Matthew Mairinger

Dr.Vanessa's Bio

Dr. Vanessa Swarbrick | Senior Science Advisor, Office of the Chief Scientist, Government of Alberta
Water 101 (Friday morning)

Vanessa Swarbrick is passionate about using science to advance the way we manage aquatic ecosystems and has worked on water-related issues across academic, non-profit, industry, and government sectors. As a scientist, she is interested in the intersection of limnology, biogeochemistry, and resource management.

From the highest alpine lakes to our prairie rivers and streams, Dr. Swarbrick’s research has evaluated the impacts of different types of pollution, like mercury, organic contaminants, and nutrients, on freshwater ecosystems in Canada. Since joining the Government of Alberta in 2014, she has focused on improving the way water is managed through science and monitoring, policy, and resource management programs. 

Office of the Chief Scientist

Ceilidh's Bio

Ceilidh Welch | MSc Student, University of Alberta
Projects in Action Workshops (Saturday morning)

Ceilidh Welch an MSc student in the University of Alberta School of Public Health, specializing in Environmental Health Sciences. Her research is focused on investigating the reliability of a community-based approach to qPCR monitoring for biological hazards in recreational waters and means of expanding the use DNA-based testing in monitoring programs.

University of Alberta

Erinn's Bio

Erinn Drage | Programme Officer, International Union for Conservation of Nature - World Commission on Protected Areas
Youth Environmental Action Panel (Saturday Morning)

Erinn Drage is an environmentalist, filmmaker, protected areas enthusiast and outdoor adventure guide. In recent years Erinn has worked as an expedition guide in the Arctic and Antarctica, directed, shot, and edited digital media series’ for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and conducted research on nature-based tourism economies in the Denali region of Alaska.

Her first feature-length documentary, In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors, follows the story of the Sahtú Dene and the Canol Trail in the Northwest Territories. She currently works full-time in international conservation policy with Parks Canada and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), while pursuing her other passions by writing and editing film projects on the side. 

World Commission on Protected Areas

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