© Samir Jung Thapa / WWF-Canada James Snider walking on the shore

Our Experts

The experts on WWF's conservation team are working to solve the world's greatest conservation challenges.

Science, commitment, passion, Indigenous guidance and hope are all essential to protect the future of nature. No strategy will succeed without the relentless commitment of extraordinary people. The strengths of WWF-Canada’s amazing, dedicated and passionate people have created some of the planet’s greatest conservation victories. We will achieve our ambitious goals through a broad array of partnerships and the efforts of WWF-Canada’s incredible team of scientists, biologists and policy makers.

  • Mary MacDonald
    Senior Vice-President and Chief Conservation Officer

    Mary has built and led collaborative and innovative conservation initiatives across five continents. In southern Africa, she conducted fieldwork documenting the environmental and social impacts of mining and built an action coalition of community groups, scientists, aid agencies and mining executives. From Stockholm, she contributed to drafting the United Nations Convention on Climate Change and was a part of a team of European Union scientists writing protocols for integrating scientific findings into decision making.

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Conservation Management and Integration
  • Photo-of-Jessica-Park-WWF
    Jessica Park
    Vice President, Conservation Management and Integration

    As VP of Conservation Management & Integration, Jessica oversees conservation activities that go beyond the scope of a single conservation program and ensures that conservation projects align with WWF’s 10 year strategic plan to address the global biodiversity and climate crisis. She coordinates multiple projects in WWF-Canada’s focus regions, provides oversight of government relations, advocacy campaigns and WWF-Canada’s collaboration with the larger WWF international network.

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    Will Bulmer

    Lead Specialist, Government Relations

    Will Bulmer

    Lead Specialist, Government Relations

    Will oversees WWF-Canada’s Government Relations efforts, bringing together a mix of regulatory, policy and campaign experience from having worked domestically and abroad with all levels of government, including from the municipal to the UN. Will holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Queen’s University.

    Paul Okalik

    Paul Okalik

    Lead specialist, Arctic

    Paul Okalik

    Lead specialist, Arctic

    Paul’s focus is on helping to expand WWF-Canada’s work on Barren-ground caribou and marine conservation in the Arctic. He brings to WWF experience as an Inuk lawyer and as premier, with experience balancing the interests of the federal government and the central Inuit concern for the health of wildlife. Paul is a survivor of both federal day and residential schools with a BA and LLB.

    Will Bulmer

    Lead Specialist, Government Relations

    Will Bulmer

    Lead Specialist, Government Relations

    Will oversees WWF-Canada’s Government Relations efforts, bringing together a mix of regulatory, policy and campaign experience from having worked domestically and abroad with all levels of government, including from the municipal to the UN. Will holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Queen’s University.

    Paul Okalik

    Paul Okalik

    Lead specialist, Arctic

    Paul Okalik

    Lead specialist, Arctic

    Paul’s focus is on helping to expand WWF-Canada’s work on Barren-ground caribou and marine conservation in the Arctic. He brings to WWF experience as an Inuk lawyer and as premier, with experience balancing the interests of the federal government and the central Inuit concern for the health of wildlife. Paul is a survivor of both federal day and residential schools with a BA and LLB.

Resilient Habitats
  • Simon J. Mitchell
    Vice President, Resilient Habitats

    Simon leads WWF-Canada’s Resilient Habitats team, which works from coast to coast to coast protect landscapes, habitats and species.  A key function of Simons work is to identify strategies and actions across terrestrial and marine environments that improve the healthy and resilience of nature and people.

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    Beatrice Frank

    Senior Manager, Resilient Habitats

    Beatrice Frank

    Senior Manager, Resilient Habitats

    As a Senior Manager, Resilient Habitats, Beatrice contributes to WWF’s ambitious strategic plan on a couple of fronts, namely: supporting and amplifying Indigenous-led conservation and other effective conservation measures, and encouraging the establishment of new marine and terrestrial protected areas. She supports Indigenous peoples and local communities in taking care of their lands and waters through mutual learning and respectful, innovative, and inclusive approaches. Beatrice has gained scientific knowledge through her academic studies and practical experience in conservation social science, and aims to work in an ethical space that incorporates and acknowledges different knowledge systems and approaches.

