Leone Pippard

2023 Winner

“I am delighted and grateful to receive the JL Glen D. Ross Photography Award. Glen was a photographer who saw beauty, artistry, and stories in everyday things and events. I relate to his approach in my photography work. I look forward to using this award to fund a mentorship with professional photographer Roger Smith to learn the latest developments and techniques in making fine art prints of my photographs and artwork.”

Leone Pippard is an emerging photographer, painter, and literary author. Born in Stoney Creek, Ontario, her career path saw her first studying fine arts and graphic design at OCAD University, followed by writing and producing radio programs at the CBC Broadcasting Corporation. Afterward, with colleague Heather Malcolm, Leone organized a multi-year behavioural-film study on the St. Lawrence beluga whales. This led her to advocate protection and conservation on the population’s behalf. During this period, Leone wrote the COSEWIC status report that saw this marine mammal population designated as an endangered species of Canada, and she also partnered with World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace in organizing a successful public campaign to see the creation of Canada and Quebec’s Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. This was followed by Leone’s founding and running for many years, first in Quebec and then in New Brunswick, a sustainable development consultancy. Woven, however, throughout all these ventures has been Leone’s lifelong love for photography, painting, and creative writing, all of which she is pursuing more fervently today. Leone has received national awards and honours for her contributions to Canada and Canadians.