Board of Directors
Donna Rice, Chair
Principal, Toronto District School Board, Retired (TDSB), Environmental Educator
Donna is an elementary school Principal with a strong background in environmental education. She received her B Ed from the University of Manitoba and Masters of Education (Curriculum and Global Studies) from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Her passion for nature began as she explored the natural areas surrounding her family farm in Manitoba and Riding Mountain National Park. As part of the TDSB’s EcoSchools program, she has collaborated, led and inspired staff, students and parents in environmental education, community building and school ground greening. Recently her work with the Rouge Guided Walk Leaders, Toronto Nature Stewards and Caterpillar Count has enabled her to contribute to citizen science projects throughout the city. She is passionate about helping Ecospark thrive to educate the next generation of citizen scientists.
Kary Kwok, Director
Vice President, Group Functions Technology & Global Data, Manulife
Kary is an IT and finance professional who has served Canada’s most prominent organizations delivering cross-functional projects enabled by technology and data. She is passionate about bringing teams and ideas together to drive towards common goals and is an advocate for the benefits that nature can bring to mental health and wellbeing. While she spends most of the week working with her team over computer screens, on weekends she is often found by the waterfront, cycling, or exploring trails in the GTA with her dog.
Virginia Dawe, Director (Secretary)
Secondary Science Teacher
Virginia is an educator with an HBSc in Environmental Earth Sciences from the University of Toronto. Virginia first discovered Ecospark when she took part in the Changing Currents program with her grade 9 students. As a strong proponent of hands-on learning and citizen science she is continually seeking out opportunities for her students to take part in authentic learning experiences. She has had a variety of volunteer experience including the Task Force to Bring Back the Don, Teacher Mentors Abroad, and Out of the Cold. Virginia lives close to Taylor Creek Ravine and can either be found hiking the nearby trails, snow, rain and shine or in the summer kayaking and sailing on Lake Ontario.
Daniel Galvao, Director (Treasurer)
Enterprise Risk Management, Institutional Investment, ESG, Aviva
Daniel has over 25 years of executive experience in risk and finance. He is currently the principal of an independent consultancy focusing on ESG assessments. Daniel brings regulatory enterprise risk management knowledge along with commercial lending and the ability to help with financial management and strategic planning. He is committed to open communications to build positive team dynamics. In his leisure time, Daniel can be seeing cycling around the GTA or sailing in lake Ontario.