One Cowichan is facilitated by local residents and led by board members Parker Jefferson, Jane Kilthei, Valerie Russell, Adrienne Brown, Kate Marsh, and Catherine Wallace.

Parker Jefferson

Parker was born and raised in Victoria and spent most of his working life in the Vancouver area in film production and marketing. His passion for fly fishing prompted him and his wife Cathi to build their home on the banks of the Cowichan river when Parker retired. In addition to being a One Cowichan Board member, Parker is co-chair of the Cowichan Watershed Roundtable and a member and former director of the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society. Cathi is a full-time ceramic artist. They both love this Cowichan community and want to preserve and protect it and its watersheds for future generations.

Jane Kilthei

Jane worked as a registered midwife and on integrating midwifery practice into the regulated health care system in Ontario and British Columbia over 32 years. Now semi-retired, she is part-time faculty and a core program assistant at the Haven on Gabriola Island. She is passionate about our Cowichan community and concerned about the intersecting climate and biodiversity crises we face. She works locally with One Cowichan, Transition Cowichan & the Cowichan Climate Hub on community-based solutions to reduce emissions and build local resilience without leaving anyone behind, and recharges in her garden and in nature in Cowichan Bay.

Valerie Russell

Valerie is currently a master's student in the department of Forest and Conservations Sciences at UBC. A long-time high school science teacher, she has also trained as a presenter with the Climate Reality Project and talks with groups about climate change science and solutions. When she is not studying or teaching, Valerie enjoys vegetable gardening, connecting with friends and neighbors, and continuing to learn about environmental issues at her home in Maple Bay.

Catherine Wallace

Catherine has lived most of her life on the West Coast and is passionate about protecting all species and habitats for future generations to enjoy. Trained as a carpenter, she has turned her building skills to supporting the Tiny House Warriors, a group of Indigenous Secwepemc people and allies from Canada building tiny houses in the path of the massive Kinder Morgan tar sands oil pipeline’s planned route through their territory. Catherine lives in Shawnigan Lake where she enjoys baking bread, building and repairing things, being in nature and making art.

Adrienne Brown

Adrienne was born and raised in Oakville Ontario and relocated to the Cowichan Valley after completing a bicycle trip across British Columbia. She worked as an early Childhood educator in the Valley for 20-years, living with her now grown daughter on a float home before moving to Chemainus. Her concern for maintaining a healthy planet for future generations is what prompted her to work on environmental & social justice issues. She is a member of Chemainus Climate Solutions, active with the Cowichan Climate Hub, as well as on the Board of One Cowichan.

Kate Marsh

Kate is a Virtues Project™ and Way of Council facilitator. She served 3 terms on North Cowichan Council, has chaired their Climate Action Committee and subsequent Environmental Advisory Committee. She also chaired the Parks and Recreation Committee during development of the Parks and Trails Master Plan, was a CVRD municipal Director for 7 years - 4 years their rep at Cowichan Nation’s Treaty Main Table. She remains a member of the Canada-wide Climate Caucus, co-chairing its BC Chapter Steering Committee. She is on Chemainus Resident’s Association Board, is One Cowichan’s newest Board member, and enjoys growing food, dabbling in creativity, and volunteering at a local kindergarten.