Bob Sandford is Senior Government Affairs Liaison, Global Climate Emergency Response at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. In this capacity Bob was the co-author of the UN Water in the World We Want report on post-2015 global sustainable development goals relating to water. He is also lead author of Canada in the Global World, a United Nations expert report examining the capacity of Canada’s water sector to meet and help others meet the United Nations 2030 Transforming Our World water-related Sustainable Development Goals.

In his work Bob is committed to translating scientific research outcomes into language decision-makers can use to craft timely and meaningful public policy and to bringing international example to bear on Canadian water issues. To that end, Bob is also the author, co-author or editor of more than thirty-five books including Our Vanishing Glaciers: The Snows of Yesteryear and the Future Climate of the Mountain West recently won the prestigious Lane Anderson Award for the best science writing in Canada in 2017.

Priti Shah has been doing public speaking for more than 30 years and brings a diverse personal and professional background to her engaging and inspiring presentations. She is a lawyer, mediator, arbitrator, investigator and facilitator and operates PRAXIS Consulting in Winnipeg. She is widely known and highly respected for her work in the areas of dispute resolution, human rights, governance and organization development.

Priti has travelled to seventy countries and represented the Government of Canada and the Organization for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in September 1998 as an observer of the parliamentary elections in Bosnia & Herzegovina. She is committed to international development and travelled to Fiji in 2018 to complete her eighth Habitat build. In May 2005, Priti was awarded the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Contribution to Community from the Women Business Owners of Manitoba. 

Priti has performed in thirteen community plays with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. She is passionate about health, fitness, music, arts and enjoying the beautiful people and geography of Canada.

Effective Indigenous Engagement & Allyship 

Kallie Wood is the President and CEO of the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF) and is a proud member of Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation located on Treaty Four Territory in Saskatchewan. Kallie was formerly the Senior Indigenous Advisor for the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Saskatchewan. She holds a Master of Leadership and Management studies degree and is a mother to four beautiful children and kokum to four grandchildren. As a foster parent, Kallie has many children who call her mom.

Jennifer Hunnie has been with the Redboine Watershed District since 2020, initially serving as the GROW Coordinator before taking on the role of Project Manager in 2022. Prior to this, she spent a decade working with Manitoba Conservation. In addition to her current role, she also chairs the Manitoba Envirothon. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys traveling with her husband and son.

Drenched but Driven: A Wet and Wild Tour of Watershed Projects  

Join us for an in-depth look at an adventurous watershed tour that braved the elements to explore cutting-edge agricultural and environmental projects. From Rheault Bison Farm's sustainable practices and Riedbow Dairy's innovative operation and wetland restoration, to Lowry Farm's rotational grazing and groundbreaking methane study, we'll dive into how these initiatives are shaping the future of our watersheds.

As the manager of the Northeast Red Watershed District, Danica plays a vital role in overseeing watershed management and implementing sustainable practices to protect natural resources. She holds degrees in Environmental Studies and Agroecology from the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba. With over six years of experience working on a small-scale CSA vegetable farm, Danica has cultivated a deep understanding of sustainable agriculture. She now channels this passion into her own hobby farm in Cooks Creek, where she and her husband are dedicated to establishing a permaculture-based farm.

Expanding the focus of the Northeast Red Watershed District

Navigating boundary expansion and program development in a Watershed District with an existing infrastructure mandate.

Greg Johnson is an acclaimed photographer and storm chaser hailing from Saskatchewan, Canada, with a specialty in capturing extreme weather and tornadoes. With over two decades of experience, he has honed his craft and become a leading expert in capturing newsworthy and dramatic photographic opportunities.

When he is not chasing storms, Greg is a passionate teacher, traveling across Canada to lead photography workshops and sharing his knowledge with aspiring photographers. He has also authored several books, showcasing his breathtaking photography and sharing his insights into the world of storm chasing.

Zabrina is a Project Coordinator for IMWD, enjoying a diverse career resulting from majoring in Environmental Studies and Biology at the University of Winnipeg. After spending a decade working for the City of Winnipeg's Urban Forestry Branch in a variety of roles, she was drawn to the beautiful Parkland region for its endless opportunities to pursue her outdoor hobbies, including angling, hiking, and kayaking. She is now broadening her field working for IMWD on their wide array of programs, from overseeing drainage infrastructure management to studying and enhancing fish habitat.

Riffles Rock! One Structure for Both Fish Habitat Improvement and Streambank Erosion Reduction in Local Waterways.

Rock riffle structures were built in major tributaries of Dauphin Lake in the 1990s to improve lake conditions with sediment reduction and fish spawning habitat enhancement. After thirty years and many major flooding events, the riffles are in need of repairs in order to function as well as when they were originally built. On projects through the Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund, IMWD conducted preliminary surveys of the state of the structures and current function, and is planning to compare the results with a follow up study after some of the structures are repaired this winter.

Jerry and his wife Renae, along with their family, operate Black leg Ranch.

The ranch was homesteaded in 1882 by Jerry’s Great Grandfather in what was then Dakota Territory.

They use Holistic Management to operate their ranch regenerating the natural resources and allowing wildlife to flourish. They have made huge strides in improving the soil health of native rangeland and cropland while improving the bottom line and quality of life for the next generation to become involved in the ranch.

Jerry and his family operate a cow calf and buffalo operation offering grass finished beef and bison products that are Audubon certified bird friendly. They also operate Rolling Plains Adventure, a full-service hunting/outfitting business on the ranch, Black leg Events, an Agri-tourism business, and Black Leg Brewery. These ventures have allowed them to spread a positive message about agriculture to thousands of consumers, including people from all 50 states and 40 foreign countries.

The ranch is a living classroom for many soil health and grazing tours as well as university students wanting to learn about regenerative agriculture.

Dani Gosselin is the GROW and PWCP coordinator at the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District. During her years studying Natural Resources Management in The Pas, Manitoba, she fell in love with life in the North and developed a keen interest in trees and forestry. While being from the prairies with a background in agriculture, she hoped to find a career where nature and agriculture meet, and that she did by joining her local Watershed District.

In her spare time Dani enjoys gardening and wonders if the trees are thinking about her as much as she thinks about them.

Joey grew up on a family farm in the Red River Valley. He was graduated from the University of Winnipeg with a B.A. in Geography and an MSc. in Geography from the University of Regina. He started working with the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed district in 2019 as a Watershed Assistant and also held the ALUS/Grow Coordinator position before becoming District Manager in 2022.