The King Charles III’s Coronation Medal commemorates the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III as King of Canada. According to the federal government’s Canadian Medals Chart, the medal is “awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or have made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.”
Nature Canada is very proud to recognize our three Coronation Medal recipients. In the midst of challenging times, they are leading the way in our efforts to protect the natural world:
Emily McMillan
Emily McMillan is Executive Director of Nature Canada and leader of the organization’s vision to discover, defend, and restore nature. She joined Nature Canada in 2019 and has over 20 years of experience in environmental conservation and campaigning. Her background includes almost eight years as a senior political campaigner, and before that she was Director of the Sierra Club of Canada ( Atlantic Canada Chapter) for more than four years. She received her medal for her outstanding achievements in the environmental field, especially with Nature Canada.
Read Emily’s LinkedIn post about receiving the King’s Coronation Medal
Jodi Joy
Jodi Joy first discovered Nature Canada while finishing her Bachelor of Science Honours degree at the University of Ottawa. She has since spent 28 years with us, leading its member development communications and raising millions of dollars to protect wildlife and wilderness while engaging Canadians to take action for nature. She has led on building the Women for Nature initiative for over a decade, including the launch of various “incubator projects” in 2017, such as the Young Nature leaders bursaries and Women for Nature mentorships. Jodi received the medal for “significant achievements in climate action, environmental protection, and sustainable finance in Canada.”
Read Jodi’s LinkedIn post about receiving the King’s Coronation Medal
Akaash Maharaj
Akaash Maharaj is responsible for shaping the policies of Canada’s federal, provincial, and Indigenous governments, to protect and conserve wildlife and habitats across our country. Outside of Nature Canada, he is Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, and a Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy Earlier in his life, he was an international athlete for Canada, and was a triple gold medallist at the International Championships of Equestrian Skill‑at‑Arms. Akaash was awarded the King’s Coronation Medal for his work in “Exploration, Conservation, and Protection of the Natural World.”
Watch Akaash’s video from the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Columbia