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Janelle Frail鈥檚 educational journey at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College more than 20 years ago began her on a path of international environmental advocacy.

鈥淚鈥檝e always enjoyed school and was always excited to meet people and learn new things,鈥� she explained. 鈥淣SAC really opened a lot of doors. There will always be more than one path and sometimes it leads somewhere you never thought of. Just be open to the options.鈥�

Janelle grew up in Upper Rawdon and was always interested in nature and the environment.

鈥淚t was probably the influence of my dad telling me to turn out the lights to save money but then, you know, the evolution of that to say we鈥檙e also saving the environment.鈥�

Janelle studied environmental sciences while also playing soccer and volleyball.

鈥淭here was a lot of science but there was also environmental ethics. That was one course that I really enjoyed, she said. 鈥淚t was still an evolving sector back then, we didn鈥檛 even use the words climate change.鈥�

A storied career

Upon graduating, Janelle worked for a year in Dr. Glenn Stratton鈥檚 lab on campus, then landing at Oland Brewery in Halifax doing laboratory work before earnestly starting her career in the non-profit sector.

After working with several different environmental NGO鈥檚, Janelle decided to go back to school to study public relations.

鈥淚 enjoyed the science part and then, as I learned more and more, I realized I wanted to promote what was going on with the solutions,鈥� she explained.

But it was an international travel opportunity to Guatemala with her partner John (Class of 鈥�04) that really changed her world view.

鈥淚 was always a big tree-hugger environmentalist. And then I realized what about human rights? I know, sadly, I never really thought about that and the combination with environmental justice,鈥� she explained. 鈥淪o yes, we should save that last tree in the forest but if people do not have wood to heat their home, to build a fire to cook their meal, well maybe we should cut that tree down. That stirred something in my brain and shaped me.鈥�

That internship was with the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network 鈥� a voluntary network of people in the Maritimes who began to organize in 1988 to support the efforts of Guatemalans struggling for political, social and economic justice.

After another decade involved with international cooperation, Janelle began to crave a return to the environmental sector and landed with CLIMAtlantic about four years ago.

CLIMAtlantic facilitates access to data and information that supports adaptation to climate change in Atlantic Canada through collaboration, networking and partnerships.

鈥淓ven if we stop all greenhouse gas emissions today, we're still going to suffer the effects of climate change now,鈥� explained Janelle. 鈥淲e need to adapt on individual, municipal and provincial levels while also thinking about the infrastructure required for the future,鈥� she added.

What began with five employees has now expanded to 18 who focus on supporting and encouraging people, municipalities, non-profits and governments to adapt to climate change. In some ways, adaptation is quite new in Canada and Atlantic Canada.

鈥淢y degree definitely helped me land this position as well as having that science background and then the variety of experiences and skills that I have built along the way,鈥� she noted. 鈥淚t wasn't a linear path necessarily, but a very interesting one.鈥�

After travelling internationally, Janelle realized there was work to be done at home as well and volunteers with her community food bank and local garden club. She is also still involved in Breaking the Silence Network, aiding in fundraising.

鈥淎s much as possible, try different opportunities, go different places, see different things,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭here are so many ways to be in this world, to figure out solutions, to find out more about the issues and solutions. And that can be locally or internationally, even other parts of Canada. There鈥檚 a lot to learn that way.鈥