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.
Laura Del Giudice, Vice Chair
Laura Del Giudice, Associate Director, Watershed Planning & Ecosystem Science, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Laura Del Giudice has been working in the field of environmental conservation for over two decades. For most of her career, Laura's work has focused on environmental planning and linking ecosystem science to policy at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. In her current role as Associate Director of Watershed Planning & Ecosystem Science, she leads a team of environmental professionals to collect and analyze ecosystem data that informs the development of watershed plans and waterfront strategies. These plans identify the collective actions needed to achieve healthy watersheds and shorelines in the face of rapid urban growth and climate change. She also leads the development of watershed and waterfront reporting products to communicate environmental conditions to TRCA partners and to the public.
Kary Kwok, Director
Assistant 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.
Arjun Purkayastha, Director
Senior Marketing Specialist, Arbor Memorial Inc.
A Marketing Specialist and a natural strategic thinker with an extensive career in brand and project management in North America and Asia-Pacific. Result-oriented and focused on activating marketing campaigns through creativity and lateral thinking. An agile marketing professional with leadership skills demonstrated in brand management, team building, revenue growth, and creative solutions.
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)
Risk Finance executive, ESG consultant, Principal RiskFin Consulting
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.