Larissa Parekh

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT LARISSA PAREKH

Larissa is an Emergency Management Specialist with the City of Mississauga, leading the Public Education and Community Engagement portfolio while supporting all areas of emergency management, including emergency planning, response, and training. She is passionate about strengthening community resilience through education, engagement, and collaboration. She holds a Master of Science in Capacity Development and Extension (International Development specialization) from the University of Guelph, a degree that has been highly relevant to her current work in emergency management and community engagement. Her research focused on informal leadership and social capital in community-based adaptation and resilience; themes that continue to shape her approach to emergency preparedness, response and recovery. Larissa started her PhD journey but left the program in order to pursue a career in emergency management. Larissa was actively involved in the response and recovery to Mississauga’s summer 2024 flooding events, as well as other emergencies impacting the City of Mississauga. She also teaches the Incident Management System (IMS), supports training\'s, exercises and emergency plans within the department, and has served as a guest lecturer at York University and Sheridan College, where she speaks on emergency management, community resilience and collective preparedness. Larissa was named York University\'s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 for her community-driven work, and she hopes to continue impacting the disaster and emergency management field through international opportunities. With expertise in public education, community engagement, and capacity-building, Larissa is always looking for ways to foster stronger, more prepared communities! If you\'re interested in having her speak at a conference, panel, or other engagement opportunities, please send an email or message her directly on LinkedIn.