Speaker & Panelist Bios
Adam Miron
Pondstone Communications Adam brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of development and placement of on-line advertising, SES indexing, blog coordination, and social marketing. Having attended Cambridge University in England, Cape Breton University and Thompson Rivers University, Adam has been involved with campaigning, fundraising, and advocacy for more than 9 years on a number of levels. Most recently, he has served as National Director of the Young Liberals of Canada, and as manager of the Liberal Party’s Social Media War Room for the 2008 General Election. working alongside her life partner Tooker Gomberg. From 1999 - 2002, Angela was Project Manager with the Toronto Atmospheric Fund and the Clean Air Partnership. After the tragic passing of her partner Tooker due to pharmainduced suicide, Angela immersed herself in issues of mental health, sustainable activism, big-pharma, and the dangers of anti-depressant drugs. She is currently writing, researching, networking and speaking exclusively about these issues.
Aric McBay
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Speaker Bios
Amadou Touré
Amadou Touré, originally from Dakar, Senegal. Student of medicine. Experience of racialization in Canada coupled with deep reflections on life and history gave rise to this dream.
Aric McBay (www.inthewake.org) is a writer, activist, and small-scale organic farmer. His first book was Peak Oil Survival: Preparation for Life After Gridcrash. His second book, with Derrick Jensen, is titled What We Leave Behind and is now available.
Assaf Weisz
Amanda Whitten
University of Ottawa Amanda Whitten is the Community Relations Coordinator at the Women’s Resource Centre at University of Ottawa as well as, for the past three years been an active Community Education volunteer with Planned Parenthood Ottawa - through both roles promoting anti-oppressive, sex-positive sexual and women’s health education.
Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada Assaf Weisz, 24, is Executive Director of Young Social Entrepreneurs of Canada, and co-founder of its parent organization Project Equity - both youth run initiatives thatenable young people to emerge through social enterprise. Assaf studied International Relations at York University, and has been actively involved in youth engagement and alternative education since he was 16. He lives in downtown Toronto.
Angela Bischoff
Ben Powless
Ontario Clean Air Alliance Angela Bischoff is native to Edmonton, and grew up as a dancer and musician. In the late 80’s Angela was associate director of the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters, advocating for bicycle facilities,
Indingenous Environmental Network Ben Powless is of Mohawk and Ojibwe ancestry, having grown up in Ottawa. He is in his 6th (yes, 6th) year of his undergrad degree, having switched programs and universities four times before settling on Human Rights,
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Indigenous and Environmental Studies at Carleton University. Way back when, he was even a co-founder of the CYCC, and went on to start a successful Ottawa chapter before it went dormant. He has been employed by and sat on the board of the Youth Environmental Network (now defunct), and the National Council of the Canadian Environmental Network. He works as well with the Indigenous Environmental Network on issues of climate justice. He is often found hopping from meeting to meeting around the world, taking photos as he goes. He also loves learning languages, speaks Spanish and a reasonable amount of Brazilian Portuguese and French.
Toronto, Perth and Carp. She enjoys blending Permaculture, Compassionate Nonviolent Communication, movement, dance and body-mind awareness to promote eco-logical and healthy living. Please visit: www.eco-logicalsolutions. com
Speaker Bios
Carly Joynt
Bodhi (Paul) Chefurka
Awakening the Dreamer Bodhisantra became aware of the converging crises of our industrial civilization and has been actively taking his own message of awakening to a wide variety of audiences. When he discovered the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium last year it placed his personal activities in a much broader context, and he immediately decided to become a Symposium facilitator. He feels it is essential to involve young people in the awakening and dialogue that is occurring around these issues because they have the most at stake as we move into an increasingly uncertain future.
Sierra Youth Coalition Carly Joynt, environmental technician, has worked within the sustainable campuses movement for the past 3 years helping to transform institutions into more lovely places. She currently works for the Sierra Youth Coalition as the Ontario Regional Coordinator of the Sustainable Campuses Project. She is an avid environmentalist and believes in connecting with our surroundings and nature to develop deeper roots and more meaningful projects.
