Brandon is part of WWF-Canada’s Arctic Program team and the lead for the Arctic Species Conservation Fund. In his role, Brandon helps 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 B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and an M.Sc. in Animal Nutrition and Metabolism, both from the University of Guelph.

Chelsea contributes to WWF-Canada’s Resilient Habitats team by supporting Indigenous partners regionally in Newfoundland and Labrador with their conservation priorities. She does this by engaging communities, government agencies, other ENGOs, industry and academic institutions. She further supports our Global Arctic Program on the international stage through her participation as an Observer on the Central Arctic Oceans Fisheries Agreement. Chelsea has significant academic and professional experience in habitat restoration, fisheries management, and grass-roots-based conservation and protection initiatives. Chelsea is currently a PhD Candidate in Fisheries Science with the Centre for Fisheries Ecosystem Research at the Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

As part of the Resilient Habitats team, Emina works to empower and advocate for Inuit governance in Nunavut. Her role focuses on supporting the community of Taloyoak in establishing the Aqviqtuuq Inuit Protected and Conserved Area to protect their lands and waters, fostering food sovereignty and job security in the community, and merging modern science and traditional knowledge for effective conservation. Emina holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences from McGill University.

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 of Marine Management from Dalhousie University

As part of the Resilient Habitat team, Kaleigh supports Indigenous-led conservation efforts in Newfoundland by working in partnership with Miawpukek First Nation and Qalipu First Nation. She works collaboratively with communities to support conservation projects that reflect their priorities, helping advance their initiatives that protect biodiversity and strengthen stewardship of lands and waters. Kaleigh holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Marine Management from Dalhousie University.

Melissa oversees the day-to-day management of the Arctic Species Conservation Fund. A member of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Missy has previously worked with Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories on protected areas and caribou management.

Paul’s focus is on helping expand WWF-Canada’s work on barren-ground caribou and marine conservation in the Arctic. He brings his experience as an Inuk lawyer and as premier of Nunavut to WWF, with his past work focusing on 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 and holds both a BA and an LLB.

Annie supports WWF-Canada’s work in the Wolastoq-/St.John River Watershed. Through this role, she helps with restoration projects and developing a regional seed strategy. Annie brings a background in environmental conservation, with experience working for environmental non-profit organizations across New Brunswick to deliver riparian restoration projects that enhance biodiversity.

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

Deandra is a specialist on WWF-Canada’s Restoration and Regeneration team, supporting Mission Restoration — an initiative by WWF-Canada in collaboration with lands and rightsholders across Canada to track, monitor and increase major restoration efforts consistent with the Government of Canada’s national and international targets. In this role, she helps develop strategy, build partnerships across sectors and foster a network of practitioners.

She holds a B.Sc. in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of British Columbia, with a focus on global perspectives. Prior to WWF-Canada, Deandra had extensive experience designing and coordinating youth education programs, engaging diverse communities and collaborating with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and BIPOC youth.

Passionate about environmental sustainability and community empowerment, Deandra has worked across the non-profit, academic and municipal sectors to support conservation initiatives. Her work aims to highlight the success of restoration efforts across the country, demonstrating that by restoring nature today, we can create a more resilient and hopeful future.

Jacklyn leads the restoration and regeneration teams efforts in implementing the regeneration of blue carbon habitats within southern British Columbia. Efforts are focused on addressing stressors that degrade coastal wetlands and nearshore habitats to assist in the recovery of ecological integrity of these habitats in collaboration with Indigenous and coastal communities. Jacklyn has over 10 years experience as an applied marine biologist and 7 years working on conservation of the coastal environment. She has a in Marine Biology with honours from Dalhousie University.

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 ecosystems across Canada.

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.

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 and Environmental Science, a certificate in Environmental Assessment, and a post-graduate degree in Fundraising and Marketing.

Lauren leads WWF-Canada’s efforts to restore and protect the Wolastoq/Saint John River Watershed. Lauren has a background in land stewardship, habitat restoration and leading collaborative environmental initiatives. Before joining WWF-Canada, Lauren worked in the non-profit and government sectors, managing conservation programs and engaging communities in environmental stewardship.

Mireille supports the development and delivery of Community Action programs within the Restoration and Regeneration team. She leads the Go Wild Grants program which provides funding to schools and campuses to restore and protect habitat, mainly with native seeds, plants and trees. Mireille also contributes to In the Zone initiatives with native plant growers. She studied environmental science, with a focus on environmental justice, at the University of Ottawa and the University of Montréal.

