Anita MacLellan

Anita MacLellan has lived most of her life in Economy, where in her youth she spent her days exploring the shores, mudflats, and cliffs in her community. She returned to that community after a 10-year work experience in Ontario and became a volunteer and organizer of the Economy Clam Festival.  That led to involvement with the area’s tourism association, and she worked tirelessly to promote her shore. Anita eventually became the Economic Development Officer for the West Colchester area, overseeing various tourism and other community development initiatives. 

Her dedication to her community has resulted in many recognition awards from the Province of Nova Scotia, Tourism and Tourism Industry Associations.  Anita’s dedication to the Cliffs of Fundy project is her dream come true as our shore realizes the benefits of becoming a Global Geopark.

Ashley Sutherland

Ashley is currently the Archivist at the Colchester Historeum in Truro and has a keen interest in the cultural and natural history of the area. She has worked in community museums in Nova Scotia for the past eight years. Ashley has served on several committees, including the Council of Nova Scotia Archives’ Reconciliation Working Group and the Black Battalion Historical Marker Society. Her work at the Historeum has included significant time spent on developing platforms for diverse community voices, including Indigenous histories and narratives. She has also worked for the Nova Scotia Museum on projects such as the Mi’kmaw Cultural Landscapes project which explored the connection between the Mi’kmaw people and the landscape. She has a Masters in Art History with a Curatorial concentration from Carleton University and she has expertise in academic research and writing. Ashley enjoys hiking the shoreline of the Bay of Fundy and exploring the region.

Carrie Goodwin

Carrie Goodwin was elected to council, representing district 8 of the Municipality of Cumberland in October 2020. Councillor Goodwin has studied classical voice at Mount Allison University, Recording Engineering and Radio & Television Arts at NSCC. She has been recognized with a SuperHost award for her work in the tourism industry over the years.

Carrie’s long-standing interest in her community is further evidenced in her involvement on the Cliffs of Fundy board since the inception of the endeavour.

She is a sixth-generation Greenhiller, where she resides with her family as a proud mother of 6-year old Joe.

Chris MacIntyre

Chris studied at the Maritime Forest Ranger School and is currently a Forest Technician. He has worked for 31 years with the N.S. Department of Lands and Forestry, most recently with the Regional Services Branch in Bible Hill. Chris’s responsibilities include the Provincial Parks, Outreach and Education and Pest Detection Officer.

His most notable achievement was overseeing the redevelopment of Five Islands Provincial Park in 2016, when water and electrical services were added to 35 sites. A group use building was constructed, and major road upgrades were all part of this redevelopment. When not at work, Chris enjoys spending time in the outdoors, travelling, and completing home improvements. He is married with 2 adult children who are both teachers in Calgary area.

Christine Blair

Christine is Mayor of the Municipality of the County of Colchester.  She has served on the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark Society Board since 2018, first as the Society Vice Chair and currently as the Chair. 

As an elected official, Christine served three terms as a municipal Councillor: 1997-2000 representing Bible Hill and Valley; 2008-2016 representing Bible Hill and Brookside.  During her terms as Councillor, she served on numerous committees.

Prior to entering municipal politics, Christine was the Executive Assistant to a Nova Scotia Minister and MLA; Executive Assistant to the NS Commissioner of Forest Enhancement; Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister of the NS Department of Natural Resources; Office Manager, NS Forest Products Association.  She also assisted with the private family business for 35 years.

Always involved with her community, Christine has an extensive record as a volunteer including with Rotary Club of Truro, Bible Hill Cemetery Company, Association of Nova Scotia Villages, St. David’s United Church, and the United Way of Colchester.

Christine has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Mount Saint Vincent University and Business Administration diploma from Acadia University. In her spare time, she enjoys watercolour painting and travel.

David J.W. Piper

David is an Emeritus Scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. He grew up in England and was educated at Cambridge University (BA, Ph.D.) before emigrating to Canada to teach at Dalhousie University for nine years. His research has been concerned mostly with landslides and powerful currents in the deep sea, and the marine records of past glaciation and sea level change.

At the Geological Survey, David provided technical advice on geohazards for offshore petroleum exploration and cable routes, impacts of global change on marine systems, and Canada’s extended offshore claims under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He has been Editor of several research journals and was President of the Geological Association of Canada. He received the 2010 Shepard Medal for excellence in marine geology for his research contributions.

David’s research has taken him to all the oceans of the world but has focused on the continental slopes off eastern Canada. His geoscience interests are broad, and he taught the basics of field geology to numerous students, not to mention his two daughters, in the rivers and brooks of the Cobequid Highlands.

