Meet the Team
Mark Mattson (he/him)
President
Mark is one of Canada’s most seasoned environmental lawyers and the founder of several water charities, including Swim Drink Fish. In addition to being Swim Drink Fish’s President, Mark is a water quality advisor to the International Joint Commission, a board member for the US-based Waterkeeper Alliance, and a member of Ontario’s Great Lakes Guardians Council. He is also the former Waterkeeper for Lake Ontario. Mark’s watermark is the St. Lawrence River.
Gregary Ford (he/him)
Vice President & Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
Gregary is an award-winning and passionate water leader dedicated to protecting Canadian waterways. Driven by a firsthand encounter with a harmful algae bloom in Lake Erie, he champions collective governance approaches to address the impacts of climate change, urbanization, and fragmented governance. An innovator and leader in community science, Gregary's work empowers communities through tools and platforms that enable them to report observations, collect data, and collaborate on protecting coastal health. As Vice President, Gregary spearheads the expansion of the Swim Drink Fish movement, ensuring communities across Canada have the resources they need for swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters. Gregary holds degrees in Environmental Planning, Natural Resource Management, and Ecosystem Restoration, further solidifying his commitment to finding innovative solutions for a healthier aquatic future. Greg’s Watermark is Lake Erie.
Lauren Brown Hornor (she/her)
Founding Member
Having launched the Vancouver Swim Drink Fish office in 2006, Lauren draws on her deep understanding of environmental law and experience in cultivating and maintaining strategic partnerships as Swim Drink Fish's Senior Development Officer. Through her work with fundraising, partnerships and donor relations, Lauren cultivates, nurtures, and secures major partners, sponsors, and donors. She is based out of BC and launched and led Fraser Riverkeeper as it merged with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper to become Swim Drink Fish Canada. Lauren began her career in water protection by providing legal support to hundreds of Waterkeeper organizations across North America as Waterkeeper Alliance's Staff Attorney in New York. She moved to Vancouver in 2006 and served as the Executive Director of Fraser Riverkeeper in Vancouver, B.C. for 11 years. Lauren was named one of the original twelve Swim Drink Fish Ambassadors in April 2016 and received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Environmental Sustainability in Vancouver. She is also the co-founder of Miami Waterkeeper in Miami, her hometown, and served as its Board Chair for 10 years. Lauren’s Watermark is the Atlantic Ocean by Miami Beach.
Carol McDonald (she/her)
Donor Relations Officer
Carol started working with Swim Drink Fish in October of 2020 as a Board Liaison. Carol retired from Ecojustice Canada after 30 years but was not ready to retire from the environmental movement, and the opportunity of working with Swim Drink Fish came along. A perfect fit because of her years of working towards swimmable, drinkable, fishable water for everyone. She is a current board member of Fraser Riverkeeper. The Fraser River means a lot to Carol. She had the honour of going up the Mighty Fraser with her partner Doug Chapman (the first Fraser Riverkeeper) on his boat a number of times. She will never forget those journeys. Carol’s watermark is the Pacific Ocean.
Madeleine Ankenman (she/her)
Western Watersheds Manager
In her role as the Western Watersheds Manager, Madeleine helps communities monitor their waters in British Columbia and Alberta. Through water monitoring and advocacy, the projects aim to increase food sovereignty, water access, and foster connections to water. Madeleine has a degree in Ecology from the University of British Columbia and has since turned it into a career dedicated to combatting the issues facing our natural environments. Madeleine is bringing diverse local and international experiences to help inspire communities to monitor, advocate, and protect their water. Madeleine’s watermark is the Salish Sea.
Email: madeleine@swimdrinkfish.ca
Bryan Bean (he/him)
Head of Special Projects
Prior to joining Swim Drink Fish in 2020, Bryan was a volunteer with Swim Drink Fish for many years, acknowledged as a Swim Drink Fish Steward in 2012, and served on the annual Gala Advisory Committee since its inception. Bryan has leadership experience in business development, marketing and partnerships: having worked in the advertising industry in Toronto and Chicago, digital startups in Canada and the US and an environmentally focused startup based in Europe. Bryan’s watermark is Lake Muskoka.
