Name:Jennifer Newbrey
Age:35
Job:Fundraising Coordinator
Employer:Town of Drumheller
What do you like about your job? It is a great opportunity to meet a lot of people in Drumheller and the surrounding communities and to be involved in something to help the community.
How long have you lived in Drumheller?2.5 weeks
If not all your life, where do you come from and what brought you to Drumheller?I grew up in a small suburb, South Milwaukee, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My husband (Mike) and I moved to Edmonton from Fargo, North Dakota back in August 2007. We moved to Alberta because Mike was offered a joint post-doctoral fellowship from the University of Alberta and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Plus I had a great opportunity to conduct research on wetland birds and to teach several courses at the U of A. My husband was offered a full-time contract for two years with the Tyrrell, so we decided to move to Drumheller. It is great because now we can spend more time together.
If there were one thing you could change about Drumheller, what would it be? The town of Drumheller really needs a modern facility for recreation, health, wellness, culture, and socialization. I am really excited about the Badlands Community Facility because it will provide new and enhanced opportunities for Drumheller residents, people in the surrounding communities, and tourists.
Have you ever taken a life changing decision?Many. One was deciding to get my Ph.D. because so much of your life needs to be devoted to your career to be successful as an academic. However, I really enjoy teaching, so my teaching time is always time well spent. I also spend a significant portion of my time involved in research, and I am still actively involved in several projects here in Alberta. I am studying the effects of wetland restoration on the reproduction of wetlands birds and also the grebes that died during the Lake Wabamun oil spill back in 2005.
What do you do in your spare time?I really enjoy bird watching, going for walks, hiking, travelling, reading novels, going to movies, and spending time with my husband. I also enjoy spending evenings and weekends working on my avian research.
Your life’s best achievement?Obtaining my Ph.D. in zoology in August of 2007.
What are your strengths? I am well organized, detail orientated, and a good writer.
Any weaknesses? I cannot resist sweets (especially anything with peanut butter and chocolate).
Three words that best describe you? Studious, adventurous, and caring.
What makes you happy? I really enjoy working with wild birds, mucking around in wetlands in a pair of chest waders, collecting bird eggs for my research, photographing baby birds in my study nests. I also enjoy spending time with my husband and my pets (two budgies, a cockatiel, and a Russian hamster), and seeing rare wild birds that I haven’t seen often.
If you were granted three wishes from an angel or genie, what would they be? 1. To be able to spend more time with my family in the States, 2. to eliminate pollution and its negative effects on the environment, and 3. to have world peace.
If you could have one super power what would it be? I have always thought it would be really fun to be able to fly. Although I am a bit nervous about heights, so I am not sure why!
Words to live by?We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children (Native American proverb).
