Mary Pickering, friend

When I think about you Pegi, in the many contexts I have known you—at WWF Canada, at CEGN (the predecessor to Environmental Funders Canada), as Phil’s partner, and as a personal friend—what shines through is your exceptional positivity. I have never heard you utter an unkind word. I always enjoyed our chances to swap ideas at our coffee meetings at Timothy’s on the Danforth, at many board meetings and conferences, and in your own gorgeous kitchen. You always pushed everything forward with such tact and grace and goodwill, getting tough things done in a way that seems effortless.

I remember seeing you step up and provide warm and engaging words to a crowd of funders at one of many conferences you organized. You made everyone in the room feel welcome and special, even though I know for certain there were twenty fires you were putting out in the background, from last minute changes to speaker panels, to snowstorms delaying flights, or finding someone the right kind of non-dairy milk for their coffee!! You simply have the knack for taking everything in stride.

One memory in particular involves your job interview for the Executive Director position at Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network.  I remember thinking how perfect you would be for this job, with your communications savvy and your diplomatic skills and learning mindset, and your ability to be suave and supportive with even the most quirky and difficult people! After you were interviewed, having impressed all of us with your charms, you whispered to me that you thought it had gone badly. Luckily your impression was wrong, and you were hired into that role that truly seemed tailor made for you. All of the environmental funders have since benefited greatly from your leadership in this sphere.