Veronica Merryfield (she/her)

Founder

Veronica identifies as intersex and transgender, long story. She transitioned in the 90s.

Veronica was born in the east end of London, grew up in Southampton, did her electrical and electronic engineering degree in Portsmouth and then worked in Cambridge. She has travelled extensively and lived in various places around the globe and now calls Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada home.  Before semi-retiring out of tech she worked with a couple of tech startups in Cape Breton and taught part time at Dalhousie University, Halifax. She now teaches and consults  on Equity Diversity and Inclusion as well as doing HR Investigations. 

Veronica is currently chair of the board for Undercurrent Youth Society, on the board of the Cape Breton Center for Sexual Health and sits on the Advisory Council for the Status of Women. 

Veronica has setup support groups in a few places she has lived and delivered training to a number of organisations both locally and further afield - the Samaritans suidcide hotline in the UK,  staff of Transition House, Cape Breton Partnership, GSA conferences with with schools and the Youth Project, GSA in Michigan, CBU Nurses program, the Elizabeth Fry society, Marine Atlantic and more.

She campaigned for a change in the Nova Scotia Family Services Act which took efffect October 27th, 2020 to better support LGBT+ children in difficult home environments and was involved in the Federal Conversion Therapy ban bill C4.

Veronica was the Nova Scotia Human Rights 2023 individual award winner for her advocacy and 2023 YMCA Peace Medal award winner

Veronica is a luthier, teaches and speaks on the subject, plays bass guitar  and keyboards, has been known to deign build and fly radio control gliders, is a writer, photographer and partial to a decent cup of tea.

veronica@cbtn.ca