Cheryl Ripley
Falls Brook Centre Cheryl Ripley, Education Department Assistant with the Falls Brook Centre, studied International Studies and Modern Languages at the University of Ottawa. Working at FBC within the many dimensions of rural revitalization she hopes to contribute to maintenance of sustainable livelihoods on Earth.
Chiara Camponeshi
TakingITglobal Chiara grew up with a book in her hand and a suitcase in the other. Traveling is what activated her thirst for knowledge and curiosity. Originally from Rome, today she spends her time between Toronto, where she works and studies, and various parts of Europe. When not working or studying, she spends her time
Bonita Ford
Bonita is passionate about personal and social change and has led workshops worldwide for over five years, including in Budapest, Soweto, Durban, San Francisco, Seattle, New Mexico, Vermont,
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learning how to live a more sustainable life (which is always fun), playing the violin, drinking lots of tea, experimenting with vegan food, taking pictures of her surroundings and going to lots of indie concerts.
Dave Vasey
Speaker Bios
RAN-Toronto,CSR-Toronto Dave is a solidarity activist working with several groups in Toronto to support Indigenous stuggles. Dave was born and raised in Walkerton, Ontario
Dale Marshall
David Suzuki Foundation Dale Marshall is the Policy Analyst in the Climate Change Program at the David Suzuki Foundation.
Elly Adeland
Polaris Institute Elly Adeland is Polaris Institutes Water and Energy Campaigner..
Emily Briggs Dana Stefov
Canadian Council for International Co-operation Dana Stefov is a policy analyst for the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, working on issues of environmental justice, human rights and gender equality. Previous to joining CCIC, Ms. Stefov was based in Washington DC and coordinated the International Coalition of Human Rights Organizations of the Americas, a group of over 100 civil society organizations committed to the strengthening of the inter-American human rights system of the Organization of American States. She also lived in Central America for several years working with an array of national and community-based women’s, youth and indigenous groups.
TakingITglobal Emily is thrilled to bring insight into engaging, enabling and empowering young people across the world through online education. Emily oversees the overall logistics of the e-course and the happiness of the Sprout team. She is passionate about enabling transformative changes in communities and personal growth in innovative young people everywhere. Emily graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours BA, double majoring in International Relations and Political Science. When not bouncing around the TIG office, Emily can be spotted across Toronto attempting to be a potter, a flutist and a culinary enthusiast.
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Emily Hunter
Dave Capelle
University of Winnipeg Dave Capelle is in his final year in a BSc. in Geography, also at the University of Winnipeg, and is currently working on his Honours Thesis.
Freelance Enviro- Journalist Emily Hunter is an environmental journalist that resides in Toronto, Canada. At 25 year-old, she is the eco-correspondent for MTV News Canada and THIS Magazine chief eco-blogger. She has had her work published and broadcasted with the Eye weekly, Now Magazine, CP24, City TV Toronto and CTV National. Emily has also participated in numerous conserva-
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tion campaigns abroad as an activist, including protecting indigenous species in the Galapagos and fighting for whales in the Antarctic Ocean with Sea Shepherd. Emily is currently producing a book on young environmental activists called ‘The Next Eco-Warriors,’ and her mini-doc, “Journey to the Tar Sands” on MTV News airs in November.
it. Eriel has dedicated herself to advocating for environmental justice for her traditional First Nations community, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in Fort Chipewyan, volunteering and working alongside various environmental organizations.
Speaker Bios
Erica Nickels
Erica Young
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Manitoba Environmental Youth Network Erica works at the Manitoba Eco-Network where it’s her job to help connect and support environmental youth groups in Manitoba through the Manitoba Environmental Youth Network. She studied Environmental Studies at the University of Winnipeg where some of the most valuable aspects of her education came from all of the student organizing she was involved in. Having worked with a variety of decision-making structures and types of groups, she discovered consensus through the SCM (a student group focused on justice, community and spirituality) and immediately fell in love. She believes that process is just as important as outcome and sees consensus decisionmaking as a great way to model the change we want to see in the world.
