We are Coastal People
Here on the Great Northern Peninsula, the sea is our teacher. It has always been. It teaches resilience in the way we mend nets, rebuild wharves, and start again after the storms. It teaches patience; in the way fog rolls in without apology and reminds us that not everything can be hurried. And it teaches unity, because no one survives long out here without it.
The power of community: when one town builds, the next believes. When one voice rises, the others echo. When one trail opens, the coast breathes again
We are coastal people. We’ve weathered economic shifts, outmigration, storms, and silence. And still we are here. Because resilience here is not about resistance alone. It’s about remembering that strength is not found in standing alone but in standing together village to village, harbour to harbour, story to story.
Great Coastal Team
Erika Pardy
Executive
Director
Erika Pardy is the Executive Director of the Great Coastal Trail Authority and a dynamic leader with deep roots in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Born in Labrador, raised on Fogo Island, and with strong family ties in Twillingate, she understands firsthand the realities, resilience, and challenges facing coastal and rural communities. That lived experience shapes her commitment to creating meaningful opportunity and long-term prosperity for the regions she serves.
Trail Design &
Development Specialist
Melissa Mills brings a deep-rooted connection to Newfoundland’s landscapes and a passion for environmental stewardship to her role. Growing up in Central Newfoundland, surrounded by forest and the mighty Exploits River, she developed a profound appreciation for the natural world. The red, iron-rich sandstone, the annual migration of Atlantic Salmon, the songbirds at her backyard feeder, and the rhythm of the seasons sparked an early curiosity about the land, its ecosystems, and the science that sustains them.
Melissa Mills
Project Manager
Trails & Community Development
Lucas brings a deep-rooted appreciation for Newfoundland’s Northern Peninsula and a multidisciplinary background in environmental planning, community engagement, and applied sustainability. Having made Western Newfoundland his home for several years, Lucas developed a strong connection to the region’s rugged landscapes, resilient communities, and untapped economic potential.