The Ecology Ottawa Team

Our Team
Staff and Steering Committee

Ecology Ottawa is run by five staff members and a dedicated volunteer steering committee, in addition to our many hard-working volunteers.

STAFF

Coordinator
Sabrina Bowman began with Ecology Ottawa in June 2007 as an enthusiastic volunteer and was hired as the events and volunteer coordinator in September of that year. As coordinator, she manages Ecology Ottawa's events, volunteers, fundraising, and everyday administration. Prior to joining Ecology Ottawa, Sabrina worked on Parliament Hill as an intern for two Members of Parliament. She earned a Bachelor's of Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo, where she was involved in student politics, journalism, and environmental and social activism.


Coordinator, Green Buildings & Workplaces Challenge
Jessica started 2010 as the new coordinator of the Challenge and is also developing Ecology Ottawa’s No Energy to Waste! pilot project which aims to help community agencies reduce their energy consumption. She holds two degrees from the University of Guelph, a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master’s degree in Ecology and was actively involved in student politics throughout her time there.  Since graduating, Jessica persued her interest in ecology and worked with other environmental groups including Wild Metro, an urban ecology organization in New York City.   


Communications Officer
A Toronto native and Carleton graduate, Ben joined Ecology Ottawa in April 2010 after honing his skills as the Campaign Coordinator for Sierra Club Canada.  His primary focus is to handle communications and focus on environmental political issues coming out of City Hall.  He has had a long-standing interest in environmental matters and describes himself as an avid cyclist and environmental enthusiast. In addition, Ben has a background in local governance and climate change issues.


Education and Outreach Coordinator
An Ottawa native, Madalyn Howitt joined Ecology Ottawa in June 2010 as the Education and Event Outreach summer intern. She is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in English Literature at the beautiful Trent University in Peterborough. She has volunteered extensively with various organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Best Buddies Canada. She has also been an active volunteer with Cisco Ottawa Blusfest, most recently becoming a member of the Green Team. She has a background in theatre and dance.
Education and Event Outreach Coordinator
Born and raised in Ottawa, Mieke DeVries has recently joined the Ecology Ottawa team as the Education and Event Outreach Intern. She has always been passionate about caring for the environment and has shared this with others while leading canoe and hiking trips for kids at a summer camp in Southern Ontario. Her enthusiasm for sustainability was also fostered during a trip to California in 2010, while she volunteered on organic farms through the WWOOF program (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms).

STEERING COMMITTEE

Elizabeth Bernstein
Liz is the Executive Director of the Nobel Women's Initiative. Previously, Liz served as coordinator of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Make Poverty History Canada. She sits on the board of directors of Mines Action Canada and the Lowertown Community Association, as well as the Ecology Ottawa board.

Mike Buckthought
Mike is active in many groups, leading a friend to give him a nickname: Ottawa's omnipresent community activist. He's also a writer and musician. He coordinates the Muses poetry series and Earth*tones drum circle. He founded the national Commuter Challenge, and worked at Environment Canada for seven years.

Marc Chénier
Except for eight years spent in the Halifax area as a teen, Marc has lived most of his life in the Ottawa region where he was born. He currently works as a lawyer in the federal public service. Marc joined Ecology Ottawa's steering committee because he would love to see Ottawa become a truly sustainable city.

Pam Foster
Pam has worked for the United Nations Environment Program, Environment Canada, Friends of the Earth, the Halifax Initiative, and South Asia Partnership. Pam is currently director of campaigns and communications at the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. Pam is also the founder of Centretown Movies and the initiator of Imagine Ottawa.

Trevor Haché
Trevor is a volunteer with the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, ACT for the Earth and Ecology Ottawa, as well as various peace and social justice organizations. Previously, Trevor was a full-time newspaper reporter and photographer. Trevor is also a member of the Ecology Ottawa board of directors.

Paul Hannon
Paul is the Executive Director of Mines Action Canada, and represents MAC on the International Campaign to Ban Landmines' Advisory Board. He is also on the Landmine Monitor Editorial Board. Paul has worked with numerous organizations including Africa Emergency Aid, the Canadian Council for International Cooperation, International Development Research Centre, Oxfam Canada, Partnership Africa Canada, the federal government and a major Canadian financial institution.

Maureen Hollingworth
Maureen is a freelance editor and writer, with more than 30 years experience in international development, peace and environment issues. Maureen is also a member of the Ecology Ottawa board of directors.

Dale Marshall
Dale is a policy analyst in the climate change program at the David Suzuki Foundation.

Stefan Reinecke
Stefan studied civil engineering at the University of Waterloo and the University of Toronto. As a teenager he was an organizer with the Environmental Youth Alliance. He was also involved in starting Ottawa's first pilot-scale community fine paper recycling program. Stefan spent four years working for an environmental engineering company and he currently works with a sustainability consultancy in Ottawa.

Graham Saul
Graham is the executive director of Climate Action Network Canada - Reseau action climat Canada. He has worked at the South African Institute for International Affairs, Oxfam International in Maputo, Mozambique, and at the Washington, D.C.-based Bank Information Center. Graham has also served as the international program director for Friends of the Earth Canada and Oil Change International.

Josh Snider
Josh is the Communications Manager for The Natural Step Canada and previously worked with One Change, both environmental non-profit organizations. In addition to volunteering with Ecology Ottawa, he is on the City of Ottawa's Environmental Advisory Committee and volunteers with Bruce House, a local HIV/AIDS service organization. Josh also coordinates Ecology Ottawa's Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale.

Ian Thompson
Ian works at KAIROS, an ecumenical social justice organization, and also chairs the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability.  From 2003 to 2007, he was co-chair of the Cycling Advisory Committee at Toronto City Hall.  Born in Ottawa and raised in Orléans, Ian now lives in the Kitchissippi area with his wife and young daughter.

Jo Wood
Jo is a retired professor of psychology from Carleton University, where she taught from 1967 until 2003. She is now an activist concerned with environmental, peace and social justice issues.