IC Fellowships
2023
Lilian Barraclough, Climate Fellow
Lily has been an environmentalist, with roots in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community since she was a child. Growing up with queer moms, and later identifying as a member of the Queer community herself, her environmental and climate work has always been intertwined with her lived experiences. Lily is passionate about supporting communities in Atlantic Canada to mitigate and adapt to climate change and has done so through research on the mental health impacts of climate change, increasing accessibility to active transportation infrastructure, and supporting municipalities to create and implement climate plans and solutions. Her research as the climate fellow explores how Queer liberation and rights can be integrated into visions of climate justice in organizing, community resilience building, and public policy.
Anastasia Nevin, Junior Climate Fellow
Anastasia was the Summer Youth Intern for Turning the Tide, IC’s Digby initiative, in 2022. She was responsible for youth and community engagement, transportation project, program planning and coordinating within the Digby municipality. She will now be providing services in support of IC with deeper research on activities within the organization.
Anastasia notes she brings “a new/old perspective to the table through the Etuaptmumk (two eyed seeing) approach, allowing a further understanding of interconnectedness within our environment and core community with the intent of developing brighter healthy futures for the next generation.”
Returning to work in social innovation more directly, Anastasia aspires to be a role model for those facing challenges and to support those that need a helping hand.
2022
Vanessa Paesani
Vanessa Paesani helps great organizations build more solid foundations. Through Vanessa’s exploring, she’s travelled to 5 continents and worked locally and internationally. She’s had insight into most organization functions through her work – people & culture, governance, strategy, execution, sales – and has spent time in both the non- and for-profit sectors. Her background in science, education and inquiry lead her into passion for building community and bridging the gap between divides.
Vanessa’s project focuses on reducing conflict in polarizing conversations.
https://www.polarizingconversations.com/
Kjeld Mizpah (KJ) Conyers-Steede
Originally from Bermuda, he has lived, worked, and played within the Atlantic Canadian region for over eight years; and is a proud graduate of the University of New Brunswick. Kjeld Mizpah has performed in numerous management positions within the public sector, focusing on developing a human-centred approach to economic and community development within the region. Since the start of 2022, he has served as the director of change management for Hockey Nova Scotia.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he served as the Policy Advocate and Operations Manager for the Spring Garden Area Business Association (SGABA). Before moving to Nova Scotia, Kjeld Mizpah lived in New Brunswick, where he served as the executive director of the New Brunswick Student Alliance (NBSA) and an innovation strategist and facilitator for the Government of New Brunswick.
Kjeld Mizpah is excited to join Inspiring Communities fellowship because he believes that navigating change within the public sector starts by encouraging communities to collaborate through networks to combat the region’s economic, environmental, and social issues. Kjeld Mizpah is passionate about ensuring economic, and community development encourages Atlantic Canadians to work, live, and play within the region.
KJ’s project focuses on shifting policy-setting toward a more collaborative, systems-based approach.
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