Our Team

Founding Director/Lead Instructor

I am an educator and mentor in earth-based skills and ancestral ways. My family has been in the land that we now call Canada for five generations and I am grateful to be a settler, held in the arms of rivers, mountains, oceans, and deserts. I am a lover of wild places and my life is nourished by sharing in community, food, song, and story. 

As an ongoing student of Martin Prechtel’s, I am fascinated with the beauty and complexity of myth and it’s existence in the unfolding of our daily lives. I have had the honour of studying with the Animas Valley Institute, The Haven Institute, The Tracker School, and with my mentors Annie Bloom, Jade Sherer, and Florence Dedame. I have learned a tremendous amount about the natural world and human culture while being a Senior Instructor and Director at nature schools across Western Canada. The kids, families, and adults that I have worked with have touched my heart and each one leaves a lasting imprint that enriches the tapestry of my life. 

I am currently passionate about wildlife tracking and following the signs of animals across the land. To know that my feet are treading on ground where wolves, mountain lions, grizzly bears, and many more have tread, fills my whole being with awe. I believe in the wild animal and wild soul that lives in all of us. It is a life practice to follow the trail of that being in such a manner that one day, we might be so lucky as to catch a glimpse of their magnificent form. 

Lead Instructor, Gabriola Seedlings

I grew up on the traditional territory of the Ramaytush Ohlone/Costanoan peoples, what is colonially known as the San Francisco Bay Area. I left California after high school to study at UBC on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) territory where I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Conservation in 2011. I went back to UBC in 2018 to get my diploma in Early Childhood Education and Development and I am now a certified ECE.  

Currently, I am a settler on Gabriola Island, the Hul'q'umin'um' speaking Snuneymuxw First Nation's land, where my partner and I steward a small farm. I am forever a student and am grateful for the many mentors who have indulged my incessant curiosity along the way. If I don't have a book in my hands I love to knit, take photos, and cook elaborate vegan meals. 

Lead Instructor, qathet/Powell River

I was born and raised in northeastern Canada, with recent ancestral roots in Britain and Belgium. My lifelong love for nature inspired me to earn a Diploma in Land Reclamation, which I applied toward a B.Sc. in Conservation Biology. I later became a certified Professional Biologist in Alberta. For over 10 years, I worked in Terrestrial Ecology across northwestern Canada, assisting with environmental assessments and conducting fieldwork such as songbird surveys, winter tracking, and plant studies.

Fifteen years ago, seeking a new direction, I returned to school in Scotland to complete an M.Sc. in Human Ecology, where I took courses including EcoPsychology. This led me to shift my career toward transformative outdoor education. I began working with Scientists in Schools and founded The Earth is Hiring, a social enterprise. For five years, I designed and led outdoor ecology workshops for preschool and school-aged children, including programs with Red-tailed Hawk Forest School and Discovery Forest in Ontario.

In 2019, I moved to Texada Island, within the traditional territory of the Tla’amin Nation Coastal Salish Peoples, where I feel deeply grateful to live and learn. Since then, I’ve integrated permaculture and forest school principles into my family’s homeschooling and hobby farm project. I’ve volunteered as a facilitator for Texada NatureKids since 2022 and am completing my Forest School Practitioner Certification through the Child & Nature Alliance of Canada.

I joined Fianna Wilderness School in 2023, and am honored to support youth in regrowing culture—connecting through land, community, and the stories living within our souls, our experiences, and the land itself. I care deeply about fostering a sense of belonging across past, present, and future.

Instructor, Gabriola

I grew up in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island, the unceded traditional territory of the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation. My childhood was filled with hours of outdoor play, where I developed a deep sense of awe, appreciation, and connection to the beauty of the natural world.

For many years, I worked as an Educational Assistant for School District 69, supporting children with diverse abilities. I've also spent time overseas as an au pair in Belgium, an English Language Assistant in Ukraine, and a volunteer in a children’s home in Uganda. Additionally, I've hosted international students, run community programs for children and their families, and provided care as a foster parent through the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

My daughter and I now live on Gabriola Island. As an unschooling family, I am a passionate advocate for decolonizing education. I've extensively studied attachment and relationship development theory through the Neufeld Institute, and I'm fascinated by the interplay between developmental science, nature connection, and returning to our ancestral roots.

Instructor, qathet/Powell River

For as long as I can remember I've held a curiosity for our natural environment. Having grown up on a small acreage surrounded by endless wild lands, I would often find myself exploring the wetlands, stands of poplars and local wildlife. The environment I grew up in inspired me to be the environmental professional I am today.

In 2007 I enrolled into the Coastal Ecology program at Northwest Community College in Prince Rupert, Northwest coast of British Columbia.  As I progressed through the program my interest in the natural world grew exponentially and I found myself wanting to learn as much as I could about coastal wildlife. After graduating from the program in 2009 I worked as a field biologist for a year and a fish & wildlife technician/biologist for nearly four years. In 2012 I shifted career paths and I enrolled into the Ecotourism & Outdoor Leadership bachelor’s degree at Mount Royal University.

My passion in life remains to be my beautiful wife and daughter (and fishing of course). With every passing year I’m able to teach my daughter why our natural world is so important and what we should do to keep it healthy.

Fishing is my weakness; I began fishing when I was old enough to hold a fishing rod. Other interests include hunting (sustainably, not for sport), hiking, camping, mountain biking, and archery. My skills in the outdoors are exceptional and I often like to reinforce outdoor survival techniques by practicing the skills necessary to survive in the wild. 

Thank you to all of our Comox Valley staff who held such an important part in the growth of Fianna over the years. We will miss you and wish you all the best in your new ventures. Thank you Allie, Dani, Kat, Kes, Kip, RootZ, Vicki, and more!