Vice President
With a career spanning public service, community development, and environmental advocacy, Bryana Rousselle (she/they) works at the intersection of policy and grassroots action to drive meaningful systemic change. She is excited to serve as Vice President of the Edmonton Permaculture Guild, supporting its mission to cultivate resilient, equitable, and regenerative communities through education and action.
Their work has encompassed a wide range of community initiatives, from delivering federal funding to supporting projects in mental health, food security, environmental sustainability, harm reduction, reconciliation, and volunteer capacity building.
Most recently, Bryana has served as a senior federal program advisor, playing a key role in designing, implementing, and monitoring federal programs in substance use and mental health, Indigenous economic development, knowledge exchange, and reconciliation in natural resource research. Through this work, they have witnessed both the successes and challenges of meaningful community engagement and the critical role of relationship-building in driving lasting change.
These experiences fuel their commitment to strengthening community-driven approaches in policy making, ensuring that public service delivery remains informed by and accountable to the people it serves.
Her passion for community engagement extends beyond her professional life. A longtime advocate for permaculture and urban green spaces, she has actively participated in permaculture education, community gardening initiatives, and operated her own garden business.
She believes in the transformative power of green spaces—not only as sources of food security but as vital hubs for social connection, equity, and reconciliation. Her firsthand experience with the benefits of gardening has inspired her to explore how urban green spaces can serve as platforms for community-engaged scholarship and social programming.
In fall 2025, she will begin a Master of Arts in Community Engagement (MACE) at the University of Alberta. The program’s interdisciplinary focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization aligns with her commitment to challenging systemic oppression—including colonialism, white supremacy, patriarchy, and the environmental destruction perpetuated by capitalist structures.
Her research will explore how community gardens can serve as spaces for social justice and systemic change beyond their direct impact on food security. She aims to bridge the gap between government policy and grassroots realities by strengthening her research and advocacy skills, ensuring community initiatives receive the institutional support they need to thrive. In doing so, she hopes to champion community-driven governance and contribute to urban sustainability, social equity, and public policy reform.
As Vice President of the Edmonton Permaculture Guild, Bryana is eager to help strengthen and expand Edmonton’s growing permaculture community. They are passionate about supporting local sustainability efforts, advocating for regenerative food systems, and fostering community resilience through education, collaboration, and action. They look forward to working alongside Guild members to create educational events, networking opportunities, and community-led initiatives that empower individuals and organizations to integrate permaculture principles into their daily lives.
With a clear vision for the future, Bryana sees her work as a continuous pursuit of community-centered action, research, and policy innovation. Through her role at the Guild and her studies in community engagement, she is committed to fostering a world where sustainability, equity, and collaboration flourish.