Judy is a recovering perfectionist, a problem solver and is deeply passionate about the planet on which we all depend. She is a wife, mother & grandmother to a loving family. Judy has recently embraced the suggestion that she is a “Badass East Coast Granny.”
Judy was born in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Since then, She has worked and lived in five provinces. In 2014, they returned to her husband’s home province of Nova Scotia (in Mi’kma’ki). While listening to friends from L’sitkuk (Bear River First Nation), she came to realize that her Celtic heritage and upbringing had instilled in her a world view that is in alignment with the teachings of many Indigenous cultures.
Judy’s Great Grandmother taught school on the Cape Mudge First Nations reserve on Quathiaski Cove, Quadra Island, her grandmother was raised there and her mother was born there. Judy is now an Earth Protector with Stop Ecocide Canada, who works internationally to ensure crimes against the planet are punishable. She understands that all of us are but a single member of a diverse family that shares our beautiful planet.
Judy has over 20 years of heart-centred teaching and coaching in the areas of health & wellness, self-esteem, self-empowerment, as well as computers, employment and entrepreneurialism. She draws on her experiences as a mother, grandmother, computer scientist and a veteran, to connect with people and provide them with the knowledge that can help them become the best person they can be.
Judy has served in the Canadian Armed Forces as one of the first women Airframe Technicians. She earned her bachelor of Computer Science degree from Acadia University and went on to earn her Masters of Computer Science from Carleton University, all while raising her family. Judy has worked on cutting edge high-tech software systems called Integrated Development Environments (IDEs); Software that other programmers use to develop software. Judy went on to found and operate four distinct businesses.
In 2018, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on Climate Change illustrated the grave state of our planet. Judy was inspired to make a difference. First as an activist with Extinction Rebellion, giving the Heading Toward Extinction presentations, from Yarmouth to Bear River, and then from within the system as a candidate for the Green Party of Canada (GPC) in West Nova during the 2019 general Federal election. Judy tripled the vote and earned third place, a first for Greens in West Nova. In 2020, Judy went on to the National stage, as a candidate for the leadership of the GPC during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fun times. So fun that Judy stepped away from politics in May 2021. You can read her resignation letter and listen to a podcast regarding the internal challenges that the GPC must overcome, if they are to be effective champions for the people and the planet.
During the leadership campaign, Judy was introduced to the Stop Ecocide International movement and in 2020 joined the Canadian Stop Ecocide team as a Political Liaison and Director. Judy and the Stop Ecocide team are building a movement and advocating with elected officials for their support of an amendment to the Rome Statute at the International Criminal Court (ICC). An amendment that would list Ecocide as the fifth Crime Against Humanity, alongside: Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes and Crimes of Aggression. You can read the legally robust ecocide definition: commentary and core text HERE
Judy advocates for Stop Ecocide, Guaranteed Livable income (GLI), Doughnut Economic Model and protests for Net Zero emissions targets, sustainable forestry, a ban on open pen fish farms, as she continues to work toward concrete action to reverse the climate crisis.
Judy has contributed to several publications, including an Amazon International Best Seller and a book of poetry. She looks forward to spending more time writing and is currently working on a fantasy short story as well as a trilogy of dystopian novels.
Judy is available for public speaking engagements and workshops.