Swim Drink Fish Board Announcement
At Swim Drink Fish, we see our movement of creating clean water for everyone a collective effort. Afterall, that's what a healthy movement is, collaboration, unity, and a togetherness that leaves no one behind. That type of collective effort takes strong leadership.
That is why our movement is so pleased to have Kathleen Padulo as our new Chair of the Swim Drink Fish Board.
Kathleen leads with an abundance of brilliance, experience, and hard work. Currently, Kathleen is the Environment Director for the Chiefs of Ontario, where she is responsible in providing advice, guidance, and recommendations to the Leadership Council members, and the Chiefs of Ontario as they relate to factors such as water, natural resources, energy, species at risk, environmental assessments, mining, climate change, and legislative policy and advocacy portfolios. Chiefs of Ontario advises 133 First Nations.
Kathleen Padulo is a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and is from the Wolf Clan.
A graduate of York University and Trent University, Kathleen has a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University and an honors degree in Indigenous Studies, respectively. Her graduate research involved waste management in First Nation communities where she learned and supported past, current, and future waste management practices in some of Ontario’s remote First Nation communities. In the end, this work formed a Masters Thesis entitled Environmental Protection of a First Nation Community.
Kathleen is also the recipient of the inaugural Joy O’Farrell Fellowship hosted by Human Rights Watch Women’s Rights Division in New York City. This two-week Fellowship allowed Kathleen to further develop her skills to undertake high level international advocacy to advance the human rights of women, with a particular focus on the rights of Indigenous women, human rights and climate change, and rights to water and sanitation.
Kathleen spends time connecting with the Muskoka River, alongside her husband and two children, while also living in Toronto, where they are active community members.
As Kathleen moves into the Board Chair position, Swim Drink Fish gives her predecessor, Jennifer Baichwal, a heartfelt thank you for all your work in the role. As a world renowned filmmaker and environmentalist, Jennifer has helped Swim Drink Fish connect more people with their local waters, engage communities to participate in community science, and understand the power of storytelling when it comes to protecting and restoring our natural world.
Jennifer remains a passionate and dedicated board member. Swim Drink Fish is also thrilled to welcome Madhu Nagaraja, Caroline Jimdar, and Bill Charnetski as new board members.
We thank Susan Schaefer for her unwavering support as outgoing board members. Susan has dedicated countless hours of passion, experience and knowledge to our work that can never be understated. We’re grateful they remain part of the Swim Drink Fish movement, and our mission of connecting people with water.
To read more about our full board of directors, click here.