Sierra Youth Coalition Erica Nickels is the Ottawa Sustainable High Schools Coordinator for the Sustainable High Schools Project at the Sierra Youth Coalition. Erica works with Ottawa area schools in both official languages to help empower students and staff to envision, assess and transform the sustainability of their high school communities. SYC is Canada’s largest youth environmental organization, working to empower young people to become active community leaders.
Geneviève Dufresne,
Eriel Tchekwie Deranger
Rainforest Action Network Eriel Tchekwie Deranger is a Dene woman belonging to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation of Northern Alberta. Eriel is currently employed with the Rainforest Action Network as the Freedom From Oil Campaigner in Edmonton, Alberta targeting Tar Sands development and the banks that fund
Sierra Youth Coalition Born in Québec City, graduate of HEC Montréal in applied economy and international management, Geneviève’s interest for fair trade, the environment and for corporate social responsibility began early in her university studies. She discovered her passion for management and sustainability through her involvement in the environmental group HumaniTERRE. Her internship in Nicaragua in the summer of 2007 made her realize the reality of the people in the South and the increasing disparities. Smiley, engaged and wearing pink, Geneviève loves life, chocolate, outdoor activities and good movies!
Hosted by the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition
Hasnat Ahsan
Oxfam Canada Hasnat Ahsan is Youth and Campus Outreach Officer at Oxfam Canada. She has been involved with Oxfam’s work since university, her academic background at McMaster University are undergraduate and graduate studies in biology and psychology and she is multi-lingual. In the past, she worked with the Stephen Lewis Foundation as a researcher, before coming to Oxfam Canada.
Africa and the Caribbean. Ms. Lacroix holds a B.SC. in Geography from the University of Sherbrooke and a M. SC. in Physical Oceanography from l’Université du Québec à Rimouski. She also did doctoral studies in climatology at Laval University in Quebec City and in Environment (climate change and river floods) at the University du Québec in Montréal. In the last 10 years, Ms. Lacroix has been giving numerous talks on climate change science and impacts, nationally and internationally.
Jamie Biggar
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Speaker Bios
Huma Khan
Peel Environmental Youth Alliance Huma Khan is a self-proclaimed ‘ecowarrior’, and the Council Representative for the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance. She currently attends the University of Waterloo for Kinesiology, and is a proud member of the Sustainability Group on campus. She has been involved with the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance, and is currently serving as a member on its Advisory Committee. Her environmental intrests include civic engagement, and water related issues.
University of Victoria Jamie Biggar is a graduate student at UVic, where he studies the political ecology of climate change in the School of Environmental Studies. He has co-founded several youth and climate-focused organizations, including Common Energy and goBeyond, and has recently become the Chair of the Sierra Club of BC. Jamie is interested in social media and has been behind several successful social media campaigns for Canadians for a Progressive Coalition and Canadians for Donuts and the Planet.”
Jacinthe Lacroix
Environment Canada As of October 2005, Ms. Lacroix is the senior science advisor for climate change at Environment Canada. Prior to that she worked for 15 years as a Natural and Meteorological Hazards specialist for the Public Safety Branch of the Ministère de la Sécurité Publique du Québec. She also acted as a Climate Change and Emergency Preparedness advisor for The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and worked in developing countries in
Janet Laughton Mackay and Tom Pickens
Awakening the Dreamer Janet Laughton Mackay, with her husband Tom Pickens, founded the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium in eastern Canada, two years ago. She has co-lead Facilitator Training programs and has also co-lead an international team of facilitators advising Pachamama on ‘globalizing’ the material for the next version of the Symposium, to be released this fall. For the past 13 years
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Speaker Bios
she has had a leadership consulting practice, previously holding senior management roles in various corporations.
council and is currently the coordinator for an emerging Prairie Water Coalition as well as Co-Manager of the Alberta Environmental Network.
