Top, from left to right: Gareth Thomson, Kathy Worobec, Pat Worthington (replaced by Deb Rougeau-Bell), Kristine Schmaltz, Brad Clute, Jeff Reading Bottom, from left to right: Krista Tremblett, Christina Pickles, Nancy Pollard, Jenn Hoffman, Susan Belyea. Missing: Todd Nivens, Lori Gammell, Noel Jantzie. See below for full bios.
Jeff Reading - Board chair
 |
Jeff Reading is Chair of the ACEE Board and the Director of Business Development at Climate Change Central. He has been an environmental and outdoor educator for close to thirty years, working as a teacher, consultant, and specialist with the Calgary Board of Education. Jeff is a member of the Alberta EcoTrust Foundation’s grant review committee, and 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. |
 |
Lori Gammell has worked in public relations, communications and fundraising for educational and environmental organizations including the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. After 15 years with the non-profit sector Lori joined Suncor Energy Inc. where she manages the activities of the Suncor Energy Foundation and strategic partnerships with non-profit organizations. In 2008, the Suncor Energy Foundation marked its tenth anniversary. Over the past decade, Suncor and the Foundation have invested more than $74 million in community, educational and environmental initiatives. Lori is active as a volunteer and spends much of her free time exploring the natural wonders of Alberta with her partner, Peter. |
 |
Todd Nivens is the Programs Coordinator for the Waskasoo Environmental Education Society in Red Deer. A 15-year career in Environmental Education has taken him from the Coastal Rainforests of BC, to the waters of the Pacific Ocean, to the National Parks of Tanzania and through the varying habitats of Western Canada. Todd and his wife Shannon are the parents of two amazing kids who share their parents’ love of hiking, paddling, skiing, cycling and anything that involves playing in the wild. Todd can often be found teaching his kids the finer points of climbing–related knots, guitar chords and the trick to landing the perfect Switch 180. |
 |
Susan Belyea is an Education and Outreach Coordinator with ATCO EnergySense where she works on developing and delivering energy education programs to encourage Albertans to adopt energy efficiency practices. She is also a member of the Energy Literacy External Advisory Committee for Alberta Energy. Susan has a Business and an Education Degree. In between degrees, Susan lived and worked in India and volunteered in Kenya working on community projects. Susan loves to spend time skiing and biking in the mountains. |
 |
Nancy Pollard is a grade 7 teacher at Lawrence Grassi Middle School of the Canadian Rockies Public School Division in Canmore. Outdoor and environmental education has been one of her passions over the past 12 years of teaching, and she has implemented and taught many eco-programs and projects to schools in both Australia and Canada. Nancy spends her free time coaching Jackrabbits cross country skiing and coaching mountain biking, going to parent council meetings and working with her husband Guy to get their three children to all the various practices and lessons around town. |
 |
Brad Clute is the Sustainability Coordinator at Mountain Equipment Coop in Calgary. Under Brad’s leadership MEC Calgary’s sustainability programs have won numerous awards including a provincial Emerald Award and a Calgary Award both for corporate environmental achievement, as well as a Better Business Bureau Business Ethics Award. Their sustainability programs are an example of how businesses can both prosper and have a positive impact on the community and the planet.As well as serving on the board of ACEE, Brad is currently the Vise President of the Calgary Area Outdoor Council, a Director of Make It Good, and a steering committee member for Thrive – Calgary’s Economic Development Network. |
 |
Kristine Schmaltz is a new elementary teacher with Rocky View Schools, and a recent graduate from the University of Calgary. Prior to earning her B.Ed, Kristine studied Psychology and obtained a BA from Queen’s University. Kristine is a former President of the University of Calgary’s Education Students’ Association, and is interested in enhancing environmental education training for pre-service teachers. Kristine plans to share her love of the outdoors with her future students, and incorporate the environment into her classroom and teaching. She enjoys cycling through Calgary’s parks, and camping in the mountains. |
 |
Krista Tremblett has been involved in environmental education for eight years, starting in the non-profit world, and then moving to the Government of Alberta. In 2007 she joined Alberta Environment’s Education and Outreach team, planning and implementing programs to engage Albertans in environmental stewardship.Originally from the east coast, Krista came to Alberta in 2001 to pursue a Master Degree in Environmental Design. The experience sparked curiosity and interest in the interface between society and the environment, and how an understanding of social factors can contribute to environmental problems and the opportunities to resolve them. Krista spends much of her free time with her husband, son and gaggle of pets including a dog, two cats and a fish named Pearl. |
 |
Jenn Hoffman has been involved in the conservation community for fifteen years, working as a BC Park naturalist and in several US National Parks, including Yellowstone and Yosemite. In 1997 Jenn founded the Sierra Club BC’s Education Program and served as its Director for 10 years. In 2007 Jenn became the Club’s Development Director, implementing a diversified fundraising program that saw a shift to growing their individual donor gifts to augment a foundation and government grants base. When not guiding the efforts of organizations working to save wilderness, Jenn spends her time enjoying it. A world traveler, she has spent time in South and Central America, Africa and India. Jenn lives in Canmore with her husband Stephen and two children, Rio and Silas. |
 |
Deb Rougeau-Bell Bio still to come |
 |
Dr. Noel Jantzie is a recently retired teacher with the Calgary Board of Education. He is continuing to provide online professional development to Alberta teachers and periodically works with graduate students as a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary. Recently, he received the distinction of honorary member to the ATA for this contributions to the organization. An avid skier in winter and hiker in summer, he is usually to be found on the side of mountain somewhere in the Rockies, Kootenays, or Okanagan. Noel and his wife live in Calgary and their daughter is currently completing university in B.C. and Washington. |
 |
Gareth Thomson is Executive Director of the Alberta Council for Environmental Education. He has twenty years experience in delivering environmental education programs and supporting teacher professional learning, working for the government of Alberta and then as the first Education Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). He has taught at an International Baccalaureate high school, served on Canmore town council, been a judge for the Alberta Emerald Awards, and volunteers for the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation on their grant review committee. He has an engineering degree, an M.Sc. in Environmental Geology, and is a certified teacher. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Global Environmental and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) of the Alberta Teachers Association, and the national ‘Non-Profit – Individual’ award from EECOM. A proud father of two exceptional children, Gareth can still occasionally be sighted on the hiking trails around Canmore. |
 |
Kathy Worobec is ACEE’s Education Director. She has more than 20 years of experience in developing, implementing, delivering and managing environmental education programs for youth and teachers. Kathy has taught in the classroom, worked in the energy efficiency field with the Alberta Department of Energy and worked as a consultant. She received her education degree from the University of Alberta. Kathy spent the last nine years as part of the Pembina Institute and GreenLearning Canada education team. Kathy lives in Edmonton and enjoys biking, skiing, gardening and numerous activities with her family and friends. |
 |
Christina Pickles is the Program Coordinator for ACEE. A summer Naturalist position in 1998 hooked her on environmental education. After finishing a geography degree at the University of Calgary, she took her first full time job in education delivering programs for Ducks Unlimited at the Bow Habitat Station in Calgary. She then took a position with the University of Calgary, spending four years delivering and developing residential school programs on earthworms, forests and everything in between. Before coming to ACEE she spent two years in Edmonton with Alberta Environment’s One Simple Act program in Edmonton. She and her husband now live in Calgary overlooking the Elbow River. |
You can contact ACEE or its Board members c/o Gareth Thomson:
Phone: 403-678-0079
E-mail: gareth at abcee.org
Mail: 911 Larch Place, Canmore, AB. Canada T1W 1S5