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    Erin Keenan

    Senior Manager, Arctic Marine Conservation

    Erin Keenan

    Senior Manager, Arctic Marine Conservation

    As part of the Arctic team based in our Iqaluit office, Erin works primarily on Arctic marine conservation projects, including marine planning and marine protected areas. She also helps generate and build support for WWF-Canada’s conservation objectives in Nunavut and acts as an effective conduit for local concerns and issues to be addressed in WWF project planning communications. Erin holds a Master’s in Marine Management from Dalhousie University

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    Brandon Laforest

    Lead Specialist, Arctic Conservation

    Brandon Laforest

    Lead Specialist, Arctic Conservation

    Brandon is part of WWF-Canada’s Arctic Program team and the lead for the Arctic Species Conservation Fund. In his role, Brandon is helping expand WWF’s work on species conservation in the Arctic, ensuring that what we do is scientifically sound, incorporates Indigenous knowledge and is in line with the priorities of affected communities. Brandon holds a BSc in Wildlife Biology and an MSc in Animal Nutrition and Metabolism both from the University of Guelph.

    Beatrice Frank

    Senior Manager, Resilient Habitats

    Beatrice Frank

    Senior Manager, Resilient Habitats

    As a Senior Manager, Resilient Habitats, Beatrice contributes to WWF’s ambitious strategic plan on a couple of fronts, namely: supporting and amplifying Indigenous-led conservation and other effective conservation measures, and encouraging the establishment of new marine and terrestrial protected areas. She supports Indigenous peoples and local communities in taking care of their lands and waters through mutual learning and respectful, innovative, and inclusive approaches. Beatrice has gained scientific knowledge through her academic studies and practical experience in conservation social science, and aims to work in an ethical space that incorporates and acknowledges different knowledge systems and approaches.

    Photo-of-Erin-Keenan-WWF

    Erin Keenan

    Senior Manager, Arctic Marine Conservation

    Erin Keenan

    Senior Manager, Arctic Marine Conservation

    As part of the Arctic team based in our Iqaluit office, Erin works primarily on Arctic marine conservation projects, including marine planning and marine protected areas. She also helps generate and build support for WWF-Canada’s conservation objectives in Nunavut and acts as an effective conduit for local concerns and issues to be addressed in WWF project planning communications. Erin holds a Master’s in Marine Management from Dalhousie University

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    Brandon Laforest

    Lead Specialist, Arctic Conservation

    Brandon Laforest

    Lead Specialist, Arctic Conservation

    Brandon is part of WWF-Canada’s Arctic Program team and the lead for the Arctic Species Conservation Fund. In his role, Brandon is helping expand WWF’s work on species conservation in the Arctic, ensuring that what we do is scientifically sound, incorporates Indigenous knowledge and is in line with the priorities of affected communities. Brandon holds a BSc in Wildlife Biology and an MSc in Animal Nutrition and Metabolism both from the University of Guelph.

    Photo-of-Hussein-Alidina-WWF

    Hussein Alidina

    Lead Specialist, Marine Conservation

    Hussein Alidina

    Lead Specialist, Marine Conservation

    Hussein has worked on marine conservation initiatives in Canada and abroad. Now in Canada’s Pacific, He implements WWF’s conservation partnership with the Gitga’at Nation and works with partners to reduce the impacts of shipping on whales and advance marine protected areas. Hussein holds degrees in Environment & Resource Science and Marine Management.

    Erica Guth

    Specialist, Arctic Conservation

    Erica Guth

    Specialist, Arctic Conservation

    Erica supports WWF-Canada’s Resilient Habitats team by advancing the organization’s efforts to promote community conservation priorities, advocating for the creation of resilient marine and terrestrial protected areas. This includes increasing collective knowledge of the threats faced by Arctic ecosystems and prioritizing opportunities to invest in successful conservation efforts. Erica holds a Master’s of Environment from Concordia University and is based in Montreal, Quebec.

Restoration and Regeneration
  • Photo-of-Elizabeth-Hendriks-WWF
    Elizabeth Hendriks
    Vice President, Restoration and Regeneration

    With a lengthy background in water policy, Elizabeth leads WWF-Canada’s Freshwater team to reverse the decline of freshwater ecosystems across the country through policy, technology and community building. Elizabeth has considerable experience working internationally and nationally on water policy and led the release of the first national assessment of the health and stressors to Canada’s freshwater.

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    James Casey

    Senior Specialist, Restoration & Regeneration

    James Casey

    Senior Specialist, Restoration & Regeneration

    James supports WWF-Canada’s Restoration and Regeneration team by providing strategic guidance on the delivery of both large-scale restoration projects and the management of the Nature and Climate Grants Program for WWF-Canada. James has over 20 years of conservation focused experience working across a range of ecosystems and economic sectors that he now draws on to inform WWF-Canada’s current efforts to restore habitats and ecosystem across Canada.