Jeca Glor-Bell
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Sierra Club Canada Jeca is the President of the Sierra Club Canada National Board (2007 – present) and is currently working with the UBC Sustainability Office on the university’s Sustainability Academic Strategy (www. sas.ubc.ca). Jeca on the Budget Allocation Board for the Energy Action Coalition and also co-founded the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition in 2006. She was the Boreal Network Organizer for Greenpeace Canada’s Kleercut Campaign (2006) and the Ontario Regional Coordinator for the Sierra Youth Coalition’s Sustainable Campuses Project ((2003-2005). Why does she do it? To build a community of active citizens who have the knowledge, tools and support to change our world and make it better for people and the planet. LINDSAY TELFER Lindsay has been working with the Sierra Club of Canada for nearly seven years on issues of community sustainability, energy and climate change. She has a masters degree in Environmental Studies from York University and brings with her international, national and local experience working on issues around energy, water and the environment including representation on the Canadian Delegation to the Eleventh Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the First Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol. Most recently she was an ENGO representative on the Oil Sands Strategy multistakeholder committee, is an alternate ENGO member on the Alberta Water
Jen Hunter
The Learning Catalyst For over sixteen years Jen Hunter has worked with and acted as a leader to create positive and engaging futures. She is the president and founder of The Learning Catalyst, an organization committed to helping organizations learn to prosper financially, socially and environmentally. Jen is a professional facilitator and process designer whose work centres on supporting leaders and organizations as they engage members in purposeful and sustainable work.
Jeremy Dias
Jer’s Vison Jeremy Dias was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and grew up there until moving to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where he attended high school. As a youth, he was motivated by social and political inequality to take action, volunteering with numerous organizations and charities. In high school he started and lead a number of clubs including Stop Racism and Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving. He also founded and coordinated the Sault Ste. Marie first regional LGBTQ youth group. After coming out in high school, Jeremy faced extreme cases of discrimination by school officials. At 17, he began a legal case against his school and school board, and at 21 won Canada’s largest human rights settlement. Jeremy used the money to found Jer’s Vision:
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Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative and the Jeremy Dias Scholarship.
Jessica Yee
today.’ She just recently visited the Ashuars in the Amazon forest and feels more than ever the importance of the Symposium.
Speaker Bios
Native Youth Sexual Health Network Jessica Yee is a 23 year old Two Spirited young woman from the Mohawk Nation. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, a North America wide organization working on issues of healthy sexuality, reproductive justice, cultural competency, and youth empowerment. Jessica is a strong believer in the power of the youth voice, and you can see her activisting it up on sites like Indian Country Today, the CNN syndicated Racialicious, or pick up her recently released book “Sex Ed and Youth: Colonization, Communities of Colour, and Sexuality” She is the 2009 recipient of the YWCA Young Woman of Distinction, a 2009 Role Model for the National Aboriginal Health Organization, and was named one of 20 International Women’s Health Heroes by Our Bodies/ Our Blog.
Dr. John Smol
Queen’s University John Smol is a biology professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and is a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change. His ground breaking research on climate change, lake acidification, and land use change has permanently altered views regarding the extent to which human activities affect the natural environment, and prompted key public policy and program development worldwide. He has received many honours, most recently including the 2009 Killam Prize, a Premier’s Discovery Award for 2009, and being named one of the Environmental Scientists of the Year by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2008.
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John van Mossel
Joanne Mantha
Awakening the Dreamer Joanne Mantha is a certified coach with the International Coach Federation. She uses coaching approaches such as Mind-Kinetics tools, the Brainwalk and the Sedona Method. She holds a Masters degree in Intercultural Education from Sherbrooke University with a specialisation in Aboriginal Cultures. Last year she attended the ICF (International Coach Federation) 2008 Annual Conference where she was fortunate to attend a portion of the Pachamama Symposium. She says: ‘It simply touched my heart to a point where I wanted to be here with you
John van Mossel is an environment and development consultant in Ottawa focused on climate change adaptation. He is currently project manager of ‘Building Nigeria’s Response to Climate Change’ and has extensive previous NGO experience - local to global - with the majority of his work experience in Africa, Asia, Europe and Canada.
