Sam Rockbrune
Executive Director
Hi, my name is Sam Rockbrune (She/her) and I am the Executive Director at KWIC.
I have a passion for coordinating projects and connecting people to achieve big goals, solve problems and build strong community. I am a graduate of York University's Master of Arts in Socio-Legal Studies in which my research took a critical stance on law and policy.
I also hold a BA Honours from Carleton University in Law with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. I have a wide range of work and volunteer experience in higher education and non-profit leadership. Since 2014, I have worked on many social justice issues applying an intersectional lens to fields such as gender-based violence, campus sexual violence, and increased access to mental health supports. I am a co-founder of Students for Consent Culture Canada, a national non-profit working to end campus sexual violence and promote cultures of consent.
Outside of my work, I can be found making art, reading books and trying to keep up to date with the latest TikTok and Instagram trends!
As ED at KWIC, I am excited to continue the amazing and important work of connecting global issues to local initiatives and encouraging lifelong learning, community involvement and activism. You can reach me at sam.rockbrune@kwic.info.
James Outterson
KWIC Administration Coordinator
Hello! My name is James Outterson (he/him) and I am the Administration Coordinator at KWIC. I am a recent immigrant and settler to Nogojiwanong/Peterborough, with a background in sustainability and environmental activism. I have a BA in History and Politics from the University of Lancaster, an MA in Politics from the University of York and an MSc in Sustainability from the University of Dundee, all in the UK. In Dundee I helped run a community fridge that focused on reducing the impact of food waste on the environment and wrote a report that was used to develop a food growing strategy there. I am passionate about achieving a transformation to sustainability and ensuring no-one is left behind in this process. I can be reached at: james@kwic.info.
Chloé Lapensée
Resource Centre Facilitator
Hi everyone! My name is Chloe (she/her) and I am the new Resource Centre Facilitator here at KWIC! The upcoming 2022-2023 academic year will be my second year of my undergraduate degree at Trent University in International Development Studies and Environmental & Resource Studies. I have a passion for protecting the environment, practicing sustainability and helping others! I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with KWIC this summer and very excited to see how my position contributes to my professional development as well as my personal growth!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at chloe@kwic.info. I look forward to connecting with you!
Rahna Behdar
BSW Placement Student
Hi Everyone! My name is Rahna Behdar (She/ Her) and I am a third year student at Trent University in the Social Work Program. I am passionate about working towards social justice and equity within
our own community but also in third-world countries. This semester I was given the opportunity to join the team here at KWIC for my placement and am so excited to see the impact we make when we all come together.
Sara Bonnell
TEACH Outside the Box Placement Student
Hi! My name is Sara and I am a TEACH Outside the Box Placement Student. I am currently in the first year of the B.Ed program here at Trent, and I am very excited to be completing my Alternative Settings Placement with KWIC! I chose to work with KWIC because I am very passionate about social justice, public education, and learning more about the land on which I live and the community in which I’m situated. As a future educator, I think it is essential to learn about global and domestic issues equity and how to get youth involved in learning about and taking action on social justice issues that matter to them, such as decolonization, climate justice, and gender equality. I am so grateful to be a part of the KWIC team!
Erin Clancy
TEACH Outside the Box Program Coordinator
Hi everyone! My name is Erin (she/her) and I am the Program Coordinator of Teach Outside the Box (TEACH). As an educator who has a passion for social justice, anti-oppression, and experiential education, I am honoured to engage with pre-service teachers and community educators in TEACH. I am a graduate of Trent's M.A. in Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies, and the Trent-Queens Concurrent Education program. Alongside coordinating TEACH, I have been working as a Course Instructor in the Trent School of Education, and as a high school supply teacher in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough. My other passions involve playing volleyball, creating music, painting, and exploring the outdoors! If you want to learn more about the TEACH Program, e-mail teachpeterborough@gmail.com.
Sophia Ramirez-Hennessey
Director of Trent Oxfam
Hi everyone, My name is Sophia Ramirez-Hennessey and I am currently a 4th-year student at Trent in the Environmental Science and Studies Program. I am super excited to be the director of Trent Oxfam for this upcoming school year. I have a strong interest in climate change and working towards the development of environmentally sustainable communities. Outside of school, you can typically find me outdoors on a hike or exploring the nature areas that surround Peterborough. I am looking forward to working with the great group of students this year to help work on and implement the development of projects in relation to our mandate which covers climate change, food insecurity as well as gender justice. If you have any interest in getting involved or have any ideas or questions feel free to contact us by email at TrentOxfam@gmail.com or on Instagram @trentoxfam
Margaret Zou
Researcher/Project Coordinator
Hello Everyone! I'm Margaret (she/her) and I am passionate about engaging youth and students in the wider community. My interests include climate change, food security and health. Prior to joining KWIC, I worked at several NGOs in both the US and Canada. I started working with KWIC in May 2020 as a Researcher for the partnership project with GreenUP: Advancing the SDGs 2030 Agenda in Nogojiwanong | Peterborough, and developed a series of interactive workshops on the SDGs to engage students in our work. More recently, my work involves creating workshops for students covering the intersections of UNDRIP and climate action, as well as supporting KWIC's project on Advancing Gender Equality.
I hold an MSc in Environmental Management from the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Public Health, specializing in Environmental Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In my spare time, I enjoy travelling and exploring new places.
If you'd like to learn more about the workshops we currently offer, please connect with me at Margaret@kwic.info I look forward to hearing from you!
Madison Laurin
Bookkeeper: Sustainable Trent, Trent Oxfam, TRACKS
Hi there! My name is Madison (she/her) and I am a settler-Canadian of British, French, Hungarian and
German descent living in Nogojiwanong. I am grateful to have lived and learned here for over three years,
during which time I have worked with TRACKS Youth Program and KWIC in various capacities. Currently,
I am the bookkeeper for TRACKS and two of the levy groups supported by KWIC, Sustainable Trent and
Trent Oxfam. I pursue this work on the side of a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Community
Development from the University of Toronto.