Roundtable on Climate Change

The active members on DRRCC include the following:

Carol Mee - Public Health/Ajax Resident

Carol Mee is a citizen member of the Durham Region Roundtable on Climate Change. She was a Manager with Toronto Public Health and developed health policy. Policy areas included Toronto’s Environmental Plan, the pesticide bylaw, active transportation, and climate change with a focus on protecting vulnerable people from extreme heat.  She recently authored a chapter on local policies and programs in the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment’s Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals.  She also volunteers with the Ontario Public Health Association’s Environmental Health Working group and the Alzheimer’s Society of Durham. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Education degree.

Celina Desbiens - University Student

Councillor Chapman – Health & Social Services Committee

Councillor Crawford – Works Committee

Councillor Highet – Planning Committee

Councillor Leahy – Finance & Administration Committee

Daniel Hoornweg, Chair – Ontario Tech University, Post-Secondary

Elaine Baxter-Trahair – Chief Administrative Officer

Elaine Baxter-Trahair joined the Regional Municipality of Durham as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) on December 1, 2018. Elaine brings over 25 years of municipal and public sector experience to the Region of Durham, most recently serving as General Manager-Toronto Children's Services and Interim Deputy City Manager. Elaine's experience is complemented by a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Business Administration. Her extensive experience and reputation with provincial and municipal governments will benefit the Region of Durham moving forward.

Reporting to the Regional Chair and Durham Regional Council, the CAO provides leadership to approximately 5,000 employees who develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, and priorities. 

Gord MacPherson – Citizen Member  (Pickering)

Janet Taylor –  Manager, Sustainability and Business Advocacy, Oshawa Power & Utilities Corporation, Utility Rep

John Henry, Regional Chair

Elected as Durham’s Regional Chair and CEO in 2018, John Henry served as the Mayor of Oshawa from 2010-2018, and Regional Councillor for Oshawa’s Ward 5 from 2006-2010. He has previously served as a member of the Regional Planning & Economic Development Committee, as Chair of the Durham Region Local Housing Corporation, member of the Durham Region Transit Executive Committee, and the Durham Environmental Advisory Committee. 

Born and raised in Oshawa and a dedicated volunteer, John has a vested interest in the future development, prosperity, and quality of life for Durham residents, while keeping a close eye on fiscal responsibility.

John is a graduate of R.S. McLaughlin C.V.I., Durham College, George Brown College and Panasonic’s Corporate School. He is also a trained Industrial Fire Fighter, Ice Rescue Specialist and Dive Rescue Specialist.

John Koke - Vice President, Land Development, Dorsay Development Company

June Kinniburgh - Whitby Resident

June Kinniburgh is a Whitby resident who brings years of experience in nutrition health care environments, the volunteer sector and food security initiatives.  A retired Durham College instructor, course developer, founding director of Feed the Need in Durham, board member with Durham Mental Health Services, past coordinating committee member of the Durham Food Policy Council, and currently East Region Coordinator, Volunteer Programs with Kinark Child and citizen chair of the Durham Region Adaptation plan, Food Security task force she has enjoyed making contributions within Durham Region for over 15 years. 

June’s business management responsibilities included leading multi-departmental teams, a health-care dietary services division and multiple long-term care home accounts. Professional credentials include, Certified Teacher & Trainer of Adults, Professional Home Economist, and Nutrition Manager.  She served on the board of Feed the Need in Durham in various roles including secretary, President and Past-President; a contribution spanning from 2007 to 2017 when she completed terms of office.  

In 2007 June completed post-graduate studies in Food Security and since that time June’s penchant has been studying the complexities of food governance, the food commodity market and the impacts climate change on the food system. 

June enjoys boating, gardening weight training, volunteering with the Canadian Red Cross and spending time outdoors.

Kat Senyk – Citizen Member (Scugog)

Kat and her family reside in Port Perry, in the Township of Scugog. Kat has a passion for coordinating clear lines of communication between all parties throughout design and construction processes. Kat is an experienced project manager with a demonstrated history of working in the engineering, architecture & construction industries, focusing on building sciences and sustainability. She believes in protecting our natural environment and advocating for sustainable building practices.

As a Building Science Specialist (BSS), an Architectural Technologist and a LEED Accredited Professional with a specialty in Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD + C), Kat offers technical guidance that has been developed over the past eleven years, working in the field of Building Sciences. She thrives when working within interdisciplinary environments, where design and problem solving is approached as a collaborative and creative process. 

Kent Shadwick – Citizen Member (Ajax) 

Kent Shadwick resides in Ajax with his family for 31 years.  He graduated from Ryerson University in 1984 and immediately started working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation working initially in television production with the news and current affairs program “The Journal”. After moving into Materials Management at the CBC for an additional 5 years, he joined the York Catholic District School Board where he worked to establish environmental programs including the deployment of one of Ontario’s first school based Blue Box recycling programs and developed environmental policies and procedures.  Kent is an active member of the Ontario Electric Vehicle Society and regularly attend meetings and events in support of electrification of the automotive sector.  He enjoys bringing his unique environmental perspective to the Durham Region Roundtable on Climate Change as a Citizen Member and value the information that is shared. Climate Change is a serious issue, and it will take the development of a wide variety of community partnerships to combat it.

Martin Vroegh – Citizen Member (Clarington)

Peter Cohen (Youth Member)

Peter Cohen is a youth climate activist and member of Climate Justice Durham, a grassroots organization that advocates for bold climate action. Since 2019, he has worked on a wide variety of local and national youth-led initiatives pushing for climate justice: climate action that takes widespread societal issues such as poverty, racism, and ableism into account, as they amplify vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.

Ruben Plaza – St. Mary’s Cement/Large Industry

Todd Hall - Energy Sector/Whitby Resident

Todd Hall has 34 years of electrical sector operational/environmental and sustainable development experience - Director of Sustainable Development. Member of DRRCC for over 9 years - Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation Committee, and Chair of the electrical sector expert working group. Recognized technical expert in Climate Change Adaptation by the Canadian Electricity Association, Natural Resource Canada, and electrical utilities nationwide. International experience collaborating with the World Bank (where I met Dan Hoornweg) and the E7 on environmental issues in developing nations. Currently President of Environment and Risk Assurance Services.