Jonathan Rausse
University of Ottawa Jonathan Rausseo is the University of Ottawa’s sustainable development manager. Using his experience as a student, Jonathan was able to leverage campus community support to create
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Speaker Bios
his position and to move the University of Ottawa onto a more sustainable path.
Kathryn Meisner
Kate
climatesight.org Kate is a high school student and aspiring climatologist from the Canadian Prairies. She runs the blog ClimateSight. org, which has blossomed from a few political cartoons to a complex examination of the discrepancy between scientific knowledge and public knowledge on climate change.
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Kaitlin Pelletier
Check your Head Kaitlin is the Co- Director of Check Your Head: the Youth Global Education Network, a non-profit organization based out of Vancouver. Through CYH she works to develop educational initiatives that engage young people around connecting issues of social, economic and environmental justice. Kaitlin is a council member of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition (CYCC) and is passionate about ending this culture of violence, both as it pertains to gender, and nature. Kaitlin holds an interdisciplinary Masters degree in environmental health science and womens studies, and a diploma in Intercultural Education and Training.
Me to We Kathryn joined Me to We as a Leadership Facilitator in June 2008. A graduate of McGill University with a double major in psychology and cultural studies, Kathryn has extensive experience facilitating and working with youth. She was the founder and facilitator of Talking Heads, a mental health peer support group she started after identifying a need for a supplement to the university’s services. Kathryn was a coordinator and facilitator for Rez Project, a workshop which was delivered to all 2000 students in McGill’s residences to make rez a safer space for everyone. As a Community Links Facilitator for the Sexual Assault Centre of McGill’s Student Society, she created workshops for students, university staff and organizations in the Montreal community addressing issues such as diversity, sexual assault and anti-oppression. After graduating, Kathryn used her trusty facilitation skills as a Youth Employment Counsellor and Employment Facilitator to help people find and secure sustainable employment. Kathryn loves to cook and bake, with her specialty being handmade chocolate truffles.
Ken Bondy
Katherine Giroux-Bougard
Canadian Federation of Students Katherine is the National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. Formerly a student at Memorial University, Katherine has served as Chairperson since 2008.
Canadian Auto Workers Union Ken is a National Coordinator for CAW– TCA Canada – the largest private sector union in Canada with more than 225,000 members.
Khairoon Abbas
Khairoon Abbas originates from Tanzania, East Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Communication Studies and a Masters in Journalism, both from Carleton University in Ottawa,
Hosted by the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition
Canada. Ms. Abbas has experience working in radio, television and print media. Her previous professional experience includes working as a journalist for a 20-week Canadian-led project called ‘Expedition Africa,’ where she traveled by car from Cairo to Cape Town to tell the story of Africa. Ms. Abbas also produced 19 radio documentaries for Strategic Radio Communication for Development, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) initiative based in Tanzania that seeks to promote radio programming on the subject of HIV/AIDS. She is currently a consultant with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Regional Office for North America, focusing on North American activities for the Seal the Deal! campaign, which aims to encourage governments to agree on a fair, balanced and effective climate agreement when they meet in Copenhagen this December. Ms. Abbas has lived in Germany, Canada, Ethiopia and the United States, and is fluent in English and Swahili (East Africa’s lingua franca) and is conversational in French and German.
Speaker Bios
Liam O’Doherty
TakingITglobal Liam is a trained improviser and organizer currently studying Sociology, Semiotics and the environment at the University of Toronto. Favorite pastimes of his include riding bikes, playing piano, photography, cooking without recipes and drinking copious volumes of tea.
Lisa Glithero
Kristian Gareau Laura Read
Artist, educator, traveller.
EYES Project and the University of Ottawa Lisa Glithero is an environmental educator, youth advocate and community innovator. She has taught in Canada and Nepal, and has served as the Education Director for Students on Ice, an organization that leads educational expeditions for youth to Antarctica and the Arctic. Glithero’s dedication towards a ‘greener’ society led to her establishment of the EYES Project in 2004. EYES (Education, Youth, Environment, Sustainability) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization committed to bringing a sustainability imperative into educational pedagogy and practice. Since fall of 2006 she has been teaching at the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa where, as of September 2009, Glithero has also begun pursuing a doctoral degree.
