WHO WE ARE
Meet the Steering Committee
Get to know the adaptation experts who guide ORCCA’s work and impact.
Jennifer Babin-Fenske
City of Greater Sudbury
Jennifer Babin-Fenske, with a background in Applied Zoology from McGill and a Ph.D. in Boreal Ecology from Laurentian University, specializes in insects of stressed forests. As the Climate Change Coordinator for the City of Greater Sudbury, she is integral to the city’s regreening efforts and environmental initiatives. A recipient of the Canada Clean50 award, Jennifer is dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and focuses on the impact of climate change on community natural assets
Angela Coleman
Conservation Ontario
Angela graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa in 2009 and was admitted to the Bar of the Province of Ontario in 2010. Angela summered, articled, and practiced with a large Ottawa firm, in real property and municipal law and now works with Conservation Ontario as General Manager.
Angela has worked with Federal, Provincial, and Municipal governments on a wide range of environmental, development, and water policy issues including: source water protection, flooding, and planning and development approvals.
Tammy Cook
Lakehead Region Conservation Authority
Tammy Cook has worked in the environmental field for over 20 years, including at the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, consulting firms, and on a remediation project in the Thunder Bay Harbour. She is passionate about understanding current and future climate impacts related to natural hazards, and the importance of proactively directing development outside of natural hazards, from both a safety and financial perspective. She works and lives in Northwestern Ontario on the shores of Lake Superior.
Frances Delaney
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Frances Delaney, with eight years in climate change adaptation, currently works at the Canadian Centre for Climate Services, focusing on outreach and engagement. She has significant experience across various levels of government, from climate modelling to policy. Frances contributed to the National Adaptation Strategy and has specialized knowledge of the Great Lakes Basin, including leading Annex 9 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Al Douglas
Climate Risk Institute
Since 2002 Al is an adaptation expert and has been developing adaptation resources for decision-makers globally. He has led regional vulnerability assessments in Ontario and co-authored a guidebook on ecosystems vulnerability assessment for the province. Al contributed to National Assessments of climate change impact and adaptation and served as an expert reviewer for the IPCC. His expertise encompasses climate science, impact, vulnerability and risk assessments, policy development, and adaptation planning in natural resource sectors. In 2016, he co-chaired Adaptation Canada 2016, the first national symposium on climate change adaptation since 2005, and was part of Canada’s Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Results.
Sharon Lam
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Sharon Lam is a Research Scientist with the Ecosystem and Climate Science team at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Sharon works to advance climate science and adaptation through a range of collaborative, multi-stakeholder projects in the Toronto region and beyond. She supports the delivery of risk-based adaptation services through applied research project implementation, technical advisory, partnership development, and knowledge mobilization.
David MacLeod
City of Toronto
As a pioneer in the field of municipal climate adaptation, in 2007 he initiated climate change risk assessments for City owned infrastructure and other sectors such as food and electrical supply. David catalyzed consideration of climate risk and interdependencies of infrastructure systems and climate related financial disclosures. Prior to joining the City, for 17 years David was an environmental management consultant and Certified Environmental Auditor working in over a dozen industry sectors across Canada and the northeast USA. David was Adjunct Professor at TMU and U of T, teaching courses at the university Masters level on environmental management systems and urban climate adaptation.
Jeremy Schembri
Region of Peel
Jeremy Schembri has been a municipal climate change leader for over 15 years. His foresight and innovation has led to the establishment of governance structures, plans, and actions that enabled multiple municipalities to proceed down the path to achieve a low carbon resilient future. Jeremy has honed and advocates for the use of inclusive best in class change management practices to tackle complex crisis like climate change; regularly looking to other industries and sectors to learn how best to catalyze and optimize action.
Christina Schwantes
Morrison Hershfield
Christina has 9 years of experience in enhancing climate resilience across public and private sectors, collaborating with 35+ communities. Specializing in climate risk assessments, policy development, and capacity building, she advises governments and communities on integrating climate resilience, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions into decision-making. Having delivered 25+ successful capacity-building initiatives, she empowers diverse practitioners—from engineers to governments—with knowledge on climate change, sustainability, and resilience.
Sarah Warren
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
Sarah Warren is a public health promoter specializing in the intersection of climate change and health. She is dedicated to enhancing climate resilience and promoting equity through intersectoral collaboration. Her focus includes raising awareness about the impact of climate change on health and integrating these considerations into climate action and public health initiatives. Sarah collaborates with various partners to support and implement health-focused climate adaptation strategies.
Nicole Yardy
Town of Collingwood
Nicole Yardy is a dedicated environmentalist committed to making a positive impact on communities and preserving biodiversity through community mobilization. She is currently working as the Climate Change Specialist with the Town of Collingwood and continues to advance her education through graduate certificates in strategy and climate policy. With a degree in Environmental Science, Nicole plays a pivotal role in developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to address climate change mitigation and adaptation within the community.
Guiding ORCCA
The Steering Committee are our adaptation experts strategically guiding the work ORCCA undertakes. The Steering Committee is an independent body with the main role of informing ORCCA on the needs, trends, and emerging climate issues facing Great Lakes communities and Ontarians so that ORCCA can tailor their programs and services to best assist users and decision makers.
Getting Involved
We are not currently recruiting Steering Committee members. However, there may be other ways you can get involved! It never hurts to reach out and share your interest and expertise.