Kate Rich

Kaleigh's Bio

Kaleigh Watson | Program Manager, Alberta WaterPortal Society 
Round Tables (Friday afternoon)

Kaleigh has a background in marketing and media, including photography, graphic design, web design, and video production. She joined the Alberta WaterPortal in 2021 and has been able to apply her mixed background by doing strategic business development activities, as well as leading the creation of articles, graphics, and videos on water management topics. In her spare time she enjoys reading and enjoying the natural environment by hiking or skiing.

Alberta WaterPortal Society

Richard's Bio

Richard Phillips | General Manager, Bow River Irrigation District, Alberta Irrigation Districts Association
Round Tables (Friday afternoon)

Richard is the chair of Irrigating Alberta Inc., the consortium of irrigation districts participating in the Alberta Irrigation Modernization Program. He has been with the Bow River Irrigation District since 1996, initially as the district engineer, and as the general manager since 2004. He serves as vice chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association and the Bow River Basin Council and chair of the Vauxhall and District Regional Water Services Commission. He has a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a professional engineer. He enjoys fishing and a variety of other outdoor recreational activities.

Alberta Irrigation Districts Association

Paige's Bio

Paige Kuczmarski | Invasive Species Technician, Alberta Invasive Species Council
Round Tables (Friday afternoon)

Born and raised in Edmonton, Paige has become a ’Jill of all trades’ with invasive species. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from MacEwan University in 2017 where she was first introduced to invasive species through multiple research projects with garlic mustard and forest tent caterpillars. Soon after, Paige started a position with Alberta Agriculture where she focused on a flowering rush control project and creating the coveted ’Aquatic Invasive Species Pocket Guide’.

Since then, contracts with Alberta Environment and Parks have brought her all over the province for fieldwork as well as allowed her knack for creating punny education and outreach methods to grow. In 2021, she joined the Alberta Invasive Species Council as an Invasive Species Technician where she organizes the Biocontrol Release Program, social media initiatives and everything else under the invasive species sun!

Alberta Invasive Species Council

Camille's Bio

Camille LeBlanc | National Lake Blitz, Program Manager
Offsite Tours (Saturday afternoon)  

Camille LeBlanc is Living Lakes Canada’s National Lake Blitz Program Manager. In this role Camille, along with the rest of the Lake Blitz team, provides the tools, training and ongoing support to hundreds of volunteer lake monitors across Canada. Prior to managing this national community science and education program, Camille has led projects on habitat restoration, wildlife monitoring, and water quality monitoring.

Camille graduated from Selkirk College with an Associate Degree in Peace and Justice Studies and a diploma in Integrated Environmental Planning in 2018. Her interests bridge both the social and environmental sciences, which reflect her passion for community capacity building and environmental advocacy.

Camille is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Environment and Management from Royal Roads University. Camille grew up along the Sturgeon River in Alberta on Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis Nation of Alberta, where she explored the surrounding wetlands and learned the names of the birds and the plants. After travelling through British Columbia’s Southern Interior, her draw to live in wild spaces brought her to the Kootenay Region in 2013. Camille is now based in Trail, B.C. on the unceded territory of the Ktunaxa, Syilx, and Sinixt Peoples. 

Lake Blitz