SDWF Board of Directors
Effective May 1st, 2010

Ray is a partner in We Communications Inc., a marketing, creative design and publishing company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Ray has more than 25 years experience in sales, marketing, communications and publishing with connections in the business, entertainment and sports worlds.

Professional Highlights

• Research, development and launch of three nationally distributed, industry-leading magazines:

• Canadian Water Treatment (CWT) - www.watertreatment.ca
  Launched in 2001, CWT is Canada’s only complete water magazine with a mandate to stir the debate on water quality, equipment, innovation and policy development. CWT is published six times per year and is distributed to more than 8,200 water professionals.
• Canadian Meat Business (CMB) – www.meatbusiness.ca
  Launched in 2002, CMB is Canada’s leading magazine for processors and distributors of beef, pork and poultry across Canada. CMB is published six times per year and is distributed to more than 6,000 food industry professionals.
• ReNew Canada (RNW) - www.renewcanada.net
  Launched in 2005, RNW leads the national discussion on infrastructure renewal by engaging readers with the people, companies and ideas that are changing our economy. RNW is published six times per year and is distributed to more than 10,000 related industry professionals.

Personal Highlights

• Current Member - Board of Directors – The Safe Drinking Water Foundation – a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to find treatment and preventative solutions in order to make surface and ground water safe for human consumption in rural areas of the world.
• Former Member - Board of Directors – The Rainbow Society – a non-profit organization that grants wishes to chronically and terminally ill children.
• Former President and Co-founder - Canadian Soccer League
• Former Vice President and Co-founder – Winnipeg Fury Soccer Club

Howard was born in 1933 near Saddle Lake reservation. Howard lived at Saddle Lake grew up on slew water as his father was unable to find any underground water on the farm where they lived. Howard got married in 1953 and in 1954 he started to work in the oil patch. He then went to trade school in Calgary and became a welder and continued to work in the oil industry wherever welding was required. In the mid 70ies Howard quit welding on the recommendation of his doctor and moved back to Saddle Lake. There he bought a water truck and started to deliver water to people’s house cisterns. But, the water was yellow and Howard got concerned that it was no good. He then got elected to council and at that time he also started to sell water conditioners for a brief period, but soon realized that this treatment really did not work. Soon after this a water treatment plant was built at Saddle Lake, but Howard felt that the problems with the water did not go away and has harboured concerns that many illnesses at Saddle Lake were caused by water. Howard then got involved with Saddle Lake’s water committee and he has actively talked about the need for safe drinking water at meetings and he has also traveled to many communities to discuss the need for safe drinking water. Howard is especially concerned about the frequent lack of respect and sincerity when consultants and government people deal with aboriginal communities. He is a strong believer in building up aboriginal capabilities and was instrumental in forming the Water Keepers Society. This is a Saddle Lake organization that is in the process of building a laboratory as well as training 5 people on how to determine and solve environmental challenges facing aboriginal communities.

Lisa Maria Fox is an independent mother of three living in the foothills of Rocky View with several horses, dogs, cats and open spaces. She earned her undergraduate degrees in Western Political Philosophy and Sociology, with a minor in Political Science (Public Policy) from the University of Victoria and has accreditation towards a Masters Degree in Resource and Environment through the University of Calgary.

Lisa is actively involved in grass roots environmental initiatives and commits a great deal of her time to several societies that are dedicated to fostering sustainable communities and promoting sustainable and responsible management of land and water. Lisa serves on the Bow River Basin Council's Legislation and Policy Review Committee and is an active Board Member of both the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone and the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee. She has recently been appointed to the Executive of the Alberta Environmental Network and is an active volunteer with the Canadian Environmental Network's National Water, Fisheries and Ocean's Caucus.

In her professional career, Lisa is the founder and Executive Director of Sustainability Resources Inc., a not-for-profit environmental management consulting firm working to build capacity for sustainable resource management at all levels of civic society. Lisa is currently contracted as the Watershed Manager for the South East Alberta Watershed Alliance and is the Coordinator for the Bow River Basin Council's Strategic Watershed Planning Committee.

Greg McIvor is a member of the God’s Lake First Nation with strong family connections in Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba.  Privileged to serve his community for over 30 years. Greg has worked in the areas of Natural Resource Development, Environment, Economic Development, and Government Relations initiatives. It was an opportunity to work with First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities across Manitoba, Canada and the United States.  

Background:

As sole proprietor of Greg B. McIvor and Associates (Est. 2002) with extensive experience in community consultations and advocacy.  He is accredited with the University of Winnipeg in Human Resource Management, Project Management and Management studies.

