Myles Sergeant - Executive Director
Dr. Myles Sergeant is a family physician who has worked with vulnerable populations, including new immigrants and refugees, people experiencing homelessness and/or addictions, and the elderly, over the past 25 years.
Recognizing the intersection between environmental issues and health, he is dedicated to addressing climate change issues and has co- founded Partnerships for Environmental Action by Clinicians and Communities for Health care facilities (www.peachhealthontario.com), the charity Trees for Hamilton in 2012 (www.treesforhamilton.ca), and the not-for-profit Shelter Health Network in 2005 (www.shelterhealthnetwork.ca).
Linda Varangu - Senior Advisor, Climate Change
Linda joined the Coalition in 2008 first as Partnership Director, and then as the founding Executive Director for another six years. As Executive Director, Linda led the Coalition from a voluntary network to a National incorporated not-for-profit membership-based organization which is now recognized as Canada’s primary thought leader on green health care and climate change resiliency. Under Linda’s leadership, important resources, toolkits, programs and pilots were created for health care facilities, earning the Coalition a strong and respected national voice. The Coalition has worked with numerous federal and provincial departments as well as various foundations, utilities, and private sector sponsors. In addition, under Linda’s leadership the Coalition explored the opportunities to develop social enterprises by piloting a Green Revolving Fund and an energy services consultancy through Health Care Energy Leaders Ontario (HELO). The HELO program continues to be offered, and is now available Canada-wide as HEL-C. The projects Linda has led for the Coalition have been recognized by national and international awards promoting energy efficiency in health care and action on climate change.
Linda has been empowering health care facilities to improve environmental stewardship since the 1980’s. Thankfully there has been much progress since then! Linda has led projects to reduce waste and use of toxic chemicals, provide healthy local foods, save energy and water and help facilities prepare and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Over the years Linda has contributed to a healthier planet by helping build coalitions, networks, social enterprises and not-for-profits with an environmental purpose.
Linda holds a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry and Biology) and Masters in Environmental Engineering.
In September Linda transitioned to a new position - Senior Advisor, Climate Change.
Linda can be reached at linda@greenhealthcare.ca
Kent Waddington - Communications Director
Kent Waddington, a freelance environmental coach and communicator, is a co-founder of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care and is currently the Coalition’s Communications Director. An environmentalist since high school, Kent has spent much of the past fifteen years engaged in coaching members of the Canadian health services sector as they develop and adopt more environmentally responsible practices within their organisations.
For seven years he developed programme content and educational collateral for the Canadian government's Energy Innovators Initiative (NRCan) from within a health care framework as the Energy Efficiency Coordinator for the Canadian College of Health Services. Throughout that time, Kent created sector-specific initiatives related to environmental sustainability including National Health Care Energy Efficiency Awareness Week, Energy Perspectives, the sector's first energy management newspaper, A Resource Guide for Energy Efficiency Awareness Champions, the CCHSE/OEE National Energy Management Award, and coordinated and assisted in the design, deployment and analysis of the first national research study to assess energy efficiency practices and awareness levels in the Canadian health services sector.
He has also developed materials and written for the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society, the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation, the Royal Ottawa Hospital, and Natural Resources Canada's CBIP Programme. Kent continues to author newsletters, web content and develop environmental stewardship Initiative materials for one of Canada's largest Fortune 500 companies supporting health care sites across Canada. He has spoken on energy efficiency and the greening of health care at conferences across Canada and his writing and photography have appeared in local, national and foreign publications/websites including Healthcare Forum, Hospital News, Canadian Society of Nutrition Management News, Senor Care Canada, Canadian Property Management, Stride, Air Canada's Enroute magazine, and Substance (UK).
Kent is also a past research team associate with Royal Roads University's School of Environment and Sustainability and a founding Board member of the National Environmental Treasure, a people's trust fund devoted to the exclusive funding of Canadian environmental organizations.
Kent can be reached at kent@greenhealthcare.ca
Autumn Sypus - Marketing and Outreach Coordinator
Autumn is a recent graduate from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. She is passionate about creating sustainable communities, and believes it is essential to provide institutions with the knowledge, skills and resources to feel supported and confident in their efforts to be more environmentally responsible. Autumn creates meaningful engagement opportunities by connecting our members, stakeholders and partners to resources, best practices and new opportunities in green health care.
Autumn can be reached at autumn@greenhealthcare.ca
Caroline Chelala - Administrative Assistant
Caroline recently completed her Masters in Population and Development Sciences in Belgium. Her personal involvment in various student organizations allowed her to raise awareness for social and environmental causes while improving her communication and organizational skills. She then started a postgraduate diploma in Communication Studies at Concordia University (Montreal) in order to broaden her qualifications, improve her English and start a new adventure in Canada. Her interest in the non-profit sector, her experience and her ecological awareness led her to become the new administrative assistant of CCGHC. Her role is to provide the necessary support for general administration, organization, finances, and communication.
Caroline can be reached at caroline@greenhealthcare.ca
Abdul Moeed Saquib - Junior Software Engineer
Abdul studied Software Engineering at Centennial College. One of his main hobbies is programming in his free time. He is a dedicated person who takes pride in his work and is always striving to find new and innovative solutions to complex problems. With the experience and skills he has, he is now part of CCGHC as a software engineer. His priority is to provide support and enhance applications.
Abdul can be reached at abdul@greenhealthcare.ca
Helena Teng - Research Assistant
Helena is a recent graduate from McMaster University with Bachelor (Honours) of Health Sciences and an Interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainability. During her undergraduate experience, she had the opportunity to contribute to various experiential learning projects in the Hamilton and McMaster community in areas of procurement, cycling, and health care.
Helena is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous learning to tackle the complex challenges of our world. She’s looking forward to completing her Masters of Science in Sustainability Management at the University of Toronto.
Helena can be reached at: Helena@greenhealthcare.ca