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Sierra Youth Coalition Laura Read is the National Coordinator for the Sustainable Campuses project at the Sierra Youth Coalition. SYC is Canada’s largest youth environmental organization, working to empower young people to become active community leaders. Laura is also a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to the UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen.
Luke Nares
Me to We Luke Nares - In June 2008, deep in the world of music, Luke discovered the work of Free the Children and Me to We. Shortly after, Luke had the life changing opportunity of witnessing a Volunteer Now Special Event. Hearing the passion of FTC speakers, learning of the “Me to We” philosophy, and seeing the devo-
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tion of all the youth involved, Luke felt incredibly moved and inspired to become part of this exciting change. Growing up in the country north of Toronto, Luke developed a lasting appreciation of the environment and the friends and family around him. He participated in many competitive sports teams and eventually became a captain for the local football team. It wasn’t until the end of high school when Luke developed his two greatest loves in life: Music and Ultimate Frisbee.
Speaker Bios
professor from the University of Ottawa with over 20 years experience in analyzing Environmental Policy.
Dr. Michael Pisaric
Marcelle Kosman
Marcelle loves safe spaces. Whether in government, the corporate world, or the non-profit sector, there is always room to make our organizations safer for staff, clients, and volunteers. Marcelle is a committed activist for anti-oppression beyond theory and into real life. As Tommy Douglas said, “Courage my friends, ‘tis not too late to make a better world.”
Marilyn Brownlee
University of Ottawa Dr. Michael Pisaric has studied past climatic conditions in northern and alpine regions of Canada, the United States and Russia. His research is focused on the development of high-resolution proxy data sources such as tree rings and lake sediment to reconstruct past climatic conditions. Previous research has included investigations of the changes in the position of the subarctic treeline in Siberia during the past 10,000 years and reconstruction of river flows for the Yellowstone River in Montana. Current research is examining fire history in southeastern British Columbia, the impacts of thawing permafrost and industrial activities on lake ecosystems in Inuvik, NWT.
Urban Agriculture Manager at Greenest City Marilyn is a prairie girl from Saskatoon gone big city Toronto style. She has spent the past ten years working in food security, community economic development, urban agriculture, and youth engagement; in other words, getting paid for exactly what she wants to do. Since March 2009, Marilyn has had the opportunity to work with Greenest City as the Urban Agriculture Manager and loves it that she can walk to work in 15 minutes.
Michael Rosenberg
Economics of Technology Working Group Michael Rosenberg has been involved with many environmental, anti-poverty, and peace movement groups. Focusing on economic and environmental problems caused by technology, he has been involved in a range of activities locally and internationally, from the Kensington Environment Centre in Toronto to attending United Nation Conferences worldwide.
Matthew Paterson
University of Ottawa Matthew Paterson is a Political Science
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Mike Hudema
Greenpeace Canada Mike Hudema is a long time member of the Canadian activist scene. He was part of a motley band of activists that took to the streets of Quebec City for the FTAA protests, slept on the steps of the legislature to protest rising tuition rates when he was President of the University of Alberta Students’ Union, and occupied Anne McLellan’s office to defeat Canada’s anti-terrorism legislation. In his spare time he co-hosts CJSR’s alternative news program Rise Up: Radio Free Edmonton and co-writes books like the recently published “An Action a Day Keeps Global Capitalism Away”. Mike currently works for Greenpeace as the Climate and Energy Campaigner focusing on stopping the tar sands, the largest industrial project on the face of the planet and bringing about a green job future. He is also a climb trainer with the Ruckus Society.
since October of 1994. His assignment covers environment and workers’ compensation. Prior to joining the CAW National Office, he was active as President of CAW Local 1967 at McDonnell Douglas in organizing a labour environment alliance focusing on the interplay between jobs and the environment.
Speaker Bios
Noah Stewart
Canadian Federation of Students Noah is the National Deputy Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. Formerly a student at Concordia University, Noah has been involved in organising on a number of issues from human rights to tuition fees and student financial aid.
