Leadership Team

Our Leadership

Nichols is an employee-owned, Alberta–based organization, proudly offering top of the line environmental services across western Canada. Our leadership team consists of driven individuals who have not only been with us for numerous years, they are passionate about working together to uphold the high standards that Nichols is known for.

Barry Rakewich, P.Ag., EP

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
It’s the people…I genuinely enjoy working with everyone at Nichols. Everyone brings something unique to the table and it is rewarding to see how everyone’s skill set contributes to our collective success.
Favorite part of your role?
Building a team and fostering a workplace environment where everyone genuinely likes each other and they are proud to call Nichols home.
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
For the most part I can be found outside, working in my yard, hiking in the nearby ravines, camping/skiing/skating/biking with my family.
Most impactful moment of your career?
Over 20 years there have been many…in all honesty the biggest moment of my career has been working through the ownership transition in 2021 with everyone involved.
Words you live by (or favorite quote)?
‘Don’t worry about a thing, because every little thing is going to be alright.’ – Bob Marley

President

Ryan Taylor, P.Biol., EP

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
Being part of the Nichols team is a big part of who I am as a person after 22 years with the company. The sense of pride and ownership in each job we complete together for our clients brings a lot of satisfaction to me.
Favorite part of your role?
That every day is different. Working with our internal team to move projects forward. Working with long-standing and new clients to find the solutions that work for them.
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
Up until the last few years you would find me on the field or at the rink helping coach my girls' soccer/hockey teams. Now I get to sit back in wonder and watch my two beautiful girls grow and find their way in life as they move on to post-secondary school. With a little more time on my hands we spend weekends at our little trailer in the woods. I try to play golf and hockey as an old timer as well, to keep limber.
Most impactful moment of your career?
Well, sending my resume in to Nichols in 2000 after moving back from Grande Prairie, where I worked for a few years in consulting. The opportunity to grow, learn and provide for my family in a profession I have truly enjoyed was life changing for me. I will always be grateful to Rob Dickie for providing me this opportunity.
Words you live by (or favorite quote)?
Choose kind.

EVP - Environmental

David Nuell, P.Ag.

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
Everyone at Nichols has different strengths, even though we have similarly skilled people.  Some of us are more technical, others more strategic.  The mix that we have at Nichols makes us an exceptional and diverse team.  Being a part of this team is what I love most about Nichols.
Favorite part of your role?
I’ve always been taught that leadership is action and not a position.  My favorite part of my role with Nichols is supporting our junior and intermediate scientists/technologists and helping them grow and develop into strong leaders.
I love working on a diverse range of projects with a diverse range of clients.  Every day is something new!
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
When I am away from my desk, I am with my family and can often be found cheering and supporting my kids either at the soccer field with my son or at the ringette ice with my daughter.  Watching them excel in sport and grow in confidence is an immensely positive influence on my life.
Most impactful moment of your career?
I left a position at the University of Calgary in 2006 to join Nichols after talking to a former student who was with our Edmonton office.  I was taking a chance to grow with Nichols and start the Calgary office and the choice to do so was a defining moment in my life.  When interviewing new candidates, I always bring up this story and say that is the day I stopped working a ‘job’ and started a ‘career’.
Words you live by (or favorite quote)?
Take every chance you get in life because some things only happen once.

EVP - Environmental

Matthew Dean, P.Eng.

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
I enjoy the camaraderie that we have as a company; we have a close knit culture that aligns our teams and fosters a lot of cooperation.
Favorite part of your role?
Mentoring and helping to develop my team and our staff. It’s great to see people grow within their roles as well as into new ones.
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
In the summer, you will find me mountain biking, either on river valley trails or in the mountains and in the winter, look for me either skiing in the mountains or cross-country skiing at great trails around Edmonton.
Most impactful moment of your career?
Joining together with a great group and purchasing Nichols.
Words to live by:“In business and in life, relationships matter.”
Favorite quote: “Don’t beat up on yourself; there is a whole world out there waiting to do it for you!”

EVP - Engineering

Tawnya Anderson, B.Sc., EP

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
What I love about being a part of the Nichols team is the diversity of experience.
Favorite part of your role?
Favorite part of my role is mentoring others on how contaminants work and how to identify potential environmental risks, then watching the process as the information is absorbed and applied to projects going forward.
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
When I’m not at Nichols, I can be found working in my vegetable or herb garden during the summer and fall. In the offseason, you’ll find me researching and planning the following years’ gardens.
Most impactful moment of your career?
Most impactful moment of my career has honestly been the realization that some of the relationships I’ve built with clients have been going for 10+ years.
Words you live by (or favorite quote)?
Keep an open mind and look at situations from all angles.

Senior Project Manager

Laxmi Kant Kachhwal, Ph.D., P.Eng.

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
What I love the most about being part of the Nichols team is being able to keep work/life balance and having a stress-free work environment. The best part of working with Nichols is that it has an open-door policy. Nichols is like a family; a workplace that values and actively seeks your input and suggestions, making you feel respected as an employee. Nichols recognizes employees’ achievements and fosters employee participation. It creates a sense of belonging and I like the people I work with.
Favorite part of your role?
Engineering challenges are what drive me, and my favorite part as a geotechnical engineer is seeing the challenges transfer from design on paper to execution on ground. I like challenges, especially ones that require me to think outside of the box. In my role of Senior Project Manager, I get ample opportunities to apply my experience and knowledge. Apart from engineering, I love mentoring junior staff where I can nurture their skills and help them advance in their career.
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
If not working, you can find me camping and hiking in the Rockies during the summer with my family. Otherwise, if I am not running around town for my kids' classes, you can find me at home cooking, listening to retro Bollywood tunes, and reading about the things that impact the world I live in.
Most impactful moment of your career?
I would have to say the thing I am most proud of is when my first research paper was published . It was a great feeling to see your research and hard work getting reviewed and accepted by peers. Following that moment, I have published several other papers, though the feeling is still the same. Other proud moments that impacted both my career and life were getting invited for my Ph.D. degree at Western University, getting a job offer from Nichols, and recently becoming a proud partner in the new ownership group.
Words you live by (or favorite quote)?
“Excellence happens not by accident. It is a process.” By APJ Abdul Kalam

Senior Project Manager

Kyle Jackson, P.Tech. (Geo.)

What do you love about being part of the Nichols team?
I love being a part of a great team that works collaboratively to do work that sets us apart within the industry.
Favorite part of your role?
Mentoring staff to help them reach their goals and build on their strengths/experiences to further their personal and professional development.
Where can we find you when you’re not at Nichols?
When not at Nichols I spend as much time as I can at the lake, being on the water with the family enjoying the summer sun!
Most impactful moment of your career?
One particular saying that sticks out is that “every project comes to an end”... a good reminder to keep perspective during the highs and lows of the job. Don’t get too worked up over a bad project and take-in and enjoy the good ones! Our careers give us the opportunity to see a lot of different places and have a lot of unique experiences - so enjoy it!
Words you live by (or favorite quote)?
It is the journey that matters – live every day.

Senior Project Manager

Leadership Team

Our Leadership

Contact Us