Resources: Contact Lists

 

This page contains contact names and information for the 2009-2010 technical experts. It is not a comprehensive list but is limited to the people involved in CBT's Communitites Adapting to Climate Change Initiative (Phase Two).

Phase One Project Contacts

City of Kimberley

District of Elkford

Phase Two Project Contacts

City of Rossland

  • Jennifer Ellis, Project Manager, Rossland Sustainability Commission visionstoaction@gmail.com

City of Castlegar

  • Kristin Aasen, Sustainability Facilitator kaasen@castlegar.ca

Village of Kaslo & Regional District of Central Kootenay Area D

  • Ramona Mattix, General Manager of Development Services, RDCK rmattix@rdck.bc.ca

 

Technical Expertise to Consult

For more detailed contact information, please contact CBT's Climate Change Adaptation Coordinator:  adaptation@cbt.org

  • Big picture process and planning - Cindy Pearce, Lara Whitely Binder (CIG), Ingrid Liepa
  • Climate science and scenarios - Trevor Murdock and Arelia Werner (PCIC), Alan Hamlet (CIG), Stewart Cohen (EC) and Mel Reasoner
  • Understanding climate change impacts – Stewart Cohen (EC)
  • Understanding climate change adaptation – Stewart Cohen (EC), Lara Whitely Binder (CIG), Alan Hamlet (CIG)
  • Vulnerability and risk assessment – Jeff Zukiwsky, Ingrid Liepa, Cindy Pearce, Megan Walsh
  • Research in sustainability funding – Laurie Cordell (FBC)
  • Links to mitigation – Dale Littlejohn (KCNS)
  • Thematic Priorities:
    • Municipal Infrastructure – David Lapp (Engineers Canada)
    • Glaciers – Brian Menous (UNBC)
    • Wildfire – Peter Hisch (Ministry of Forests)
    • Hydrology – Alan Hamlet (CIG)
    • Water – Hans Schreier (UBC)
    • Transportation -  Shelly Pooler (Ministry of Transportation)
    • Agriculture - Darrell Smith (Ministry of Agriculture)
  • Reporting – Jeff Zukiwsky, Ingrid Liepa, Cindy Pearce, Megan Walsh
  • Outreach and engagement strategies for communities – Lara Whitely Binder (CIG), Cindy Pearce, Ingrid Liepa, Megan Walsh

 

Biographical Information

 

Lara Whitely Binder - Lara Whitely Binder is an outreach specialist at the University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group (CIG). Lara assists the CIG with its efforts to disseminate information to decision-makers on the impacts of climate variability and climate change on the Pacific Northwest, and to support decision-makers in using this information.

Stewart Cohen - Environment Canada - Adaptation and Impacts Research Division (AIRD) and University of British Columbia (UBC) - Department of Forest Resources Management, Vancouver, BC- For over 25 years, Stewart Cohen has examined climate change impacts and adaptation. His experience includes case studies on various regions in Canada, including the Okanagan and Metro Vancouver. He was also a member of the author-team for the Impacts Volume of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 4th Assessment Report.

Laurie Cordell - Smart Planning for Communities Sustainability Facilitator, Fraser Basin Council - Laurie Cordell brings to the Smart Planning team 10 years of planning experience at the federal, regional district and municipal levels. With a strong interest in sustainability, Laurie has extensive experience related to planning processes, public consultation, facilitation and mediation. She has conducted many local workshops and enjoys working with people.

Alan Hamlet - University of Washington, Seattle, WA - Alan Hamlet is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington; he is jointly affiliated with the inter-disciplinary Center for Science in the Earth System (CSES) Climate Impacts Group. His research over the last 10 years has focused on the impacts of climate variability and change on rivers and water resources systems in the western U.S., with a particular emphasis on the Columbia River Basin.

Peter Hisch - Fuels Management Specialist, Southeast Fire Centre, Cranbrook Fire Zone - Peter Hisch has spent the last 29 years with the MOF&R. His background is in silviculture, harvesting, engineering, wildfire suppression, and the application of prescribed fire for silviculture, hazard abatement, and ecosystem restoration. As the Fuels Management Specialist for the Wildfire Management Branch, he manages a program that provides funding and technical expertise to local governments in the area of managing fuel hazards in and around their communities to reduce the potential impacts of wildfires.

David Lapp - Manager, Professional Practice, Engineers Canada -  David manages the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) that was created to conduct an engineering assesment of the vulnerability of Canada's public infrastructure to the impacts of climate change.

Ingrid Liepa, Kimberley Climate Adaptation Project Coordinator and Wildsight - Ingrid has been working in the environmental sector for more than 14 years and bring broad experience in the areas of climate change, air quality, energy, policy development, project coordination, collaborative decision -making, and emerging issues management. Her clients have included local, regional, provincial and federal governments, industry and NGOs. Most recently she has been coordinating a pilot climate change adaptation project for the City of Kimberley (under the Columbia Basin Trust's Initiative Communities Adapting to Climate Change). 

Dale Littlejohn - Community Energy Association - Outreach and Strategy Manager, Community Energy Association - The Community Energy Association is a non-profit group composed of governments, energy and transporation providers and professional associations with a mandate to build capacity in local governments on climate and energy, as well as to accelerate climate action. Dale advises, trains, and consults local government staff and elected officials in these areas. www.communityenergy.bc.ca

 

Brian Menounos - University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC - As assistant professor in UNBC's Geography department, Brian aims to understand past and present climate change and its impact on mountain watersheds in the Canadian Cordillera. Research topics include reconstructing hydro-climatic events from lake sediments, holocene glacier fluctuations in western North America, and recent and future changes in western Canadian glaciers.