From 1993 - 2008 he worked in a variety of political and senior management capacities including serving as the  executive director and assistant to the Grand Chief at Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), and played a key role in negotiating the Denesuline First Nations North of 60 land claims agreement.

Greg has also participated in the creation of many significant transformative initiatives for First Nations People including the development, presentation and negotiations of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (AJI) Child Welfare Initiative, Health Framework Agreement with Health Canada (2001), and participation in the initiation of the Four Arrows Health Diabetes Care Centre in the Island Lake area.

Greg brings 30 years of experience as a volunteer in a variety of sport and recreation activities - including his role as local recreation director, coordinator and host of the Northern Manitoba Sport and Recreation Association (NORMA) winter games in 1987. He has served as a volunteer member on boards and committees on NORMA, MASRC, NAIG and many community organizations.

Currently active with the Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO) researching climate change and environmental issues with innovative technology supported by traditional knowledge.  Results support the thesis that cumulative impacts of natural resource development in Northern Manitoba, and specifically Lake Winnipeg, have negatively affected the health of rivers, lakes, lands, boreal forests and watersheds and impacted the future of many First Nations’ communities and sustainable development in Manitoba.

Dr. Tim Molnar | back to board of directors

Tim Molnar is an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan teaching and researching in the areas of science education, teacher preparation and professional growth, with particular interest in media technology use, social and ecological justice issues and ethics. He received his B.Sc.(Adv.) and B.Ed from the U of Saskatchewan. His M.Ed research involved examining teachers' perceptions of science-technology-society-environment issues and curricula, while his Ph.D research concerned teachers' understanding of their pedagogical responsibility in contexts of cultural difference. Tim has extensive experience teaching in secondary school contexts developing and teaching courses in biology, science-technology-society-environment (STSE) studies, mathematics, environmental-outdoor education, and information technology. His interest in water issues and its related science and technology began during his studies in limnology with Dr. Ted Hammer at the U of Saskatchewan.

During the course of his career he has also been employed as a digital media consultant and developer with projects such as the Thunderbird Park-BC Museum of Natural History (with Videowave productions), panoramic-immersive imaging (via Brown Media), web content and site development for Saskatchewan Learning, the Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Understanding Science (CETUS - U of Victoria) and the Children's Global Arts Project (non-profit organization).

He is a past Canadian Hilroy Fellowship Award winner for teaching innovation and excellence through the "Student Scientific Community Project" and more recently was awarded the University of Saskatchewan Student Union Teaching Excellence Award (2007) and the Vera Flett Keddy Buchanan Scholarship for community service (University of Victoria, 2005).

Roberta Neapetung | back to board of directors

Roberta Neapetung was born at Yellow Quill First Nation and has lived there on and off ever since. Roberta completed Grade 12 at the Yellow Quill School and went on to get laboratory training with the Safe Drinking Water Foundation in Saskatoon. Roberta became a trainee operator at Yellow Quill when the biological piloting project was started. After the Integrated Biological and Reverse Osmosis Membrane treatment plant was completed she became its operator. Roberta has completed Water Operator Certification on level one for water treatment and distribution and is now eligible for certification for level two. Roberta has presented the Yellow Quill challenges at different venues including at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Roberta has worked directly with Hans Peterson for several years both as he was stationed at Yellow Quill for 2 years and at the SDWF laboratories in Saskatoon. Roberta has carried out many experiments trying to optimize biological filtration. Roberta is a founding member of the Advanced Aboriginal Water Treatment Team.

Karen Neupane, B.Sc. | back to board of directors

Karen recently completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and is in her first year of medical school at the University of Alberta. She first became acutely aware of international issues surrounding access to safe drinking water while living in Nepal, where a major concern is arsenic in rural water supplies. As part of an NGO called Filters for Families, Karen assisted in distribution of water filters and education of people living in small villages in southern Nepal.

After returning home to Edmonton, Alberta, Karen became conscious of the fact that many Canadians also face huge obstacles to obtaining safe and secure drinking water. During the summer of 2007, she worked with the Safe Drinking Water Foundation. Her project was to conduct research on behalf of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation to help them in their quest to ensure a safe, sustainable water supply for their community.

Dr. John O'Connor | back to board of directors

Dr. John O’Connor was the first to raise concerns about high rates of cancer in Fort Chipewyan, a community downstream of the Alberta tar sands.  As a result, Dr. O’Connor was charged with “causing undue alarm” and brought international attention to the issue.  He is a family physician and now divides his practice between Nova Scotia and Northern Alberta.  Dr. O’Connor is featured in the film Downstream.


