Claire MacNeil

BA, BEd, MEd (Lit), MEd (Admin), DSpEd

Email: [email protected]

Educational Consultant-Canadian Educational Services (Immigrants/Refugees)

Claire has strong memories of childhood enjoyment living in a rural area of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, on the western coastline. She is still living on this wonderful coast in the same house she grew up in. The trails gradually developed along this coastline.

She attended and graduated from Mount St. Vincent University, Acadia University and St. FX University. She took courses from Dalhousie University, St. Mary’s University and Cape Breton University. At St. FX University she majored in Celtic Studies and Anthropology. Her continued studies in advanced education were in Literacy and Administration.

She traveled to France, Scotland, Ireland, across Canada and throughout the United States. She spent time on the trails in those areas representing the International Appalachian Trail. In Ireland, she was fortunate to be able to do a presentation at an IAT Conference.

Inspired by her early years on Cape Breton Island, she continued throughout the years to be involved in trail development, maintenance and representation on boards. She has presented many workshops in various areas to the government and the general public. One of the workshops she developed was on Snowshoes. She was very involved in guiding groups on the trails especially during Celtic Colours. Over the past twenty years, she was involved with organizing marathons on the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail for the Cape Breton Island Hoppers, a non-competitive Volkssport walking club on Cape Breton Island.

Currently she is a board member of the National Hiking Trail of Canada, Hike Nova Scotia and The International Appalachian Representative for Nova Scotia. She is an active volunteer and board member in other government and community organizations.