Senior staff
PETE ZUZEK
President
Pete has 30 years of experience working on consulting assignments across the coastal regions of the world. He is the founder and President of Zuzek Inc., a professional services company dedicated to increasing the health and resilience of the world’s coastal communities and ecosystems. Pete has extensive experience managing complex multidisciplinary investigations on coastal erosion and flooding, risk assessments, coastal zone planning, shoreline management plan development, water quality investigations, habitat protection and restoration, nature-based solutions, and climate change adaptation.
KEVIN GROOTENDORST
Geomatics Practice Leader
Kevin is a certified GIS Professional with more than 20 years of experience in the consulting environment. He has successfully managed many large scale mapping projects, including hundreds of map tiles for the FEMA program and coastal hazard maps in the Caribbean region. His project contributions typically include rigorous technical analysis on a wide range of geospatial data from satellite scenes, to high resolution LiDAR datasets, and 4-D modeling output. Kevin has also developed innovative web-based mapping and data management applications using open source and proprietary software. Finally, he has also developed training programs and manuals, led in-class training for clients, and provided long-term technical support for custom software applications.
JENNIFER GIBSON
Project Coordinator
Jen has over 20 years’ experience in all facets of a project execution and executive management in a variety of consulting environments. She ensures that jobs run smoothly and efficiently with regard to scope, schedule, and budget. Jen works collaboratively with our clients, project managers, and subconsultants to support project execution. She is also responsible for marketing, contracts, communications, project accounting, and report delivery. Jen’s interest in Zuzek Inc. came from a desire to restore coastal ecosystems, adapt to climate change, and protect the world’s coastal regions.
Board of Advisors
LINDA MORTSCH
Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo
Climate Change and Adaptation Planning
Linda Mortsch has devoted a 35-year career to addressing climate change issues related to water resources, coastal zones and urban areas. She has expertise collaborating with stakeholders to assess impacts, vulnerability and resilience. Her work has facilitated adaptation planning and decision-making. Linda has contributed to all Canadian National Climate Change Assessments. Since 1989, Linda has played a role in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. While now retired from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Linda retains an appointment in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. She relishes the opportunity to undertake studies that support adaptation capacity building and help meet the challenges of moving from adaptation planning to implementation. Linda has been recognized by the International Joint Commission, Environment Canada and the Meteorological Service of Canada. She is grateful to the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment for conferring the 2009 Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of professional achievement and distinguished environmental and community leadership.
LARRY HILDEBRAND
Distinguished Scholar and Special Advisor to the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute.
Adjunct Professor, World Maritime University (Malmö, Sweden) and Dalhousie University (Halifax)
For over 40 years, Larry Hildebrand has served the coastal and ocean governance community through his research, policy and management work in the Canadian government and the United Nations, in training and capacity development at universities and institutes around the world, through UN policy consultancies, and as a Director on the Boards of several NGOs, including as Governor of the International Ocean Institute. Beginning in research at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in 1978, then serving 32 years with Environment Canada in coastal and marine leadership positions, he spent his last six full-time years at the World Maritime University in Malmö Sweden as Professor and Transport Canada-sponsored Canadian Chair in Marine Environmental Protection. Larry is now 'retired' and living back in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. He remains dedicated to understanding and promoting the urgent need for action on preparing for and adapting to climate change and all of the other pressures faced by our coastal and marine environments and communities.
ALBERT GAROFALO
Field Botanist and Restoration Specialist
Albert received a General Arts and Science Diploma from Niagara College, along with a Post Graduate Diploma in Ecosystem Restoration. His expertise in natural heritage classification, wetlands and coastal ecosystems, and ecological land classifications has been applied across Ontario for special assignments with Municipalities, Conservation Authorities, and the Provincial and Federal Government. Albert teaches flora identification, soil sciences, and natural and human ecology courses at Niagara College and is active with local nature clubs in Niagara specializing in beach and sand dune restoration and species at risk inventories.