Western Canada Wilderness Committee

Who We Are

Meet the Wilderness Committee

Executive Team

Gwen Barlee, Policy Director

Gwen came to the Wilderness Committee in 2001 with a background in political science and a passion for environmental and social advocacy. Her diverse education and experience includes social work, film production, and web development, and she is a past executive team member of the Victoria chapter of the Council of Canadians. Today, Gwen is the Wilderness Committee's Policy Director, and a member of the executive team. Although her focus has been on species at risk, Gwen is also active in our resource policy and parks campaigns, and she can be found working passionately on almost any issue the Wilderness Committee is involved with.

Joe Foy, National Campaign Director

As a child growing up in the still-wild Fraser Valley, Joe loved to hike and fish in the backcountry surrounding his home - but it was his love of the Stein Valley wilderness that led him to begin volunteering with the Wilderness Committee in 1984. In 1987 Joe became the Wilderness Committee's first paid campaigner and initiated the Lower Mainland Pocket Wilderness Campaign. Since then, Joe has been the driving force behind many of our campaigns, and has led the Wilderness Committee to successfully protect spectacular areas such as Boise/Pinecone/Burke, and the Stein, Carmanah and Lower Walbran Valley. Joe's passion for the wild shines through in his speeches at rallies, to media, and to the public. In all of his front line work, Joe is inspired and informed by his love for wilderness and the thousands of hours he has spent exploring BC's wild places.

Matt Jong, Comptroller

Matt joined the Wilderness Committee in 1998 as our comptroller, and is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the organization's financial management. Matt received his CMA from UBC in 1969 and spent several years with a firm of chartered accountants before moving on to sales and administration in a brokerage firm, where he was a vice president and director. He then spent 20 years in the investment industry, which he later parlayed into consulting work for both government and private companies. Matt's desire to contribute towards environmental and wilderness protection led him to the Wilderness Committee, and his dedication and diverse background are a great asset to the organization, both as our financial manager and as a member of our executive team and Board of Directors.

Andrea Reimer, Executive Director

Andrea joined the Wilderness Committee in 1992 and over the years has worked in every department within the organization, making her a natural choice for the role of executive director when the position opened up in January of 2002. Her diverse background in community development, social justice and the environmental movement give her a solid grounding to manage our membership and fundraising, public outreach, human resources, chapters and strategic planning. She is also a key player in the campaign and communications departments. A passionate grassroots organizer, Andrea volunteers with a number of outside organizations, currently sitting as a director of CCEC Credit Union and the Labour Environmental Alliance Society. She was also an elected member of the Vancouver School Board.

Staff

Gil Aguilar, Campaigns and Communications Assistant Vancouver

In 2005 the Wilderness Committee launched a survey of Marbled Murrelet habitat in Elk Creek near Chilliwack, inviting volunteers to help. Stepping into the forest from the sunny meadows surrounding felt like plunging into another world, where you could almost see the vibrant life of the forest emanating from the trees. This was Gil's first experience in a Canadian wilderness area in danger of being destroyed, which inspired him to become ever more active in the protection and conservation of our environment. Originally from Chiapas, Mexico, Gil moved to Canada in 2001, graduating from Simon Fraser University in the summer of 2005. He became a "full-time volunteer" with the Wilderness Committee in early 2005, participating on two trail-building expeditions to Lost Valley, several public outreach events, and the Web Publishing of all Wilderness Committee educational reports. With a deep passion for integrating an indigenous worldview to his work, Gil models his organizing, designing, writing, and research skills into building an environmental and community-driven organization that never stops dreaming.

Monalisa Amirsetia, Accounting Vancouver

Monalisa began volunteering for the Wilderness Committee while completing her psychology degree at UBC, and has been involved ever since. During a campaign with the Penan people of Malaysia in the late 1980s, she provided translation services, and helped to run the publicity and public outreach side of the campaign in Malaysia. Monalisa gained her accounting expertise while running her own company and from a range of financial training and certification programs. She was hired on to the accounting department in 1991, where she is now responsible for most aspects of the Wilderness Committee's accounting system.

Ian Band, Outreach Co-ordinator Manitoba Office

Ian was born in Kenora, ON in the heart of wilderness country. He was eight years old when his family moved to Winnipeg where he was then raised. An avid and accomplished all-season outdoorsman, Ian spent his summers in the Whiteshell area exploring and on Lake of the Woods where he worked as a lifeguard and a hunting & fishing guide. For eight years Ian lived on the West Coast in both Vancouver and Victoria and has lived and worked in every province in Western Canada. While on the West Coast, Ian also worked as a fishing guide and enjoyed completing the rugged West Coast Trail solo. Ian is a member of the Manitoba Naturalists Society and holds a Diploma in Agriculture, and both a B.A. (Adv.) and an M.A. in Political Studies from the University of Manitoba. As Outreach Coordinator, Ian's primary focus is on educating the public through community awareness.

Brienne Drouin, Membership Services Vancouver

Bri has helped out in the membership services department for a number of years. In May 2007 she joined the staff and handles member and donor inquiries, manages our membership database, processes donations and membership fees, and looks after the preparation and distribution of membership materials.