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Paul Cobb
Mike Sheehan
Reel Youth Mike Sheehan is an artist and educator specializing in large group facilitation and youth engagement. For the past 14 years he has been designing and delivering a variety of educational programs for both youth and adults. Mike is a Reel Youth facilitator and director of BeatBoard Education and Training. He known for creating meaningful and inclusive learning environments with a surprising level of engagement and energy.
Pembina Institute Paul is a Technical and Policy Advisor with the Pembina Institute’s Sustainable Communities Group. Paul leads the Pembina Institute’s international program, which is aimed at expanding sustainable livelihood opportunities through increased access to clean, reliable and renewable energy. He has worked with partners in developing countries to build capacity in the areas of renewable energy technologies, climate change and carbon financing.
PJ Partington
Pembina Institute P.J. Partington works to promote effective climate change policy at the federal and international levels. He is a founding member of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. P.J. has been a policy analyst with the Pembina Institute’s Climate Change Program since February 2009.
Nick De Carlo
Canadian Auto Workers Union Nick De Carlo - has been a National Representative with the CAW Health, Safety and Environment Department
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Speaker Bios
Rabia Wilcox
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Awakening the Dreamer Rabia Wilcox is an author, song writer/ producer and body-centred coach who offers her joyous energy and intuitive talents in facilitating Awakening the Dreamer Symposiums and inspirational seminars. She helps guide people (of all ages) with profound yet simple techniques for emotional release and deep inner reflection. This empowers them into their own gifts and authentic expressions.
Ryan Smith
University of Winnipeg Ryan Smith is a recent graduate from the University of Winnipeg, with a BSc. majoring in Geography. Ryan’s research focus is on climate science.
Sakura Saunders
Roberto Garcia
Roberto has more than 5 years of experience in planning, management, consulting, communications/marketing and finance in the public, private and international development sectors. Roberto holds a bachelor degree in Commerce from Concordia University, with a specialization in Management information Systems and eCommerce and is currently pursuing a Master in Environmental Studies degree focused on community-based energy at York University.
Protestbarrick.net Sakura Saunders is an editor and founder of ProtestBarrick.net, an all-volunteer online network of groups researching and organizing around mining issues, particularly involving Barrick Gold. It contains news articles, testimonies, and backgrounders about Barrick’s operations worldwide. Every year, Sakura organizes a tour of impacted communities to visit Canada, to learn from each other’s campaigns as well as bring the battle to Barrick’s shareholders, the Canadian Parliament, and the UN.
Sevilla Leowinata
Awakening the Dreamer Sevilla Leowinata works in remote rural villages, urban slums, as well as negotiation tables across the globe. She gathers success stories - often with a focus on youths and innovations, elders and wisdom – to address issues of environmental sustainability, social justice, and eradication of poverty. Sevilla is strongly committed to sharing the Pachamama call through the Awakening the Dreamer symposia with the next generation of change makers, wherever she next sets foot.
Rohit Mehta
Peel Environmental Youth Alliance Rohit, who lives in Mississauga, is currently studying Environmental Management at the University of Toronto. He is a founding member of the CYCC and the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance. He recently became the coordinator of the Alliance and wants to see high school students empowered to create environmental change through local projects. Rohit has been involved with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, as well as Students on Ice Expeditions after an Arctic Expedition he attended in August 2008.
Tim Straka
Students on Ice Tim seeks to co-create transformative learning experiences with students of all ages. Committed to environmental
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and civic education, he has taught at elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels across North America, in the Polar Regions and in Central Europe. Tim is the Education Program Director of Students on Ice Expeditions, an awardwinning educational organization based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. Tim holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Lesley University, and undergraduate degrees in Outdoor and Experiential Education (Queen’s University) and Political Theory/International Relations (Bishop’s University).
major public policy issues, including energy security, water rights and free trade. He holds a doctorate from the University of Chicago, is a critically acclaimed book author, and is the recipient of Sweden’s Right Livelihood Award, the “alternative Nobel Prize.” Among his most recent books is Tar Sands Showdown.
