BC Parks Foundation

Who we are

BC Parks Foundation Reports

Board

Warren Beach

Board Treasurer, Chair of Finance and Audit Committee

Warren graduated from UBC in 1989 with a BA in Political Science and was a member of the Men’s Varsity Rowing Team throughout his time there. After graduating, he went on to earn his Chartered Accountant designation with Ernst and Young in Vancouver. His career has spanned a number of industries and he has served as CFO of Sierra Systems Group, TimberWest and Aritzia. He then went on to serve as CEO of Hold It All Inc., the holding company of Chip Wilson (founder of Lululemon) and as the President & CEO of Augusta Capital Corporation. He is currently the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Odlum Brown.

Warren has completed executive education at Harvard University and has obtained the ICD.D designation for Corporate Board Governance at the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management.

Warren is a member of the UBC Alumni Advisory Council, and he serves on the Finance & Audit Committee of Alumni UBC. He is a member of the UBC “Gold of Life” Committee supporting rowing at the University of British Columbia. Warren is also a member of the Cabinet of the Business Laureates of B.C. Hall of Fame and is a mentor/coach with the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.

Previously, Warren served for six years as Vice-Chair of the Board of the BC Woman’s Health Foundation. He served for over ten years as a Foundation Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs Foundation of Southcoast BC and served for seven years on the Cabinet of the United Way, including acting as Cabinet Co-Chair in 2011/12. In 2022, Warren was awarded the Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCPA, FCA) designation by his peers in recognition of his professional and community contributions. In 2024, Warren was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in the “Builder” category along with his peers on the UBC Gold For Life Committee.

Warren is a member of the Lotus Cycling Team based in Vancouver.
Ross Beaty

Board Chair, Chair of Executive and Strategy Committee

Ross is a geologist and resource entrepreneur with over 45 years of experience in the international minerals and renewable energy industries. A graduate of the University of BC in geology and law and Imperial College in geology, Ross is an internationally recognized leader in both non-renewable and renewable resource development. He has founded and divested a number of companies and remains founder and chairman of Pan American Silver Corp., one of the world’s leading silver producers, and founder and chairman of Alterra Power Corp., a mid-sized renewable energy company with solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power operations in BC, Texas, Indiana and Iceland.

Ross is also a well-known environmental philanthropist, primarily through The Sitka Foundation. He serves on the advisory board of the Nature Trust of BC, is a director of The Pacific Salmon Foundation, a director of Panthera, and is patron of the Beaty Biodiversity Center at the University of British Columbia.
Barbara Brink

Board Member

Barbara is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia. She was the founder, chair, CEO and driving force behind the creation of Science World in Vancouver, and currently sits on the boards of Junior Achievement of BC and Architectural Institute of BC. She previously founded and chaired the West Vancouver Community Centres Society.

Barbara also serves as co-chair of the Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame Cabinet. Thanks to her leadership, the gala remains in the top three list of events in BC and has raised more than $10 million since its inception. Barbara has also chaired the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation, was two-year chair of the United Way Campaign, founder of Leadership Vancouver, and vice chair of the Laurier Institution. She was on the board of Legal Services Society and the West Vancouver Police Board, and is a consultant in governance and in resource development. In 2014, Barbara received the Business in Vancouver Influential Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award.
Cynthia Callison

Board Vice Chair and Chair of Conservation Fund Committee

Cynthia is a founding partner of Callison & Hanna Law Firm. She has been a leading negotiator in agreements between Indigenous peoples, governments, and resource developers. She is a graduate of the Sauder School of Business and the Allard School of Law at UBC and she received a Masters in Constitutional Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

She is a well regarded public speaker and an invited presenter at global dialogues on Indigenous peoples. She currently serves on a number of boards which provide leadership for revitalizing Indigenous well-being. Cynthia is a member of the Tahltan Nation whose territory is the Stikine River Watershed in northwestern BC.
Ric Careless

Emeritus

For over almost 50 years, Ric has been a passionate advocate for British Columbia’s world class parks and wilderness. During this time, he led citizen campaigns that have protected four million hectares across British Columbia including: the Spatsizi – Stikine, Purcell Mountains, Babine Mountains, Height of the Rockies, Tatshenshini, Chilcotin Mountains, Cathedral-Snowy and Nitinat Triangle in Pacific Rim National Park.

Ric co-founded the Sierra Club of British Columbia in 1970, as well as the BC Wilderness Tourism Association in the 1990’s. Since 1989, he has served as the executive director of BC Spaces for Nature. Ric is the chair of the campaign for BC Parks, a multi-organizational alliance concerned with improving the resourcing of our province’s park system, and is also president of the BC Parks Elders Society. His consulting company, Ethos Environmental, has specialized on wilderness conservation and ecotourism policy formulation and strategy. For this lifetime of work, Ric has received numerous awards in Canada, the US and BC, where he is a recipient of the Order of British Columbia.
Jessica Hopkins