Gerald Gloade

Gerald Gloade is an artist and educator who is currently the Program Development Officer for the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. Gerald started his career working as a graphic designer for the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources’ Communications and Education Branch more than 25 years ago. The focus of his work with the Province moved from forestry education and graphic art to sharing his culture and history in the landscape and environment of Mi’kma’ki with audiences of all ages.

As an artist, educator and Mi’kmaw storyteller, Gerald guides the development of visitor and educational programs for the centre. His stories and interpretations of the Kluskap legends have captured many audiences. Gerald is a key member of the curatorial group, growing our understandings of collections, places, people, practices, and events for the future Centre. Gerald was raised and lives in the community of Millbrook with his wife Natalie and their two sons, Gerald D. and Kyle.

Joan Cormier

Joan graduated from St. FX with a Master’s in Education and her career as an educator spans primary through to high school grades as well as the university level. Through taking courses over 20+ years in the Natural Sciences, Joan developed a strong interest in Ecotourism and matched that with her love of travel. As a Naturalist, she has participated in the Birding the Lighthouse Route, and ecotourism birding trips in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Cuba, Panama, Jamaica, Peru, and Ecuador. Her volunteer work includes Ducks Unlimited, Executive member NS Bird Society, Board member of the Sable Island Preservation Trust, Chair of National Nature Canada Conference held at Acadia University and Secretary of Nature Canada in Ottawa. Joan is a supporter of the Age of Sail Museum, The Hall, the Ottawa House Museum, the Fitness Centre and the FPW Community Hall.

Miriam O’Brien

Miriam lives in Advocate Harbour where she resides with her husband John in a third-generation home.

Miriam retired as Executive Director of IT Infrastructure after a 26-year career with the Province of Nova Scotia. She has a Masters of Public Administration and is a long-time volunteer and facilitator for Red Cross Disaster Services.

Karla Askew

Karla is an accomplished occupational health and safety officer with over 20 years of experience as manager of a certified safety program with Integrated Facility Services / ALT Hotel – Halifax International Airport, responsible for improving operational outcomes and creating a safe workplace culture through employee training, company procedures and policies and infrastructure improvements. In 2020, Karla returned to her home in Great Village where she divides her time between assisting the owner of the Wayside Café and working with the Great Village Preservation Society and the Elizabeth Bishop Foundation. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, running, driftwood building and being immersed in nature. Karla has expressed an interest in working with the Geopark’s Safety Committee.

Marie Benoit

Marie has lived in (what is now) the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark all her life. Originally from Masstown and living in Debert for the past 26+years, she is the District 9 Councillor for the Municipality of the County of Colchester. Marie has always been actively involved in the community and a strong promoter of attractions and events in the area.
In addition to being a Cliffs of Fundy board member she also sits on the County’s Debert Business Park Advisory Committee, Debert Source Water Protection Advisory Committee, Colchester-East Hants Library Board, Terrapure Community Liaison Committee, Livestock Control Appeals Committee, Physician Recruitment Working Committee, and Sewer Use Appeals Committee.

Murray Scott

Murray Scott was elected in October 2020 as the first Mayor of the Municipality of Cumberland following a shift away from the Warden system of governance. Mayor Scott was born and grew up in Springhill, NS. This is also where he and wife Linda raised their two children. He was a member of the Moncton City Police Force and returned to Springhill in 1983 to join the Springhill Police Service.

Murray served 12 years as MLA for Cumberland South. During his provincial political career, he was Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature, and held several cabinet portfolios, including Minister of Justice, Attorney General, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal and Minister of Economic Development. He met regularly with people and community groups in each area to address their concerns and to work on solutions.

Gerry Roberts

Gerry is a graduate and retired employee of Western University in London, Ontario. While working at Western, he spent most of his time working in the Alumni Relations Department. He then moved to Nova Scotia where he has lived within the Geopark for many years.

He has been a member of the Five Islands Fire Brigade for 25 years and served as both Secretary and most recently Chair of the Board. He has been on the Board of the Ship's Company Theatre serving as both Secretary and Vice-Chair, the Board of the Pastoral Charge on which he was Chair for several years, the Board of the Tourism Association of Nova Scotia, and has been involved with the Not Since Moses Run since the beginning of the event. Gerry is also a member of our Cliffs of Fundy GeoSeniors group.

Patricia Welton

Pat lives within the Geopark and has been a geoscience educator for many years. She works with the Crossroads Wild Blueberry Co-operative and loves explaining why the Cliffs of Fundy region is one of the greatest producers of wild blueberries in the world.