Paola leads WWF-Canada’s Mission Restoration program — an initiative that brings together lands and rights-holders across Canada to track, monitor and accelerate the restoration of lands, freshwater and coastal zones in line with national and international biodiversity targets. With nearly nine years of experience advancing conservation and restoration initiatives, she brings together people from diverse backgrounds to understand how conservation can become an integral part of our shared actions for nature and climate, ensuring that Canada’s collective story of restoration is recognized and strengthened through collaboration.

Paola’s experience spans international restoration projects in the Amazon and Neotropical high-mountain biomes, where she has witnessed the power of cooperation to heal both ecosystems and relationships. She holds a Master of Environment, Culture, and Society from the University of Edinburgh and a Bachelor of Government and International Relations, grounding her work in both global understanding and local action.

Riley supports the operations, outreach, impact monitoring, and stewardship for WWF-Canada’s Community Action programs, working to engage individuals and youth across Canada in habitat restoration.

With a background in field-based conservation and science education, Riley seeks to increase environmental literacy and create opportunities for communities to participate in meaningful environmental work. Riley holds a BSc. in Biology and a certificate in Research from Dalhousie University.

Ryan is on the Community Action team in 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.

Samantha is a specialist on WWF-Canada’s Restoration and Regeneration team, where she co-leads the operations and stewardship of WWF-Canada’s national Living Planet @ Campus (LP@C) and Living Planet @ School (LP@S) programs. Her work focuses on mobilizing students, educators, and campus staff to help nature thrive.

As a Living Planet Leader herself, Samantha now oversees the Living Planet Leader certification, which supports post-secondary students in building the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to lead the transition to a sustainable future.

Samantha holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Governance from the University of Guelph and brings a wealth of experience and leadership in youth and community engagement to her work.

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.

Cathal bridges scientific research and practical applications to build capacity in communities who wish to advance nature-based climate solutions. Through projects such as The Carbon Measurement Learning Library, and hands-on [TK18.1]carbon measurement trainings, Cathal contributes to WWF-Canada’s goals by supporting initiatives that employ evidence-based conservation strategies and centre communities and community-led projects. Cathal holds a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from the University of Guelph and an M.Sc. in Geography from the University of Toronto.

Chris provides geospatial support across WWF-Canada’s conservation teams through data curation, spatial analysis and cartography. She applies modern GIS techniques and modelling to translate environmental data into insights, to ensure conservation work at WWF-Canada is efficient and scientifically informed. Her work lies at the intersection of data science, conservation and design, where the vast amount of information currently in existence about the Earth and biodiversity can be used to develop maps. These visual help us explore, share and communicate about how conservation actions can be taken. Chris has worked on national analyses including WWF-Canada’s National Shipping Waste Analysis, Restoration Analysis and Beyond Targets, which aim to tackle questions on the impacts of industry on nature and where to focus efforts on habitat restoration and protection. Chris holds a BASc in Environment from McGill University and a Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management from the University of British Columbia.

Clare supports First Nations and Indigenous organizations pursuing carbon measurement and monitoring initiatives. She has co-developed a variety of materials for WWF-Canada’s Carbon Measurement Learning Library, presented on carbon to diverse audiences, and led an in-person field training program for over 20 Indigenous community groups.

In addition to her work on carbon, Clare connects First Nations working to revitalize their relationship with fire to practical resources and knowledge exchange opportunities.

Community engagement and relationship building serves as a through line for her work, providing the basis for collaboration that leads to the advancement of Indigenous-led nature-based climate solutions.

As a member of WWF’s Science, Knowledge 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 Priority Threat Management. She holds a B.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Guelph, and an M.Sc. in Conservation Biology from DICE at the University of Kent.

Jessica supports WWF-Canada’s Science, Knowledge 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 Canada and the Wildlife Protection Assessment. Jessica holds an M.Sc.in Environmental Sustainability.

Kim works across WWF-Canada’s teams by providing strategic and technical support for habitat stewardship initiatives, including for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures. She has led a wide range of conservation projects, applying broad experience in policy and regulatory reform, and often working at the intersection of community, industry and public policy. Kim also manages WWF-Canada’s national Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas Support Program. She holds a Masters in Resource and Environmental Management from Dalhousie University

As a member of the Science, Knowledge and Innovation team, Marianne’s work focuses on building capacity for the protection, restoration and stewardship of coastal wetlands and other nearshore ecosystems. Through engagement with Indigenous partners, researchers, government, ENGOs and community groups, she supports project implementation on the Pacific coast and knowledge mobilization across the country. She holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia and has worked on coastal ecosystems throughout the Americas, with a focus on integrated management of the coastal zone.