Chair of Protected Areas Committee

Jessica is a member of the Sekw’el’was community, which is part of the St’at’imc Nation. She is the General Manager at Splitrock Environmental Consulting. Jessica attended Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and Vancouver Island University, specializing in fisheries and aquaculture science. She also has a certificate in Environmental Monitoring. Jessica loves being an integral part of her community and when she is not working she can be found spending time with friends and family or planning her next exciting adventure.
Daniel Johnston

Board Secretary, Chair of Governance and Human Resources Committee

A lawyer by profession, Dan is a conflict prevention and resolution specialist who deals with a wide range of complex, multi-party, aboriginal, commercial, environmental, land use and public policy issues. Examples of Dan’s mediation work include many of British Columbia’s CORE and LRMP land use processes, the Whitehorse Mining Initiative, the Canadian Roundtable on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industries Operating in Developing Countries, the Great Bear Rainforest (over a seventeen year period), BC Hydro’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee, the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, numerous issues associated with fin-fish aquaculture in BC, the British Columbia Climate Leadership Team, and the discussions between a number of oil sands companies and environmental organizations that led to their mutual support of the 2016 Alberta Climate Leadership Plan.

He is also a founding member and director of the COCO Cafe, an award winning social enterprise established to create skills training, employment and socialization opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities, and a director of the Nanaimo Association for Community Living.
Rudy Kerklaan

Board Member

Rudy has more than three decades of experience in the investment industry. He was a fixed income portfolio manager for many years as well as a founding partner of Connor, Clark & Lunn Investment Management in 1982. Rudy helped start up CC&L Private Capital in 1997, serving on the company’s management committee and the board of directors for many years. A graduate of Concordia University with an MBA, he also served as a Western Canada’s ambassador for Concordia’s $250 million Capital Campaign. Rudy is a CFA charterholder and served as the President Vancouver Society of Financial Analysts.

Rudy takes an active involvement in his community and in particular with United Way, holding many volunteer roles with the organization since 1997 including account Chair of Major Gifts, Co-Chair of the UWLM Annual Campaign and Board Member. In 2022, Rudy
became Board Chair of United Way British Columbia and is currently Past Chair and member of the Governance Committee. In 2015 Rudy was proud to receive the Joseph and Rosalie Segal United Way Community Vision Award, which recognizes commitment to the
betterment of the community through leadership and support of United Way. In 2023, he joined the Board of United Way Centraide and is a member of the Finance & Audit Committee.

Rudy is also an active member of the United Church Community serving as Chair of Finance and on the Board of Trustees of his congregation. He is currently a Co-Chair of the Forward First Capital Campaign, a major re-development project that will serve the Indigenous and Downtown Eastside communities. In 2023, Rudy joined the Board of the Vancouver School of Theology Foundation and is a member of the Investment Advisory Committee.

After celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary with his wife Elizabeth, 2 daughters Emily, Heather and their partners, and grandkids; Rudy recently retired from Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd. as Vice Chairman. Both Emily and Heather are also active supporters of the United Way with Heather currently serving on the United Way Gen-X committee.
Tamara Little

Board Member

Tamara brings 20+ years’ experience in corporate communications, public affairs and government relations to her clients, including eight years at Canada’s top two public relations and public affairs firms where she was a Director and Vice President. Before that she spent eleven years in public service advising Ministers and Mayors in B.C. municipal and provincial governments.

Tamara’s main interest is how to bring an integrated set of solutions to help clients communicate with audiences and achieve broad support and build profile and reputation. She is an expert in issues management and crisis communications, in which she frequently trains clients. As a trained social scientist (Anthropologist), Tamara is committed to using research and insights on which to base programs.

Tamara’s clients have included some of B.C.'s largest companies and organizations, including marine shippers, terminals and ports, business associations, regulated utilities, energy sector, including renewables, natural gas and LNG projects and associations, forestry and mining companies, associations, universities, transportation organizations, municipal governments, Indigenous Governments, not-for-profits and others.

Tamara spent seven years in B.C. Government communications, in Manager and Director roles, leading all communications for the Ministries of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources, Transportation and the Treaty Negotiations Office. She also served as communications, government relations and marketing director for Partnerships BC, the provincially-owned company responsible for public capital project procurement. Before that she ran a B.C.-wide consultation program for the Legislature on treaty negotiations, and spent four years advising Mayors and City Managers on Aboriginal relations and treaty negotiations.

Tamara has honours Undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in Anthropology from UBC, focused on BC Indigenous Nations. Tamara grew up in small-town B.C. in Penticton, and lives in East Vancouver with her husband and son. She is an avid creator, including painting, sewing and calligraphy and loves to read.

She has a passion for community volunteering and governance. She is the former Chair of the Kettle Friendship Society Board, a mental health care and housing organization; the former Chair of the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House as well as its Fundraising Committee; the former chair of the Public Affairs Association of Canada BC Chapter and is a member of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. She is trained in public engagement and consultation through the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2).
Greg Moore

Special Advisor

Greg currently serves as a consultant and advisor to parks, public lands, and conservation efforts in the United States and globally. Recent consulting assignments include the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Chesapeake Bay Conservancy, Amigos de los Parques in Patagonia, Chile, and the International Landscape Conservation Network (ILCN). Through the ILCN, he is advising landscape conservation projects in Europe, China, and Canada.

