Please join OWC in welcoming four new staff to our team! We are excited about the fresh perspective and experience they bring to the organization and are looking forward to our best year yet!
Kallie Desruisseaux
Office Manager
The Oldman Watershed Council has a new Office Manager: Kallie Desruisseaux. As Office Manager, Kallie is available to help with many aspects of the Council, including dealing with new and renewing memberships, donations, tracking in-kind volunteer hours, and more.
Kallie was born and raised in rural Southern Alberta and attended the University of Lethbridge, graduating with a BA in Philosophy (Honours with Great Distinction) in 2008. She wrote Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants Uniform Final Evaluation in 2013, achieving the National Honour Roll.
Kallie and her husband, Wallie Desruisseaux, own and operate their family business, Kapow Ltd., Comics & Games, which continues to grow and operate in Downtown Lethbridge. Their young son, Oliver, is quickly growing out of his toddler years and becoming a full-blown kid.
As someone who grew up on a riverside acreage serviced by well water, Kallie appreciates the importance of water management. She is excited to be a part of Oldman Watershed Council and hopes to help make a positive difference in promoting the health and resiliency of our shared water, land, and wildlife.
Elaine Kennedy
Restoration Specialist
Hello watershed users! My name is Elaine Kennedy and I am the new Restoration Specialist for the Oldman Watershed Council. I can’t describe how excited I am to be joining the OWC and collaborating with our community to protect and restore the vital headwaters of the Oldman Watershed.
Born in Waterloo, Ontario, I graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc. in Environmental Science, majoring in Ecology. I moved west as soon as I could though, drawn to the wide open spaces, dramatic mountainous landscapes, fascinating and diverse wildlife, and ample opportunity for outdoor adventure.
My journey west has led me to positions in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Montana, Nunavut and the Yukon for a variety of different organizations including federal and provincial government, not-for-profit organizations, and private environmental consulting. I’ve been working in the conservation and range management fields in southern Alberta for several years now, from the alpine meadows in the west to the drygrass prairie in the east, and just about everywhere in between. I’m very much a plant geek, and can often be found with my nose in the grass, a backpack full of field guides, and a plant press full of mystery specimens.
If you couldn’t already guess, I absolutely feel more at home in the backcountry than the city, and spend as much time as I can out in the mountains hiking, climbing, camping and photographing the wilderness with my dog Clover. I can’t wait to discover more of the Oldman Watershed, implement effective restoration projects, and forge strong relationships with its users so we can all work together to build a healthy, resilient watershed and community.
If you have any ideas for your own restoration projects, are looking for advice, or want to collaborate with the OWC, please don’t hesitate to contact me at elaine@oldmanwatershed.ca. I look forward to hearing from you!
Jon Martin
Communications Specialist
As Communications Specialist, Jon brings a wealth of creative expertise and communications experience to the Oldman Watershed Council. He is excited to build on the work that has been done by the OWC and contribute to watershed literacy, health, and stewardship.
Growing up in the Southern Alberta prairies, Jon’s interest in the environment features in his soundscape compositions, where sounds from the natural world are captured and used as the source material for musical works. His past positions at the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge College, Green Recording Company, and the Southern Alberta Art Gallery have focused on media-based education, technology, creative development, and communications, and inform his strategic approach to information dissemination and community engagement.
Jon completed his master’s degree at the University of Lethbridge and was awarded the graduate Medal of Merit for academic excellence for his work in psychology and electroacoustic music composition. His work has have been featured in film, television, ad campaigns, gallery exhibitions, and conferences, including an installation at Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert, at the National Music Centre in Toronto, and in a permanent exhibit at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. He is inspired by travel, creative potential, innovative processes, and research in the field of cognitive psychology.
Diane Herrick
Fund Development Specialist
Diane has lived in Lethbridge for the past 28 years and has been working with nonprofit organizations around Lethbridge in a variety of roles. She grew up on the Willow Dale Hereford Farm just outside Stavely before marrying her husband, George Herrick, 33 years ago. Together, they raised two children and are enjoying grandparenthood to two boys. Summers are spent appreciating the outdoors as they hike, camp, and photograph nature.
As the Fund Development Specialist for the Oldman Watershed Council, Diane is excited to meet with community members, representatives from the agriculture and business sectors, keen environmentalists, and volunteers to discuss how they can contribute to the Oldman Watershed Council. She welcomes you to drop by the office, or make an appointment by emailing diane@oldmanwatershed.ca, or by calling (403)892-8660.