    Azra Fazal

    Specialist, Community Action

    Azra Fazal

    Specialist, Community Action

    Azra Fazal is an Engagement Specialist on the Community Action Team at WWF-Canada. With over seven years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, Azra leads WWF-Canada’s national and bilingual Living Planet @ School and Living Planet @ Campus programs which aims to support students and educators to help build a future where people and wildlife thrive. Azra holds a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo.

    Kate Landry

    Senior Manager, Community Action

    Kate Landry

    Senior Manager, Community Action

    Kate leads WWF-Canada’s national bilingual community action programs to help reverse wildlife loss, increase biodiversity and restore habitats across Canada. She develops strategy and oversees the implementation of projects to mobilize individuals, communities, schools, campuses and governments to take measurable conservation action. Prior to joining WWF-Canada, Kate worked internationally in conflict- and disaster-prone areas, primarily focusing on engaging communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change and build their resilience to disasters.

    James Casey

    Senior Specialist, Restoration & Regeneration

    James Casey

    Senior Specialist, Restoration & Regeneration

    James supports WWF-Canada’s Restoration and Regeneration team by providing strategic guidance on the delivery of both large-scale restoration projects and the management of the Nature and Climate Grants Program for WWF-Canada. James has over 20 years of conservation focused experience working across a range of ecosystems and economic sectors that he now draws on to inform WWF-Canada’s current efforts to restore habitats and ecosystem across Canada.

    Azra Fazal

    Specialist, Community Action

    Azra Fazal

    Specialist, Community Action

    Azra Fazal is an Engagement Specialist on the Community Action Team at WWF-Canada. With over seven years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, Azra leads WWF-Canada’s national and bilingual Living Planet @ School and Living Planet @ Campus programs which aims to support students and educators to help build a future where people and wildlife thrive. Azra holds a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo.

    Kate Landry

    Senior Manager, Community Action

    Kate Landry

    Senior Manager, Community Action

    Kate leads WWF-Canada’s national bilingual community action programs to help reverse wildlife loss, increase biodiversity and restore habitats across Canada. She develops strategy and oversees the implementation of projects to mobilize individuals, communities, schools, campuses and governments to take measurable conservation action. Prior to joining WWF-Canada, Kate worked internationally in conflict- and disaster-prone areas, primarily focusing on engaging communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change and build their resilience to disasters.

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    Jarmila Becka Lee

    Specialist, Community Action

    Jarmila Becka Lee

    Specialist, Community Action

    Jarmila manages the In the Zone program and works on other community action initiatives that strive to increase Canadians’ engagement with nature, especially in urban areas. Jarmila holds an Honours Bachelor of Science (Environment and Biology) from the University of Toronto.

    Ryan Godfrey

    Specialist, Community Action

    Ryan Godfrey

    Specialist, Community Action

    Ryan is on the Community Action team within the Restoration and Regeneration group at WWF-Canada and supports projects across the organization as WWF-Canada’s resident botanist. He belongs to the broadleaf forest ecosystem of southern Ontario’s Carolinian Zone. Ryan brings his knowledge and experience from academia, environmental consulting, wildlife gardening, and as a certified seed collector to his work on community engagement, community stewardship, and urban ecological restoration. He also develops educational resources and gives talks and holds workshops for gardeners of all levels. His work aims to strengthen the reciprocal connections between humans, plants and wildlife.

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    Jacklyn Barrs

    Specialist, Ecosystem Restoration

    Jacklyn Barrs

    Specialist, Ecosystem Restoration

    Jacklyn focuses on the Food for All campaign, conducting research and developing conservation strategies for the Pacific region as part of WWF-Canada’s national forage fish initiative. Jacklyn joins WWF-Canada with over 10 years experience as an applied marine biologist and has a degree in Marine Biology with honours from Dalhousie University.

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    Catherine Paquette

    Specialist, Freshwater Ecosystems

    Catherine Paquette

    Specialist, Freshwater Ecosystems

    As a member of WWF-Canada’s freshwater team, Catherine evaluates the health of Canada’s watersheds and leads our participation in STREAM, helping community-based water groups monitor their own waters. She holds an MSc in Physical Geography from the University of Ottawa, where she studied the impact of thawing permafrost on water.

