Jean Friesen (Chair)

Jean is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Manitoba where she has taught Canadian history, Aboriginal history, and public history for 25 years. She has served as chair of the Heritage Council of Manitoba and on the Board of the Manitoba Museum, edited Manitoba History journal, and was a Director of the Forks Renewal Corporation.

She represented Wolseley constituency in the Manitoba Legislature from 1990 to 2003. From 1999 to 2003 she served as Deputy Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. She has written about the Tsimshian of British Columbia, heritage in Manitoba, and the western Canadian treaties with First Nations.

Don Sexton (Vice-Chair)

Don has had a 29-year career in water-related activities, primarily in wetlands as a private consultant, a manager of Field Operations and biologist for Ducks Unlimited Canada.

Don has lectured in various university-level courses in the Faculty of Environment, Deparmtent of Zoology, and Natural Resources Institute for the University of Manitoba. He has served on thesis advisory committees and has provided input on natural resource and wildlife management curricula for Lethbridge Community College, Keewatin Community College, and Brandon University.

Bill Barlow

Bill currently serves as Chair of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board which through extensive consultation has brought forward to the Minister of Water Stewardship more than 100 recommendations to reduce nutrient loading from the vast Lake Winnipeg watershed critical to improving Lake Winnipeg's health. The Board's work continues through regular progress reports on government response to its recommendations and by developing public education strategies in partnership with Manitoba's conservation districts.

Bill also serves as a director with the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium, is an active member of the Manitoba Municipal Board, and heads up economic development and planning activities as a Councillor (2006-2010) with the merged Municipality of Gimli and in that capacity is Gimli's representative to the East Interlake Conservation District.

Bill served as Councillor (1980-1989) and Mayor (1989-2002) of the Town of Gimli, and chaired the Eastern Interlake Planning District from 1991-2002. He enjoyed the challenges of teaching English and Drama at Gimli High School from 1969 until his retirement in 2004.

Alice Bourgouin

Alice's career began with Air Canada. After her children became school-aged, she and her husband George purchased the local general store in Rosser, Manitoba, which Alice managed for 7½ years. A year after selling the store, Alice decided to enter the political world. She served two terms on council for the RM of Rosser before deciding to run against the long-time reeve, and winning, in 2002 becoming the first female reeve in Rosser. She ran again in 2006 for the position of reeve and won by acclamation.

Alice sits on a number of boards, including the Winnipeg Airports Authority, The Red River Basin Commission, Mayor and Reeves of Capital Region, rural director with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities for the Interlake region. Alice also chairs both the South Interlake Planning District and the Association of Rural Municipalities - Capital Region.

Gordon Goldsborough

Gordon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba, and the director of the University's Delta Marsh Field Station on Lake Manitoba.

Gordon was trained at the University of Manitoba as a botanist specializing in the ecology of plants and algae in lakes and wetlands. He conducts research on the impacts of humans on the aquatic environment. He has published articles in scientific journals and has contributed to three books. He is a member of several scientific organizations, including the Society of Wetland Scientists.

Gordon is the chair of the Lake Manitoba Stewardship Board, a member of the Manitoba Water Council, and a member on the IJC's International Red River Board.

Anne Lindsey

Anne has been the executive director of the Manitoba Eco-Network since 1989, overseeing its development into a thriving hub for environmental inquiry and action. Anne has been instrumental in the development of numerous MEN educational projects including currently: Climate Change Connection, the Water Caucus, the GIS and Mapping Centre and the Organic Lawn Care Project. She co-chairs the Steering Committee for Climate Change Connection, and represents the Eco-Network on the new Children's Health and the Environment Partnership.

Since the early 1980s, Anne has also served as an active volunteer on environmental issues as diverse as forestry, pesticides, agriculture and nuclear energy.

Anne is passionate about organic vegetable gardening and wilderness experience. She has a Bachelors degree in Anthropology from the University of Winnipeg, and a Masters degree in Archaeology from the University of Calgary.

Loretta Mowat

Loretta is a member of Norway House Cree Nation. She has lived in Norway House for most of her 40 years, having left the community to attend university, returning after receiving her Bachelor of Science in 1993.

Loretta is a granddaughter, daughter, wife and mother of commercial fishers and trappers. Her lifelong exposure and experiences with these industries fostered a deep love and respect of the land, waters and their resources leading to a post-secondary education in the fields of physical geography and resource management.

Since 1998 her knowledge has been well utilized in Norway House as an environmental coordinator. She has observed and consulted on a regular basis with community elders and other resource users who have witnessed the decline of Lake Winnipeg water quality.

Wes Williamson

Wes lives on a mixed grain and livestock farm with his wife and family north of Souris, Manitoba. Wes is a former vice-president of the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association and a community watershed planner. He is also a chairman of the Mid Assiniboine River Conservation District (MARCD) and represents MCDA on the Ag in the Classroom Board (AITC). This not only affords Wes an opportunity to overview of conservation district operations across the province but, through AITC, the opportunity to have input into the education of our students throughout Manitoba schools.

Ian Wishart

Ian operates Agasea Farms near Portage la Prairie with his wife Leslie. The Wisharts' farm is split between forages, specialty crops, and potatoes, with a 200 head cow/calf operation.

Ian was elected vice president of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) in 2004, and elected as president in February of 2007. Ian is the driving force behind Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS), a conservation program that puts the emphasis on farmers' contributions to the environment, which launched a pilot project in Manitoba in 2005.