Our Team
LSF’s team is comprised of a strong Board of Directors representing government, educators, industry, civil society and youth; experienced staff; consultants and partners across the country; classroom teachers; and graduate researchers from leading Canadian universities.
President and CEO
Pamela Schwartzberg
pam@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Schwartzberg's Bio
Pamela has over 30 years of progressive experience in strategic planning, policy development, project management, research and writing. She served as Ontario Program Director for Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) from 1995- 2002 coordinating research, policy development, teacher training and curriculum materials development. As of December 2002, Pamela has served as National Executive Director of Learning for a Sustainable Future. Her prior positions include: Coordinator of the Ontario Premier’s Council; Manager of Policy and Programs for the Ontario Round Table on Environment and Economy; Education Program Officer for the Ontario Ministry of Energy; and Energy Manager, Planning and Development Department for the City Of Brampton. Pamela has a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University.
Director of Programs and Administration
Elaine Rubinoff
elaine@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Rubinoff's Bio
Elaine Rubinoff has worked for Learning for a Sustainable Future since 1995. She began as Program Manager providing partnership development and project management until 2002 at which time she assumed the role of Director of Programs and Administration. Elaine’s prior positions include: Administrative Assistant in the Legal and Commodities Departments at George Weston Limited; Registered Sales Representative at Richardson Greenshields; Aboriginal Parole Officer with the Toronto Parole Board. Elaine is a graduate of York University.
Manager of Programs, Engagement and Development
Sam Gawron
samantha@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Gawron's Bio
Sam Gawron is a graduate of the Environment, Sustainability & Society and International Development programs at Dalhousie University and the University of King’s College. She has a special interest in food & agriculture systems and global health. Sam’s past experience includes work with the Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre on their social enterprise cafe, a position on the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council, and participation in various multidisciplinary environmental education programs such as the Upper Grand District’s “Headwaters” program.
Manager of Learning, Research and Communication
Jenn Stevens
jenn@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Stevens' Bio
Jenn Stevens is a graduate of the Masters of Child Study and Education at the Jackman Institute of Child Studies at the University of Toronto. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Queen’s University. Jenn has worked to empower youth in various capacities through her previous work as the Membership Chair for the OISE branch of the Council for Exceptional Children, Respite Camp Leader at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, and through her student teaching placements. She is passionate about issues in sustainability and aspires to equip today’s youth with the tools necessary to make a positive impact in their communities, the environment and the world around them
Consultants
R4R Program Manager
Debbie Miller
debbie@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Miller's Bio
Deborah has thirty-two years of experience in education. She spent twenty-seven years as a French Immersion teacher and five years as a teacher librarian and technology support teacher in the Pembina Trails School Division. Deborah has served on divisional and provincial committees focused on curriculum development, textbook reviews and social justice programs. She enjoyed collaborating with teachers to foster students’ critical thinking and inquiry skills while encouraging teachers and students to explore sustainable development themes and concepts in their classrooms. Recently retired from education, Deborah has been part of the Resources for Rethinking teacher team since 2007 and has currently taken on a management role for Resources for Rethinking. She enjoys spending time in Pinawa surrounded by the boreal forest, wildlife and incredible natural beauty of the area.
Curriculum Specialist
Chris Porter
chris@LSF-LST.ca
Read Mr. Porter's Bio
Chris retired from teaching in 2006 after 32 years as a teacher and principal. Most of that time was spent at Tantramar Regional High School in Sackville, New Brunswick where he helped establish The Tantramar Wetlands Centre, well-known nationally for its innovative approach to environmental education. He has served on provincial curriculum committees, led regional workshops for science teachers and in recent years has spoken to public audiences across Canada about the value of experiential approaches to teaching. Since retiring from the public school system, Chris has held part-time positions with St. Thomas University’s Faculty of Education and Mount Allison University’s Coastal Wetlands Institute. In addition to managing Resources for Rethinking, he continues to enjoy working directly with teachers through his involvement with LSF and the Tantramar Wetlands Centre.
Atlantic Provinces, Curriculum Specialist
Jim Petrie
Read Mr. Petrie's Bio
Jim has spent 26 years in the public school system as a teacher and department head. Since leaving the classroom he has served as Director of the New Brunswick Global Education Project, New Brunswick Director of Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), Consultant for CRB Heritage Project, Consultant for the Global Classroom Initiative (GCI), Consultant for Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF), Assessor for the Canadian Heritage Program, Lecturer in UNB Faculty of Education and Chair of UNICEF New Brunswick. Jim has contributed to curriculum development in both New Brunswick and the Atlantic Provinces and has helped shape much of the social studies curriculum provincially and regionally. He has participated in a number of study groups including the Holocaust and Hope Study Tour of Germany, Poland, and Israel, the Keizai Koho Study Tour of Japan, the NATO Study Tour of France and Belgium, the United States Peace Institute in Washington and the International Development and Research Council Costa Rica Study Tour.
