City Green Staff

Chris Birchall

Affordable Housing Program Coordinator

Amanda Broad

Energy Efficiency Services Manager

With her backyard in childhood stretching into Linley Valley park and the ocean just down the street, Amanda grew up immersed in British Columbia’s natural beauty. She learned firsthand the importance of environmental awareness while watching the destruction caused by every day household pollutants on a pond’s fragile ecosystem. She believes that positive change first comes through social and environmental education, and in order to be a part of this growing change, Amanda graduated from the University of Victoria with a double major in Geography and Environmental Studies, and has since been involved in a number of environmental and human rights issues.

Amanda is pleased to be working with homeowners, contractors, government and other partners to create efficient, sustainable, affordable housing across the province. Prior to joining City Green Solutions, she taught at an environmental children’s school in Taiwan; worked on social justice and environmental rights with Burmese ethnic minorities in Thailand; and in Victoria supported adults who have developmental disabilities to pursue independence

Stephanie Bushby

Administrative Assistant

Stephanie was born and raised in the beautiful and sunny Okanagan and moved to Victoria in 2008 to study commerce at the University of Victoria. After a short study abroad semester in Istanbul, Turkey, Stephanie was excited to come back to Canada and work towards sustainability after seeing all the pollution and waste in a large city. When she graduates in 2012, she plans to continue her studies in accounting and finance and travel more. In her free time she likes going for runs, hiking and exploring West Coast beaches. Stephanie is excited to learn more about not-for-profit organizations and sustainable living from City Green Solutions.

Patrick Caraher

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Advisor

Pat brings to City Green a passion for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Originally from the wilds of Northwestern Ontario, he has received degrees in History and Anthropology from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. Being raised in close proximity to nature has infused him with both an appreciation of and concern for finding a balance between our day to day activities and the natural environment.

A veteran of over 775 Energuide For Houses and ecoENERGY home assessments in the Toronto and Vancouver areas, he is well versed in the problems and solutions endemic to building design. He is a strong believer that environmentalism begins with the individual and their own backyard, and that groups of these individuals create the momentum for real social and environmental change. A supporter of a number of organizations committed to making the world a better place, his enthusiasm for green building design and retrofits is contagious.

In his spare time, Pat enjoys cycling, paddling around on the water, and playing with the cats.

Candice Carrillo

Energy Efficiency Client Services Coordinator

Candice Carrillo joined the City Green team in July 2008. She graduated from the University of Victoria with a BA in Geography and a minor in Anthropology in April 2008, and was eager to join the workforce. Having focused on environmental and cultural geography, she has grown to be extremely interested in the human response to environmental issues, making a non-profit society such as City Green the perfect place to be. She encourages everyone to be responsible for their actions and make sustainable changes. Candice is especially inspired by the positive response to the Federal and Provincial energy efficiency programs, but likes to remind everyone that even the little things can reduce your environmental impact!

Zhi Chen

Energy Efficiency Technical Services

While completing a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Guelph, Zhi worked on a carbon-footprint calculation project with the village of Eden Mills, Ontario. He and other students interviewed nearly half the village, and inventoried the carbon emissions they created on a daily basis. This project sparked his interest in climate change and energy efficiency. After graduating, Zhi moved to the West Coast and now instead of counting carbon emissions, he is helping people shrink their carbon footprints. At City Green, Zhi provides technical support for energy modelling of home improvements, education about energy efficiency through City Green’s low-income programs, and translation for City Green’s Cantonese speaking clients.

Maya Chorobik

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Advisor

Maya has had many roles at City Green since joining the team in the fall of 2008 and continues to be excited by the work City Green is doing in advancing energy efficiency in British Columbia’s built environment. Maya is fascinated by the interconnectedness of global and local systems and is inspired by the variety of energy efficiency projects City Green in involved with. This job has allowed Maya to apply and build on her education in geography and environmental studies, as well as witness firsthand how positive changes on a small scale can really add up. Maya loves riding her bike around Victoria, exploring nearby forests, and frequenting coffee shops.