Trevor Murdock - University of Victoria - Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC), University of Victoria, Victoria BC - Trevor Murdock is interested in how decision-makers, planners, engineers, architects and others involved in community planning intend to adapt to climate change. His research helps to uncover aspects of community planning where the importance of climate is subtle or easily overlooked but constitutes a consequential consideration for future planning.

Cindy Pearce - Mountain Labyrinths Resource Management Inc., Revelstoke, BC - Cindy has been working for over 20 years in BC to link rural community interests with up-to-date information. She has a background in forest management, policy analysis and regional development. Recent projects include sustainable forest management planning and certification assessment, community sustainability planning and reporting, mountain caribou recovery planning and climate change adaptation.

Jim Barnes- Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure - Manager of Corporate Initiatives. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Chief Engineer is leading a provincial pilot project using the Public Infrastructure Engineering Vulnerability Committee (PIEVC) Protocol to measure current adaptive capacity of transportation infrastructure against climate change predictions to 2050. 

Mel Reasoner - Climate Scientist and Consultant -  During Dr. Reasoner's academic career, his research focused on past climate change and he taught courses in weather and climate, climate change and palaeoclimatology.  Most recently, he directed an international initiative (sponsored by the Swiss Academy of Science) that focused on global change issues in mountain regions worldwide and became involved in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment as a lead author in a chapter that deals with atmospheric conditions and trends in mountain systems.  He currently serves on the board of the West Kootenay Eco Society.

Darrell Smith - Ministry of Agriculture, Cranbrook B.C. - Agriculture Initatives and Programs for the Kootenays.

Hans Schreier - University of British Columbia (UBC), Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES)- Hans Schreier is a professor at the Institute for Resources and Environment at the University of British Columbia. He is involved in all aspects of source water protection, water management and conservation at the community and watershed level. Some of his current research focuses on adaptation strategies for water demand management, source water protection, innovative stormwater management and environmentally sensitive area assessments. Hans is also a member of CBT's Advisory Committee.

Megan Walsh - Independent Consultant - Megan has worked from Fernie, British Columbia for 4 years on various climate change mitigation and adaptation projects throughout the region. Megan has worked with local governments, First Nations and communities to develop energy and emissions plan. Her most recent work with the Communities Adapting to Climate Change program was her contribution to Elkford's Climate Change Adaptation Plan.  Academically, Megan is currently focused on research into the impacts of climate change on water supply for Fernie. 

Arelia Werner - Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (PCIC), Victoria, BC - Arelia has contributed to the Columbia Basin Climate Change Study and to the writing of the National Assessment Report on Climate Change in BC. She is currently evaluating changes to stream-flow in BC resulting from climate change.

Jeff Zukiwsky - Zumundo Consultants – Jeff is an independent consultant based in Fernie, B.C. and worked on the Elkford climate change adaptation planning process. He holds a Master’s degree in Resource Management (2009), and works primarily in community and tourism planning in Canada and Chile. Jeff has also worked in BC’s geophysical exploration industry as a risk management specialist.

 

Advisory Committee Members

This group provides advice to the CBT on general direction of the initiative and all its components.  It meets at least twice yearly to review progress on the projects, as well as provide advice on topics such as communications and monitoring, linkages to outside activities in the province and nation as well as funding opportunities.

Bill Green - Canadian Columbia River Intertribal Fisheries Commission, Cranbrook, BC - Bill has an interest in ensuring information gained through the Adapting to Climate Change initiative is transferred to First Nations. His work ensures that streamflows (water quantity) and water quality are protected as the region adapts to climate change so that the diversity, productivity and values of aquatic ecosystems are maintained and enhanced.

Jenny Fraser - Ministry of Environment - Jenny coordinates in partnership with the Fraser Basin Council – the B.C. Regional Adaptation Collaborative (RAC), a three-year, $8 million initiative to increase provincial ability to adapt to climate-related changes in hydrology – increased drought, flooding, and impacts on ecosystems.  The RAC focuses on adaptation in four program areas: water allocation and use; land-based planning; flood management; and community adaptation.  Jenny Fraser has provided government leadership on adaptation policy since joining the British Columbia Ministry of Environment in 2001. 

Deborah Harford - Simon Fraser University Adaptatin to Climate Change Team (ACT) - As executive director of ACT (SFU's Adaptation to Climate Change Team), Deborah Harford is responsible for development of the initiative’s pioneering vision and its unique partnerships with the public and private sectors, as well as overall coordination and management of the program; she also directs and produces ACT's pioneering policy recommendations for effective adaptation strategies at all levels of government, as well as communication and promotion of the program's outcomes. 

Meredith Hamstead - Thinkbright Environmental Innovations, Invermere, BC - Meredith has recently returned to environmental consulting after working as the Director of Development Services at the District of Invermere for the past few years. She focuses on community-based sustainability initiatives, research on green building and sustainable land use planning.

George Penfold - Selkirk College - George is the Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development at Selkirk College in Castlegar, BC, and Adjunct Professor at the School of Business and Economics at Thompson Rivers University. He draws on experience in advanced education and research, community planning, training, facilitation and mediation, organizational development, community and regional economic development and resource policy.

Cathy LeBlanc – Intergovernmental Relations and Planning Division, Ministry of Community Services - Cathy's work supports local government in the following: sustainability; smart planning; green initiatives; GHG reduction strategies & targets in regional growth strategies/ official community plans. 

Wes Graham - Representative - Association of Kootenay and Boundary Local Governments - Town of Creston 

Corien Speaker - District of Elkford, Chief Administrative Officer and community contact for phase one of the Adaptation Initiative for the District of Elkford. Corien's experiences with adaptation planning in her community provide valuable insight into adaptation planning processes and implementation at the local level.