Rob Penner | back to board of directors

Rob is a member of the Faculty of Arts and Science at University College of the North in The Pas, Manitoba, and was formerly the Dean of Health and Applied Science at UCN. Rob has also served as Head of the Department of Renewable Resources at UCN and instructed in the Natural Resources Management Technology Program and Ecotourism Program at UCN.

Rob has a Certificate in Adult Education from Red River College, Winnipeg, a Bachelor of Science (Zoology) from Brandon University, and a Master of Science (Biology) from the University of Saskatchewan.

As a certified heritage interpreter and a participant in many outdoor activities, Rob takes great pleasure in introducing others to the natural beauty of Northern Manitoba. Whether canoeing, snowshoeing, kayaking, or fishing, he, his wife and their three children can often be found on or near the many lakes and rivers of Northern Manitoba.

Hans Peterson | back to board of directors

Hans Peterson completed his BSc in Lund, Sweden, MSc and PhD in the United Kingdom, PostDoc at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg for 5 years, head of Saskatchewan Research Council’s Water Quality Team for 10 years, President of WateResearch Corp. and Voluntary Executive Director for the Safe Drinking Water Foundation for the last 10 years. Hans is working on the design of water treatment processes for exceedingly poor quality surface and groundwater in aboriginal communities in Canada. Hans spends at least 15 days per month in these communities carrying out research and development work composed of full-scale piloting, and small-scale development.

George Poitras | back to board of directors

George Poitras is a former Chief of the Mikisew Cree First Nation, a community located downstream from Canada's tarsands. As Chief, George successfully challenged the Canadian government on lack of consultation on a project that the government approved. This landmark decision that virtually changed the legal landscape in Canada and raised the standard for government consultation with First Nations was handed down in a unanimous 9-0 decision on November 24th, 2004. George has tirelessly advocated on behalf of his community for the past four years on issues related to tarsands development including cancers and is now recognized internationally as a prominent spokesperson not only for his community but on the tarsands generally.

Bob Pratt | back to board of directors

Robert (Bob) Pratt grew up in George Gordon FN and has worked off-reserve, but returned to help his home community treat a challenging groundwater source. In 1988 Bob began training as a water treatment plant operator. Bob has seen his plant progress from Version 1, 2 and 3 of various manganese greensand configurations, none of which worked. In 2000 the Gordon Water Treatment Plant got Reverse Osmosis Membranes, it was the first full-scale RO plant on reserves in Western Canada. At treatment flows of 5 L/s it remains one of the largest. The manganese greensand pre-treatment ahead of the RO continually presented problems, which were not resolved until the greensand was replaced by biological treatment in December 2005. Bob has helped other water plant operators in many reservations across Western Canada. Bob is a founding member of the Advanced Aboriginal Water Treatment Team. Bob has attended many training courses including Advanced RO Treatment in Phoenix, Arizona. Bob is currently spearheading the establishment of the George Gordon Groundwater Research Centre, which is dedicated to finding solutions to groundwater problems.

Dr. David Schindler | back to board of directors

Dr. David W. Schindler is the Killam Memorial Chair and Professor of Ecology at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. From 1968 to 1989, he founded and directed the Experimental Lakes Project of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans near Kenora, Ontario, conducting interdisciplinary research on the effects of eutrophication, acid rain, climate change and other human insults on boreal aquatic ecosystems. His work on eutrophication and acid rain has been widely used in formulating ecological management policy in Canada, the USA and in Europe. More recently, he has studied the effects of climate warming, alien fish stocks, airborne contaminants and other human impacts on freshwaters of the Rocky Mountains. Dr. Schindler received his doctorate from Oxford University, England, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. During his career, he has headed the International Joint Commission’s Expert Committee on Ecology and Geochemistry, and the US Academy of Sciences’ Committee on the Atmosphere and the Biosphere. He has served as President of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, and as a Canadian National Representative to the International Limnological Society. He is the author of over 250 scientific publications.

Dr. Schindler has received numerous national and international research awards, including the 1984 Outstanding Achievement Award of the American Institute of Fisheries Biologists, the 1984 Frank Rigler Award of the Canadian Limnological Society, the 1985 G.E. Hutchinson Medal of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, the 1988 Naumann-Thienemann Medal of the International Limnological Society, the first (1991) Stockholm Water Prize, the Manning Award of Distinction for Innovation in Science (1993), the first Romanowski Medal of the Royal Society of Canada (1994), the Volvo International Environment Prize (1998), the NSERC Award of Excellence in Research (2000), Environment Canada’s Vollenweider Lectureship (2001), and the Canadian Nature Federation’s Douglas Pimlott Award for Conservation (2001). In November 2001 he was awarded Canada’s highest scientific honor, the NSERC Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal for Science and Engineering and in May 2003 received the Killam prize, awarded for outstanding career achievements. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of London (UK), a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and in January 2004 he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada. Also in 2004, he was elected as one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century, in honour of Edmonton’s centennial year. He was awarded an Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005, and received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, and the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Ruth Patrick Award in 2006. He has nine honorary doctorates from universities within Canada and the United States.

