About Us

Green Bricks Education Society is a not-for-profit charity organization that develops and facilitates programs to youth connecting sustainability and our built environment through curriculum linked workshops.

Our Mandate and Goals

The youth of British Columbia are at the optimal age to personalize an understanding of the issues around sustainable development and can apply these concepts to their lives now and in their future. For example, in secondary school many young people are dreaming of their first car so it is important to connect climate change to increased car use and therefore promote sustainable forms of transport.

The goals of our society are to:

• Involve BC youth in sustainable land use and development through curriculum linked outreach programs
• Empower BC youth to realize their ability to make change
• Connect youth with resources to help them (and influence others) to make sustainable choices
• Highlight success stories of schools actively involved in sustainable design
• Increase student awareness of sustainable careers relating to land use and the built environment

Green Bricks Presenters

Fiona Zawadzki, B.A. (Hons.), B.Ed.
Fiona is the Director of Skye Consulting, established in 2000. Skye consulting provides a wide range of educational consulting services to the not-for-profit and public service sectors across Canada. Services provided include developing and facilitating educational program initiatives; designing and presenting teacher and classroom volunteer training workshops; and managing school and community-based events. Fiona is an educator with 10 years curriculum development experience in the field of sustainability education.

Diana Klein BSc. LEED AP, P.Eng
Diana is a sustainable design consultant with over 25 years experience in the construction industry, specializing in the design of sustainable buildings. Diana founded her own sustainable design practice Eco-Integration in 2006. She consults on sustainable building design for projects, develops and facilitates on educational programming around sustainable building design.
Diana is passionate about green building and sustainability education as understanding and experiencing solutions will help to build critical mass of people that can make the difference our world needs.

Laura Magrath B.A. (Hons.), B.Ed, M.A Environmental Education and Communication
Laura is a sustainability educator and communication consultant with over 15 years of experience in both indoor and outdoor classrooms. She designs and delivers environmental programs that engage youth and adults in better understanding their abilities to enact positive change.

Green Bricks Board of Directors

Alexi Zawadzki, MES, President / VP Hydro Power Development, Swift Power (subsidiary of Veresen Incl)
Alexi has over ten years of experience in the implementation and management of multidisciplinary engineering and environmental projects relating to the energy sector. He was the founder of Swift Power and former Location Manager of the Vancouver office of a multi-national engineering company (WorleyParsons). He holds a masters degree specializing in Alpine Hydrology (1997) and has also completed the Project Management Program at Mount Royal College (2003). Alexi has experience in project management, permitting, environmental management, public consultation, business development, and financing. He is primarily responsible for business strategy, project management and financing for Swift's portfolio of projects, in addition to domestic and international business development.

Paula Gallo B.Ed, M.Pl Vice President / Senior Education Manager, Global Classroom, UNICEF
Paula is the Senior Education Manager for UNICEF Canada's Global Classroom program. She supports a multidisciplinary approach to learning that aims to foster global citizenship in young people, and actively explores issues such as children's rights and climate change with teachers across Canada. She collaborates with education partners in their efforts to empower students to effect global change through awareness and advocacy. Paula taught secondary school in Toronto, and has a background in English, History and English as a Second Language. Though based in Toronto, she relishes her wonderful years spent working in Vancouver with Lower Mainland teachers and school boards, and appreciates her ongoing connections with BC teachers and students.

Órla Robinson, B.Sc. Earth Science, M.Sc. Hydrogeology, Secretary / Principal, Green Core Consulting
Órla is a practiced environmental consultant with over 15 years technical experience in Canada, the UK and Ireland, working on a broad range of environmental projects from environmental monitoring and protection, to contaminated land assessment, to environmental impact assessment and resource management. Órla is a strong team-oriented leader with outstanding planning, communication and people skills and has extensive experience of project managing small to large-scale multi-disciplinary projects in the private, public and non-profit sectors.

Terry Howe, Director / Retired Principal / Head of School at King George Secondary - International Baccalaureate World School
Terry has over 30 years of teaching/administration experience: Social Studies/History, ESL, Counselling, Vice Principal and Principal. Terry continues to be committed to presenting real world issues, such as sustainability, to students utilizing the curriculum framework within a community context and with the assistance of community experts. He believes that it is fundamental to learning that students are encouraged to think, create and engage in real world issues using community opportunities and partnerships.

Jennifer Sanguinetti, P.Eng., P.E., LEED AP (BD+C), Director / Director Smart Buildings & Energy Management, BC Housing
As BC Housing's Director, Smart Buildings and Energy Management, Jennifer is responsible for coordinating the GHG emissions reductions in BC Housing's portfolio of over 700 social housing buildings. She also facilitates the targeted LEED Gold certification on new projects.
Previously, she was a Principal with Stantec Consulting and Keen Engineering. She has worked on green buildings and resources designed to assist implement green strategies.
Jennifer understands both new and existing building and community scale energy issues, including GHG emissions reduction strategies. She is a LEED Canada faculty member and a member of the Canada Green Building Council's (CaGBC's) Energy and Engineering Technical Advisory Group.