Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors provides strategic leadership, governance and oversight to guide the Geodiversity Education Foundation in achieving its mission. Drawing on extensive experience across geoscience, education, industry and communications, the Board helps ensure the Foundation continues to educate, inspire and engage communities across Ontario and beyond.
Dr. William (Bill) Pearson, PhD, P.Geo., FGC
Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo. has over 50 years of experience in the national and international mining industry and has carried out exploration and development programs in 17 countries around the world. He is formerly Vice President, Exploration for Desert Sun Mining Corp. (prior to April 2006 takeover by Yamana Gold Inc.), Executive Vice President, Exploration for Central Sun (prior to April 2009 takeover by B2Gold Inc.) and President & CEO of Coastal Gold Corp. (prior to a July 2015 takeover by First Mining).
Currently, he is Executive Vice President, Exploration for Eloro Resources exploring a major silver-tin discovery in southern Bolivia.
Dr. Pearson is the recipient of the 2015 PDAC Distinguished Service Award for his service to Canada's Mineral and Exploration Industry and is a member of CIM's Fifty Year Club.
He convened the first meeting of the Committee for the Professional Registration of Geoscientists of Ontario (CPRGO) in March 1989, which he chaired for seven years. He was President of the Association of Geoscientists of Ontario (AGO) from 1996 to 2000 and was the founding President of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO) from 2000 to 2003, now Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO).
In addition to his work for the geoscience profession in Ontario, Dr. Pearson was instrumental in the formation of the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists, now Geoscientists Canada, where he served on the Task Force that founded CCPG and later served on the Board as the Ontario representative.
He is founder and Chair of the APGO Education Foundation, a charitable foundation focused on educating the public about geoscience.
He is a member of the Canadian Masters Athletics Hall of Fame for his work building the sport of masters throwing in Ontario and Canada.
Dr. Pearson was awarded the E.R. Neal Medal by the Geological Association of Canada in June 2026 in recognition of his outstanding efforts in sharing Earth science with Canadians.
Contact: chair@geodiversity.ca
Dr. Carolyn Eyles
Dr. Carolyn Eyles is a tenured Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science and a member of the School of Geography & Earth Sciences at McMaster University. She holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia, a postgraduate Certificate of Education from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Toronto.
She is certified as a Professional Geoscientist in Ontario (P.Geo.). Her research involves analysis of glacial sediments and their origin, and she has conducted fieldwork in Iceland, Alaska, Australia, Peru, and Brazil.
She has been a faculty member at McMaster since 1988 and has been involved in many course and curriculum design initiatives for the Faculty of Science.
Dr. Eyles is a 3M National Teaching Fellow and has won numerous teaching awards, including several McMaster Student Union teaching awards, an OCUFA Teaching Award, an Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance Teaching Award, and the McMaster President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction.
Pierre Vaillancourt, A.B., M.Sc.
Pierre Vaillancourt is a Senior Analyst at Haywood Securities with over 20 years experience as a geologist in research, exploration and project development, and as a financial analyst with expertise in project evaluation, financial modeling and company analysis. He has a strong ability to source and evaluate investment opportunities in the mining sector, leveraging hands-on perspective from project-related experience and hundreds of site visits, along with financial skills and an extensive network of contacts in the mining and investment industries. He is respected as a trusted advisor who combines deep analytical skills with a collaborative approach to creatively solve problems and produce results through decisive planning and execution.
Eilidh Lewis, M.Sc., P.Geo.
Eilihd Lewis, P.Geo. was born in Glasgow, Scotland and emigrated to Canada in 2006 to pursue an M.Sc. degree in Geology at Laurentian University. She previously earned her B.Sc. in Earth Science from University of Glasgow. Eilidh’s work experience includes Ontario Geological Survey as a senior assistant, KGHM International as production geologist, drill geologist and exploration geologist, Wallbridge Mining Company as a production geologist and a brief teaching position at Cambrian College in Sudbury. She joined Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO) as Assistant Registrar in 2019 and was appointed Registrar in 2023.
