Our Purpose

Create Climate Equity is a not-for-profit that advocates for energy and climate policies and programs that are equitable, just, and effective for all. It achieves this through the delivery of energy efficiency programs and the incubation of innovative energy research and projects.

Create Climate Equity is rooted in three pillars:

  1. Advocacy
  2. Research
  3. Project Innovation

Our History

Create Climate Equity was founded by Areef Abraham, founder of Kambo Energy Group. Areef retired as President of Kambo Energy Group in 2018 and in 2020 Areef launched Create Climate Equity to give back to communities across Canada, leveraging his experience in the private sector and noting a gap in research and incubation for equitable and just energy efficiency programming that neither the public nor private sector are meeting.

Board of Directors

Areef Abraham

Areef is a natural community collaborator who has had led a rich career helping clients move from ideas to on-the-ground action. As a mechanical engineer, he has dedicated the past 25+ years of experience in energy efficiency sectors in North America and across the UK.

His passion for community and energy efficiency led him to launch Community Power in 2008 with his late business partner, Tom Smith. They initially formed the business to help both First Nations and other underserved groups manage and reduce their energy costs.

Over the following ten years, Areef developed Community Power into the ‘go to’ company for communities who want to purposefully reduce and manage energy costs.

In 2005, Areef joined Simon Fraser’s Learning Strategies Group as their First Nations and Energy lead. As a result, he became extremely successful at engaging, understanding, and working with First Nation communities. He learned first-hand the negative impact that poor housing conditions had on energy bills and how the energy costs further depleted scarce financial resources.

Prior to Create Climate Equity, Areef was a senior executive with BC Hydro’s Power Smart Inc. where he successfully engaged major North American utilities, manufacturers, and

retailers to adopt Power Smart through an energy efficient product endorsement program.

As CEO of Homeworks, a former Terasen subsidiary, Areef was responsible for turning around the organization by improving the sales channel; adding profitable customer-oriented financing options; and, tightening up communication across the organization. Areef now spends his time investing in community relationships and advising on how best to design and deliver results-oriented services for community partners.

Yasmin Abraham 

A steadfast advocate for equity, diversity, and social change, Yasmin’s commitment to eliminating energy poverty has shaped much of her career over the last decade.

Yasmin is the VP, Business Development and Co-Founder of Kambo Energy Group, a social enterprise that improves housing and reduces energy poverty in communities often missed. She helped design and build the Empower Me program in 2012 and is passionately involved in the program today through strategic thinking and implementation. Yasmin brings proven capability and experience in both project and account management, with experience ranging from planning and managing community programs for the District of West Vancouver and the non-profit organization Circus West, to managing third party sales and marketing for large multi-national accounts like WalMart, Costco, Air Canada, and WestJet.

Yasmin received her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of British Columbia, and her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Simon Fraser University. Previously, she was on the Board of Directors for BC Women in Energy Network, where she supported the success of women engaged in the BC energy sector.

Prior to founding Empower Me, Yasmin worked with PNI Digital as a Project and National Accounts Manager as well as in corporate communications. She was also the Vice President of Business Development for Contac Services where she managed and maintained key client relationships, drove overall sales, and developed new business opportunities.

Karim Abraham

A passionate and resilient business leader with an infectious enthusiasm, Karim is a life-long entrepreneur and firm believer that business should be a tool for good. Able to move from idea to execution quickly and effectively with a broad range of technical, design, and business skills, Karim is a natural leader who believes that culture and empathy are instrumental to team success.

Karim is the CEO and co-founder of Kambo Energy Group, a social enterprise that improves housing and reduces energy poverty in communities often missed in the design and delivery of traditional energy efficiency and housing programming – most notably Indigenous Nations, newcomers to Canada, and people of colour.

Karim has a broad and versatile skill set with over ten years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, business development, corporate finance, marketing and communications, design, software development, leadership, building science, human resources, and many other multidisciplinary areas. He is a seasoned public speaker with an affinity for genuine and meaningful communication and truly enjoys finding innovative solutions to complex problems.

Cassandra Iammarino

Cassandra (Sammy) has been a nursing instructor at the University of Calgary in Qatar since 2017. Prior to teaching at UCQ she worked as a clinician in harm reduction, substance use, mental health, and primary care with vulnerable populations for 10 years as well as a nurse educator in post-secondary education in Vancouver, Canada.

As a member of the nursing faculty, Sammy teaches community and mental health nursing and has lead the implementation of resources to support student success in licensing exams.

Sammy is pursuing a PHD at the University of British Columbia focusing on health inequities of vulnerable populations. She is particularly interested in conducting research related to vulnerable populations, substance use, health inequities, and access to health care.

Allison Jaquish

Allison is an Associate in the Civil Litigation practice group at Nixon Wenger LLP.  She has a general civil and commercial litigation practice, with an emphasis on tort related disputes, contract disputes, personal injury litigation, employment matters, and maritime, shipping, and environmental law.  Allison has represented clients at all levels of court in British Columbia, and works with her clients to find solutions that work best for them within the litigation process.     

Prior to joining Nixon Wenger, Allison practiced civil litigation in the Vancouver office of a large national law firm.

Allison holds a Bachelor of Social Science with a Specialization in Political Science (Honours) and Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa.