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 am deeply grateful for the Indigenous Peoples who have cultivated profound earth wisdom and exemplified harmonious living throughout history. Living on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples, particularly the Tla’amin Nation territory, fills me with honour.  While my recent human ancestry traces back to Britain and Belgium, my family immigrated to Canada when I was born, and I was raised in northeastern Canada. 

My journey led me to study plants and animals across seasons, culminating in a Conservation Biology B.Sc. and Alberta Professional Biologist Certification. Over 12 years, I worked as a Terrestrial Ecologist in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories. Seeking change, I pursued an M.Sc. in Human Ecology, which transformed my approach to education, emphasizing head, heart, and hand. This shift inspired my venture into ecology education with the social enterprise ‘The Earth is Hiring’. For five years I served as an outdoor and forest school educator, crafting seasonal ecology workshops for schools like Red-tailed Hawk Forest School and Discovery Forest. 

Since moving to Texada, I completed a Permaculture Design Course and homeschool my children, integrating forest school and permaculture principles with the BC Partners in Education sd47 curriculum. Volunteering as a facilitator for Texada Naturekids events and pursuing Forest School Practitioner Certification with the Child & Nature Alliance of Canada enriches my journey. Nature remains my most profound teacher, guiding me towards deeper connections and stewardship. I am honoured to serve the Earth and the Wayfinders of Powell River in fostering these vital relationships.

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!