Christine Roberts (she/her)
Artist for Water Intern
Christine has recently joined the Swim Drink Fish team as an intern for the annual Artist for Water fundraising event. Currently pursuing her studies in Event Management at Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Christine brings a unique blend of passion for both music and art-related events, coupled with a commitment to global causes. Her personal connection to the cause is reflected in her watermark, which is The Credit River in Mississauga, Ontario.
Community-Based Water Monitoring Coordinator - Toronto
Grace has recently joined the Swim Drink Fish team as the Community-Based Water Monitoring Coordinator. Originally from Toronto Ontario, Grace was inspired by her summers spent along the St. Lawrence River to pursue a career in conservation. She has recently graduated from Dalhousie earning a BSc in marine biology and statistics and is excited to spread her lifelong passion for conservation. While studying biology, Grace worked alongside scientists and community members and has learned the importance of community involvement in conservation. She has joined Swin Drink Fish excited to connect with a diverse group of people and collectively work towards swimmable drinkable and fishable water!
Community-Based Water Monitoring Coordinator - Victoria
Kyra joined Swim Drink Fish in the fall of 2024 as a Community-Based Water Monitoring Coordinator. Kyra is a recent graduate from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies. Kyra has had a variety of work experiences (from 5 co-op terms) as an NSERC USRA researcher; policy analyst with ECCC’s plastics and Regulatory Affairs Division, and stewardship assistant with the Canadian Wildlife Service. Through her past positions she has become passionate about the importance of community engagement in environmental conservation and wishes to help engage future volunteers. Furthermore, Kyra’s work at Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and her undergraduate thesis topic on Indigenous-built clam gardens highlights her strong commitment to promoting Indigenous perspectives and involvement in environmental science. Kyra's watermark is the Pacific Ocean.
Megan Coad (she/her)
Great Lakes Program Manager
As the Great Lakes Program Manager, Megan oversees the ongoing projects and programs operating in the Great Lakes region. In this role, she fosters connections with like-minded organizations and empowers communities to learn to monitor and advocate for the local waters. She completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and Geography at McMaster University and a Graduate Certificate in Ecosystem Restoration at Niagara College. She has since used her knowledge and passion for water conservation to create a career dedicated to environmental education and conservation. Megan’s Watermark is Hurds Lake.
Email: megancoad@swimdrinkfish.ca
Heather Patterson (she/her)
Great Lakes (Biinaagami) Engagement Coordinator
As the Great Lakes (Biinaagami) Engagement Coordinator, Heather develops and fosters meaningful relationships with project partners, and helps to amplify the stories of environmental initiatives within the Great Lakes watershed. Heather grew up in northern Ontario with a love of the outdoors, and a keen interest in the interconnectedness of people, land, water, and wildlife. This led her to pursue degrees in restoration biology, environmental science, and science communication. She is intensely passionate about community-based advocacy and monitoring in all aspects of ecosystem health, accessible and engaging communication, and the recognition of multiple ways of knowing in environmental research and stewardship. Her watermark is Lake Laurentian in Sudbury, Ontario.
Danica Abrams (she/her)
Grace Van Alstyne (she/her)
Kyra Kestrel (she/her)
Communications Specialist
Danica is a Communications Specialist at Swim Drink Fish. As part of the Communications team, she helps set forth stories highlighting the work and people around the Swim Drink Fish movement. With a background in Digital Communications, Danica has learned a lot about the power of storytelling. She is excited to use her skillset to make a positive impact and work towards a swimmable, drinkable, fishable future for everyone. Danica’s watermark is Mazinaw Lake, Ontario,
Jennifer Ruddy (she/her)
Finance and Operations Manager
Jennifer Ruddy joined Swim Drink Fish in June 2024, bringing over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She has worked with diverse organizations, including the Salal Foundation, and Concussion Central, where she launched a charitable podcast. During the pandemic, Jen led Loving Spoonful, a food security nonprofit in Kingston, and previously managed national special projects and a social enterprise at the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
Jen holds a Master’s in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from Carleton University and an M.A. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from UBC. A Kingston native, Jen is thrilled to be back in her hometown with her partner Aran O'Carroll. They split their time between the city and Wolfe Island, where they enjoy swimming, paddling and sailing on the St. Lawrence River— all of which inspire her strong commitment to protecting clean, swimmable water. Her watermarks are Eels Creek in the Kawarthas and, of course, Kingston Inner Harbour.