadership and Entrepreneur Award from the University of Guelph. A nature lover and outdoor enthusiast, Cayley enjoys an active lifestyle with her husband and two children in the mountains of Squamish, BC where her free time is spent in the wilderness on bike, foot, and ski.
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Operations Manager
Kelley is a recent graduate of UBC, where she completed a BSc in Environmental Science and Commerce. She dove into various environmental threats facing our planet over the course of her degree, which led her to become exponentially more curious about the integration of sustainability in business. With her diverse experience working in environmental testing, outdoor education, and customer service, she brings strong organization and task management skills to our operations team. Outside of work, Kelley enjoys sharing her passion for the outdoors with others through multi-day hiking trips and volunteering with local parks organizations.
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