Who We Are: Nathalie Stanley

I was born in Gaspe Quebec and raised in southern Ontario. I have an older brother who is in architecture and my wonderful parents who were both teachers.  Growing up I always had lots on the go with piano lessons, skating practice, clubs and sports.  We were not really a ‘nature’ family but I grew concerned about our environment in high school and went on to earn Environmental Technician and Ecosystem Management Technologist diplomas.  My areas of interest have always been water and education.

Since graduation in 2009 I have held different education and communication positions although the best yet is my current role with the Battle River Watershed Alliance as I will describe below.  I also work with Waterlution hosting and facilitating water based educational workshops for young professionals.  I also have a contract with the Alberta Council for Environmental Education hosting a Water Education Community of Practice for practitioners to come together, learn from each other, and work together to progress water education in the province.

I take part in local groups such as the City of Camrose Green Action committee and am a board member of the Rose City Roots Music Society.  I love to dance and am part of the local square dance club and take adult jazz and ballet classes.  I love to do yoga and hike, bike, paddle, cross-country ski and snowboard.  I am also really interested in permaculture and the local food movement. I enjoy cooking and am working to expand my skills in gardening and do-it-yourself type crafts and projects.

I have been with my partner Steve for 5 years and we recently moved to his family farm where we are enjoying the country life.  I am very excited to visit New Zealand, meet the Kiwi’s, learn about your life and work, and bring back memories and knowledge!

About my Work

I am the education and outreach coordinator for the Battle River Watershed Alliance (BRWA). We are a community based non-governmental organization whose mandate is to protect and restore the health of the Battle River and Sounding Creek Watersheds.   My job within the alliance is to engage, inspire and inform the 270,000 residents of our watersheds on the intrinsic and economic value a healthy watershed provides, and creating opportunities for them to change their behaviour and make decisions considering the ecological, social and economic spheres. In short, I help connect people to place for action.

Specifically I organize and execute educational programs for students including in presentations, workshops and hands-on activities, in and out of the classroom.  For our broader community members we host events such as the Battle River Watershed Festival, the 5 day bicycle tour "Rolling down the River" or community consultation workshops.

My outreach duties include but are not limited to maintaining our website, creating seasonal newsletters, preparing posters and promotional materials, putting together our annual report, event advertising, updating our social media accounts, and staffing tables at various community events and meetings. 

A new and exciting project for which I am the lead staff person is the Riparian Restoration project. I will be researching and reporting on current riparian health restoration techniques, and implementing a restoration project beginning in the spring/summer of 2013.

As an organization we are developing a watershed management plan for the Battle River and Sounding Creek Watersheds. This includes reseaching and reporting on economic, social and environmental idicators.  Our initial priorities are drought management and non-point source pollution.

SPECIFIC SITE VISIT REQUESTS RELATED TO VOCATION

I would like to gain knowledge of, and experience in the organization of environmental and community based non-profits in New Zealand.  Particularly I would like to learn about water or nature education practices, perhaps even spending the day with a group of educators with a student group. ?  I would also be extremely interested to learn about their community engagement and communication techniques.  For example, how do they advertise? How do they attract supporters?  What are the major messages they are trying to get across?

I am interested in learning about the NZ governments approach to watershed management, such as their policies in water conservation and allocations on the industrial, municipal and household level.  Our watershed is predominately agricultural so I would like to see how governmental incentives or taxation programs work for farmers, or industry, especially to those on or near water.

Also, in relation to our new Riparian Restoration project, I would like to visit and learn about any projects which hand restored their damaged stream banks (particularly if done by cattle) and what techniques used to return it to health.

VOCATIONAL GOALS FOR GSE EXPERIENCE

- Be part of an environmental education experience hosted by a local group, or visit an educational organization to learn about their environmental educational techniques. Come home with new educational activities or techniques.

-Learn about the interactions of government and environmental/agricultural organizations who strive to protect the area.  Learn strategies these groups have to work together in supporting on the ground action on environmental protection.

-Visit the Whanganui River and learn about how it has been given the rights to Personhood.

- I would also be interested in assisting in a hands-on project with a local Rotary club

Culture Visits I would be interested in

-Te Papa Museum in Wellington.

-Ride the cable car up to the Wellington Botanic gardens.

-Visit Zealandia or Wellington Zoo or another place to see local wildlife.

-Hike (or Tramp) a mountain to see the local flora and fauna.  Perhaps at the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Taupo Lake, or Huka Falls and its hot springs.

-See live music (New Zealand style music preferred) and learn local dances, or just have a chance to dance!

-Take part in some sport or popular activity.

-Visit a permaculture farm.

-Visit a sheep ranch and watch/learn about the wool making process. 

Who We Are: Janet Sanders

I have been working as a police officer for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) since graduating from training in May 2009.  I am working in the city of Fort Saskatchewan, AB.  Duties include: Responding and attending to a wide range of emergencies, and community relations/policing.

Prior to joining the RCMP, I had the great pleasure of working in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut for 4 years, in isolated areas of our vast country of Canada as a Site Administrator at a Diamond Mine and an Iron Ore Mine. 

