Staff & Board Members
Watersheds Canada Staff
Robert Pye
Executive Director
Robert’s conservation career started when a college internship earned him a full-time communications role at the OFAH. After 25-years with the OFAH, Robert now proudly joins Watersheds Canada as the Executive Director. Robert is the author of a national award-winning outdoors program. He was on the communications frontline on some of the biggest topics to face our natural resources. As a senior nonprofit association director, he developed major branding campaigns, introduced new corporate partnerships, and modernized revenue generation programs to support conservation. In 2009, Robert achieved “Certified Association Executive (CAE)” designation from the Canadian Society of Association Executives. Robert is a Public Relations graduate from Durham College, and a Skills Canada-Ontario alumni. He is an accomplished speaker and writer.
As a child, Robert’s passion for freshwater was developed along the banks of his hometown trout stream. Today, his family proudly owns heritage property near Peterborough where they produce maple syrup, manage forests, and host environmental field trips for high school students. Robert’s outdoor passions include fishing, backcountry camping, as well as hunting with his two boys and English Setters.
Barbara King
Director of Programs and Partnerships
Barbara King has served in leadership roles with the organization since 1999. Barbara has been integral in working with lake groups and other non-profits on action-oriented stewardship programs into large multi-stakeholder initiatives that can be launched on a national level. Collaboration and partnerships are at the centre of her work with sharing and capacity building for groups that work with landowners to protect Canada’s lakes and rivers.
Barbara holds a Master’s in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from Carleton University and an environmental management diploma from Sir Sandford Fleming College. She brings extensive experience in leadership with over 20 years of direct project development experience and expertise. Barbara lives on a lake with her family in Maberly, Ontario. She enjoys mountain biking, swimming, and exploring nature.
Deborah D’Amico
Senior Development Lead
Deborah will be working with Wintergreen Studios, Sustainable Capacity Solutions, and Watersheds Canada as a shared Senior Development Lead. Deborah has had a lifelong connection to nature and the environment, though her professional journey has taken her through many other organizations and sectors – something she is today passionate about contributing to the environmental sector. Deborah has art and art history degrees from the University of Toronto and University of St Andrews, Scotland, and has worked in communications and fundraising for the health, arts, communications and charitable sectors over the last two decades.
Over the last few years, Deborah has resparked her love of nature by volunteering at the Toronto Wildlife Centre’s nursery and starting an environmental certification program through the University of Guelph. In her spare time Deborah can be found on a trail somewhere with her nearest and dearest, including her two senior dogs.
Melissa Dakers
Habitat and Stewardship Program Manager
Melissa Dakers joined the Watersheds Canada team in 2015, after taking time to raise her two sons. During that time, Melissa was a very active member of the Mississippi Lakes Association, where she was the Water Quality & Lake Steward on the board of directors for twelve years. She was an enthusiastic member of the Mississippi Lake Plan Committee, where she has lent her expertise to the completion of the Mississippi Lake Plan, and was an active co-chair and member of the Environmental Committee.
Melissa studied Natural Resource Management at Guelph University and Ecosystem Management at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Lindsay. Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority employed her for 6 years directly after graduation, as a Water Quality Technician and Watershed Monitoring Supervisor. Liaising with other agencies, partners and lake stewards to promote and educate them on environmental practices is her passion. It is a beautiful thing when a career and passion come together.
Melissa lives and plays on Mississippi Lake with her husband and two boys, year-round. When not at home crafting, you will find her camping or paddling around in her kayak and always with a smile on her face.
Chloe Lajoie
Natural Edge Program Manager
Chloe Lajoie is an outdoor enthusiast who has been studying and practicing Environmental Stewardship since 2009. She attended Nipissing University and graduated with an Honours Degree in Environmental Biology and Technology. As part of her program, she also attended Canadore College and completed the Environmental Technician – Protection and Compliance Program. While completing her studies, Chloe was able to take part in the Undergraduate Research Conference in 2013, presenting her thesis on the effects of Forest Tent Caterpillar outbreaks on Trembling Aspen. In the past, she has worked at Ferguson Forest Centre and Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Chloe joined the team at Watersheds Canada in 2015 as a Stewardship Program Assistant and is now managing our Natural Edge Program, working with landowners to create resilient shorelands to better withstand the impacts of climate change. In her spare time, Chloe can be found having fun with family and friends, camping, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and trying out tasty new recipes!
Monica Seidel
Communications and Fundraising Manager
Monica is a passionate environmental
Nicole Dubé
Freshwater Health Coordinator
Nicole Dubé has been passionate about water issues from a young age. Whether she was doing a pond study at a local conservation area or swimming in the Great Lakes, you could always find her in the water. Her love of nature led her to work as an outdoor educator with a school board and local conservation authority.
Nicole graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Master’s degree in Social and Ecological Sustainability and a specialization in Integrated Water Management. Her research focused on community engagement about flooding in the town of New Hamburg, ON. She is interested in engaging a wide variety of people in environmental issues through art and scientific communication. When she is not at work, you can find her camping or playing with her cat named Waffles.
Chantal Lefevre
Natural Edge Regional Coordinator
Chantal Lefevre has always loved nature and exploring the outdoors, because of this, she explored a career that can benefit what she loves. She graduated from Fleming College with an advanced diploma as an Environmental Technologist and then obtained her BSc. in Environmental Science from Trent University, finishing her educational career in 2020.
Chantal has experience working with Quinte Conservation Authority, Thousand Island Watershed Land Trust, and municipal and provincial governing agencies. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, hiking, and swimming with her dogs. Chantal is excited to bring her knowledge and enthusiasm to the Natural Edge program.
Karen Ballentine
Bookkeeping, Administration & Fundraising Support
Board of Directors
Watersheds Canada is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors:
Mary Ellen Stoll, Retired Manager, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Tom Whillans, Professor, Environmental and Resource Science/Studies at Trent University
Brett Painter, Biodiversity Indicators Lead, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Kat Kavanagh, Executive Director, Water Rangers
Bridget Andrews, Executive Director, Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds
Stephen Blight, Retired Vice President, Capital Lands and Parks, National Capital Commission
Mike Thomas, President of the Paudash Lake Conservation Association