Greg was the founder and longtime President & CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. During his more than three decades of leadership, the Conservancy grew to become one of the most successful, innovative, and accomplished nonprofit support organizations to any national park in the United States.

The Conservancy is recognized for its accomplishments in park design, cross sector partnerships, large scale conservation efforts, environmental philanthropy, community engagement, and public support. Under Greg’s leadership, the Conservancy provided more than $750 million in support to park projects and programs at the Golden Gate National Parks –and supported over 25,000 volunteers annually. During his tenure, the Conservancy received numerous awards for excellence in interpretation, conservation, youth programs, philanthropic and park improvement efforts.

Greg has served as an advisor to national parks and public land efforts throughout the United States – including well-known locations such as Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and more. He has worked on international assignments as an advisor to conservation and park projects in in Australia, Chile, China, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa.

Greg holds a B.S. in Conservation of Natural Resources from U.C. Berkeley with a minor in Landscape Architecture and completed a Mid-career Fellowship in Environmental Planning at the University of Washington. He currently serves on the board of the Conservation Lands Foundation, on the Advisory Board of Amigos de los Parques in Patagonia, Chile and as an advisor to the BC Parks Foundation.
Jim Standen

Board Member

Jim was appointed the assistant deputy minister of BC Parks & Conservation Officer Service on October 14th, 2014. Previous to this, Jim was the assistant deputy minister of Environmental Protection Division for four years.

Jim started his career in government as an auxiliary fisheries technician in Kamloops in 1992. Since then, he has held positions in environmental stewardship, planning and assessment, environmental protection, strategic policy and water management. Prior to becoming ADM, Jim was director of the Regional Operations Branch for the Environmental Protection Division and chair of the Coast Region Interagency Directors Committee. During his 25-year career with the Ministry of Environment, he has had the opportunity to develop a broad knowledge of the business of the ministry and expertise in strategic planning, financial management and legislation and policy development. Jim has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of British Columbia, and studied accounting/business at UBC and Thompson Rivers University.

Jim was a trustee on the Saanich Board of Education from 2005-2014. He was vice chair of the board from 2011 through 2014, and chaired the Finance and Facilities Committee, Policy Committee and Human Resources Committee at various times. Jim was also a member of the Capital Regional District Roundtable on the Environment and Economy from 2001- 2003.

Jim shares a home in North Saanich with his wife, Penny, and kids Conor, Stephanie and Maddy.
Terry Teegee

Board Member

Terry Teegee's ancestry is Dakelh, Gitxsan, and Sekani and he is a member of the Takla First Nation. He is the elected regional chief of the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (AFN) serving his third term. He is passionate about nature and indigenous protected and conserved areas, serving as the AFN Representative on the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity. With a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources Management and a diploma in Natural Resources Technology, Terry has been deeply involved in natural resources and related policies throughout his career. Regional Chief Teegee also chairs the AFN's United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Committee and was instrumental in the development and historic passing of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in BC.
Ivan Thompson

Chair of Fundraising and Communications Committee

Ivan evolved a passion for the people and places of British Columbia’s wild salmon ecosystem into his life’s primary work. By fortunate accident, in 1981 he came to live in the mighty Skeena watershed. Had he been able to find his first teaching job further south, he probably would have taken it. Instead, he moved to a village on the wilderness shores of Lake Babine. Over the next two decades, he fell more and more deeply in love with the area as he explored much of the Skeena, the Stikine and the North Coast while working as a teacher, outdoor instructor, counsellor, and college director.

Ivan engaged with northern BC communities in the land use planning initiatives of the nineties that led to a doubling of the BC’s protected areas network, and later with North Coast indigenous communities in accessing conservation financing to enable their environmental and economic visions for the Great Bear Rainforest. For most of the past two decades, he has helped guide philanthropic foundations in investing in protection of healthy lands and waters as the heart of life and livelihoods in BC.

Ivan worked as program officer with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation from 2007 to 2017 and then as senior advisor with MakeWay’s Pacific Salmon Watershed’s Fund until 2022. He continues to advise and facilitate relationships amongst philanthropic, government, indigenous and NGO leaders through his roles of practitioner fellow at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Global Studies and of trustee with the boards of the BC Parks Foundation and the Portland-based Wild Salmon Centre.
Gill Winckler

Board Member

Gill grew up in South Africa where she graduated with a bachelor of science degree and then went on to become a Chartered Accountant. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, often walking and biking in the local forests, kayaking and having outdoor picnics and barbeques. She has been a director of the Trans Canada Trail board since 2018, and is aiming to cycle the whole trail across the country.

Gill worked initially in the auditing profession and in corporate finance in South Africa and London, UK. She spent 16 years with the mining company BHP Billiton in London, moving with them to Vancouver in 2009. Her 20 years in mining saw her involved with corporate and divisional strategy, mergers and acquisitions, divestments, exploration as well as project evaluation and development. Gill is a director of Pan American Silver Corp., West Fraser Timber Ltd and FLSmidth & Co. A/S.