    Kathy Nguyen

    Specialist, Community Action

    Kathy Nguyen

    Specialist, Community Action

    With over eight years of experience creating regional and national engagement programs, Kathy helps lead the development and delivery of WWF-Canada’s national youth engagement strategy, mobilizing students, educators, schools and campuses to help nature thrive with the Living Planet @ School and Living Planet @ Campus programs. Initiatives such as Go Wild Grants and the national Living Planet Leader certification encourage tomorrow’s leaders and decision makers to take action today. Kathy approaches environmental engagement with a multi-disciplinary lens, with degrees in Psychology, Environmental Science, a certificate in Environmental Assessment, and a post-graduate degree in Fundraising and Marketing.

    Steve Hamel

    Steve Hamel

    Specialist, Biodiversity Restoration

    Steve Hamel

    Specialist, Biodiversity Restoration

    In collaboration with NGOs, municipalities and other partners, Steve is working to implement habitat restoration strategies for biodiversity in Southern Quebec’s maple forest and right-of-way habitats. He began his career in 1990 in British Columbia, where he carried out inventories of marbled murrelet and forest birds. Since then, he has worked on multiple inventories of birds, bats, fish and other taxonomic groups. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from UQAM in Montreal.

Science, Knowledge and Innovation
  • Photo-of-James-Snider-WWF
    James Snider
    Vice President, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    James leads WWF-Canada’s Science, Knowledge and Innovation team, which provides the core science expertise underpinning our work in Canada. A key function of James’ work is to identify new technologies and areas of research so that our conservation efforts in Canada are at the cutting edge. Most recently, he led WWF-Canada’s Wildlife Protection Assessment and was senior author of the 2017 Living Planet Report Canada.

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    Rinjan

    Rinjan Shrestha

    Lead Specialist, Asian Big Cats

    Rinjan Shrestha

    Lead Specialist, Asian Big Cats

    Rinjan supports WWF’s country offices in their efforts to conserve big cats, such as tigers and snow leopards, including preparing climate-integrated species conservation plans. Rinjan also provides science support to the science, research and innovation unit at WWF-Canada. Rinjan holds a masters’ degree in natural resource management and a PhD in conservation biology from the University of Life Sciences, Norway.

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    Brianne Kelly

    Senior Specialist, Marine Ecosystems

    Brianne Kelly

    Senior Specialist, Marine Ecosystems

    Brianne believes little fish have big influence. Based in WWF-Canada’s Halifax office, she oversees strategy development and implementation of our national forage fish initiative, helping to strengthen the scientific basis for this important work. Her PhD thesis looked at effects of river regulation on forage fish populations.

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    Emily Giles

    Senior Manager, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    Emily Giles

    Senior Manager, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    As a member of WWF’s Science, Research and Innovation team, Emily’s work focuses on protecting wildlife in Canada, with an emphasis on species at risk recovery. She has worked on and led a wide range of projects since joining WWF-Canada in 2006, including the highly acclaimed 2017 Living Planet Report Canada. She holds a BSc in zoology from the University of Guelph, and an MSc in conservation biology from DICE at the University of Kent.

    Rinjan

    Rinjan Shrestha

    Lead Specialist, Asian Big Cats

    Rinjan Shrestha

    Lead Specialist, Asian Big Cats

    Rinjan supports WWF’s country offices in their efforts to conserve big cats, such as tigers and snow leopards, including preparing climate-integrated species conservation plans. Rinjan also provides science support to the science, research and innovation unit at WWF-Canada. Rinjan holds a masters’ degree in natural resource management and a PhD in conservation biology from the University of Life Sciences, Norway.

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    Brianne Kelly

    Senior Specialist, Marine Ecosystems

    Brianne Kelly

    Senior Specialist, Marine Ecosystems

    Brianne believes little fish have big influence. Based in WWF-Canada’s Halifax office, she oversees strategy development and implementation of our national forage fish initiative, helping to strengthen the scientific basis for this important work. Her PhD thesis looked at effects of river regulation on forage fish populations.

    Photo-of-Emily-Giles

    Emily Giles

    Senior Manager, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    Emily Giles

    Senior Manager, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    As a member of WWF’s Science, Research and Innovation team, Emily’s work focuses on protecting wildlife in Canada, with an emphasis on species at risk recovery. She has worked on and led a wide range of projects since joining WWF-Canada in 2006, including the highly acclaimed 2017 Living Planet Report Canada. She holds a BSc in zoology from the University of Guelph, and an MSc in conservation biology from DICE at the University of Kent.

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    Jessica Currie

    Senior Specialist, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    Jessica Currie

    Senior Specialist, Science, Knowledge and Innovation

    Jessica supports WWF-Canada’s Science, Research and Innovation team through research, management of big data, and both qualitative and quantitative analyses, providing an evidence base for WWF-Canada’s conservation work. Noteworthy analyses include the Living Planet Report for Canada and the Wildlife Protection Assessment. Jessica holds a Master’s of Science in Environmental Sustainability.

