Watersheds Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Thomas as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. This leadership transition marks an exciting milestone as the 24-year-old national charity continues to advance its mission of restoring freshwater environments and engaging communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mike Thomas discovered the work of Watersheds Canada from his own cottage dock in Haliburton County, Ontario. Through his ongoing volunteer commitment to his local lake association, Mike brings extensive experience in supporting environmental stewardship at the grassroots level. For years, he has been involved in shoreland naturalization and leads by example when it comes to rallying fellow volunteers for hands-on fish habitat restoration, Love Your Lake assessments, and even community science work like invasive species detections and loon surveys.
Mike (left) pictured volunteering on-the-ground with a fish habitat restoration project in Ontario. Mike is joined by Robert Pye (middle), Watersheds Canada executive director, and Melissa Dakers (right), Watersheds Canada habitat and stewardship program manager.
Mike is proud of his generational connection to conservation, fishing, and cottage life that he also proudly supports through the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association (FOCA), Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners’ Association (CHA), and the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery (NHCFH).
Mike has served in numerous nonprofit governance roles, bringing a speciality in community engagement, philanthropy, and municipal policy development. Mike’s leadership will support Watersheds Canada in strengthening partnerships and overseeing strategic planning and long-term organizational priorities; namely, healthy watersheds for future generations.
“We are thrilled to congratulate Mike Thomas on taking his Board commitment of the past 4 years to the role of Chair,” said Robert Pye, executive director of Watersheds Canada. “Mike truly represents family pride in lake life and conservation. He is an accomplished businessman and a tireless volunteer for organizations leading the way for environmental progress.”
Watersheds Canada extends its sincere gratitude to Mary Ellen Stoll for her dedicated service and leadership for over a decade. The Board of Directors is pleased to announce she will continue her volunteer focus on freshwater in the role of Past Chair.
For more information about Watersheds Canada and its programs, please visit watersheds.ca