Track Record

Since 2018, your generosity and support for BC Parks Foundation has created lasting change in the landscapes that British Columbians love. Together, we've:

Protected 58 beautiful places covering over 114,000 hectares of land. In addition to protecting wildlife and their habitat, these areas store carbon, help prevent drought and flooding, and provide human health, recreation and cultural benefits.
Launched Canada's first National Park Prescription program with over 15,000 healthcare professionals registered across Canada who’ve written over one million prescriptions for nature.
Launched the Discover Parks Ambassador program providing youth-led programming and engagement to nearly 470,000 park visitors in BC's parks.
Inspired British Columbians to make over 30 million observations of nature.

Our board members and staff bring extensive experience and a proven capacity for large-scale impact. Together, they’ve successfully created and managed companies valued at over $5 billion, held senior leadership roles in government agencies, and played pivotal roles in landmark conservation efforts such as the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement, the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, the Wild Salmon Policy, and the BC Climate Leadership Team. Additionally, they’ve led campaigns resulting in the creation of over four million hectares of parks in British Columbia, demonstrating their commitment and expertise in achieving ambitious conservation goals.

The Foundation's Annual Report can be downloaded here. For copies of previous reports, please email info@bcparksfoundation.ca. The Foundation retains an auditor for its financial statements.

Robert Bateman

Founding Member & Champion

In many ways parks have made me who I am. As an Ontario boy, I thought of Algonquin Park as a kind of Nirvana. It denoted wilderness and nature in a pure form. Wolves roamed there. When I landed a job, ages 17-19, doing “chores” at the research station, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. It also became apparent that the people who worked in parks, the rangers and naturalists, were an important part of the scene. They appreciate and protect nature for others to enjoy. These people became my role models.

BC parks are among the most spectacular in the world because this province is blessed with a great variety of natural habitats from mountains to marine. We need to use them or lose them but at the same time we must not love them to death with too many amenities. It will take vigilance and budgets to guarantee that our parks will be as beneficial to future generations as they are to us.

Wade Davis

My life took a turn at 15 when I spent a summer in Manning Park, working as a member of the Youth Crew, building trails, fighting fires, maintaining the campgrounds. Splitting firewood in the sun, with room and board and three dollars a day the only financial reward, taught me that work is not about money; it's about pride, strength, perseverance and grit, values that would forge the foundation of my professional life. Altogether, I worked eight seasons for BC Parks, culminating in a much coveted position as the first park ranger in the Spatsizi Plateau, British Columbia's largest wilderness park. My job description was deliciously vague; public relations and wilderness assessment. In two four month seasons my partner and I encountered not a dozen visitors, leaving us free to wander, as we mapped the trails, surveyed the wildlife, ran the rivers, and established routes up all the major peaks. This prolonged apprenticeship with the Parks, all that I learned in E.C. Manning and Naikoon, Mount Assiniboine, Atlin Mountain, Mount Edziza, and Spatsizi Plateau, left me with both a deep appreciation of nature, and a profound sense of belonging, a spirit of place that is the essence of Canadian patriotism. In good measure, I owe my life and career to BC Parks. Surely the opportunities that I had in my youth, the chance to unburden an adolescent mind and reward the body with hard physical work, to experience for the first time the true miracle of nature, to seek the promise of transformation, even transcendence, as found only in the wild heart of the world, ought to be part of the birthright of every new generation of British Columbians.

Ben Haggar

Freelance photographer, writer, and content creator

Spending time recreating in nature was a keystone of my upbringing and set me on a path to appreciate and help to protect wild places. Connecting with nature allows me to feel centred and balanced within myself. When I moved to BC from Ontario at age 19, I was overwhelmed at the scale of the fog cloaked mountains, old growth cedars, and cold green waves rolling in towards pristine beaches. With so much incredible diversity, I couldn’t believe that the entire province wasn’t one huge provincial park!

I feel incredibly lucky for the recreational opportunities here in BC. From surfing Naikoon in Haida Gwaii, bikepacking the South Chilcotins, ski touring at Kokanee, and climbing the Squamish Chief and Garibaldi from my front door. It gives me real peace of mind knowing that these special areas are protected and that there is an endless supply of new discoveries and experiences to be had right here at home in BC.

Greg Hill

Skier, film maker, climber, and sustainable adventurer

Many of my most memorable moments were in the parks in British Columbia. I have savored my freedom moving through the mountains, contemplated life surrounded by giant cedars and finished days watching the sun set into the Pacific Ocean. These parks are the identity of BC and need to be protected and preserved for our kids and theirs, while also enjoyed by us.

John Montalbano

My family did not have very many luxuries. Growing up as a child in East Vancouver, our weekend family time was exploring the numerous parks to the north and east of Vancouver. Free access to parks was essential for my parents to entertain and educate my sister and me. I love our parks to this day.

Dr. Sally Otto

From Ruckle Provincial Park in the Garry oak ecosystem to the glacier-fed lakes of Mount Assiniboine, the parks of British Columbia are truly majestic. Camping in these parks allows families, like mine, to experience nature directly and to pass along to our children a love of wildlife. The parks are also a critical refuge for the most endangered animals and plants. BC is home to the most species diversity of any province in Canada but also home to the most species at risk. Without well managed parks, we are likely to lose dozens, if not hundreds, of the animal and plant species that make BC so special.

