No two days are the same. On Mondays, I might be managing schedules or procurement for ongoing energy projects, or analyzing energy and process data for incentive applications for upcoming upgrades. Mid‑week, you’ll often find me onsite, whether in Lambton County or Peel Region, overseeing the installation of power monitoring systems. On Thursdays, I may be developing training material for operations staff on new energy programs. And by Friday, I might be at a conference learning something new or presenting on a topic of interest to water treatment professionals.
Why you should join OCWA
OCWA is an industry leader that truly invests in employee growth. In previous roles outside the organization, I did not see the opportunity for growth as I do with OCWA. If you are driven and passionate about your team’s goals, you can build a long‑lasting, fulfilling career with countless opportunities to grow, innovate, and contribute to the sustainability of Ontario’s water systems.
In my role, I design, develop, and enhance digital learning experiences that support training, compliance, and professional development across OCWA. I work closely with operational teams, trainers, and leadership to understand learning needs and translate them into effective eLearning solutions. Whether I’m building interactive modules, refining learning pathways, or improving user experience, my focus is always on creating training that is practical, engaging, and aligned with organizational goals.
Why You Should Join OCWA
OCWA is a place where your work truly matters. You become part of a team that protects Ontario’s water, supports communities, and contributes to a healthier environment. The organization values learning, collaboration, and innovation, and there are countless opportunities to grow your skills and make a meaningful impact. If you’re looking for a career with purpose, supportive colleagues, and room to develop, OCWA is an exceptional place to be.
Christopher Hilkene has been an environment and sustainable development professional for over 30 years. He has worked in government, academic, consulting and not-for-profit settings and spent the last seven years as the Chief Executive Officer at Pollution Probe, one of Canada’s longest serving environmental organizations.
Specializing in environmental policy and strategic communications, Chris is recognized as a leader in freshwater policy and Great Lakes issues. From 2014 to 2020, he was a Canadian appointee to Great Lakes Water Quality Board of the International Joint Commission (IJC), where he was the Canadian Lead on emerging issues. In 2007, Chris was appointed to the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, where he served as Chair of the Water Programme.
He is an active volunteer and has served on boards and advisory bodies for numerous organizations including Toronto Metropolitan University, Pollution Probe, WaterAid Canada, Carleton University’s Global Water Institute, the City of Toronto’s Task Force to Bring Back the Don, Green Living Enterprises, the Vimy Foundation and the George and Helen Vari Foundation.
David Donovan is the Vice President of Corporate Business Development and Strategy at Ontario Power Generation. Prior to this, David was the Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Energy Minister, a role he served in for over three years. David has considerable experience in the energy and environment space, serving in both the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, as well as in the private sector, including time at Canada’s largest energy infrastructure company. His background ranges from liquids pipelines, natural gas networks, carbon markets, utilities, nuclear power, renewables and air, land and water protection. Notably, while at the province he led policy development of Ontario’s Environment Plan, Emissions Performance Standards, recycling reforms, COVID-19 Small Business relief measures, environmental assessment reform, expansion of Ontario Parks, and helped lead the province’s response to a significant rise in electricity demand with the Powering Ontario’s Growth energy plan. David also supported Ontario’s renegotiation of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on the Great Lakes Water Quality and the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Protection Plan.
Joseph (Joe) LeClair is the Director of Corporate Finance and Administration for the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation where he is responsible for leading the organization’s finance and human resource functions. He has over 25 years of cross-functional experience in finance and information technology working within the banking, energy, mining and infrastructure sectors for North American and global organizations.
Joe is a member of the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (formerly Sandpoint First Nation), located in Northwestern Ontario. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA) and has a Master of Business Administration degree from the Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario.
As the Executive Director of the Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA), Michele is an advocate for sustainable water management. She leads initiatives that advance water quality, infrastructure resilience, and professional excellence across Ontario’s water sector. With over 25 years of experience in the water industry, Michele is an expert in the planning, operation, and optimization of municipal drinking water and wastewater systems. Her expertise spans projects at more than 100 water and wastewater facilities, where she has contributed to the delivery of safe, reliable water servicing for communities across Ontario.
A graduate of the University of Ottawa with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Michele began her career with the federal government and later held senior roles with XCG Consultants and Associated Engineering. In addition to her work with OWWA, she has served on the boards of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, the Ontario Environment Industry Association, the Ontario Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure, as well as the Toronto Metropolitan University Urban Water Centre Board of Advisors.
Passionate about collaboration and knowledge sharing, Michele also hosts What You Need to H2Know, a podcast highlighting industry leaders and innovations. She is committed to empowering the members of Ontario’s water community and fostering sustainable solutions for future generations.
We get to go back and forth between water and wastewater so it’s nice to change it up, no two days are the same We do weekly sampling, test chlorine residuals in the water plants and make sure the pumps are working as required. For wastewater, daily samples are tested in our lab to ensure the equipment is functioning, the microbiological performance is abundant and that the water is good and clean before we send it out to the river.
Why you should join OCWA: There’s a family environment.
I work at a facility that treats wastewater. A typical day is doing a lab experiment that looks at the conditions of the reactors inside the plant and sees how well the processes are at treating the water and adjusting the processes so that it accommodates different flows and different wastewater influence.
Why you should join OCWA: If you want to gain experience and if you don’t know if you want to take that leap of faith, coming from someone that did it and was afraid of moving out of the big city to a rural area, which is where most OCWA facilities are, it’s worth it.
Sangeeta Chopra is a Professional Engineer with over 20 years of public/private sector experience working on municipal water and wastewater projects and programs in collaboration with municipalities, Indigenous communities, government agencies and ministries, consultants, and other industry partners. Her strong foundation in engineering design, project delivery models, innovation and community engagement has enabled her to become a “trusted adviser” in the water/wastewater industry, Sangeeta has a holistic understanding of the water services sector in Canada and internationally. Her industry-wide collaborations have focused on engaging diverse groups in the technical, social and environmental challenges associated with precious water/wastewater resources.
Eric Dorman’s impactful leadership has been characterized by people-centredness, inclusive collaboration, synergistic partnerships and relationships, and continuous innovation and improvement.
Eric has more than 20 years experience in a wide range of areas within Information Technology. He has also been a leader within the Ontario Public Service for more than 10 years and more than five years at the senior executive level.
Eric’s leadership experience includes administering accountability systems for more than $1B annually in program delivery, serving clients and collaborating with partners including municipalities, and leveraging technology for operational excellence and strategic advantage. He is adept at evaluating and prioritizing options and allocating funds, resources and technologies towards operational and strategic goals. He holds a Master of Engineering (MEng.) degree in Management of Technology and Innovation from the University of Waterloo and an honours bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