Natalie Cushing

Development Coordinator

Natalie is a recent graduate of the Environmental Technologies program at Camosun College. She has been involved in many local environmental groups, including Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary, LifeCycles Project Society, Camosun Students for Environmental Awareness, and the Compost Education Centre, where she has been a board member for the past two years. Past work experience in this field includes stints as Project Assistant for the Black Gold Challenge at the Compost Education Centre and as Project Coordinator for the Homes and Habitats project – a four-home naturescape project at Habitat for Humanity site. Recently Natalie’s focus has shifted to urban issues, including participating in her local neighbourhood action group and conducting a research project on boulevard trees health and sustainability. Natalie is excited to join City Green, and to help find practical solutions to complex sustainability challenges. Natalie assists the Executive Director and Coordinators in a variety of business and program development projects.

Kim Dillon

Energy Efficiency Client Services Representative

Kim was born in the south of Spain in a small village during a 10 year drought, where tap water was undrinkable. This experience gave her a great appreciation for water conservation. She is a recent graduate of the University of Victoria where she majored in European History and minored in Film Studies. In her spare time she enjoys an array of activities including surfing, flamenco dancing, hiking, cooking and gardening. She is excited to learn more about home energy efficiency and to pass the information on to homeowners!

Torsten Ely

Senior Building Energy Analyst

While living in Germany, Torsten Ely completed Bachelor degrees in both Environmental Science and Civil Engineering as well as ongoing training in such areas as green building, clay construction and rainwater catchment. He traveled extensively and participated in numerous social justice projects such as building homes for orphans in Russia, protecting sea turtles in Greece, forest restoration in Germany and wolf conservation in Poland. He worked in many stages of the building industry, including bricklayer, roofer, carpenter, civil engineer, renewable energy trainer at SolarCity in Leipzig and project manager for building schools using best practices for energy efficiency. Torsten is now based in Victoria with his family and is dedicated to providing valuable energy efficiency planning advice to homeowners in the CRD region.

Rob Fecuk

Rob is a recent graduate from the University of Victoria. He originally wanted to become a Spanish teacher but changed to Commerce for the sustainability and international focus of the UVic program. He has an avid passion for communication and engagement and is eager to continue learning about energy efficiency and experience the amazing social change possible as a result of a sustainability-minded society. Rob enjoys living a healthy lifestyle, making and eating amazing food, meeting interesting people and globetrotting whenever possible.

Heather Fleck

Energy Efficiency Client Services Representative

Bio coming soon.

Tricia Graham

Finance Assistant

Tricia was born in New Zealand in a house with no insulation and a corrugated metal roof. She is a big believer in making homes energy efficient and cozy! With a background in health services, customer service, and web design, Tricia is responsible for accounts payable, payroll, financial reports, and human resources at City Green. Tricia loves working for an environmentally-conscious organization that fits with her values and philosophy. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, reading, and watching baseball.

Matthew Greeno

Program and Technical Support

Bio coming soon. .

Jenn Kalaynchuk  

Energy Efficiency Services Representative

Bio coming soon

Amy Phipps

Energy Efficiency Services Representative

Bio coming soon

Paula Steele

Director of Communications

Paula is the Director of Communications for City Green Solutions and the Program Coordinator for the Community Energy Manager Initiative in the District of Saanich. She has a Bachelor of Education, a Masters in Professional Communications and four years experience in the field of building energy efficiency. Continuing education courses and certifications include the Built Green Building Science training, LEED AP accreditation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the self-guided BOMA (Building Operators and Managers Association) Go Green Certification.

In her previous career as a teacher, Paula learned the importance of empowering others through education; she enjoys the challenge of finding new ways to educate clients, contractors, and other supportive community organizations about the benefits of energy efficiency. Recent projects include writing green building curriculum for real estate professionals and coordinating an energy efficiency campaign for building owners in the District of Saanich.

