June Porter

June is a visionary health care professional focused on creating and delivering significant improvement in health systems grounded in measurement and outcomes. Her international health care career included nursing, operational administration, and consulting at local, provincial and national levels.

From a volunteer perspective, she is a board member of North East Grey Health Clinics, Chair of the Joint Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee, Town of The Blue Mountains, and Reviewer for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.

She has a Masters of Science in Nursing from the University of London, and a MBA from Ashridge Business School, England.

June and her husband Terry retired in 2019, and transitioned from being weekenders for over 10 years to being permanent residents of Thornbury.

Eric Ennis

Eric Ennis is finishing his master’s degree in Economic Development and Innovation at the University of Waterloo. He grew up in Mississauga, but now lives on a small homestead in Meaford. His family produces chicken, beef, eggs, fruits, and vegetables for themselves, family, and friends. Eric committed to this lifestyle change as a way of aligning his life with what humans need to thrive.

Before starting at Waterloo, he studied Psychology at the University of Toronto and fell in love with learning about how to maximize wellbeing and happiness by making changes to day-to-day life. To get started learning about general business and how people make career choices, he worked in executive recruiting for 4 years within the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. During this time, he also studied Sustainability and Behavior Change through the University of California.

While studying at Waterloo, Eric has been working with the local Métis community and has learned how major infrastructure development affects daily life for all members of our communities. Building on this, he is also interning with the Marine Biomass Innovation project on Western Newfoundland. This work has shown him how rising tides do not always lift all boats and that significant changes must be made to correct this; a combination of small patches and changes, retrofits, new builds, and new designs are all required. He believes we have strayed far off the path to sustainability, but change is achievable with our current knowledge and set of tools.

Through his volunteering experiences in Scouts Canada, Rotary, community gardening, and local politics, he has come to believe that home-grown local economics is the key to figuring out how the world around us could be adjusted to better match what makes humans happy, such as fostering community connection, relationships with the environment, and meaningful and productive work.

Eric is very excited to be joining the Institute of Southern Georgian Bay’s work on Sustainability and the Green Economy to figure out how to put everything together. He believes our community and the Institute are perfectly positioned to lead the charge on developing a better way of life informed by the lessons of the past, and we can make it happen by working together!

Tori Ronney

Tori is a Sustainability Analyst at Blue Mountain Resort, leveraging her expertise in environmental science, earned through an Honors Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University. Her role at Blue Mountain Resort reflects her dedication to sustainability, where she pioneers innovative approaches to further the organization’s environmental initiatives.

Tori’s professional acumen is complemented by a creative mindset, adaptability, and a collaborative spirit. Her role within the resort demonstrates her ability to flexibly adapt to new challenges and collaborate effectively for positive change.

In addition to her professional and personal pursuits, Tori is deeply passionate about animal welfare. Her volunteer work with various organizations, including the Oakville and Milton Humane Society, Dog Rescuers Inc, and her current involvement with the Life of Brian Farm Sanctuary in Meaford, underscores her dedication to supporting and caring for animals in need.

Tori’s enthusiasm extends beyond her professional and volunteer engagements. She is driven by a vision to witness the region’s sustainable growth while prioritizing the protection of communities and the environment we live and play in. A commitment to fostering a harmonious balance between environmental conservation and community well-being.