Velma Grover, Chair, United Nations University
Velma I Grover has a Masters in Environmental Management and a PhD in Wastes Management, both, from the University of London. She has extensive experience in the field of environmental management, dealing with both technical aspects and also “good governance” with focus on community participation at municipal level of government. She is an Adjunct faculty at Centre for Engineering and Public Policy, McMaster University and works full time at the United Nations University – International Network on Water, Environment and Health.

Brian Charlton, Past Chair, Former MPP and Ontario Cabinet Minister
Brian has been an activist all his life. He was the President of OPSEU Local 202 for seven years while working as a Property Assessor for the Ontario Government. He was a Member of Provincial Parliament for eighteen years. While in opposition he served as Revenue Critic, Environment Critic and Energy Critic. Brian was also in the Provincial Cabinet for five years as Minister of Financial Institutions, Minister of Energy, Chair of Management Board of Cabinet and Government House Leader. During his time as Minister of Energy, he and the Minister of the Environment created and implemented the Green Communities Program. Brian served as Chair of the Board of Directors of Green Venture, Hamilton’s green communities group. He is also on the Board of Directors of Green Communities Canada and serves on the Executive Committee as their Treasurer. Brian also provides professional services to peer helper labour adjustment committees, providing services and assistance to laid off workers.

Robert Korol, Professor of Civil Engineering, McMaster University
Bob Korol has been a member of the Board of Green Venture for 12-years. He is presently Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at McMaster University and continues to work as a volunteer in that department and elsewhere, utilizing his knowledge in the areas of sustainable infrastructure, energy conservation and environmental preservation/enhancement. He is a registered P. Eng. in the Province of Ontario, and is a member and former Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering (CSCE). He has received several honours during his career – “Engineer of the Year” in Halton/Hamilton-Wentworth Regions in 1998, a life-time leadership award at the Annual Environmentalist of the Year dinner in 1999, and is a Fellow of both CSCE and the Engineering Institute of Canada. He was also one of the founding members of the Task Force for Vision 2020 in the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth in the early 90s, and continues to promote the principles adopted during that period, namely to invoke decision-making, as appropriate, based upon a balance among environmental, economic and social/health considerations.

Mark Stirrup, Hatch Mott McDonald, Engineer
Mark Stirrup brings over 22 years of knowledge and experience in municipal water and wastewater engineering to Green Venture. Mark is currently a Senior Project Manager and Associate with Hatch Mott MacDonald in Burlington, where he is responsible for the management of combined sewer overflow (CSO) and sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) projects. Prior to joining Hatch Mott MacDonald, Mr. Stirrup was Manager of Water Quality with the City of Hamilton and the former Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth. Prior to this, Mark worked jointly for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Metro Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Mark is a member of several professional associations, including the Water Environment Association of Ontario, the Canadian Association on Water Quality, the Ontario Water Works Association, and the Canadian Public Works Association.

Romeo Palombella, Pal-tech Consulting, P. Eng., B. Eng. (Civil)
Romeo Palombella graduated from McMaster University in 1973 and immediately started a career as a construction engineer. He then joined the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth’s Engineering Department in 1975. Romeo founded PAL-TECH ENGINEERING INC. in 1988. As a private engineering practice, Pal-Tech focused on environmental engineering and broad waste management disciplines, forensic engineering, expert witness services, risk assessment/mitigation, industrial/manufacturing processes, air emissions, and multi-disciplinary project management. A former lecturer on environmental programs at Mohawk College and Fanshawe College, Mr. Palombella also acted as an advisor to the curriculum committee both institutions. Romeo serves various community advisory groups, environmental committees, and professional/technical councils and committees and is the founding president of McMaster’s Engineering Alumni Branch.

Kathy Menyes, Hamilton Conservation Authority
Kathy Menyes is the Director of Watershed Planning & Engineering at the Hamilton Conservation Authority. She is a geography graduate from the University of Waterloo. Kathy has been a professional in the field of natural resources management for over 20 years with experience in land use planning, regulations, watershed planning, as well as project and property management and community outreach. She has held various positions with the provincial and federal governments, including the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as well as various Conservation Authorities. Over the years, her work progressed toward strategic planning, environmental policy development and implementation, ecosystem-based watershed management and partnership development.

John Lewis, Legal Advisor