Kathleen Padulo is a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and is from the wolf Clan.
Kathleen has an honors degree in Indigenous Studies from Trent University and a master’s in environmental studies from York University. A major part of her graduate research involved waste management in First Nation communities including visiting and interviewing community members with respect to past, current, and future waste management practices in some of Ontario’s remote First Nation communities. In the end, this work formed a master’s Thesis entitled Environmental Protection of a First Nation Community.
Kathleen currently works at the Chiefs of Ontario where she has gained a wealth of experience in her role as the Environment Director. In this position, Kathleen is responsible in providing advice, guidance, and recommendations to the Leadership Council members, and the Chiefs in Ontario as they relate to factors such as water, natural resources, energy, species at risk, environmental assessments, mining, climate change, and legislative policy and advocacy portfolios. Her vocation with the Chiefs of Ontario has provided a unique opportunity, with exposure to work with 133 First Nation’s leadership travelling to communities across Ontario.
More recently, Kathleen was the recipient of the 1st Joy O’Farrell Fellowship hosted by Human Rights Watch Women’s Rights Division in New York City. This two-week Fellowship allowed Kathleen to develop her skills to undertake high level international advocacy to advance the human rights of women, with a particular focus on the rights of Indigenous women, human rights and climate change, and rights to water and sanitation.
Kathleen lives in Toronto with her husband and two children; where she is active in her community through volunteering and fundraising in the annual 10k run for kids with cancer supporting Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Oochigeas). She is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Swim Drink Fish; with a mission for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water for everyone, and is a member of the First Nations Advisory Committee on Safe Drinking Water, and more recently a board member for the Onieda Investment Corporation Board.
Webinar: Protecting Water – Pathways to Drinking Water Protection in First Nations Communities
Originally Aired Thursday, May 28th, 2026
Recording available below
Access to clean drinking water begins long before it reaches the tap – it starts with protecting the sources that communities depend on.
During this webinar, we’ll explore the full range of legal tools available to protect drinking water sources in First Nations communities, from provincial and federal frameworks to band council resolutions. A key focus of this session will be the federal drinking water protection legislation introduced last year but never passed. We will look at what that bill would mean for First Nations communities, particularly its provisions around protecting drinking water sources.
Participants will also have an opportunity to share what resources, supports, and next steps their communities need most to protect their local drinking water sources.
Hosted by the Canadian Environmental Law Association and the Chiefs of Ontario, this session will be of interest to all First Nations community members, including water technicians, band council and staff.
Presentations:
Chiefs of Ontario presentation
Canadian Environmental Law Association presentation
Webinar Speakers
Ryan Bowie is Associate Director of Environment for the Chiefs of Ontario. He holds an MA in Canadian and Indigenous Studies from Trent University, and a PhD in Environmental Studies from York University. His academic work examined the use of Indigenous Knowledge in Environmental/Impact Assessment, and First Nations involvement in Ontario Far North planning. With the Chiefs of Ontario, he works on several environmental priorities, including safe dinking water and source water protection, impact assessment, Great Lakes ecosystem health, biodiversity and climate change.
Theresa McClenaghan was appointed as Executive Director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) in November 2007.
She holds an LL.B. (1984) and a B.Sc. (Geol.) (2020) from Western University and an LL.M. in constitutional law from Osgoode Law School at York (1999). Theresa also earned a diploma in Environmental Health Science from McMaster University (1999). Theresa was delighted to accept an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from Lincoln Alexander School of Law at Toronto Metropolitan University at the spring convocation in 2025.
She was called to the Bars of Manitoba and Ontario. Focusing on environmental health and environmental safety, particularly in the areas of energy and water, Theresa has practised public interest environmental law for over 35 years both in private practice and then at CELA. In 2006-7, Theresa was senior water policy advisor to the Ontario Minister of the Environment where she was responsible for overseeing the passage of the Clean Water Act, and implementation of the remaining Walkerton Inquiry recommendations. She has represented clients at the Supreme Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal and Trial Division and provincial courts and Courts of Appeal on a range of matters including pesticide by-laws, the Oncomouse patent, environmental assessment and constitutional matters.
Kathleen Padulo is a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and is from the wolf Clan.
Kathleen has an honors degree in Indigenous Studies from Trent University and a master’s in environmental studies from York University. A major part of her graduate research involved waste management in First Nation communities including visiting and interviewing community members with respect to past, current, and future waste management practices in some of Ontario’s remote First Nation communities. In the end, this work formed a master’s Thesis entitled Environmental Protection of a First Nation Community.
Kathleen currently works at the Chiefs of Ontario where she has gained a wealth of experience in her role as the Environment Director. In this position, Kathleen is responsible in providing advice, guidance, and recommendations to the Leadership Council members, and the Chiefs in Ontario as they relate to factors such as water, natural resources, energy, species at risk, environmental assessments, mining, climate change, and legislative policy and advocacy portfolios. Her vocation with the Chiefs of Ontario has provided a unique opportunity, with exposure to work with 133 First Nation’s leadership travelling to communities across Ontario.
More recently, Kathleen was the recipient of the 1st Joy O’Farrell Fellowship hosted by Human Rights Watch Women’s Rights Division in New York City. This two-week Fellowship allowed Kathleen to develop her skills to undertake high level international advocacy to advance the human rights of women, with a particular focus on the rights of Indigenous women, human rights and climate change, and rights to water and sanitation.
Kathleen lives in Toronto with her husband and two children; where she is active in her community through volunteering and fundraising in the annual 10k run for kids with cancer supporting Campfire Circle (formerly Camp Oochigeas). She is the Chair of the Board of Directors at Swim Drink Fish; with a mission for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water for everyone, and is a member of the First Nations Advisory Committee on Safe Drinking Water, and more recently a board member for the Onieda Investment Corporation Board.
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