Staff
National Manager, Wilderness Conservation and Climate Change
Chris is a strong advocate for wilderness protection in Nova Scotia. He is the founding member of the Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Society, which led the campaign to establish one of the largest urban wilderness parks in Canada: the Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area. Chris has worked for CPAWS since 2005, and during that time, has led the charge for many conservation advances in Nova Scotia, including major commitments from the Nova Scotia government to create new protected areas and acquire large tracts of wilderness from forestry companies for conservation. He led the negotiations for the Colin Stewart Forest Forum for CPAWS, which creates a blueprint for the provincial government to achieve its interim targets for expanding the protected areas system. Chris is a director for Global Forest Watch Canada and is a volunteer scientific advisor for the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. He sits on the Science Advisory Committee for the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust which evaluates properties for their ecological significance and makes recommedations on which parcels should be conserved Chris has received several awards for his conservation efforts at the Federal, Provincial, and Municipal level
Rodrigo Menafra, MMM
Marine Conservation Coordinator
Rodrigo Menafra (Montevideo, Uruguay) has a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Marine Biology and Ecology from the Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, FL, USA) and a Masters in Marine Management from the Marine Affairs Program at Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS, Canada). He has been involved in Integrated Coastal Management for ten years, having participated in various interdisciplinary research projects, with emphasis on coastal policy, protected areas and artisanal fisheries.
Until recently, he acted as both Assistant Coordinator and Faculty in the master’s program on Integrated Coastal Management at the University of the Republic of Uruguay, contributing to the development of the program through technical and administrative roles as well as teaching responsibilities. He recently moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is thrilled about this opportunity with CPAWS-NS to work on marine conservation and promoting marine protected areas in the region.
Judith Cabrita
Administrator
A tourism specialist, Judith assists communities, people and small businesses attain excellence and prosperity through marketing, technology and partnerships. She is a Ryerson silver medallist and has practised in hotel, restaurant and tourism management in Ontario, England and Nova Scotia including positions in industry, education, government and association management.
From previously volunteering with the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, the Halifax Public Gardens, the Coastal Coalition of Nova Scotia, Accessible Nova Scotia and the Antigonish Eastern Shore Tourist Association, Judith is dedicated to linking the business of tourism to the preservation and conservation of Nova Scotia's greatest assets - our natural and built heritage. In 1992, she received the Canada 125 medal for service to tourism and her community.