As an Indigenous centre for excellence, NVIT inspires learners to strengthen community.

Dr. Fenech has worked extensively in the area of climate change since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change First Assessment Report in 1988. He has edited 8 books on climate change, most recently on Global Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainability in the Middle East. Dr. Fenech has worked for Harvard University researching the history of the science/policy interfaces of climate change. He has represented Canada at international climate negotiating sessions; written climate policy speeches for Canadian Environment Ministers; and authored Canadian reports on climate change to the United Nations. Dr. Fenech has taught at the University of Toronto as well as the Smithsonian Institution for almost 20 years, and lectures regularly at universities across Canada and around the world.

Dr. Fenech shared in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He is presently the Director of the University of Prince Edward Island's Climate Research Lab that conducts research on the vulnerability, impacts and adaptation to climate change.

Amanda Peters, MA MLIS MPA CAPA is the Chief Executive Officer of Glooscap Ventures. Amanda has earned Master’s degrees Political Science, Information Management and Public Administration focusing on information governance and policy development. Recently, Amanda has acquired professional designation as Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) under the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association of Canada.

Amanda has worked for First Nations government and business for almost 10 years. Prior to her position as Chief Executive Officer with Glooscap Ventures, Amanda worked for Glooscap First Nation as the Director of Administration for three years and as Senior Policy Analyst for the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat for four years.

Amanda’s experience extends but is not limited to policy development, financial management, human resource management, development of information management processes, change management, development of organizational efficiencies, negotiating contracts with potential government, corporate and commercial partners.

Amanda Peters, MA MLIS MPA CAPA is the Chief Executive Officer of Glooscap Ventures. Amanda has earned Master’s degrees Political Science, Information Management and Public Administration focusing on information governance and policy development. Recently, Amanda has acquired professional designation as Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) under the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association of Canada.

Amanda has worked for First Nations government and business for almost 10 years. Prior to her position as Chief Executive Officer with Glooscap Ventures, Amanda worked for Glooscap First Nation as the Director of Administration for three years and as Senior Policy Analyst for the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat for four years.

Amanda’s experience extends but is not limited to policy development, financial management, human resource management, development of information management processes, change management, development of organizational efficiencies, negotiating contracts with potential government, corporate and commercial partners.

Amanda Peters, MA MLIS MPA CAPA is the Chief Executive Officer of Glooscap Ventures. Amanda has earned Master’s degrees Political Science, Information Management and Public Administration focusing on information governance and policy development. Recently, Amanda has acquired professional designation as Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) under the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association of Canada.

Amanda has worked for First Nations government and business for almost 10 years. Prior to her position as Chief Executive Officer with Glooscap Ventures, Amanda worked for Glooscap First Nation as the Director of Administration for three years and as Senior Policy Analyst for the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat for four years.

Amanda’s experience extends but is not limited to policy development, financial management, human resource management, development of information management processes, change management, development of organizational efficiencies, negotiating contracts with potential government, corporate and commercial partners.

Jenene Wooldridge is a member of Abegweit First Nation and resides with her husband and two children on the Rocky Point Reserve. She graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island in 2004 with Sociology and Anthropology (Honours Thesis Sociology – Aspects of Domination in Modern Society). Jenene also completed certification in Conflict Resolution (2005), Project Management (2010), Manager’s Series (2016) at UPEI and most recently received designation through AFOA Canada as a Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (2017).

She has worked with First Nation government and administration for over 10 years. Jenene started working with Abegweit First Nation as Education Director in 2005, after working with the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI as Aboriginal Justice Coordinator, and has held the title of Director of Operations for Abegweit First Nation since 2007. Jenene most recent venture has been the development of 4 Directions Consulting in 2016 providing Comprehensive Community Planning advisory services to First Nation communities.

Jenene is truly passionate about her work and being a part of First Nation communities moving forward. She currently volunteers on the AFOA Canada Atlantic Chapter board and the Atlantic Region Aboriginal Land Managers Association (ARALA) board as Treasurer. Her goal is to make our communities better for future generations. Jenene enjoys being organized, living life forward and helping others. She lives life committed to continuous learning and ongoing professional and personal development.

Annie Clair is mi’kmaq women from Elsipogtog she has 4 children and 4 grandchildren, she is the Manager of the Elsipogtog Mi’kmaq Basket Making and Heritage Path Tour. This is first time running a community business she is new at this field but loves what she does very compassionate and devoted to her job she feels it very important to share her culture and teaching basket making to everyone especially the next generation so that they can pass it on and maybe one day they take over our jobs.

Sandra has 30 years’ experience in Tourism Industry on Cape Breton Island including such positions as General Manager, Destination Cape Breton Association, Manager Visitor Services Tourism Cape Breton, Project Manager, Fortress Louisbourg Association, Manager Tourism Distribution Center, Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation.

