COUCHICHING CONSERVANCY - Key Persons
Bob is a dentist who has practiced in Orillia for 30 years. As a member of the Conservancy for years, a past president and part of numerous teams and committees, his planning and management skills have been invaluable on the Board. Bob currently chairs the Heartwood Committee and serves on the Conservancy's Investment Committee. He loves snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, canoeing, hiking and kayaking, and is a keen supporter of conserving land for future generations. He and his partner Wendy have three daughters and live in Severn Township.
Contact me about general inquiries, booking spaces, exploring options to protect your property, and the Wine Club! If you aren't sure who to talk to, talk to me first. I will put you on the right track.
Job Titles:
- the Couchiching Conservancy As an Event Leader, Advisory Council
Job Titles:
- TREASURER
- Owner of J.R. Booth CA Professional Corporation
Jack Booth is the owner of J.R. Booth CA Professional Corporation. Originally playing the role of auditor and then later acting as an accounting advisor, Jack has worked with the Conservancy for many years, most recently serving as treasurer. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the organization and has the advantage of being well-versed in many of the nuances of running the Conservancy. He currently serves on the Investment Committee. An Orillia resident, he has served a number of community organizations, most recently acting as treasurer of the Lighthouse soup kitchen.
Jamie Ross was a high school teacher for 30 years at Orillia District Vocational Institute (ODCVI) before retiring. He hold a biology degree from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto. An avid outdoorsman, Jamie enjoys canoeing, hiking, camping and skiing. He has volunteered for the Conservancy in various roles, working on the grassland restoration project on Bluebird Ranch, Passport to Nature and serving on a property monitoring team. He is also among the rugged few who have done the Carden Challenge on bicycle. Jamie says his proudest accomplishment is his daughter Liz McLelland, who served on the Conservancy board until 2015, when Jamie's other proudest accomplishment, granddaughter Mary, came along.
Janet Machan was an elementary teacher for 30 years throughout Simcoe County. Since her
retirement in 2017, she has enjoyed work as an occasional librarian at Orillia Public Library's Family Department. She has always been a voracious reader and a patron of the arts. She and her husband, Gary, have enjoyed rural life in Oro Medonte where they've raised their two children, gardened and walked the trails. Janet and her family have been CC members for a number of years attending pie auctions, music nights and Annual General Meetings. Janet has loved the opportunity to participate in the Citizen Science program learning about species at risk and searching for whip-poor-wills on warm summer nights. She is also a volunteer member of the Passport to Nature team which gives her the opportunity to invite others to share in her love of nature.
Job Titles:
- Freelance Marketing Communications Specialist
Kathy is a freelance marketing communications specialist, happily semi-retired, following a career in public relations and marketing. She enjoyed the opportunities her freelance career provided, especially with not-for-profit and public sector organizations. Most recently she worked with Lakehead University during the opening and development of its new campus in Orillia.
Neil has a B.Sc.(Univ of Guelph), M.Sc. (Warwick University, England), and Ph.D. (Univ of Western Ontario) in Biochemistry. He then went into Environmental Engineering; was an Ass. Prof. at University of Western Ontario.
After 5 years he shifted gears and went into industry, working on environmental projects (surveys, protocol development, remediation [air, land, groundwater and surface water]) for a Fortune 100 company in Canada, US and England. Throughout his industrial career (20 years) he maintained his academic connections, as an Adjunct Prof at Waterloo, Guelph, and Univ of Toronto.
For the last 9 years he has been leading a group of scientists for the Federal Government (CRA; Scientific Research and Experimental Development program for the Ontario Region); recently retired in November 2018. He has published/presented over 120 scientific papers and holds a number of patents, covering everything from bioremediation to wind turbine blade design.
He belongs to the Carden Field Naturalists, Couchiching Conservancy, Hamilton Naturalists, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Scottish Ornithology Club and the Archaeological Society of Ontario (presently serving as the Secretary for the Toronto Chapter).
Job Titles:
- Fundraising & Engagement Manager
Contact me about donation options such as Membership, Monthly Giving, Stock Donations, Heartwood Fund, Corporate Partnerships, fundraising for nature and more. I also coordinate the Carden Challenge. If you haven't received your charitable receipt for your donation, I can help with that too.