Eric Peterson

Founding Member and Champion

I was born in Port Alberni and grew up on Vancouver Island. That was the era when family vacations meant packing the camping gear into the trunk of the Buick and heading off down one BC's brand new highways. It was pure exploration and discovery - the Cariboo, the Slocan Valley, the Big Bend highway, the Chilcotin - exploring the wonders of the province by day, and pulling in for the night at a BC Parks campground. Those experiences kindled my love of exploration and new vistas, which took me around the world as a scientist (biology PhD) then later as a technology entrepreneur. I founded the BC-based Tula Foundation in 2002 and set up Tula’s Hakai Institute in 2010. Hakai develops the tools, systems, people and insights we need to understand our coastal ecosystems in the context of climate change, and to deal with the consequences that are coming. We operate field stations at remote locations on the BC coast. We have our own scientific staff plus a large network that includes university researchers, government scientists and First Nations. For the past eight years we have enjoyed a very close and productive partnership with BC Parks via our Calvert Island field station, which is located in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest.

Aylish Anglin

Office Administrator

Art has been a lifelong hobby for Aylish, as she has feels it brings her closer to nature. She has often found that she is at her most serene while sitting in silence and sketching the world around her and our parks, full of beautiful water and plant life, make for unique works of art.

When she's not not sketching or painting, her favorite outdoor pastime is kayaking on a glassy, still lake. Aylish believes that our parks provide us with opportunities to slow down and appreciate how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful province. She is driven to help preserve them for the future.

Sarah Anning

Land Conservation Coordinator

Sarah grew up on Vancouver Island and in the Caribbean. Her love of nature led her to pursue a degree in biology at the University of Victoria. From there, she worked in various conservation and environmental restoration roles, before obtaining her juris doctorate and heading to Calgary to work in private practice. Sarah returned to Nanaimo in 2022 and is very happy to once more be helping to protect natural areas through her role with BC Parks Foundation.

Sarah's favorite pastimes include hiking in local parks, spending the day at a river or beach, birding, and paddling.

Kai Bowes

Digital & Social Media Coordinator

Born and raised in Vancouver, Kai is often told that it’s a rarity to be a true Vancouverite. Perhaps it was all the time he spent in nature growing up – trekking through Pacific Spirit Park, swimming at Jericho Beach, mountain biking at Mount Fromme, walking along the Seawall, and playing road hockey in the back alleys of Kitsilano – that cultivated his love for nature and kept him rooted in the most beautiful city on Earth. Rather unbelievably, he hasn’t done the Grouse Grind yet, despite constant reminders that he should.

A recent graduate from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University, Kai is eager to apply his knowledge in the real world and help spread the word about the valuable and inspiring mission of the Foundation.

In his spare time, you’ll find Kai in net as a hockey goalie, building LEGO sets, exploring the outdoors, chilling with friends, and yes, scrolling through an endless amount of Instagram Reels.

Cohen Bradley

Director, Indigenous Initiatives

A member of the Haida Nation, Cohen blends culture and communications in roles such as traditional performer, master of ceremonies, public speaker, and creative. He works towards the restoration of traditional practices within a modern context. For the past 15 years, this has been in the Haida Gwaii and provincial Indigenous tourism industry. Cohen now supports the BC Parks Foundation to build relationships with First Nations across BC. A focus of this work is to build a network of support for stewardship and connection to nature between the Foundation and Nations that prioritizes a grounded and reciprocal approach.

Emma Brickstock

Graphic Designer

Emma earned her Bachelor's degree in Communication Design from Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Raised near the Rockies, she draws inspiration from natural elements, fostering mindfulness for her creations' impact on the environment. Post-graduation, Emma honed her skills in the lively creative hub of Brighton, England, focusing on branding and brand identity.

Beyond her role as a designer, Emma loves getting outside, whether it's hiking, backpacking, cycling, or playing tennis. She embraces every opportunity to get active in the outdoors.

Aaron Butcher

Discover Trails Coordinator

For the last 15 years, Aaron has immersed himself in the photo, video, and graphic design industry. Ever since he was a child, his passion has revolved around capturing and crafting unforgettable moments through the lens and sharing them with loved ones.
He spent many years organizing outdoor community events with a drive to connect people of all backgrounds to each other and nature.
Driven by his affection for community and the visual arts, Aaron is excited to bring his skills and creative eye to the Discover Trails Coordinator position.

Peter Byrne

Manager, Digital Experience

Peter first fell in love with BC's beauty during a visit at the age of ten and since then, always harbored a dream of living here. Finally settling in 2022, Peter has loved exploring the coastlines, parks, mountains, and hiking trails that BC has had to offer.

Driven by his passion for both BC's landscapes and good web experiences, Peter recently joined the BC Parks Foundation as the Manager, Digital Experience. He is eager to utilize his exertise in web technologies to help the Foundation effectively communicate its mission and message and make BC's parks more accessible to people throughout BC and the wider world.

