A Little About Us

Consuelo McAlister, Co-Founder of Local Buttons: Advocating for Social Enterprise.

Specialized Honours Degree in International Development Studies, Cum Laude Dean's List Undergraduate of 2009, York University.

Before Co-founding Local Buttons, Consuelo worked on a number of international internships. In Salvador do Sul, Brazil, on a Canada World Youth (CWY) experience, Consuelo worked in community development with local youth and adults in a public housing project. In São Paulo, Brazil, Consuelo interned with Sister Watersheds, Ecoar, where she facilitated environmental workshops in classroom and community groups. In Rivne, Ukraine, on an Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (AIESEC) student internship, Consuelo was the Canadian representative for an International Camp hosted by the Rivne State Humanitarian University, Ukraine. Consuelo's university studies and work experiences inspired further travels in Egypt, Western Europe, and the Caribbean.

Consuelo describes herself as a social entrepreneur intent on building sustainable local and global communities. Consuelo supports and engages in creative and effective methods of raising social and environmental consciousness as they relate to consumerism and lifestyle. Developing the sense of community is important to Consuelo in everything she does. The relationships she forms give her the energy to face the worlds challenges.

Consuelo remains an enormous fan of Brazilian culture and is currently practicing Afro-Brazilian and Samba dance with Dance Migration in Toronto. A fan of the outdoors, Consuelo looks forward to a summer in Toronto of biking, rollerblading, swimming, shows, picnics, and spontaneous acts of fun! Like what you read and... to laugh? you will make fast friends.

Anne Pringle, Co-Founder of Local Buttons, Advocating for Social Enterprise.

Specialized Honours Degree in International Development Studies, Dean's Honour Roll Undergraduate of 2009, York University. Prior to her education in International Development Studies, Anne Pringle studied contemporary dance and obtained a Dance Diploma from Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, AB in 2005.

Before co-creating Local Button Anne worked as a research intern for Journalists for Human Rights in Toronto, where she researched human rights violations in Africa. Anne currently tutors ESL through the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture in Toronto. Anne’s international interests have led to travel adventures in Western Europe, Central America, the Caribbean and Morocco. She hopes to further explore the world in the near future.

Anne, who describes herself as an entrepreneur with a social conscious is excited to create a business that allows her to engage with projects in a holistic manner. With Local Buttons, Anne strives to address the unequal global market divide and to create solutions that fuse the social, the environmental and the creative to build stronger communities.

A lover of dance, movement and delicious food, Anne looks for the beauty in the small details of her daily routines. She looks forward to a summer of full festivals, late night BBQs, reading, coffee and attempting to learn how to rollerblade through the streets of Toronto.