Mark Bennett — Bow River Basin Council

Mark enjoys the privilege of being the Executive Director of the Bow River Basin Council and has held the position for the past 9 years. In this role he is blessed by the opportunity to work with great colleagues, both staff and volunteers. Working with the Council offers both challenges and rewards and is never boring. Mark and his family came to Alberta in 1998 from Winnipeg where he had spent the previous 14 years in Emergency Management, where he learned a great deal about the value of planning and teamwork. These two skills lend themselves well to the operations of the Bow River Basin Council. Mark also learned that the secret to success is to know what you’re doing and to surround yourself with really good people. He has the latter covered and is always working on the former. Mark holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Queen’s University. He has both a Certificate in Public Sector Management and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Manitoba. Mark’s recent studies include the pursuit of an Environmental Management Certificate from the University of Calgary and a Non-Profit Management Certificate from Mount Royal University.

Marilyn Carpenter — TransCanada

Coming soon.

Sangeen Chahal — CIBC

Coming soon.

Lars De Pauw — PennWest Energy

Coming soon.

 

Danielle Droitsch — Water Matters

In addition to directing Water Matters, a province-wide organization dedicated to the protection of Alberta's watersheds, Danielle also sits on the Alberta Water Council and serves as chair and coordinator for the Alberta Environmental Network's water caucus. Prior to founding Water Matters, Danielle directed Bow Riverkeeper, a regional organization based out of southern Alberta, whose mission allowed her to paddle the entire length of the Bow River in 2005. Prior to arriving in Canada in 2004, Danielle served as policy director at American Rivers, a national and Washington D.C.-based organization. In 1998, Danielle founded and directed the Tennessee Clean Water Network, a state-wide rivers protection organization. Between 1997 and 2000 she was the associate regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association's southeast office. Originally from Arlington, Virginia, Danielle holds a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and a bachelor's degree from James Madison University (Honors Scholar).

Danah Duke — Miistakis Institute for the Rockies

As executive director of Miistakis, Danah oversees multiple landscape ecology and land use projects that focus on the integration of spatial (GIS) and biological information in collaboration with both government and non-government organizations. Prior to her work at the Miistakis Institute, Danah worked as a wildlife biologist in Banff National Park focusing on large mammal movement through corridors. Danah completed her B.Sc. in biology at McMaster University (1994) and her M.Sc. in ecology and environmental biology at the University of Alberta (2001), and has worked at Miistakis for the past seven years. Danah joined Alberta Ecotrust's Grant Review Committee in 2008.

Rafat Farooqi — FT Services

Coming soon.

Paul Godman — EnCana Corporation

Paul has worked on a wide range of environmental issues associated with the energy sector. Since 2003, he has managed EnCana's Environmental Innovation Fund, a program that provides financial support for the development of innovative clean energy technologies. He has a B.Sc. in Earth Sciences from the University of Waterloo and an M.Sc. in Water Resources Management from the University of Calgary. He lives in Calgary with his wife and two children and enjoys cycling, skiing and photography.

 

Drew Godsman — Newalta Inc.

Drew has over 20 years of environmental solutions experience both in Canada and internationally. He is a General Manager at Newalta where he oversees the operations of the company's Western facilities. Prior to joining Newalta in 2008, he was the Chairman of the Terra Group in Dubai, UAE, President of Valiant Environmental in Alberta and held various senior positions with Laidlaw Environmental Services and ECL Environmental Services.  He enjoys playing squash, hiking, travelling and camping in Kananaskis with his wife, son and daughter.

Stewart Henderson — ATCO Group

Stewart is the representative for the ATCO Group and currently serves as corporate co-chair on Alberta Ecotrust's Board of Directors.

 

 

Margot Hervieux — Peace Parkland Naturalists

Margot is a naturalist living and working in Grande Prairie. Actively involved in conservation and natural history in Alberta for the past three decades, Margot currently works as an interpreter for provincial parks. As part of her ongoing effort to promote the natural history of the Peace region, she has produced guidebooks for two local natural areas and writes a weekly nature column for the Peace Country Sun. Margot has served on the grant review committee of Alberta Ecotrust for nine years.

Klaus Jericho — Southern Alberta Group for the Environment

Klaus graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1962. After completing post-graduate training in veterinary pathology, he worked for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and later for Health Canada. He has been retired for eight years, but he still has a keen interest in how the world works and the impact we have on it. He is trying to make his small contribution to make us walk more gently on this earth.

Nikki Kaehne — Alliance Pipeline

Equipped with a biology and environmental engineering background, Nikki headed east from Vancouver to work at Alliance. As part of the Environment Team, she has a wide range of responsibilities, including implementation of the Environmental Management System and coordination of environment-related regulatory approvals for construction and operations in Canada. In addition to her participation on Alliance's Corporate Community Investment Committee, she also began representing the company on the Alberta Ecotrust Grant Review Committee in May 2006. Being involved with Alberta Ecotrust's Grant Program has been an inspiring opportunity to witness and encourage environmental stewardship at the grassroots level.