When Peter isn't immersed in all things web related, you can find him skiing down the slopes, camping with friends or joyfully tending to furry companions as a dog sitter.

Maurine Charpentier

Manager, Discover Centre

Maurine grew up in Martinique - spending her time swimming, scuba diving, and hiking in dreamy places - where she developed a real passion for the environment. She moved to BC at the beginning of 2021 and has been exploring its gorgeous landscapes and parks since then.

Professionally, Maurine has a Master’s degree in Marketing and Management and four years of experience as an Event Project Manager. After two years of Covid, she is truly happy to start creating happy moments again. As a driven individual who strongly believes that business can be used for good, she feels lucky to share the mission of the Foundation.

Dr. Andrew Day

Chief Executive Officer

Andy has been CEO at the BC Parks Foundation from its inception. Previously, he started and ran a consulting company focused on coastal ocean planning and research, and built and ran a successful seafood company. Andy has a doctorate degree in resource and environmental management and a juris doctorate in law.

Tim Ennis

Director, Private Land Acquisition and Management

Tim is a conservation biologist with over 20 years of experience working to protect and restore biodiversity in BC. Tim volunteers for the Steering Committee of the Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership, which works to protect and restore environmental values in the Salish Sea region. His work has involved extensive education and outreach components including national, provincial and local television, radio, print and online media. Tim is a fourth generation Vancouver Islander, and spends his free time mountaineering, back-country skiing, hiking, kayaking, hunting or mountain biking all over the Island and beyond.

Laura Hergott

Manager, Healthy by Nature

Laura Hergott manages the day to day operations and administration of the PaRx program. With a background in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Laura was drawn to PaRx by the evidence-based research backing nature prescriptions. In science, Laura was passionate about making cutting-edge research more accessible to the public. Now, she brings that passion to the BC Parks Foundation, hoping to make nature more accessible for others. In her spare time, Laura enjoys rock climbing in Squamish and hiking with her dog on the North Shore.

Megan Howse

Discover Parks Coordinator: Nature Houses

Megan is a passionate environmentalist and outdoor enthusiast who was born and raised on Vancouver Island. Fuelled by her love of nature, she pursued a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Victoria. Eager to expand her knowledge and make a difference in environmental conservation, Megan continued her learned by completing a Masters of Environmental Science and Management at Royal Roads University. Her love for animals and the outdoors led her to the BC Parks Foundation in May 2023, where she now works to help educate people on the importance of British Columbia's system of parks and protected areas and all the intricacies within our ecosystems. In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the barn, finding new hiking spots, or enjoying a good book.

Gabrielle Jolly

Assistant Manager, Discover Parks Ambassadors

Growing up next to the mountains and the ocean on B.C’s north shore, Gabrielle has consistently had a passion for the outdoors. From hiking the local mountains, to paddling the coastal waters, she always finds an excuse to spend time engaging with the environment. She holds a deep love and respect for the outdoors and firmly believes in the healing power of nature.

Professionally, Gabrielle comes from a guiding and experiential education background having taken groups on adventures as close to home as Mt Seymour, to as far reaching as New Zealand. She recently completed a graduate diploma in Adventure Education, further enhancing her knowledge on getting people outside. She is always searching for ways to connect people with nature and is thrilled to have this written into her job description at the BC Parks Foundation. Outside of work, you can find Gabrielle hiking, paddling, skiing, reading, or working on her tiny home school bus conversion.

David Karuhije

Senior Coordinator, Marketing

David was born in Rwanda, Africa, raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and then moved to Vancouver in 2014. With a background in communications and production, he brings with him years of experience working on projects of various scales.

He is passionate about inspiring others through story-telling! His favourite way to interact with nature is cycling through the North Shore and hiking the beautiful trails that abound the Greater Vancouver area.

Kiki Kirkpatrick

Senior Coordinator, Nature Education

Kiki found connection with nature in her youth while paddling the Ontario lakes and rivers systems. Since moving to BC, Kiki has continued to feel inspired by the lush greenery of the coastal rainforest.

Kiki holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Guelph and a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication from Laurentian University. With a background in informal education, Kiki is particularly interested in fostering inclusive learning environments. Kiki is thrilled to be integrating nature connectedness into her work with BC Parks Foundation.

Claudio Lam

Financial Analyst

Claudio is an experienced financial analyst who believes that economic development should go hand in hand with environmental balance. He earned his Master's degreee in Business Administration with a dissertation on green-buildings and eco-sustainable enterprises.

Passionate about eco-travelling, Claudio moved his family from Brazil to Vancouver in 2018, where they continue to venture into nature. At the BC Parks Foundation, he feels fortunate to apply his expertise to the benefit of inspiring others to embrace his passion.

Dr. Melissa Lem

Director, Parks Prescriptions

Melissa is a family physician and board member of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment who is frequently tapped by national media and environmental organizations to write and speak on the nature-health connection. Appearing on CBC TV’s Steven and Chris for four seasons, she continues to educate diverse audiences on air. She holds a faculty appointment at the University of British Columbia and was the inaugural winner of University College’s Young Alumni of Influence Award at the University of Toronto.