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, Knowledge and Innovation team at WWF-Canada. Rinjan holds a Master of Natural Resource Management and a PhD in conservation biology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

Shannon supports knowledge mobilization for the Coastal Habitats Learning and Knowledge Hub. This national initiative focuses on building capacity for the effective and equitable implementation of nature-based climate solutions across Canada’s coastal habitats. Shannon’s work involves building and maintaining relationships, coordinating networks, sharing resources, and supporting the Hub’s activities such as webinars, workshops, newsletters, and web content. She also supported the Hub’s early development through a national scoping process, working to identify the most pressing needs and gaps related to monitoring and project implementation, resource access, training opportunities, and regional coordination.

Shannon holds a dual M.Sc. in International Nature Conservation and brings experience in wildlife research, field work, restoration, and science communication.

Spencer supports the Science, Knowledge and Innovation team by working closely with First Nations partners in the Interior of B.C. Spencer has spent his whole life in the B.C. Interior region working for various First Nations, as well as provincial and federal government organizations leading land-based initiatives. He brings his lived knowledge of the land and natural resource experience to support WWF-Canda’s conservation work on forestry, water and wildlife.

Valerie supports the research needs of WWF-Canada and its partners. She uses both western science and traditional ecological knowledge to answer emergent and pressing conservation questions. Her work helps communicate complex science to diverse audiences and informs conservation decisions. Valerie also contributes to geospatial projects and ensures that all public-facing materials produced by WWF-Canada are scientifically accurate.

Valerie holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and an M.Sc. in Ecology, both from Concordia University.

Devin is part of the Wildlife & Industry team with a special focus on the mining sector. In this role, he works to reduce and eliminate the impacts of mining on wildlife and habitat in WWF-Canada’s priority regions. Devin conducts research, analysis and outreach that advocates for improved industry practices and government regulations related to mineral exploration and development, reduces the impacts of operating mines, and supports the priorities of Indigenous communities. Devin holds a PhD in Human Geography from York University.

Devon supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team with a particular focus on forest conservation. In this role, she works to reduce or eliminate the impacts of the forestry sector on wildlife and their habitats and advance sustainable forest management practices across Canada. Through her work, Devon also supports Indigenous forest conservation priorities and the restoration of forests to help mitigate the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Devon holds an M.Sc. in Ecology from the University of Calgary and has several years of experience at environmental non-governmental organizations.

Elise contributes to area-based conservation initiatives, including marine and terrestrial protected areas, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and other effective conservation measures (OECMs). She supports management of the WWF-Canada IPCA Support Fund, working closely with Indigenous communities exploring area-based conservation, protection and stewardship, as well as advising on policy for resilient marine and land-based habitats. Elise contributes to WWF-Canada with 10 years of diverse experience in protected areas engagement, coastal habitat conservation, policy guidance and mentorship for early career conservation professionals. Elise holds a B.Sc. Honors in Wildlife Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria and a Certificate in Co-management of Natural Resources from the UBC Haida Gwaii Institute.

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 to advance marine protected areas. Hussein holds degrees in Environment & Resource Science and Marine Management.

Kailee supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry shipping team in engaging with government, industry and ENGOs to advocate for sustainable shipping solutions. With an original focus on ports, Kailee’s work now spans across multiple aspects of shipping, all with the goal of reducing vessel impacts on the environment. She also supports both the forestry and mining teams on an ad hoc basis. Kailee holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of Guelph.

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.

Sam supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife and Industry team through engagement with government, industry, ENGOs, Indigenous partners 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 in Earth & Atmospheric Sciences from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Shuchita supports WWF-Canada’s Wildlife & Industry team through research, drafting policy comments, and developing knowledge mobilization products focused on the ecological and social impacts of mineral exploration in Ontario. Her work supports rights holders, stakeholders, and community partners in responding to mining pressures and advancing Indigenous-led stewardship initiatives. Shuchita holds an M.Sc. in Sustainability Management from the University of Toronto and a B.A. in International Development and Psychology from McGill University.[