Dawn Stewart

Financial Officer

Dawn Stewart has relocated from Vancouver after being away from Victoria for 25 years. Very much a coastal person she and her family have lived in Powell River, Gold River and Campbell River over the years. Dawn brings extensive experience in small business financial record keeping having guided many a bookkeeper into the world of computerize bookkeeping. Her mantra is, “There is always room for improvement in every task and that is what keeps a job interesting”.

Peter Sundberg

Executive Director

Peter is a social entrepreneur with extensive experience developing and implementing technical and entrepreneurial capacity building initiatives and community energy projects in North America, Latin America and Asia. Working as the executive director at City Green since 2005, Peter supervises all program, services and business development. Peter is inspired by the continual learning that comes from working with a team to build a thriving social enterprise that is driven by the goal of maximizing the positive environmental outcomes of its services and programs and minimizing the environmental footprint of its operations.

Prior to working with City Green, Peter managed the International Renewable Energy Program for a Maritimes based non-profit organization, Falls Brook Centre, and coordinated rural electrification and capacity building projects in Nicaragua and India. In the field of disarmament and post conflict reconstruction, Peter developed skills training programs for victims of war and for five years worked as a research consultant with the Nobel Prize winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines and its reporting network the Landmine Monitor (www.the-monitor.org). Peter is co-founder of the Planting Hope Education Foundation, is on the Board of Directors for Mines Action Canada (www.minesactioncanada.org), and is a volunteer Community Advisor for the Victoria Foundation (www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca).

Peter has adventured and travelled extensively, completed a university degree, worked as a commercial fisher, logger, trail builder, house framer, carpenter, and general contractor for commercial renovations. Peter spends his spare time improving the energy efficiency of his 1947 home, being in the outdoors in all seasons and spending time with his family.

Kerry Thompson

Energy Efficiency Technical Services

While completing her Geography and Environmental Studies degree at the University of Victoria, Kerry developed a keen interest in the sustainability of cities. She believes that energy efficiency plays an important role in cities of the future. At City Green, Kerry provides technical and administrative support for the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program. When not at work, Kerry enjoys good food with good friends, fitness activities like rugby and boxing, and encountering different local cultures during her travels.

Glenys Verhulst

Communications Coordinator

Part of the City Green team since October 2008,Glenys is happy to get to speak every day with ordinary people across BC who are making small and extraordinary steps towards reducing their carbon footprints and energy use. Believing that a more sustainable, environmentally-minded society is not only possible, but will also be very enjoyable, she is very excited to be part of the growing "green economy" in BC. She is also proud to be part of an enterprising non-profit that works to include low-income individuals and families in the transition to more energy efficient homes. Glenys has a B.A. in Geography, Environmental Studies, and English from the University of Victoria, and has experience in non-timber forest products, health, and media research, as well as international human rights observation. When not at work, Glenys enjoys riding her bike and transforming her backyard in Fernwood into a food-producing permaculture garden.

Marion Wyllie

Administrative Assistant

A graduate of the Environmental Science and Biology from Trent University and the Environmental Technology Program at Camosun College, Marion comes to City Green with a wealth of experience in compost and waste management, having developed zero waste initiatives with the Department of National Defence and managed educational and volunteer programs for the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre. Most recently, Marion coordinated the “Grow a Row” initiative in which local gardeners grow an extra row of vegetables in their gardens for those in need. Marion believes that the environment is precious, and that small changes (like changing a light bulb) can make a huge difference if we all do it! Making homes and work places energy efficient is a simple and important part of a bright future.

Chia Chia Yeh

Energy Efficiency Client Services

Chia Chia comes to City Green with an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland and experience in international trade. She has always wanted to be involved in the ‘green’ sector and to help respond to the issues of climate change and waste that we are facing today. In her work at City Green, Chia Chia helps homeowners to understand how their choices can help the earth, and encourages everyone that it’s definitely not too late to make changes to our lifestyles. Chia Chia is working on making a habit of living sustainably, and finds Victoria a great place to learn more about how to do it!