I also worked for one of Canada's major Banks for 6 years, TD Canada Trust, as a Financial Services Representative.  Responsible for loans, mortgages, investments and account opening/management.

I am not married and I have no children, but I am very close with my family.  My parents, George and Else, still currently live on the family farm.  They have retired from farming (cattle and grain), but they do help out the neighbours.  I have an older sister, Kirsten, who is married (to Jason), and they have 2 children, Cameron (7 yrs) and Kaleb (5yrs).  I also have a younger brother, Roscoe, who is married (to Dayna) and they have 1 daughter, Amrie (1yr).  My niece and nephew tell me I'm a pretty awesome Auntie!!

I enjoy playing a variety of sports, volleyball is my favourite!   I enjoy running, working out, swimming, badminton, baseball.  I love to travel, and explore new places, food and culture.  My Mom was born and raised in Denmark.  I have travelled to Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland) several times to visit family and friends.  I have also travelled to Australia, Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bali and Lombok), England, Cuba, Costa Rica and Mexico.  I have been to New Zealand once before in 2007, a week on the North Island and a week on the south Island.  I am very much looking forward to coming back to see more of the beautiful country!!

Vocational Interests:

-  go on a ride along with a  Police Officer

- tour a police station

- see their marine policing/coast guard

- visit the police air services/helicopter

- tour the police training academy

- visit emergency services, ambulance and fire department

- visit a military base

- I would also be interested in assisting in a hands on project with a local Rotary club

Cultural Interest:

- hiking in the local parks

- watch the All Blacks Rugby Team play

- visit a Maori Village

- visit the Weta Cave or the Weta Workshop

- run in a 10km or half marathon race

Who We Are: Laura Polasek

I have been working for the Government of Alberta for 2 years.  I have held positions of Water Policy Analyst, Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy Analyst, and I currently work as a Project Manager with the Agri-Environmental Partnership of Alberta (AEPA).

AEPA is an inclusive multi-stakeholder partnership of govenment, industry and public stakeholders working together to proactively address agri-environmental issues from a policy perspective.  As a project manager, I work with a broad range of stakeholders interested in, and influenced by, agri-environmental policy in the province.  I work to help increase stakeholder’s knowledge about priority issues, with the goal being effective engagement for producers to ensure agriculture’s perspective is adequately considered in policy development. In the long term, I hope to continue to contribute to agri-environmental policy in Alberta and Canada.  My goal is to help ensure agriculture continues to exist as a sustainably managed activity on the landscape in a way that is both environmentally responsible and economically viable.

I live in Edmonton, the capital of Alberta.  I moved here in 2006 for school.  I attended the University of Alberta, where I received my Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Conservation Sciences.  I have lived in Edmonton since that time, expect for a year abroad in England, where I attended the University of Oxford and read for a Masters of Science in Environmental Policy.  Before moving to Edmonton I lived on my parent’s grain farm, located 500 km NW Edmonton, outside of Grande Prairie.  Most of my family still lives in the area and so I go home as often as I can to visit everyone (including the pets)!

I really enjoy music and dance.  I play a bit of piano and am currently learning the harp.  I also have taken lots of lessons in country-western and ballroom dancing.  In my free time I try to attend as many ballets, operas, and musical theatre productions as I can.  And when I am not doing that, I like to read a book, while drinking tea and cuddling my cat. 

Vocational Interests:

I am very interested in learning about many different aspects of agri-environmental policy in New Zealand.  Topics of interest include: nutrient management, urban food policy, climate change and footprinting work (carbon, land, water), irrigation and farm water management, and wetland management.  I would be interested in talking to people at all stages of the policy cycle on these issues including: politicians, policy analysts, producers, industry groups, and environmental non-government organizations.  Other areas of interest would be looking at best management practices related to agri-environmental management in the district, as well as collaborative process that the agriculture industry is engaged in.

Cultural Interests:

I would like to go whale watching if possible.  I would also be interested in seeing a volcano if there are any in the district.  I would like to see the All Blacks play a rugby game, I would love to see any Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit tourist attractions, and I would love to visit a sheep farm.  I love sightseeing of any kind and am very excited to visit District 9940! I like sightseeing of any kind and am generally open to whatever you think is the best to see and do!

Who We Are: Shannon Boyer

My name is Shannon, and I am very excited to be embarking upon this new adventure. I have spent time in Australia and Fiji, but my best friend and my sister in law both tell me that if they could live anywhere in the world, it would be New Zealand, so my expectations are high!

Since becoming a teacher about ten years ago, I have had a number of interesting career-related opportunities.  Immediately after graduating from university, I went to England to teach a Year 5 class for a year.  After returning to Canada, I began working at a non-profit organization that worked with newcomers to Canada.  I was an English language assessor and education counselor there for three years.  At the same time, I was teaching adults English as a Second language in the evenings. 

For the past seven years, I have worked at a local community college teaching English and math to ESL literacy youth between the ages of 17 and 25.  This is a program that I proposed, designed, and developed.  In addition to teaching, I do curriculum development and program planning.

In the evenings, I am involved with my community league as well as working towards getting my masters degree in education with a specialization in language and literacy, and more specifically, reading.