Bob Kruchten — Red Deer River Naturalists

Coming soon.

Cindy L. Christopher — Imperial Oil

Cindy is the manager of safety, health and environment in Imperial Oil Limited's products and chemicals division.  She works with people across Imperial, ExxonMobil, governments and outside stakeholders on strategies to improve our SHE performance and to be recognized for those improvements.  Cindy is  married and has one daughter. She enjoys spending time with her family, good friends, her church, and outdoor activities such as gardening, kayaking, hiking and  canoeing.

 

Kathryn Milne — Nexen Inc.

Growing up in the Bow Valley, Kathryn developed tremendous respect and awe for the environment, as well as a keen interest in how people can minimize their environmental footprint. These influences shaped her education choices, volunteer activities, and career in the environmental field. Kathryn's formal education includes a Bachelor of Science in animal biology from the University of British Columbia and a Masters of Environmental Design from the University of Calgary. She connected with Alberta Ecotrust Foundation through her company, Nexen, where she works as an environmental analyst in upstream oil and gas. Kathryn enjoys being exposed to a plethora of worthwhile environmental projects and meeting the dedicated people behind them. Kathryn is also a volunteer member of Bow Valley WildSmart and the Bighorn Corridor Environment Committee (BCEC).

Joe Obad — Water Matters

Coming Soon.

Natalie Odd — Green Calgary

Natalie is the executive director of Green Calgary and a member of the Alberta Ecotrust board of directors. Born in Holland, she immigrated to Canada from England and has lived in Calgary for most of her life. Natalie is an alumnus of the University of Calgary and Royal Roads University, where she completed her M.A. in Environment and Management. Natalie became interested in community-based environmental initiatives when living in Ostersund, Sweden. The Swedish tradition of holding town hall meetings that include community members, students, government, and commerce was a turning point for Natalie as she saw challenges met through community inclusion and innovation. This area of interest took Natalie to Ecuador where she volunteered in a mountain community near Quito. Staying involved in environmental and human rights initiatives, Natalie is always happy to return to Calgary and the Rocky Mountains. Natalie is settled here with her own family. They spend lots of time on the bike path and playing soccer.

Melanie Ostopowich — BP Canada

As part of the Government and Public Affairs Team, Melanie supports BP Canada's natural gas liquids and oil sands businesses. She has been with BP since early 2007. A degree in environmental and conservation science as well as diplomas in journalism and public relations has opened up exciting doors in Melanie's career, one of the highlights of which includes being a published author of eight science textbooks currently being used in schools in both Canada and the United States. Melanie joined Ecotrust's Grant Review Committee in 2008 and is excited to participate in this unique partnership.

Phillip Penner — Federation of Alberta Naturalists

Philip is committed to making a positive contribution to the natural environment and health of the planet wherever he can. He is both fascinated by and passionate about nature. One of his biggest concerns is the increasing pressure that a growing global society places on the earth. He believes it is vital that current and future generations develop a healthy relationship with the natural world, where they are both knowledgeable about nature and prepared to take action on behalf of the environment.

Angela Perry — Peace Parkland Naturalists

Bio Coming Soon

Jim Pissot — Defenders of Wildlife

Jim Pissot brings nearly 30 years experience advocating western wildland and wildlife conservation, responsible management of Crown lands, agency oversight, and sustainable rural economic opportunity. Jim served for two years as executive director of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, working with Canadian and U.S. scientists and advocates to identify, protect and connect wildlife habitats in the Rocky Mountains. In five years with Defenders of Wildlife, he has led efforts to secure adequate wildlife mitigation on the Trans-Canada Highway through Banff National Park, end the grizzly bear hunt in Alberta, and convince Canada's railways to commit $40 million to repair rail cars that leak grain, attracting grizzly bears and other wildlife to their deaths on the tracks.

Prior to his environmental career, Jim worked as a machinist for 15 years. He holds a masters degree in resource management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. A long time western resident, he is particularly interested in effective advocacy to promote large-scale ecosystem protection, sustainable economic opportunity at the community level, and innovative human practices that are compatible with ecological processes. Jim and his wife Valerie enjoy backpacking, back-country skiing, canoeing and photography.

