Meet the drivers behind REAP-Canada's programming:

Roger Samson, Executive Director
Mr. Samson has been working with REAP-Canada since its inception in 1986, leading the biomass energy, agri-fibre, and on-farm participatory research and development programs. His main areas of activity have been working with fast growing warm season perennial grasses, agri-fibres, and agro-forestry systems in temperate and tropical countries. Mr. Samson has coordinated numerous studies on small commercial biomass combustion systems, fuel pelletization and greenhouse gas mitigation from biomass energy systems. Since 1997, he has managed partnership projects in the Philippines, China, and the Gambia involving household energy from biomass and ecological farming systems development. He holds a B.Sc. in Agriculture from Guelph University (1984) and a M.Sc. in Plant Science from McGill University (1986).

Claudia Ho Lem, Project Manager

Claudia Ho Lem is the project manager for the international community development programs and the internship coordinator for REAP-Canada's CIDA youth interns. Since 2001, Ms. Ho Lem has managed Agro-Ecological Village development projects involving the collaborative efforts of village farmers, local partners, and research institutions. She has facilitated Participatory Rural Appraisals, farmer-to-farmer training workshops, and gender development in remote farming communities. Ms. Ho-Lem holds a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Science (2000) specializing in Biology, and minoring in Chemistry from the University of Calgary.

Stephanie Bailey, Research Associate

Ms. Bailey has a Master’s degree from McGill University in Natural Resource Sciences and has been working with REAP for the last year developing business plans for international carbon trading projects using small scale biomass energy technologies. She is experienced in bioenergy and bioheat pellet potential in Canada, focusing on the use of agriculture and crop milling residues for commercial heating applications and quantification of the energy content and land availability for the production of energy grasses in Ontario and Quebec. She has also developed methodologies for potential emission reductions surrounding small scale technologies and the Clean Development Mechanism on projects in the Philippines, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Mark Purdon, Research Associate

Mr. Purdon is currently pursuing a PhD in political science at the University of Toronto and has been working with REAP since 2005 on GHG mitigation strategies in Canada and internationally. He has particular expertise in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), ecological research and analysis, as well as in rural and international development policy. He holds two Masters degrees--one in Nature, Society and Environmental Policy from the School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford (2004) and a second in Environmental Science (2001) from the Université du Québec à Montréal (2001). His international experience includes work at a forest institute in the Czech Republic (2002-2003), a community forestry and CIDA-sponsored consultation to develop capacity on the CDM with the government of Cameroon (2005) while more recently, in 2006, he was an intern with the UNDP’s new Millenium Development Goals Carbon Facility, working to identity carbon mitigation project potential in Africa.

Loretta Balzamo, Accountant

Loretta Balzamo is REAP-Canada's part-time accountant with 20 years experience. She has worked extensively in product management and, since 1995, has provided bookkeeping services to a variety of companies and non-profit organizations. Ms. Balzamo holds an economics degree from Concordia University.

Jeroen Dooper, International Research Associate
During Mr. Dooper's B.Sc in Ecological Material Technology, his interest in energy and its environmental implications grew. After multiple courses and assignments on sustainable energy technologies, his work became primarily focused on biomass and biofuels. He is now currently enrolled in an M.Sc degree in Sustainable Development, energy and resources at the Utrecht University in the Netherlands and has begun collaboration with REAP-Canada to pursue research on different biofuel conversion technologies. He has previous work experience at Econsultancy environmental consulting and the Avans University of Professional Education.

Sjoerd Mulder, International Research Associate
Sjoerd Mulder has always been concerned about the environment and is interested in obtaining an education that would better equip him to stimulate livelihoods using the earth's resources in a sustainable way. He is currently enrolled in the Agri-Systems Management course at Larenstein University of Professional Education, specializing in Rural Development and Innovation. He has had previous work experience in Greece, China and Canada working in agricultural, horticultural, herb and flower production and is interested in developing his career to implementing energy crops as an opportunity to enhance development of rural areas world wide. Mr. Mulder has begun collaborating with REAP-Canada to pursue research on the agronomic implications of the production of various biofuels.

Andrea Hart, Communications Officer

Andrea Hart is a volunteer with an enthusiastic approach towards helping the planet and learning everything there is to know about environmental conservation. A graduate from the University of Ottawa, she holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English and minor in Communication. She has spent time in the Communications field outside of her studies, working in the marketing department of a small business while independently investigating various aspects of the media.

©2004 REAP-Canada