Personally, I have been with my very supportive husband for the past thirteen years, and we live together in a beautiful Edmonton neighbourhood, which is within walking/biking distance to work.  Unfortunately, the rest of my family does not live nearby.  My parents live about two and a half kilometres south of Edmonton, and my brother, sister-in-law, and identical twin nieces live another two hours south of my parents.  Every time there is a long weekend, I am undoubtedly driving somewhere to visit my little nieces!

Professionally, I am really interested in learning as much as I can about the Tertiary education system, primarily adult literacy education and literacy education for youth over eighteen years of age.  I would really like to visit the college where Jane, the team lead for the Canada VTT, works. I am more interested in programs offered in polytechnics than in non-profits.  I am also very interested in visiting classes with students, so I would prefer to visit schools when they are in session.  I would also really like to visit a Wananga and learn more about the preservation of indigenous languages and culture.  In essence, I want to learn more about how the needs of low literacy adults are being met, and I am especially interested in innovative programs.

Culturally, I would LOVE to see an All Blacks game, and I have been told that the glowworms are not to be missed.  I’m a big foodie and love to cook.  I also am interested in gardening and local food production.  I like sightseeing of any kind and am generally open to whatever you think is the best to see and do!

Who We Are: Mary Drader, Team Leader

I have been working with my husband in our own business as Office Manager and
bookkeeper for 24 years. My main duties are running the one-person office
handling all aspects of the bookkeeping duties: Accounts Payable, Accounts
Receivable, Payroll, Invoicing, correspondence, job cost analysis and computer
maintenance.

During this time, I was also employed part-time for 6 years by the Pembina
Institute for Appropriate Development (an environmental think tank) as the
Account Receivable Administrator. My duties included all customer invoicing as well
as the maintaining of and training staff in the usage of a custom timesheet & billing
computer program for the 50+employees of the nation-wide company. I was the
liaison person with the software company who developed our program and was also
the liaison with our personal network IT technician.

Prior to that I was a sales representative in the building materials industry for 12
years, traveling throughout central Alberta.

I am married to Terry, who is a general contractor extraordinaire, a journeyman
welder, and is the best builder I know. He is also a Rotarian and is a Past District
Governor for our District 5370. We have a blended family consisting of 6 children, 4
of Terry’s; David 35, Erin 33, Mark 30, Mathew 28 and 2 of mine; Meghan 32, Paul
28. As well, we have been blessed with 4 beautiful grandchildren; Kieran 12, Julian
6, Claire 5 and Madison 1. Terry and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary in May of
2012.

I live in Drayton Valley, a town of about 7,000 people, with a trading population of
approximately 20,000. It is situated about 150 km south-west of Edmonton which
is the capital city of Alberta. We are 3 hours north of Calgary, the other major city
in Alberta. The main industries in Drayton Valley are oil, forestry and agriculture.
I am a charter member of the Rotary Club of Drayton Valley and have been a
Rotarian for 17 years. I have served as President, Treasurer and am currently the
Foundation Committee Chair. I have served on the International Services
Committee, the Youth Exchange Committee, the Community Services Committee
and have chaired several fundraising projects.

I am active in the local Anglican Church and am a keen supporter of the local
Performing Arts Festival. I am an avid reader and I love music and dancing, playing
card games and crocheting or knitting. I am attempting to learn Spanish through an
online program with minimal success.

My passion for Rotary and for travel led me to apply for the Team Leader’s role of
this GSE Team. I also have a passion for sharing Rotary with others, especially
younger people and this program is an ideal format for accomplishing that.

My husband and I had the pleasure of touring New Zealand (north and south
islands) for one month in 2003 and I am very excited to see this beautiful country
once again.

Vocational Interests:
I am very flexible in this area. One area of interest would be in viewing the
accounting office of a construction company or visiting a building materials
manufacturing plant. I would be very interested in viewing projects that the D9940
clubs have and especially would be interested in getting involved hands-on with a
project during our visit.

Cultural Interests:
I would be very interested in sailing if possible, visiting a Maori heritage village,
experiencing local cultural music festivals and getting to know the Rotarians of
D9940. I would also be interested in visiting a sheep ranch and watch the shearing
process and visiting a wool factory to see how it is processed. I am a HUGE fan of
Peter Jackson’s work – Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit so would love to visit the
Weta Cave and/or the Weta Workshop. Lastly, I would love to see the All Blacks
playing Rugby if the season is underway.

Map of where we will be

Here is a Google Map of our Travels in New Zealand.  On it you can see what days we will be where and who the hosting Rotary club is.  It may be hard to keep up as we move around a lot!

View NZ GSE in a larger map

All Practiced Up and Ready to Go!

Pictured clockwise from top left: Shannon Boyer, Mary Drader, Nathalie Stanley, Janet Sanders, Laura Polasek

On Friday, March 8th, the outbound GSE team did a trial run of our presentation to a group of gracious and generous local Rotarians.  Armed with their constructive criticisms for improvement, we are now prepared and confident for our first overseas presentation.  Fourteen sleeps and counting until departure...