Our Team

Get to know the small team of dedicated staff that work hard every day to promote, protect and improve the health of our beloved Ottawa River.

Meredith Brown

Riverkeeper

With years of experience in protecting and restoring the Ottawa River, Meredith works to establish responsible and accountable monitoring, assessment, enforcement, and long-term planning for the river.
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She holds degrees in biology and environmental engineering from Queen’s University and the University of Guelph. Additionally, she holds a Masters in Resource and Environmental Management from Simon Fraser University where she studied with Robert Newbury, a world-renowned river engineer and stream restoration specialist.
Meredith enjoys many river activities, but she especially adores swimming down rapids on the Gatineau River with her son, Charlie. Close

Patrick Nadeau

Executive Director

As the Executive Director, Patrick is responsible for leading the team and managing the organization according to the strategic direction set by the Board of Directors.
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Patrick holds a B.Sc in Biology from the University of Ottawa as a Loran Scholar and a M.Sc. in Forest Science from the University of British Columbia. Patrick has prior experience with working on provincial, national, and international environmental files while serving as an Executive Director for CPAWS Quebec.
His favourite river activities are paddling along the Dumoine River and swimming. Close

Chloe Hillier

Director of Fund Development

Chloe is passionate about inspiring donors to be more engaged with the causes they believe in and works to steward Ottawa Riverkeeper supporters so they feel closely connected to the projects we do and can see the impact of their gifts.
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We would like to acknowledge and thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for providing funding for this position.

She holds a B.A. from Concordia University in History and has worked in fundraising for over a decade. Chloe enjoys lazy, sunny beach days on the Ottawa River with her kids. Playing and swimming in the water and occasionally scuba diving and checking out old wrecks in the St. Lawrence River. Close

Adèle Michon

Director of Operations for Quebec

Adèle rallies Quebecers around a common vision for our Ottawa River Watershed. She meets with citizens, community groups, and mayors to discuss their concerns about the ways that we can improve the watershed’s health.
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She holds a B.A. in Environmental and Developmental Studies from McGill University and a M.A. in Geography from Carleton University. She has formerly worked both abroad and in Canada to protect the environment.
This past summer, Adèle was able to experience the thrill of rowing for the first time in a narrow boat, along with seven others from the Ottawa Rowing Club, a phenomenal way to speed along the river. Close

Stephanie Bolt

Policy Advisor

Following all developments in federal, Ontario, and Quebec laws and policies, Stephanie ensures the health of the river is considered in the adoption of policies and laws through public consultation processes.
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She participates in administrative hearings as well as other legal processes when decisions that could affect the health of the river are being made.
She holds a B.A. in International Relations and an LL.B. from the University of Toronto.
She needs clean fresh water so she can indulge in her favourite river activity, swimming. Close

Brigitte Boudreau-Cassidy

Engagement Organizer

Organizing and engaging 700 volunteers throughout the watershed, Brigitte thrives with coordinating and leading teams to assist with many issues, projects, and events that are vital to the organization.
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Brigitte holds a B.A. in Criminology and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Ottawa.
She enjoys stand up paddle boarding, both solo and with friends, because it gives her the opportunity to connect and reflect with the river she cares so much about. Close

Meaghan Murphy

Senior Scientist - on maternity leave

Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting ecological data in the watershed, Meaghan excels as our data warrior. She keeps the team informed of ecological impacts caused by river issues. She coordinates and assists over 70 Riverwatchers as they protect the river and become strong leaders within their own communities.
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She holds a Ph.D. in Geography and M.Sc. in Biology from McGill University as well as a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College. Meaghan has taught at both McGill and Carleton University and has been a post-doctoral fellow at both Université du Québec à Montréal and McGill. She loves walking along the shoreline with her daughters while sharing her great passion for the river by identifying plants and animals, and teaching them that every living thing has a name, a story, and a history. Close

Lisa Harding

Executive Assistant

As our first point of contact for guests, Lisa manages the organization’s external communication and ensures to keep the team informed. She oversees many key tasks to ensure the smooth operation of Ottawa Riverkeeper’s mission.
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Lisa assists with development efforts, securing event arrangements, and manages discrete information.
She holds a B.A. in Classical Studies from Concordia University and is also a licensed broker with over eight years of experience. Her favourite river activity is going for a calm canoe or kayak paddle. She also enjoys a relaxing ride on a sailboat. Close

Chantal Sicotte

Volunteer Coordinator

As the volunteer coordinator, Chantal reaches out to our river community to help with projects and events that promote and protect a healthy watershed. She truly believes that together, Ottawa Riverkeeper and its volunteer community can make a difference.
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Chantal holds a degree in agriculture from McGill University and a certificate in group Intervention and Leadership from Saint Paul’s University. After a career in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, she is happy to bring her passion for the environment and people together.
She loves observing the changing moods of the river during her walks with her dog, kayaking or windsurfing or simply through her kitchen windows. Close

Emma Konrad

Communications Coordinator

Emma holds a Bachelors of Journalism from Carleton University. She has prior experience in marketing and online engagement, which she will use to communicate Ottawa Riverkeeper’s objectives.
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A former competitive swimmer, Emma is committed to keeping the river clean – after all, her favourite activity has her spending more time diving under the water’s surface than floating above it. Close

Larissa Holman

Riverwatch Coordinator

Larissa works with riverwatchers throughout the Ottawa River watershed, learning first-hand from the people invested in caring for this river and finding ways to support their efforts.
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We would like to acknowledge and thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for providing funding for this position.

Larissa has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from Concordia and a Masters in Resource and Environmental Management from Dalhousie University. She has worked with communities to advocate for renaturalisation projects along urban waterways and has encouraged the adoption of practices that protect freshwater lakes and rivers. Larissa's favourite river activity is to explore the tributaries and see how these smaller streams have shaped the land around them. Close

Pier-Antoine Lacombe

Swim Guide Intern

Ottawa river was the first road to link the south of Québec and Abitibi-Témiscamingue and has therefore helped the region grow. In that way, the river is somewhat responsible for Pier-Antoine’s time among Abitibi’s lakes and mines.
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During his childhood, he swam joyfully in one of the arm’s of the Ottawa River, unaware that the stream could potentially carry him all the way to Gatineau, dropping him on the beach at Moussette park. Eventually, he took that trip in 2016 in a more conventional way (in a car), to study translation at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. In that particular context, working for the river’s well-being is an incredible opportunity. Close

Maryse Godin

Outreach Intern

Maryse is currently enrolled at Laval University in Environmental Studies. She's from Gatineau and she has rowed through the lakes and rivers of the region.
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This summer, she joins the Ottawa Riverkeeper team to spread our inspirations, our knowledge, and our concerns through the watershed. She also helps coordinate our Beachkeeper program, involving the next generation in the protection of our shorelines. Close

Cathy Rogers

Technical Writer

Reflecting longstanding respect for the environment, Cathy is passionate about the value and the beauty of the Ottawa River watershed. As technical writer, Cathy creates diverse communications that promote understanding, appreciation, and action to protect the Ottawa River.
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Cathy holds an honours degree in Biology from Queen’s University and a masters degree in Resource and Environmental Management from Simon Fraser University. She is currently completing a practicum—the final requirement for a graduate certificate in Technical Writing from Algonquin College. Cathy loves spending time on the Ottawa River: canoeing, sailing, and swimming its waters, or walking, biking, and skiing its shores. Close