Wildlife and Industry
  • Karen Saunders, MES, R.P.F.
    Vice President, Wildlife and Industry

    Karen is an energetic professional forester with an extensive background in natural resources, including work in the forestry, mining and energy infrastructure sectors. Most recently she spent seven years working for 24 First Nations on the majority Indigenous-owned Wataynikaneyap Power transmission line project, planned and built in accordance with community advice and priorities.

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    Kristen Powell

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Shipping

    Kristen Powell

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Shipping

    Kristen supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team with a focus on marine planning, sustainable shipping practices and strategies to mitigate industrial impacts on marine ecosystems. She joins WWF-Canada with 10 years of applied experience in marine field work, marine mammal biology and environmental consulting. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Earth & Ocean Sciences from the University of Victoria.

    Thiviya Kanagasabesan

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Fisheries

    Thiviya Kanagasabesan

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Fisheries

    Thiviya supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team through development and management of several conservation projects, while building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous partners, local communities, governments, academia, industry and other groups. Thiviya leads the implementation of conservation strategies to: investigate fishing impacts on species at risk within Marine Protected Areas; mitigate entanglement issues with leatherback sea turtles and cetaceans; and enhance northern freshwater communities. Additionally, she contributes to the policy analysis of blue carbon ecosystems. Thiviya holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and a Master of Science in Integrative Biology, where she completed her thesis on environmental toxicology and influence on fish physiology.

    Sam Davin

    Senior Specialist, Marine Conservation & Shipping

    Sam Davin

    Senior Specialist, Marine Conservation & Shipping

    Sam supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team through engagement with Indigenous partners, government, ENGOs, industry, and the International Maritime Organization. Drawing on his research and environmental consulting experience, Sam provides an evidence-based perspective on vessel-source pollution and voyage planning. Sam holds a PhD from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a MS and BS from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

    Kristen Powell

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Shipping

    Kristen Powell

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Shipping

    Kristen supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team with a focus on marine planning, sustainable shipping practices and strategies to mitigate industrial impacts on marine ecosystems. She joins WWF-Canada with 10 years of applied experience in marine field work, marine mammal biology and environmental consulting. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Earth & Ocean Sciences from the University of Victoria.

    Thiviya Kanagasabesan

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Fisheries

    Thiviya Kanagasabesan

    Specialist, Marine Conservation and Fisheries

    Thiviya supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team through development and management of several conservation projects, while building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous partners, local communities, governments, academia, industry and other groups. Thiviya leads the implementation of conservation strategies to: investigate fishing impacts on species at risk within Marine Protected Areas; mitigate entanglement issues with leatherback sea turtles and cetaceans; and enhance northern freshwater communities. Additionally, she contributes to the policy analysis of blue carbon ecosystems. Thiviya holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and a Master of Science in Integrative Biology, where she completed her thesis on environmental toxicology and influence on fish physiology.

    Sam Davin

    Senior Specialist, Marine Conservation & Shipping

    Sam Davin

    Senior Specialist, Marine Conservation & Shipping

    Sam supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team through engagement with Indigenous partners, government, ENGOs, industry, and the International Maritime Organization. Drawing on his research and environmental consulting experience, Sam provides an evidence-based perspective on vessel-source pollution and voyage planning. Sam holds a PhD from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a MS and BS from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

    Chelsea Boaler

    Senior Specialist, Wildlife and Industry

    Chelsea Boaler

    Senior Specialist, Wildlife and Industry

    Chelsea supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team through engagement with Indigenous and community partners, government, ENGOs, industry, and academic institutions. Chelsea has significant academic and professional experience in habitat restoration, fisheries, and grass-roots-based initiatives. Chelsea works regionally, within Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as internationally on large migratory animal projects. Chelsea is currently a PhD Candidate in Fisheries Science with Memorial University and holds a BSc in Marine Biology and Environment, Sustainability, and Society; and a Masters degree in Coastal Resource Management.

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    Kim Dunn

    Lead Specialist, Wildlife & Industry

    Kim Dunn

    Lead Specialist, Wildlife & Industry

    Through working on oceans governance and BC-specific projects, Kim manages and implements WWF-Canada’s initiatives to reduce the impacts of shipping on the marine environment. She’s also responsible for marine planning and protection initiatives in BC, including Marine Protected Area engagement. She holds a Masters in resource and environmental management.