Steering Committee
Betty Plewes lives in Carp Ontario. Before her retirement, she worked in international development with a focus on African development, gender relations and civil society organizations. She was Overseas Director of CUSO, CEO of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, and participated in the creation of Partnership Africa Canada, the Voluntary Sector Roundtable and the McLeod Group. Her experience in the voluntary sector includes serving on boards, editing a journal, and writing on many aspects of sector work.
Rieky Stuart lives in Victoria. Her last staff position was as Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, and she also worked as Deputy Director of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation and taught at St. Francis Xavier University’s Coady Institute and as staff at CUSO and with the National Farmers Union. After leaving Oxfam Canada, she worked as a consultant on organizational change and gender equality with UN organizations, governments and NGOs. She has lived across Canada—from British Columbia to Nova Scotia—and also in Asia and Africa. She has been a volunteer teacher, consultant and Board member, and is currently affiliated with Gender at Work and with the Climate Legacy Project. I want to apply my learning about creating social change to the climate crisis that threatens my children’s and grandchildren’s future.
Roy Culpeper is an Ottawa-based economist who has devoted his career to social justice issues. His work as a researcher and a public servant has focused on development in Canada and internationally. He is particularly interested in the crucial role of financial markets, institutions and policies, in shaping livelihoods and economic outcomes. He led the North-South Institute, an organization whose motto was “Research for a fairer world”, for fifteen years. Since then he has occasionally been a consultant. He is the volunteer Chair of the Group of 78 which works to advance the causes of peace, justice, and planetary survival; and of the Coalition for Equitable Land Acquisitions and Development in Africa, which focuses on the rights and access to land, particularly of women farmers.
Wendy Quarry lives in Ottawa but has spent almost all of her working life focused on other countries. As such she has lived with her family in Ghana, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Permanently back in Canada since 2006 she continues work as a consultant internationally and currently mentors research groups in evaluation and communication. Prior to her international work she was a broadcaster in radio and television in Montreal in the mid-to late 70’s. Being part of the Climate Legacy Steering Committee is a welcome opportunity to be involved in, and learn more about, climate activism in her own country.
Tim Brodhead started a lifelong interest in development and social change as a volunteer in Nigeria. As first executive director of a network of European NGOs, co-founder of Inter Pares and President of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation, he spent twenty-five years in international development work before becoming President of the J.W. McConnell Foundation in Montreal. The Foundation, with a mandate to enhance Canada’s sustainability, resilience and innovation, supports projects nation-wide. Since his retirement, Tim attends meetings of the non-profit boards he sits on and helps his brother run a small farming operation near Ottawa.
Roland (Rolly) Montpellier lives in Ottawa. Prior to his retirement he was Superintendent of Business and Finance at a French-language school board in his native Sudbury. He spent his entire working career in the public service. His volunteer work included many community organizations. As an elected trustee, he served on several boards of education including the position of chairperson. His experience in the volunteer sector includes serving on hospital boards (also as chairperson) and Cancer Care Ontario. His retirement years are focused on climate change. He considers his climate activism as the most important work he has ever done. He is currently affiliated with Climate Legacy, the Seniors For Climate Project, Seniors for Climate Action Now, and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Staff
Léanne Colbeck is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over 7 years of experience delivering impactful campaigns for nonprofits and advocacy organizations. Specializing in social media strategy, creative content development, and brand identity, she drives measurable results, including increased engagement and supporter actions. Léanne excels in crafting tailored strategies that amplify voices, build community, and achieve organizational goals.
Eric Murphy is an experienced journalist and non-profit communications writer. He’s well-accustomed to wearing a variety of different hats as a writer and editor, and is equally comfortable covering breaking news stories from the back of a moving taxi or drafting donor engagement out of a tent in rural Kenya. Eric studied journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa, and had the chance to write and edit for a number of local publications, including Ottawa Life Magazine and Apt613. After moving to Toronto, he tried his hand at non-profit communications and hasn’t looked back.