Learning Innovation Consultant
Pamela Gibson
pgibson@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Gibson's Bio
Pamela is a longtime educator with years of classroom experience who continues to work in schools. She also supports teachers in their journey by working with them in PD settings. She believes in supporting and enabling students to connect to the world through meaningful projects -helping them to get out into the communities they live in and to become actively involved. By learning in the land, the natural world, and their cultural communities come alive. Young people become well-grounded, connected, invested and whole. From a very young age, children want to contribute and to understand their world. Pamela helped pioneer a whole school approach to teaching the curriculum that uses the local natural, cultural, and built communities as the vehicle for understanding and meeting the expectations in the curriculum in a holistic way.
Institute Facilitator
Karen Acton
kacton@LSF-LST.ca
Read Dr. Acton's Bio
Karen Acton (PhD) is an educator with over 30 years of experience in both the elementary and secondary panels as a science teacher, department head, principal, and Ministry of Education officer. As the former environmental sustainability lead principal in her school board, she championed policy and procedure changes, promoted outdoor learning, and supported schools to successfully achieve 100% EcoSchools status. Karen’s doctoral thesis focused on revealing the supports and barriers of environmental teacher leadership. She teaches graduate courses at Western and OISE, and continues to follow her passion to help spread the word on the importance of environmental education and climate justice.
Institute Facilitator
Susan Elliott
selliott@LSF-LST.ca
Read Dr. Elliott's Bio
Susan is the Executive Director of the Learning Forum at Toronto French School. She has a B.Sc from the University of WAterloo, an M.A. in English from the University of Toronto and a Ph. D. from the University of London Institute of Education (United Kingdom), where her research focused on Assessment and Teacher Reflective Practices. Susan worked as Middle Years Coordinator of the Wernham West Centre for Learning at Upper Canada College in Toronto, developing the program from its inception. She provided academic support in learning strategies and best practices in experiential learning. She continues to write and present as a consultant for Learning for a Sustainable Future.
Institute Facilitator
Catherine Everett
Read Ms. Everett' Bio
Coming soon
Institute Facilitator
Paula Gallo
pgallo@lsf-lst.ca
Read Ms. Gallo's Bio
Coming soon!
Institute Facilitator
Janice Haines
jhaines@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Haines' Bio
Janice has been teaching for approximately 20 years and provides leadership in developing community partners to meet learning objectives. She has taught kindergarten to grade six and is passionate about learning outdoors. Her goal as an educator is to empower children so that they love learning, and become engaged citizens that create their future with sustainability in mind. A smart woman once told her that you can’t fall in love with something you have never met so “Get Outside”!
Institute Facilitator
Judy Halpern
jhalpern@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Halpern's Bio
Judy Halpern, (MEd.) a qualified teacher of more than 25 years, created The Magic Suitcase: a literature-based Environmental Education program, in 1996. Her research involved using picture books to teach content, specifically in the area of science. Judy teaches pre-service teacher candidates at the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University and is a workshop presenter on inquiry-based learning. Her other experiences include: storytelling; teaching elementary to high school students; speaking at a host of conferences, leading cultural and educational tours to Nepal and writing and publishing teaching materials for young children. A walk in the woods, sharing wonderful books, fuels her passion for the importance of environmental education and her own natural curiosity.
Institute Facilitator
Nathalie Lauriault
nlauriault@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Lauriault's Bio
Nathalie Lauriault has had numerous opportunities to teach in many different settings; from the French Immersion program in the public system, to independent schools in Canada, England and France. Throughout her teaching career, she has maintained a high level of competency in current educational research. She is the co-author of the book Tool for Teaching Conceptual Understanding-Elementary (2017). She is an educator who is dedicated to hands-on, experience-based learning for nourishing creative and curious minds. She encourages a positive attitude to learning by engaging students in inquiries and developing their awareness of the process of learning so that they become lifelong learners. In her spare time, Nathalie dances, bikes, hikes and practices Power Yoga.
Institute Facilitator
Michele Martin
mmartin@LSF-LST.ca
Read Ms. Martin's Bio
Coming soon
Institute Facilitator
Ingrid Tamkin
Read Ms. Tamkin's Bio
Coming soon!