She has served on numerous Boards of Directors of Not for Profit organizations and is a past member of the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council. She has delivered a host of tourism training programs as well as TIANS certification programs to various hospitality groups.

Most recently and for the past seven years, she has been Tourism Coordinator on the Goat Island Project in Eskasoni and has been working closely with the Heritage Interpreters, assisting in preparing the product for the marketplace as well as solidifying partnerships. This year the project has expanded to include a fully stocked gift shop and canoe rentals. Sandra is a graduate of St. FX and CBU and has resided her life in Cape Breton with a strong passion for the tourism industry and its representatives. Sandra is a graduate of “Edge of the Wedge” program in 2011 and 2017.

Richard joined ACOA in 2005 as Senior Policy Analyst, where he sought to help the Agency and the region’s stakeholders better understand the Atlantic economy and respond to its needs. Richard’s current focus is supporting Atlantic communities in becoming more inclusive, innovative, and diversified, critical to helping the region grow.

Richard believes in the importance of regional economic development, and that it can only be done by collaborating. A key element of success in his career has been in working with governments, the private sector, and NGOs in Atlantic Canada, across Canada, and internationally.

From 2013 to 2017, Richard represented Canada on the OECD’s Working Party on Rural Policy based in Paris, France. While Paris is great and all, Richard knows he is lucky enough to live and work in one of the best regions on earth.

Trevor is a graduate of Cape Breton University and the University of British Columbia. After earning his bachelor of laws at UBC, he began his career with the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs and later, the Union of Nova Scotia Indians.

While with the Union of Nova Scotia Indians, Trevor received his call to the Nova Scotia Bar. Shortly thereafter he joined Membertou in November 2004 first serving as Associate General Legal Counsel and then becoming Executive Director in April 2005.

Trevor is responsible for overseeing Membertou’s government programs and counsels Membertou on issues ranging from employment law and contracts to land matters. He is also a member of Membertou’s Finance and Audit Committee, Executive Committee and chairs its Management Committee.

Meko Nicholas is the Executive Director of the First Nations Lands Management Resource Centre and is Welastekokewin (Maliseet) from the Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation in New Brunswick. He has been working to support the development, finalization and fulfillment of the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management for the past 23 years.

Meko resides in Fredericton, NB with his wife and 4 children. He is also a music lover and avid guitarist.

Marissa comes to Cando with a rich background of designing and convening community-bridging intercultural dialogue and educational programming on topics ranging from democratic engagement, regional economic opportunity and citizen entrepreneurship, to reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. Over the past few years, Marissa worked with Reconciliation Canada where at a senior management level, developed and maintained strategic partnerships with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, governments, and organizations, and managed the design and delivery of Reconciliation Canada’s national public programming.

From her experience working directly with municipalities and First Nations on jointly-led reconciliation and relationship-building initiatives, Marissa understands the complexities of reconciliation and relations between Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. With this, she is compelled to work towards increased education, reciprocal and respectful relationships and the reduction of barriers, towards the creation of equitable opportunities for all peoples.

Marissa is elated to join Cando and the CEDI team as the CEDI Senior Program Officer – Western Region.

Adrian graduated from Dalhousie University with a BSc in Marine Biology with a focus on aquaculture. After graduation, Adrian worked as a Fisheries Observer for DFO with responsibilities involving gathering population data and recording fisheries activity for a variety of commercially important species. Adrian then spent 6 years with Clearwater Lobster as a staff biologist and later as Senior Biologist responsible for monitoring and managing the health and quality of all live lobster through-put which amounted to 10 million pounds annually.

After Clearwater, Adrian worked 10 years for Atlantech Companies with specific responsibilities in the area of production plan development and, biological and technical design specific to flow through, re-use and RAS applications across a variety of species such as Atlantic salmon, trout, Arctic Charr, Atlantic Halibut and, Atlantic cod.

In 2010, Adrian branched out to start the consulting business, Sustain Aqua, to offer services to SMEs that are currently not being adequately met such as business plan development, proposal writing, production plan development, feasibility studies, technical advice, technical training, SOP development, etc.

In 2015, Adrian joined Ulnooweg Development Group to work as an Aquaculture Business Development Advisor. This position requires assisting First Nations communities in Atlantic Canada with the development of aquaculture enterprises. The challenges faced by First Nations are very similar to the challenges faced by SME aquaculture businesses in the private sector, making the transition to this new position an easy and exciting one.

Janet has spent most of her more than twenty-five year professional career working in a number of federal government departments in programs and policy in both Ottawa and Atlantic Canada. She has an undergraduate Degree from St. Francis Xavier University ‎and a Masters from Dalhousie University.

Janet is an avid kayaker and runner. She currently lives in Halifax with her husband and the two youngest of her four children.