Staff

Gretchen Fitzgerald - Director

Tel: (902) 444-3113

Email: gretchenf - at - sierraclub.ca

Gretchen Fitzgerald is the Director of the Atlantic Canada Chapter of Sierra Club. Her work focuses on environmental impacts of mines, volunteer engagement, and climate change. Having grown up in northern Newfoundland, Gretchen witnessed the impacts of  the collapse of the cod fishery on her community, and was drawn to marine biology and conservation ecology as a student at Dalhousie University. She has produced a report on the harpoon swordfish fishery, spearheaded activity on marine invasive species and ballast water management in Atlantic Canada, and is currently working to make decrease the ecological footprint of mines and to get action on climate change. Gretchen has participated as an expert in numerous environmental assessments, including the Joint Panel Review for the Digby Quarry. She is vice-chair of the Nova Scotia Environmental Network, Director of the Canadian Environmental Network, and represents Sierra Club in the Nova Scotia Public Lands Coalition.

Robbie Reddin - Water Program Education Coordinator (P.E.I.)

Tel: (902) 368-7337

Email: robbier - at- sierraclub.ca

Robbie coordinates the Water Wizards program, having developed and delivered the pilot version
in 2008, and returned over the past two years to do additional deliveries, develop partnerships, and implement
innovative approaches to get water conservation education to broader audiences, including teachers and
university students and faculty.

Rob Christian - Financial Administrator

Tel: (902) 444-3113

Email: robertc - at - sierraclub.ca

Rob is a native Haligonian. He attended Saint Mary’s University and holds a degree in Sociology. His background is in Operations Management, where he has worked in both the public and private sectors. His more recent roles have been with Canada Post Corporation as Mail Operations Supervisor and with Safe Harbour Security. Rob has represented the province of Nova Scotia internationally as a travel counsellor with the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and he is a former lighthouse keeper with the Canadian Coast Guard. (yes, really!)

Nicole Renaud - Climate Change Education Coordinator

Tel: (709) 753-7848

Email: nicoler - at -sierraclub.ca

Originally from Northern Ontario, Nicole completed her Bachelor of Arts in Human Rights and Political Science at Carleton University.  She became interested in environmental politics and activism after witnessing the heated local struggles her hometown was involved in to dismantle a proposal to transfer toxic waste to a nearby community.  After spending some time in Mexico, she then moved to Newfoundland where she is doing her Master of Arts in Geography and looking at water security in the Peruvian Andes.  With a background in teaching and working on projects concerning climate change and social justice, she is very excited to be on board with such a dynamic organization as the Sierra Club working as Newfoundland and Labrador’s Climate Change Education Coordinator.

Heidi Verheul - Education Coordinator

Tel: (902) 444-3113

Email: heidiv - at - sierraclub.ca

Heidi was raised in the fields and woods in rural Nova Scotia before she arrived in Halifax to do her BSc. in Biology. After working at the National Research Council for a few years, she decided to return to school to complete a BEd. to become an educator. At the moment, Heidi am working to create a nature immersion program for youth called Wild Child, having completed a redesign Sierra Club Atlantic's Forest Friends and Coastal Caretakers Environmental Education Programs in 2009-2010.  As Education Coordinator, Heidi is combining here love of teaching and learning, with her passion for science and art, and her reverence for the only place we can call home.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Climate Change Education Coordinator.

Jennifer O'Neill - Sierra Buddies Coordinator, PEI

Office at the Voluntary Resource Council

81 Prince Street - Charlottetown

Tel: 902-368-7337

Email: jennifero - at -sierraclub.ca

Jennifer was born and raised on P.E.I. She has always loved horses and through her love of horses, she has come to love and respect our ecosystems. Jennifer recently finished a Bachelor of Science degree,in Biology at the University of Prince Edward Island. She has worked with Friends of Covehead-Brackley Bays watershed group to enhance and restore streams in the Covehead/Brackley area. She is working on the continuation of Sierra Buddies on PEI and is pleased at the prospect of educating younger generations about their ecological footprint on our Earth.