Dr. Schindler teaches courses in ecology and environmental impact assessment at the University of Alberta. He is a frequent guest speaker to public groups, and in environmental courses in other University departments.

Lorrie Sielski | back to board of directors

Lorrie Sielski is a biologist with a strong background and keen interest in plant sciences. She currently works as an environmental consultant and contract biologist in the southern prairies.

Lorrie obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Saskatchewan in 2002. Following university Lorrie became the Project Coordinator for the Safe Drinking Water Foundation and had organized SDWF’s first international conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in September 2004. She foresaw the revamping, preparation and distribution of environmental educational programs and was also responsible for communications with current and potential sponsors and donors. Since her employment Lorrie has continued to volunteer with the foundation.

Lorrie currently resides in Medicine Hat, Alberta with her fiancé and three cats and enjoys travelling, gardening and the outdoors.

Anthony (Tony) Steinhauer | back to board of directors

Anthony (Tony) Steinhauer grew up in Saddle Lake and has worked both on and off reserve. The off reserve employment was mainly in the oil industry, but concern about water quality in his home community compelled Tony to return home. Tony has now been in charge of Saddle Lake’s water treatment for the past 15 years. Tony has continually raised concern about the quality of the treated water at Saddle Lake and he has for years signed his letters: Tony Steinhauer, Centre for Disease Creation. Research and discussions with government people, university researchers, engineers and others failed to provide satisfactory answers for Tony. But Tony was encouraged by Elders to continue his search for a solution to the problems the water treatment plant was experiencing. In 2003 Tony contacted the Safe Drinking Water Foundation (SDWF) and together with SDWF proper evaluations of the quality of the treated water was carried out. After a joint 7 page assessment Saddle Lake Chief and Council called a boil water advisory in May 2004 in spite of protests from Health Canada. Five months later when the SDWF held a workshop at Saddle Lake, Health Canada came out to the community, did the proper testing, and called a Health Canada Boil Water Advisory. This boil water advisory is still in effect, but development work for how to deal with Saddle Lake’s water situation is now well under way. Tony has attended many training courses including Advanced RO Treatment in Phoenix, Arizona. Tony is a founding member of the Advanced Aboriginal Water Treatment Team.

Tracy Webb | back to board of directors

Tracy Webb is a senior high school science teacher, environmentalist, mentor, musician, artist and poet. Growing up in Northern Ontario with lots of snow and the forests beckoning only a walk away, Tracy has always had a passion for being outdoors - mountain/road bikes, horses, hiking, swimming, canoeing, skiing and wilderness camping. Now living in the warmer climate of Nova Scotia, she is mom to three and coaches her youngest on the D1 Girls high school volleyball team.

Tracy graduated from Acadia U. with B.Sc Geology and B.Ed, and has taught junior high science and math, and senior high chemistry, biology, geology and integrated Grade 10 Science, for more than twenty years. Tracy has extensive experience in developing, reviewing, editing, testing and assessing lessons to encourage and optimize student learning. She has contributed to many organizations, lead teams and professional associations, most recently with the National Education for Sustainable Development Expert Council, Nova Scotia Education for Sustainable Development Working Group (Learning for Sustainable Future - SENSE), SDWF, EECOM, National Steering Committee (Teacher Advisors) for Green Street, Atlantic Geoscience Society (EdGEO), Kieran Pathways Society (Alternative Transportation), Teacher Advisor for the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club and mentor for EcoBuddies, NS Provincial Science Lead Team member, NS Association of Science Teachers presenter, Classroom Assessment and Evaluation Team member, and Regional Literacy Team member.

In school, she developed and implemented Science Buddies, an extensive science outreach program for elementary schools; facilitates the Environment Club; “Invisible Children” – a social justice group related to Uganda’s war children, and also works with the music program. Her efforts and dedication have been recognized by various organizations: EECOM Excellence in Environmental Education K-12 Outstanding Teacher Award 2005; NS Provincial Association of Science Teachers “Excellence in Science Teaching”; NSTU Provincial Education Week Exceptional Contributions to Education, and a National Institute Excellence Award.

The Safe Drinking Water Foundation is proud to have Tracy as a member of its Board of Directors, as an exemplary teacher to contribute to marketing SDWF school programs.