Patrick Gilbride joined the POLIS team in January 2012 as a research intern, providing writing and communications consulting support. He also works as the Information and Social Media Coordinator for the RAIN program in the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario. The RAIN program is the first publicly funded program of its kind in Canada that focuses on generating community action to take an ecological approach to stormwater management. Throughout his career Patrick has been active in the design of leading-edge communication channels that facilitate collaboration and reduce the carbon footprint of businesses and consumers. Patrick has a research focus on the role of strategic partnerships and open-source communities in fostering sustainability.