Jason Ponto — Environmental Law Centre

Bio Coming Soon

Jeff Reading — Alberta Council for Environmental Education

Jeff Reading is an environmental specialist with the City of Calgary's Ecological Footprint Team. He has been an environmental and outdoor educator for close to thirty years, working as a teacher, consultant and program specialist with the Calgary Board of Education. Jeff has served on numerous boards, including the Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council of the Alberta Teachers Association, the Association For Experiential Education, and the Safety Committee for Outward Bound Canada. His wife, Shelagh, and their children David and Meghan share a love of international travel and exploring natural environments together. Jeff has been an active member of the Alberta Ecotrust grant review committee since 1994 with a two-year hiatus in 2002-2003.

Amit Saxena — Devon Canada Corporation

Formally trained as a wildlife research biologist, Amit specializes in managing natural resource and biodiversity issues for Devon. Amit's expertise is primarily with large carnivores, including grizzly bears, black bears and wolves – he has even worked on special assignment with tigers in India, but he has also written conservation plans for songbirds and tiny endangered orchids. Prior to joining Devon in 2007, Amit spent the past 15 years working as a wildlife biologist for Parks Canada, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several environmental consulting firms. Amit has a B.Sc. in forest ecology from the University of Alberta and a M.Sc. in conservation biology from Arizona State University. He joined Alberta Ecotrust's Grant Review Committee in 2008. Born in Edmonton, Amit now lives in Calgary with his wife and young daughter.

Neil Symington — Suncor Energy Foundation

Neil is responsible for Suncor's sustainable development and environmental reporting. He works with the socially responsible investment community and provides support on greenhouse gas policy development. Prior to joining Suncor, he worked on policy and issues management with respect to climate change, land-use and boreal habitat protection, and participated in multi-stakeholder groups including the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Trading Pilot and the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy's Boreal Forest Task Force.

He volunteered to represent the Suncor Energy Foundation on the Alberta Ecotrust Grant Review committee because he is passionate about supporting local action on environmental issues. My interest in the outdoors led me to previous careers as a naval officer, trekking guide and whale watching pilot. He continues to pursue his outdoor passions through climbing, sea kayaking, trekking and snowboarding.

Anne-Marie Syslak — Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Southern Alberta

Bio Coming Soon

Gareth Thomson — Alberta Council for Environmental Education

Gareth Thomson is executive director of ACEE and has twenty years experience in environmental education, working first for the Government of Alberta and then as the first education director of CPAWS – Calgary/Banff. Gareth currently serves as a judge for the Alberta Emerald Awards, has been a board member of several key environmental education groups and grantmaking foundations, served on Canmore's municipal Town Council, and taught at an International Baccalaureate high school. Gareth has an engineering degree, an M.Sc. in environmental geology, and is a certified teacher. He has been honoured by a lifetime achievement award from the Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) of the Alberta Teachers Association, and the 2008 Outstanding Individual (non-profit) award from the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication (EECOM). A proud father of two children, Gareth can still occasionally be sighted on the hiking trails around Canmore.

Jason Unger — Environmental Law Centre

Jason Unger received his law degree, with a specialization in environmental law, from Dalhousie University and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 2002. After articling in Calgary he practiced in general litigation, regulatory and administrative law and later went on to work for the Alberta Wilderness Association. Prior to practicing law, he worked as a summer student at the Environmental Law Centre. He also worked in the field of biology following completion of his B.Sc. in biology from the University of Winnipeg. Jason's current areas of focus at the Environmental Law Centre include water law, species at risk and wildlife law, conservation tools on private lands, and administrative law. Jason is an avid Ultimate player and enjoys other outdoor activities like hiking, camping and backpacking.

Karim Zariffa — Total E&P Canada

Coming Soon.

 

 

 

 

Peter Zimmerman — ConocoPhillips Canada

Peter Zimmerman is currently the Manager of the Environment, Regulatory, and Stakeholder Engagement oilsands group. Peter has over 30 years of broad experience in the upstream oil and gas industry before joining Conocophillips in July 2008.  

Peter has managed a wide variety of projects and sustainability issues, at both the operational and strategic planning level.  This includes environmental impact assessment & management planning, environmental auditing & management systems, climate change and energy efficiency, biodiversity conservation, life cycle assessment, liability management, remediation and reclamation, and stakeholder engagement.  This has included working with various Aboriginal communities and many special interest groups.

Peter is an active member of the conservation community.  He has been a long time member of CPAWS, including a term as a National Trustee, and also represented several ENGOS on the Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Team.  He holds a Master's degree in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary.  Peter and his wife Dianne live in Calgary with their daughter Grace. 

 

No current representative — RBC Foundation

Director – Sustainable Communities — Pembina Institute

Jesse works directly with communities in exploring opportunities for sustainable community planning, implementation of smart growth concepts, and the development of sustainable energy systems. He also works with companies and various orders of government to explore opportunities for promoting and adopting sustainable energy technologies and practices, including the integration of the triple-bottom-line principles into decision-making. Jesse holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Alberta. He joined Alberta Ecotrust's grant review committee in 2007.