Stu loves to see the breakthroughs—when the numbers return and provide hard evidence that real change for the better has been made in people’s lives. Stu originally planned to get a medical degree, but then got interested in the bigger picture: how could he help make a difference in entire communities and populations? Obtaining a M.S. in Epidemiology from the University of Ottawa, Stu joined the Canadian Foodgrains Bank as a program analyst, focusing on the nutritional impact of food aid and how to improve food security. While living and working in Zambia, Stu discovered iDE and its business-oriented approach and  focus on people as potential creators of value rather than objects of charity. Stu joined iDE in 2006 and has progressed through a variety of roles, from Executive Director of the Canadian operations, to the Director of iDE’s measurement and evaluation team, and as the initial leader for iDE’s Global Initiatives, focusing on expanding our Agriculture, WASH, and Access to Finance work across the globe. Stu recently returned to the leadership of iDE Canada in 2016.