Speaker Bios
Tria Donaldson
Tim Weis
Pembina Institute Tim Weis is a professional engineer and the Director of Renewable Energy and Efficiency Policy at the Pembina Institute. Tim has written numerous technical reports and development manuals on renewable energy and energy efficiency on issues at national, provincial and municipal levels as well as issues specific to First Nations’ and northern contexts. He has assisted more than 20 communities at various stages of development of renewable energy projects. Tim is currently completing his PhD at the Université du Québec à Rimouski studying wind energy development in remote Canadian communities, and has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alberta where he studied ice adhesion to wind turbine blades.
Tony Clarke
Polaris Institute Tony Clarke is the founder and director of the Polaris Institute in Ottawa, an organization dedicated to developing tools and strategies for civic action on
goBeyond Tria Donaldson loves building community through activism. And Karaoke, but luckily for you Power Shift involved activism, and not karaoke – because her conference organizing skills are much more well honed then her singing skills. Tria first got bit by the organizing bug in elementary school, where she sat on a committee to naturalize her schols land scapes. Since then she has worked a numerous social justice and environmental causes – like access to education, anti-racism, and campus gfsustainability. Tria is very passionate about addressing climate change in a fair an equitable manner that also addressing systemic oppression and inequality. She is an active volunteer with several organizations, including the Sierra Youth Coalition and CYCC. She has recently been accepted to be part of the Canadian Youth Delegation to COP 15 and she is very, very excited. In her spare time, Tria works for goBeyond, a youth driven climate project that works with 12 post-secondary institutions in BC. Tria spends too much time working and is currently taking time off of her Bachelor of Journalsim at Thompson Rivers University. And she likes trying to grow food.
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Speaker Bios
Tzeporah Berman
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PowerUp Canada Tzeporah has been one of Canada’s leading environmental voices for over a decade and is now the Executive Director and one of the Co-founders of the new national climate initiative PowerUp Canada. Tzeporah is also a Co-founder of ForestEthics, a non-profit environmental organization with offices in Canada, the US and Chile that is well known for its successful campaigns to protect the Great Bear Rainforest, the Boreal forest and to transform the buying practices of major corporations such as Staples and Victoria’s Secret. Prior to joining ForestEthics, Tzeporah worked for seven years with Greenpeace International and Greenpeace Canada. Tzeporah is also known for her work in the early nineties coordinating the largest civil disobedience protest in Canada’s history in Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Tzeporah received her B.A from the University of Toronto and her Master¹s in Environmental Studies from York University.
Her graduate research was in the area of leadership development and social responsibility of students involved in campus organizations.
Vincens Côté
Sierra Youth Coalition Vincens comes from Rimouski, the Micmac’s « Land of the Mooses ». He was always extremely fond of nature, and decided to study ecology so he could save the world. He has since developed profound interest for environmental and development issues. He recently graduated in International Ecology. He can be found waddling in insect thick marshes, enjoying the sun on a patio with friends, or battling dragons and evil polluters in an imaginary world.
Zoe Caron
Val Cortes
University of Toronto Valeria is responsible for the planning and logistics for all leadership development workshops, training and conferences offered through Student Life Programs at the University of Toronto. Val regularly facilitates workshops in communication skills, group coordination, conflict resolution and meeting facilitation and is a trained facilitator of a popular theatre technique called Forum Theatre. A graduate of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Val has both an engineering degree and a Master’s in Education.
World Wildlife Fund Canada Zoë is the co-author of ‘’Global Warming for Dummies” and Editor on ItsGettingHotInHere. She is the Climate Policy & Advocacy Specialist for World Wildlife Fund Canada and is on the provincial renewable energy stakeholder consultation project team in Nova Scotia. She sits on the Board of Directors of Sierra Club Canada and was a founding member of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. Zoë attends United Nations Climate Change Conferences and was aboard the Students On Ice International Polar Year 2007 Expedition to Antarctica. Zoë is based out of Toronto, Canada.
Hosted by the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition