SYC Team

Ottawa Team
Sustainable High Schools Team
Quebec Team
Regional Action Coordinators

National Director - Mark Hanlon

director@syc-cjs.org

Mark, originally from O’Donnell’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2005 witih a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political Science. During his university days, he worked on and off campus in various social justices causes including queer and womens rights organizations. Mark began working at Memorial University in the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development and most recently was executive director of AIDS PEI in Charlottetown, PE.  He is heavily involved in sexual and reproductive health, planned parenthood and social justice, serving on the board of the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health and represented Canadian youth in Washington, D.C. in 2009 as part of the regional council and youth delegate meetings. He will do so again in August 2010 in Lima, Peru.  Mark also began biking to work in August in an effort to be healthier, environmentally friendly and to look great in spandex. Media and public relations, social media and human rights based work are his favorite aspects of activism and NGO work.

Communications and Outreach Coordinator - Tracey Guptill

communications@syc-cjs.org

Tracey has been an environmentalist since days of painting fish near sewer grates with her brownie troupe. Since then she has been working to increase her understanding of the world around her by studying in various fields, from theatre to ethics to municipal politics. She has a degree in Philosophy and Environmental Studies from the University of Ottawa and since graduating she has been working for sustainability at the local level by learning first-hand about sustainable farming and teaching elementary students how to grow their own produce with the Canadian Organic Growers’ Growing Up Organic program. She was the Logistics Coordinator for Power Shift Canada 2009, a national climate action conference. Other organising includes Ottawa’s two City Social Forums and last year’s Organizing For Justice conference. Lately she has been leading workshops based on Augusto Boal’s techniques: exploring oppression through forum theatre, as well as facilitating workshops in schools on cycling and activism drawing from her two-month educational cycling tour with The Otesha Project.

Sustainable High Schools Evaluation Coordinator - Gabriela Rappell

shs.esd@syc-cjs.org

Gabriela grew up in Toronto and has been active in the environmental movement since high school. She first became involved in SYC in high school and served as an under 21 member of the ExComm and as a SYC representative on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club of Canada. Gabriela is a graduate of Queen’s University with a focus on Applied Science and Environmental Studies. While there she became interested in food security and sustainable development and worked with the National Farmers Union (NFU) on local food projects in Kingston. Gabriela looks forward to helping the Sustainable High Schools program move forward in the way that provides the most benefits to students and their partners in sustainability!

Sustainable High Schools Program Coordinator - Marie-Pierre Daigle

shs.programme.esd@syc-cjs.org

During her five year association with the Franco-Ontarian Youth Federation (FESFO), Marie-Pierre has had the opportunity to get involved with young francophones across Canada. She obtained her degree in International Studies and Modern Languages with a Minor in Russian at the University of Ottawa. For the last few months, she has been working with the Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) Youth Caucus to give youth a voice in governmental consultations and RCEN events. She would like to pursue her Masters Studies in the environmental field with the goal of determining the best ways to increase youth’s environmental awareness regarding their daily practices.

Quebec Sustainable Campuses Coordinator - Marie-Michelle Beaudoin

quebec@syc-cjs.org

Marie-Michelle grew up with the idea that to improve her surroundings, she should get involved. To this end, while studying in management, she became involved in international development in Cameroon and participated in the development and marketing of products of various cooperatives. Through this work she saw first-hand the extent of damage caused by a consumer society and decided to further her understanding of sustainability.  This led her to an MA in sustainable development management where she realized how much there is to do in Canada and how young people occupy an important place in the heart of building a sustainable society. Passionate about everything she undertakes Marie-Michelle likes climbing and nature, yoga and laughing as often as possible!

Quebec Sustainable Campuses Officer - Marie-Christine Picard

campagnes@syc-cjs.org

Passionate about travel, sports and adventure, Marie-Christine can’t stop for two minutes! With a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Master’s degree in environment from, she has specialized in the involvement of people to develop a more sustainable society. Her trips in Latin America as well as a year in Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, quickly made her realize that she could only work surrounded by people committed and motivated to make things happen! Between sessions of kitesurfing and a cold beer with friends, she loves to eat an ice cream twist dipped in rainbow sprinkles!

Quebec Student Unions for Sustainability Coordinator - Émilie Bernier

asso@syc-cjs.org

Quebec Regional Action Coordinator -Mel Lefebvre

quebec.action@syc-cjs.org

Atlantic Regional Action Coordinator - James Quinlan

atlantic.action@syc-cjs.org

BC Regional Action Coordinator - Michelle Proctor

bc.action@syc-cjs.org

Prairies Regional Action Coordinator - Tasha Peters

prairies.action@syc-cjs.org

Ontario Regional Action Coordinator - Andrew McAllister

ontario.action@syc-cjs.org

Ontario Colleges Sustainable Campuses Coordinator - Vacant

colleges@syc-cjs.org

Youth Representative to the Sierra Club of Canada Board of Directors

Samantha Green