David Burga, P.Geo.
David Burga is a professional geoscientist and a graduate of the University of Toronto. He is president of Deptford Geoscience Inc., an exploration support services company. David has over 25 years experience working throughout Canada and Latin America on a wide range of exploration projects. This work has included authoring more than fifty National Instrument 43-101 Technical Reports. He has mentored young geologists through Professional Geoscientists Ontario (PGO) over the years and was formerly a board member of the Festival of Literary Diversity in Brampton.
Our Team
Our team is dedicated to advancing public understanding of geoscience through education, outreach and digital innovation. Together, we develop educational resources, support geoscience initiatives and help inspire curiosity about the Earth’s natural history and resources.
Dr. Deana Schwarz, P.Geo.
Deana Schwarz received a B.Sc. in biology and a B.Sc. in geology. She also received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in stable isotope geochemistry at the University of Western Ontario, where she focused on the relationship between living systems and their environment, throughout the geologic past. Deana has developed a deep sense of responsibility in educating others about geology, a sentiment strengthened by her years of teaching to university and college students. She is working hard to continue to make geoscience more accessible, both online and in the field.
Contact: dschwarz@geodiversity.ca
Daniel G. Dick
Daniel G. Dick is a paleontologist, ecologist, and National Geographic Explorer with a passion for science communication. Having worked on a vast array of research topics, including conducting fieldwork in Antarctica and the Arctic, Dan is eager to share his love of the natural world with the public. Having developed several of the Geodiversity Education Foundation’s GeoHikes (with peer-reviewed publications on their use in geoheritage management), Dan continues to seek out the untold stories of Ontario’s geological history.
His TikTok videos on fossils and other aspects of the rock record have been viewed over 1.5 million times, and his scientific research has been featured in a variety of mainstream news outlets.
Much of Dan’s research has focused on mass extinction dynamics, such that his current focus is on raising awareness of the exceptional fossil evidence related to the Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction (the “First Mass Extinction”) that can be found across southern Ontario. Other research and communication interests include providing information on aspects of environmental geology (e.g., groundwater movement, quarry remediation), developing novel methods for quantifying geodiversity, and conducting research on conservation within UNESCO Global Geoparks.
Dan has a Ph.D. in Earth Science from the University of Toronto and was the winner of the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Fraser Code Best Ph.D. Thesis Award in 2021. His research has been published in multiple journals, including Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Functional Ecology, Paleobiology, and Geoheritage, and has been supported by funding from Mitacs and the National Geographic Society.
Contact: dgdick@geodiversity.ca
Bernard Kradjian
Bernard Kradjian is a digital marketing and communications professional specializing in web development, digital strategy, branding and online engagement. As the web architect and developer for the Geodiversity Education Foundation, he leads the Foundation’s website development, digital marketing and online communications. His work helps expand public awareness of geoscience through innovative digital strategy and online engagement. Having worked at Professional Geoscientists Ontario from 2008 to 2022, Bernard brings extensive knowledge of the geoscience profession and industry. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies, with Merit, from York University.
Contact: bkradjian@geodiversity.ca
Kyra Simone
Kyra Simone is a communications specialist and environmental scientist with over a decade of experience at the intersection of science and public understanding. She has worked on documentary episodes, including TVO show The Water Brothers, produced articles for publications such as The Lake Report, Canada's most decorated community newspaper, and spoken on radio, podcasts, and public lectures. As an Expert Vetter, she verifies social media posts about environmental topics for ScienceUpFirst and the Canadian Association of Science Centres.
Through serving as Communications Director for several organizations, Kyra has managed communications from websites and mailing lists to social media and video production. Her social media reels regularly garner tens of thousands of views, sparking curiosity and engagement with the natural world.
Kyra is currently finishing a PhD in wildfire and climate change at McMaster University, and holds both a master's in science communication (MSCom, Laurentian University) and a master's in biology (MSc, Western University). In her spare time, she makes jewelry from recycled and natural materials, and cuts and polishes stones as part of a lapidary club.
Contact: ksimone@geodiversity.ca