Team and Board

Lisa Villeneuve

Vice Board Chair Founder, Lisa Villeneuve Consulting Inc.

Lisa Villeneuve (she/her/elle) is a strategy designer, coach and facilitator based in Wolfville NS. She brings 25 years of experience working across sectors on strategic planning, partnerships and engagement. She helps nonprofit organizations and community-minded businesses to rethink strategy, reimagine governance and reinvigorate leadership. She is inspired by the power of relationships to build trust, unleash innovation and transform communities.

For 15 years, Lisa held senior positions in the Ontario provincial government and United Way of Greater Toronto. Since 2012, she has provided consulting services, coaching and teaching to nonprofit and charitable organizations and leaders across Canada. She holds degrees in Psychology and Social Work, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation. She has held faculty roles at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, the Schulich Executive Education Centre and the Canadian Organizational Development Institute. She is a certified leadership coach with the International Coach Federation and the World Association of Business Coaches.

Lisa is an active community volunteer with NS Health, The Valley Regional Enterprise Network and LAILO Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Denis Robillard

Training Manager, Michelin (Canada)

After graduating from the University of Ottawa with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1994, Denis owned and operated a family business in powersports near Sudbury, Ontario. In 2000, Denis sold this business and joined Michelin as an Earthmover Sales Manager based in Northern Ontario. In 2005 he moved to Nova Scotia and over the next 18 years held numerous roles including industrial engineer, business unit leader, supply chain manager and industrial engineering manager. Most recently, Denis was responsible for safety at the Waterville site as well as managing risks to the plant and the environment. Denis has 14 years experience with the site management team of a major industrial site employing approximately 1,400 people. In October 2023, Denis assumed the role of Training Manager for Canada. He is passionate about ensuring that the Annapolis Valley and Nova Scotia continue to grow, offering both a wonderful lifestyle and great opportunities for the people who live here, and believes Michelin can play an important role in this endeavour.

Dr. Anna Redden

Director of Acadia Tidal Energy Institute, Acadia University

Anna plays a key role at Acadia in developing research policy and advancing innovative research and graduate programs. Working with industry and community partners, government agencies, and other research institutions, she contributed to the Valley REN’s Renewable Energy Sector Table in 2016.

Anna has science degrees in Biology from Acadia University (BSc Hon, MSc) and Memorial University (Ph.D.). Her postdoctoral studies and first faculty appointments were held in Australia. Anna returned to Nova Scotia and Acadia in 2005 as Associate Professor in Biology and Director of the Acadia Centre for Estuarine Research.

In response to the rising interest in tidal energy development in the Bay of Fundy in the late 2000s, Dr. Redden co-led the establishment of the Fundy Energy Research Network (FERN). In 2011, she co-founded and served as the first Director of the Acadia Tidal Energy Institute. From 2009 to 2016, Anna served as an Independent Director on the Board of the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) and has been a Board member of the Offshore Energy Research Association (OERA) of Nova Scotia since 2018. Her most recent Board appointment has been with Springboard.

William Easson

Vice President of Continuous Improvement, Eassons Transport Ltd.

William Easson serves as Vice President of Continuous Improvement at Eassons Transport Ltd., a Nova Scotia-based transportation and logistics company serving customers across North America. As a third-generation member of the Easson family business, he has held leadership roles in operations, safety, planning, and business management throughout his career.

With a Mechanical Engineering degree from Dalhousie University and more than 15 years of experience in transportation and distribution, William brings a practical, data-driven perspective to business growth and organizational performance. His work focuses on continuous improvement, strategic planning, technology adoption, and helping teams achieve better results through innovation and collaboration.

A lifelong resident of the Annapolis Valley, William is committed to supporting the region’s economic growth and competitiveness. He is passionate about strengthening local businesses, attracting investment and talent, and helping create opportunities that enable both communities and employers to thrive. As a member of the Valley REN Board of Directors, he is proud to contribute to the organization’s mission of fostering a strong and sustainable regional economy

Kjeld Mizpah Conyers-Steede

Chief Executive Officer, Future Civics

Kjeld Mizpah Conyers-Steede has over eight years of experience leading or working with community projects that build quality public policy programming and lobbying initiatives. He is passionate about addressing society’s “big hairy” policy issues and developing strategies that embrace a human-centred approach.

Kjeld Mizpah encourages guided conversations surrounding critical topics to break the cause-and-effect approach to governance. He believes that adopting a strategic foresight lens is integral to identifying the barriers surrounding community-centric policy and program development.

To achieve this, Kjeld Mizpah started Catalyst Conversation Strategies to facilitate ways to encourage collaboration and develop critical psychological safety needed to adopt innovation within organizational systems.

Gerald Walsh

Founder, Gerald Walsh and Associates Inc.

Gerry is a seasoned business leader, consultant, educator, and dedicated community volunteer with extensive experience across human resources, governance, financial management, business development, and organizational leadership.

In 1990, Gerry founded Gerald Walsh Associates, a respected human resources advisory firm. The company specializes in assisting organizations in hiring, managing, and developing their workforce through comprehensive HR services such as executive search, compensation planning, organizational reviews, executive coaching, and performance management. The company serves diverse clients, including privately owned businesses, municipalities, NGOs, industry associations, and non-profit organizations.

Throughout his career, Gerry has interviewed more than 25,000 job candidates. He is the author of Pinnacle: How to Land the Right Job and Find Fulfillment in Your Career, producer and host of the cable TV series Take This Job and Love It, and the writer of The Career Advisor, a weekly blog with a readership exceeding 12,000 subscribers.

A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) by training, Gerry also holds an MBA degree.

Actively involved in community initiatives, Gerry co-founded the Blue Nose Marathon and previously served as Chair of Devour! The Food Film Fest and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Kit Leggett

Founder and Owner, Stay in The Valley & KBL Advantage Property
Management

Kit Leggett is the founder and owner of Stay in The Valley & KBL Advantage Property Management, a leading property management company specializing in short-term rentals across the Annapolis Valley. With a portfolio of over 35 unique properties and a reputation for innovation, Kit brings extensive hands-on experience in tourism, operations, and regional marketing.

Kit has a passion for building meaningful community connections and supporting economic growth through tourism, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. Known for her creative problem-solving, deep operational insight, and strong relationships across the region, Kit is excited to contribute her voice and vision to the Valley REN Board. When she’s not managing properties or mentoring new hosts, you can find her exploring back roads with her partner and son, supporting other local businesses, or dreaming up the next big idea.

Brittany Parker

Director of Hospitality, Benjamin Bridge

For over 10 years, Brittany has worked to advance sustainable, equitable, year-round tourism in the Annapolis Valley through her role as Director of Hospitality at Benjamin Bridge winery. An active participant and enthusiastic supporter of tourism sector initiatives, Brittany is passionate about fostering vibrant rural communities and resilient small businesses, and is driven by her belief that collaboration is the key to achieving responsible growth and long-term impact for the region.