Founding Partners

Carol Newell

Photo by Jaime KowalCarol Newell is the Principal of Renewal. Through this organization, she has established a life’s work as a social entrepreneur and philanthropist, placing over $60 million in organizations and businesses working toward sustainability in BC.

Carol is also the co-creator of Play BIG, an initiative to encourage others with wealth to activate their resources for social change.

Ms. Newell is an active member of Hollyhock Centre, the Threshold Foundation, Canadian Women’s Foundation, Women Donors Network, Investors’ Circle, Social Venture Network, and the Wealth & Giving Forum. In 2007, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. In 2008 she was honoured by her Alma Mater, St Lawrence University with a Doctor of Humane Letters.

Joel Solomon

Photo by David Niddrie Joel Solomon is President and CEO of Renewal, Chairman for Renewal2, and Executive Director of the Endswell Foundation.

In 1993, Joel joined Carol Newell in the development of Renewal Partners and the Endswell Foundation. Renewal has since invested in over seventy-five companies that share its commitment to socially responsible growth, including some of the best-known social purpose companies in Canada: Happy Planet Foods, Small Potatoes Urban Delivery (SPUD), and Communicopia, and Michael Jantzi Research Associates. Through its long-term commitment to capacity building, strategic alliances, and institutional development, the Endswell Foundation helps sustain many charitable organizations working for a conservation economy.

Joel is a founding member of Social Venture Network (SVN), Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), Renewal Land Company, Tides Canada Foundation and the Sage Centre. He is Chair of the Board of Tides Foundation (US) and sits on numerous other boards throughout North America.

Management

Martha Burton

Photo by Jaime KowalMartha A. Burton is Senior Vice President for Renewal.

Martha also serves as Senior Advisor and Assistant Treasurer for Tides Canada Foundation and Treasurer of the Sage Foundation. In addition, she is a director of Renewal Land Company, which promotes conservation-based land use and works to create viable models of forest conservation on private land.

As faculty for Play BIG, a series of invitational workshops for those with significant resources, Martha plays a key role as an advisor. She is a regular presenter and consultant at the annual Social Venture Institute (SVI) held at Hollyhock on Cortes Island.

Martha is a founding member of the Nashville Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), a member of Association of Women in Finance (Vancouver chapter), and the Nonprofit Centers Network.

Pamela Chaloult

Pamela Chaloult is Chief Operating Officer for Renewal and Vice President of Renewal2. She is also a senior advisor to Hollyhock and Tides Canada Foundation.

Previously, Pamela served as Co-Executive Director of Social Venture Network (SVN), as Communications and Marketing Director for California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and Communications Director for Planned Parenthood. Before joining the non-profit sector, she led the marketing and advertising efforts for the CBS affiliate KPIX TV & Radio and for a variety of film and entertainment groups in Los Angeles.

Pamela is a member of the Women’s Executive Network, the Association of Women in Finance, Social Venture Network and sits on a variety of social purpose boards across North America.

Paul Richardson

Paul is the President of Renewal2, an early stage capital fund structured to deliver superior financial, environmental, and social returns.  For the past five years, Paul has been Vice President and in-house counsel at Renewal.

Paul’s work with Renewal Partners has focused on supporting its diverse portfolio of socially responsible companies and analyzing new investment opportunities from mission aligned businesses.

A large portion of his work at the Endswell Foundation has been in support of the internationally significant land use decisions for Canada’s 21 million acre Great Bear Rainforest - recognized as the largest and most significant integrated conservation program in North American history.

Staff

  • Steven Ballegeer, Operations Manager
  • Nicole Bradbury, Vice President, Renewal2
  • Grace Chen, Accounting Assistant
  • Heidi Hartman, SVI Coordinator
  • Maria Malmgren, Administrative Manager
  • Jennifer Merryman, Executive Assistant
  • Alexandra Pearson, Accounting Contractor
  • Tara Smedbol, Administrative Assistant
  • Anna Strom, Project Coordinator
  • Lynne Whenham, Executive Assistant
  • Jacqueline Zhu, Controller