Kate Le Souef

VP, Programs

Kate is a committed conservation professional who loves connecting people to nature. In her previous role, she engaged tens of thousands of Canadians through the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, helping people take simple actions for ocean health, and ensuring that decision-makers around the country understood the issues of plastic pollution and shoreline litter. Kate has a Master of Science in Oceanography and has also worked as a consulting coastal engineer. Originally from Australia, she fell in love with B.C. on what was supposed to be a short trip and decided to stay. She loves getting outside with her family and exploring the mountains, forests, lakes, and ocean around our beautiful province.

Dr. Tse-Lynn Loh

Manager, Land Stewardship

Tse-Lynn loves wild places and talking to people about how great protected areas are. Her research interests centre on human impacts on ecosystems, ecological interactions and ecosystem monitoring. For her Ph.D. dissertation, Tse-Lynn examined the impacts of overfishing on sponge-coral interactions across the Caribbean basin, followed by postdoctoral research on seahorse conservation and citizen science in Southeast Asia. She has extensive experience with public outreach and volunteer engagement, including co-founding a marine conservation organisation in Singapore and developing a seahorse monitoring toolkit for non-scientists, and has taught a variety of undergraduate biology courses.

Tse-Lynn is stoked to be living in a province with ancient glass sponge reefs, and when not advocating for the benefits of using iNaturalist, she can be found enjoying nature in beautiful BC, gardening and taking in the meditative aspects of her aikido practice.

Mariana Luna-Cardona

Discover Parks Coordinator

With a degree in Tourism Management, Mariana feels lucky to contribute to the Foundation's mission of fostering connections between individuals and BC's beautiful outdoors. Growing up in North Vancouver, she developed a deep appreciation for the abundant nature seemingly at her doorstep. Nonetheless, for a long time many outdoor activities felt out of reach, particularly as a new Canadian. These days, Mariana has learned to embrace her local environment, and is constantly pursuing new adventures, whether it involves climbing, skiing, hiking, or camping! Through her work at the Foundation she hopes to empower others to do the same

Jennie McCaffrey

VP, Health & Education

Jennie is an experienced educator, facilitator and leader with a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Education and a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology form the University of British Columbia. She brings over 18 years of experience in the non-profit sector, specializing in leading strategic initiatives and collaborating with provincial and federal governments, Indigenous organizations, school districts and industry.

Jennie works to change behaviours and empower people to protect and connect to nature, at work, at school or at play. The privilege and magic of growing up on the beaches of Kitsilano and spending summers camping and swimming in the Salish Sea has inspired a passion for the environment that Jennie strives to share with others everyday.

Fiona McGlade

Senior Accountant

Hailing from Ireland, Fiona came to Canada in 2013 to manage a guest ranch in the Cariboo for a year, but found her spirit home in BC and stayed. She loves hiking, running, skiing, climbing, and horse riding, and escapes to the outdoors with her family at every opportunity. She believes that getting outside and into wilderness is vitally important for spiritual and physical wellbeing. She loves introducing others to the outdoors, and advocates that having a young family should not be a barrier to getting outdoors (and started her kiddo camping at 2 months old!).

Fiona is passionate about reducing our impact on the environment, doing our part as individuals to foster biodiversity, and increasing awareness of how we can positively impact wild spaces.

In her professional capacity as an Accountant, her goal is to ensure that our objectives can be met through supporting and improving the financial health of the Foundation.

Irfhan Mirza

Manager of Brand Products and Marketing

Irfhan believes that products can enrich and extend people's experience and memory of parks and the wilderness surrounding them. He aims to enable long-lasting connections with parks and users through great products. He is passionate about the intersection between design, art, functionality and sustainability and is excited to collaborate with various artists and creators.

Irfhan graduated with a degree in Broadcasting and spent ten years working in the broadcast industry in the UK before moving to Canada in search of adventure. Over the last eight years of living here, he has spearheaded outdoor retail operations and built merchandise programs for locations throughout the Lower Mainland.

When Irfhan isn't dreaming up products, he can be found sea kayaking in British Columbia's bountiful waters, searching for whales, or atop a snowbound mountain on his snowboard.

Rory Moorhead

Director, Discover Parks

Rory believes that time outside in parks is good for the mind and body and is set on helping as many people experience it for themselves as possible. Rory has been managing interpretive programs in parks since 2016, with a focus on experiential education, environmental stewardship, responsible recreation and creating meaningful connections to nature.

When not planning how to get others engaged and connected with the great outdoors, Rory can be found hiking, scrambling, camping, or kayaking in one of our province’s beautiful parks, usually with camera in hand.

Emmajean Neal

Special Projects Assistant

Emmajean is a student in the faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia. She is an avid outdoor adventurist, having hiked, paddled, and snowshoed over 400km of BC’s trails. Her passion for nature translates to her desire to help the environment and conserve BC’s beautiful parks. Aside from studying and hiking, Emmajean can be found training for triathlons.

