About Me

Name: Anika Riopel

Location: I grew up in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, which is the traditional territory of the Anishnaabeg. I currently live in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People, (Halifax) Nova Scotia. I moved here because I wanted to be close to the ocean and in a mid-sized city with a thriving arts scene!

What gets me up in the morning: People and pets: my jobs and co-workers(whom I love), plans with people, events, event planning and taking my gentle giant German shepherd Boris for walks.

A bit about me:
I have an eclectic background. Having dropped out of theatre school at 18, I completed a culinary degree and worked and traveled around the world, from to tree planting camps to pubs and even a brief contract with cirque du soliel. While traveling I got into SCUBA diving and became engrossed with the concept of environmental education through experiential learning! This lead me to Dalhousie University where I completed a degree in Environment, Sustainability and Society and Theatre Arts. I'm all about making events that create bring diverse groups together and give people experiences that can sneakily help broaden and shift perspectives.

An ocean-related issue close to my heart is connection and story telling. Right now I'm really into all the different water spirit mythologies that exist in cultures around the world. I think that to move forward in a world in which climate change is a reality, we need to figure out how to work together and respect each other.

My earliest/most influential memory of the ocean, growing up on the shores of Lake Superior, I was obsessed with water and mermaids and oceans. My first memory of the ocean was on a family trip to BC where I learned that the ocean is indeed salty after jumping in with my mouth open. I was also really pumped with the micro universes in the tidal pools. 

I'm excited to be a part of Ocean Bridge because I can't wait to meet all of you!

Tell us something random about yourself:
Random fact about me: I have completed intermediate stage combat training - specialized in short sword, long sword, unarmed and rapier and dagger. I occasionally choreograph fight scenes for shows in Halifax!

Favourite Marine Animal: OCTOPUS - one time an octopus touch my face and it was the best day of my life. 

• My Interests
  Climate Change, Corporate Social Responsibility, Cultural Diversity, Disability Culture, Education, Environment, Food, Gender Equality, Informal/Experiential Learning, Political Thought, Popular Culture, Sustainable Development

---

• Countries I've visited
  Australia      Bolivia      Cambodia      Canada      Chile      Costa Rica      France      Germany      Ireland      Italy      Japan      Laos      Morocco      Netherlands      New Zealand      Panama      Spain      Thailand      United Kingdom      United States