Staff

  • Dr. Thomas F. Pedersen

    Executive Director

    Dr. Thomas Pedersen was appointed Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions beginning September 1, 2009. His previous positions included Dean of Science (2003-2009), Professor of Oceanography and Director of the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria (2002-2003), and Associate Dean, Research for the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of British Columbia (2000-mid2002). Pedersen holds a degree in geology from UBC and a PhD in marine geochemistry from the University of Edinburgh. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the American Geophysical Union. He is an internationally recognized authority on ocean chemistry, has published extensively in the field of paleoceanography, and has longstanding interests in climate change issues and the application of government policy to climate-change mitigation and adaptation.

    Phone Number: 250 853-3595

  • Dr. Lawrence Pitt

    Associate Director

    Dr. Lawrence Pitt earned his BSc in Applied Physics and MSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta and a PhD in Plasma Physics from the University of Victoria. He has been involved in research and development for a variety of energy systems: laser-fusion; combustion systems and alternative fueled vehicle systems design; hydrogen systems; and grid integration of large-scale renewables. At various times, he has: been a Combat Systems Engineer in the Navy, navigated a tall-ship cruising the Pacific; developed and coordinated the early years of the engineering co-op program at UVic; been a stay-at-home dad for a few years including home-schooling grade two; had easier teaching assignments at UVic for which he received the Outstanding Engineering Teaching Award; and served as Research Coordinator at UVic’s Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic). Lawrence is currently Associate Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions.

    Phone Number: 250 853-3676

  • Megan Jameson

    Administrative Officer

    Megan joined the PICS office as the Administrative Officer in 2009 after a 20 year career in the co-operative education department at UVic. Megan’s switch from student education to administration began with her involvement in the administration of the Co-op Japan program from 2004 to 2007, in which she facilitated the placement of over 100 Canadian students on year-long internships with companies throughout Japan.  Her involvement with co-operative education has not completely disappeared as Megan was the driving force in establishing a PICS-funded internship program for university students and employers who are active the area of climate change research.

    Phone Number: 250 853-3594

  • Wendy Phelan

    Executive Assistant

    Wendy Phelan hails from the Kootenays, moving to Victoria in 2003.  She worked for seven years in the engineering, computer science & math co-operative education office at the University of Victoria before joining the PICS team.  She is excited to be a member of a team on the cutting edge of helping to shape climate change policy.

    Phone Number: 250 853-3595

  • Robyn Meyer

    Senior Communications Officer

    On leave to March 2013.

  • Coralie Breen

    Short Course Executive Producer

    Coralie Elizabeth Breen is the executive producer of the ClimateInsights 101 online short course series – a first-of-its-kind interactive educational tool that is attracting a growing global audience. Coralie is also a PhD candidate in Organizational Studies and Comparative Public Policy at the University of Victoria. As part of her doctoral work, Coralie recently spent 6 months being hosted by the University of Sydney after receiving a 2012 Endeavour Research Fellowship in Australia.  Coralie's research – which is a comparative study between Canada and Australia – explores the degree to which workforce planning has been integrated within comprehensive climate change policy and administrative reform interventions. 

    Coralie has a Bachelor’s in Education and Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of British Columbia.

    Phone Number: 250 853-3628

  • Pauline Shepherd

    Research Assistant (Short Courses)

    Pauline Shepherd has recently returned to both work and Victoria after 20 years of living in the UK and raising her children. Prior to becoming a mum, Pauline worked for seven years in graphic design and advertising in both Bristol and London. Her work was focused in account management and production.

    Before moving to the UK, Pauline graduated from UVic with majors in history and sociology.  She then worked as a freelance researcher in various BC government ministries including Education, Attorney General and Agriculture. She also worked for both the Department of Sociology and History at UVic.

    As research assistant with PICS, Pauline is working on the Climate Insights 101 short courses, specifically sourcing images for this online resource.

    Phone Number: 250 853-3677

  • Kyle Aben

    Campus Coordinator, University of Northern British Columbia

    In his position with PICS, Kyle Aben is tasked with maintaining a profile of all climate-related activities at University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), supporting the work of UNBC faculty members, assisting in research, organizing PICS-related activities and outreach, and fostering a network of climate researchers in northern British Columbia.

    Before starting with PICS, Kyle worked as a consultant measuring carbon footprints and consulting for GHG project development. He has an MA in International Studies and his thesis work, “Deciphering the source of technology change: greenhouse gas emission reduction in the British Columbia forest industry 1990-2005,” was published in Technology in Society in 2010. Kyle has also taken the full set of climate change courses offered by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

    Kyle is a member of the UNBC Green University Committee and sits on the steering committee for the Natural Resource and Environmental Studies Institute.

    Phone Number: 250 960-6378

    Website: http://www.unbc.ca/pics

  • Sara Muir-Owen

    Campus Coordinator, University of British Columbia

    Sara Muir Owen has a BSc in Agriculture and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of British Columbia. She has more than 10 years of experience in sustainable community planning and has worked in Vancouver, Aspen, CO and Santa Fe, NM. She has been involved in numerous award-winning projects including the Canadian Institute of Planners’ 2010 Planning Excellence Award for the “City of North Vancouver 100 Year Sustainability Vision.” In 2010, Sara joined PICS as the UBC program coordinator.

    Phone Number: 604 822-4644

    Website: http://www.sustain.ubc.ca/pics

  • Nastenka Calle

    Campus Coordinator, Simon Fraser University

    Nastenka Calle Delgado is the PICS Program Coordinator at Simon Fraser University (SFU). She has a Master of Sciences degree in Environmental Health Sciences with specialization in Environmental Quality from the University of South Carolina (Columbia, USA), and a Master of Sciences in Environmental Engineering from the University of New Orleans (New Orleans, USA). Nastenka obtained her bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering from the Polytechnic School of Ecuador (ESPOL).

    Her professional strengths and areas of knowledge are focused on air and water quality, environmental planning, environmental auditing, environmental impact assessment, GIS and environmental modeling, hydrology and waste management, and environmental management system implementation. Her current interests are in environmental education and community engagement on topics related to climate change and climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions.

    Phone Number: 778 782-8834

    Website: http://www.sfu.ca/climatechange