Carla Pruner

Donor Engagement Coordinator

Growing up in British Columbia, Carla has a great appreciation for the outdoors and a passion to protect it. As an outdoor recreation enthusiast, you can find her happiest outdoors - camping, swimming, trail running, and cross-country skiing.

Carla is an experienced coordinator in the non-profit and sustainability sectors, with a focus on creating lasting relationships, inspiring others, and building a sustainable future for all.

Constanza Rivas

Community Science Coordinator

Constanza is a nature lover, passionate about biodiversity conservation, with a focus on wildlife biology. Her work has primarily centered around avian research projects and their habitats, and she has conducted fieldwork and studies across various countries and landscapes, such as mountains, temperate forest, desert, and ocean habitats. British Columbia captivated her when she first visited as a volunteer to learn bird banding skills.

Originally trained as a veterinarian from the University Mayor of Chile, she holds a Masters degree in Forest and Nature Conservation from Wageningen University, in the Netherlands. Her graduate research focused on the White-Faced Storm-Petrels in Cabo Verde at the University of Barcelona, Spain. In addition to her research, she is committed to building human capacity through volunteer work and community-based projects.

In her free time, Constanza enjoys bird-watching, playing drums in a collective "batucada" , and visiting the mountains.

Chelsea Rooney

Senior Manager, Communications

Chelsea is a communicator and editor with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. She brings over 10 years of experience with non-profit organizations and is driven to connect the causes she believes in with the hearts of audiences through the power of storytelling.

Growing up in bucolic rural Nova Scotia, Chelsea moved to Vancouver at the impressionable age of 18 and has remained wide-eyed with wonder at the mountains, trees, and winter flowers ever since. Sharing stories about their ecological and cultural significance is a true honour for her.

Ashley Sjoberg

Executive Assistant and Project Manager

Ashley is a highly experienced Executive Assistant with a remarkable track record of over 20 years in the field. Throughout their career, they have supported senior executives and teams in achieving their goals through meticulous attention to detail, organizational prowess and ability to handle multiple responsibilities in areas such as project management, event planning, human resources, environmental, social and governance management and food and beverage management.

Originally from the beauiful town of Powell River, BC, Ashley has deep roots in the community. Since relocating to Vancouver in 2003, they have embraced the vibrant city and enjoy exploring the picturesque regions of the province. Ashley finds solace and happiness in their backyard, gathering with family around a cozy fire pit, creating cherished memories while indulging in s'mores.

Angela Skidmore

Discover Parks Interpretive Coordinator

Growing up on the South Coast of BC, Angie spent much of her childhood exploring BC Parks and was a frequent attendant of their evening programs. This is where she was first introduced to the world of interpretation, though she didn't know it at the time. With a father who loved the outdoors and a mother who believed life was a musical, Angie thought she would always have to choose one world or the other. However, interpretation offered her the perfect balance. Since receiving her BSc in Environmental Science, she has been committed to bridging the gap between people and nature, promoting responsible recreation and conservation through meaningful connections and education.

When she's not supporting park programs, you can find her growing giant sunflowers, hiking, or driving deep into the woods for a quiet spot to camp.

Griffin Slimkowich

Land Planning and Management Consultant

After moving out west from Ontario in the summer of 2016, Griffin’s love for outdoor recreation, conservation and the incredible system of parks and protected areas has made B.C. a place he now calls home. With a background as a Park Officer and Outdoor Educator, and a recently defended Masters degree in Resource Management (Planning), he brings a combination of practical experience in park management and academic knowledge of environmental and protected area planning to the Foundation to help ensure that the areas we love, and everything in them, are protected forever.

Outside of work, you might find him hiking, snowboarding, adventure motorcycling, or writing and playing music with friends.

Siddarth Venkatesh

Community Projects Manager

Born and raised in Montreal, Sid grew up with a keen interest in nature and conservation, chasing the fall colours of Quebec’s forests and spending hours watching water flow. He fell in love with BC’s landscapes and parks during his time at the University of British Columbia, where he completed his Bachelor’s in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 2019. Having never camped before, he audaciously embarked on a 14-day wilderness expedition after graduating, which cemented his love for the outdoors.

Working with Parks Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation reinforced Sid’s commitment to making nature programs available to the community. Drawing from his own experiences, he is passionate and driven to break down barriers restricting access to meaningful connections to nature. Outside of work, you can find Sid hiking, paddling, birding, playing tennis, or skiing!

Casey Walker

Manager, People & Administration

In deference to parental authority, Casey moved to BC in July 1993 from the very hot island of Trinidad and Tobago. During the ensuing period of mourning the loss of sunshine, she discovered BC’s great outdoors, taking up hiking, camping, and backpacking. With the onset of aches and pains came a newfound interest and love for RV-ing and a passion to discover park gems across Canada.

Professionally, Casey is a Certified Payroll Practitioner and holder of a Business Diploma with a particular interest in the human component of organizations. She has worked in the non-profit sector since 2012, gravitating towards work that gives back and makes a difference. In BC Parks Foundation, she found an opportunity to meld both of her personal and professional interests.

Miro Ceretnig
Yee Chan
Bob Kronbauer
Garry Mancell
Roy Millen

Who we are