Deborah Drouin, Membership Services Vancouver

Deborah joined the Wilderness Committee in 1997 in the membership services department. She handles the Wilderness Savings Plan(monthly giving), manages our membership database, processes donations and membership fees, and supervises the preparation and distribution of membership materials. Deborah also provides assistance in the finance and accounting department.

Sue Fox, Communications Director Vancouver

Sue Fox became involved with the Wilderness Committee in 1989 during a campaign to bring to light the destruction of the environment and culture of the Penan people of Malaysia. She is a graphic artist by trade, and studied at both the Fanshawe School of Art and Design and the Ontario School of Fine Arts. Her graphic design background led her to the Wilderness Committee, where she co-founded the WILD campaign, and later became our communications director. Sue now oversees the creation and production of all of the Wilderness Committee's publications, and is also responsible for our product department and many aspects of our public outreach program. Beyond her passion for saving wilderness and endangered species, Sue sits on the board of directors of City Farmer, and owns her own graphic design company. Her hobbies include gardening and calligraphy, and she is involved with the birthing and midwifery movement as a Doula.

Stephanie Gribble, Wholesale Representative and Volunteer Coordinator Vancouver

Having been involved with various environmental organizations in her home country of Australia, including The Wilderness Society and Friends of the Earth, Stephanie came to Canada to pursue the same dream: to protect wilderness and wildlife. The Wilderness Committee seemed a perfect place to work. In 2005 she started out as a Wilderness Committee canvasser and also helped run public outreach booths. She is now employed as our Volunteer Coordinator and Wholesale representative. Stephanie enjoys hiking, camping, painting and promoting conservation.

Jessi Junkin, Campaign and Office Assistant Victoria

Jessi started out as a volunteer at the Wilderness Committee, and completed a 5 month internship here before joining us as Victoria Campaign and Office Assistant. She also volunteers with Food Not Bombs, Recyclistas bicycle collective and the annual Earthday Yogathon which raises funds for the Wilderness Committee among others. Jessi has travelled through most of Canada, hitchhiking from Victoria to Newfoundland. When she's not working for the Wilderness Committee, she teaches astanga yoga, and loves to play music, cycle and garden.

JP LeFrank, Printer and Distribution Coordinator Vancouver

JP LeFrank is a photographer and photojournalist by trade, and has submitted images to the Wilderness Committee for over 15 years. A childhood camper and lover of wild places, JP has always had a passion for protecting the wild, in particular our old growth forests. In his position as Printer/Distribution Co-ordinator, JP is happy to say our paper supplier ensures no trees were felled to produce our in-house printing for our membership. An avid sportsman, you can find JP in the hockey rink, the baseball diamond, and cycling his way to work.

Shaine Macleod, Outreach Director Toronto

With a passion for social advocacy, Shaine first became involved in the environmental movement while studying business. Eventually working full-time for many of the local grassroot organizations, by the summer of 2003 he joined WCWC re-establishing the Toronto office. Having made his life’s work out of public outreach, Shaine believes that community awareness and involvement is a critical part of any successful campaign. As Outreach Director, Shaine coordinates the canvass office, educating the public on current issues. His goal is to renew and rebuild membership in the “Big Smoke” of the Greater Toronto Area. In his free time, Shaine enjoys cycling and camping; as well, he has an avid enthusiasm for strategy games.

Tammy Lea Meyer, Canvass director Vancouver

Tammy Lea Meyer has led a varied life from a homestead in Nova Scotia to the cosmopolitan buzz of London before settling in Vancouver, where she has been with the Wilderness Committee since Jan 2002. Starting in canvass, Tammy has knocked on many doors raising awareness about the Wilderness Committee's campaigns. A media activist and developing creator of media arts, Tammy took over the management of the website in 2003. Since early 2007, she and Aimee share the position of canvass director.

Andy Miller, Staff Scientist and National Field Office Director Vancouver

Andy Miller has performed many functions at the Wilderness Committee since he started volunteering in 1991. His duties have ranged from door-to-door canvasser, to mail room clerk, to staff scientist, to his current role helping out with the smooth running of the Wilderness Committee's field offices. Andy has advanced degrees in biology and forestry and specializes in old growth forest ecology. When he is not beavering away on office work, you can catch him in the field pursuing his favorite activity, bird watching.

Eric Reder, Campaign Director Manitoba

Eric has worked for the Wilderness Committee since 2003 as a canvasser. Eric is a multi-talented man who has performed successfully as a campaigner, publisher, photographer, director of a national sports organization, carpenter, communications director and coach.

His valuable work experience is complemented by a strong background as an avid and accomplished outdoorsman. First-hand knowledge of many wild spaces has instilled a deep appreciation for their beauty and value, strengthening Eric's resolve to protect them. Eric spent much of his youth in the wilderness east of Lake Winnipeg with his first paddling trip at age four. Since then he has journeyed through much of Canada's wildlands, and many U.S. wilderness areas as well.

Matthew Sasaki, Executive Assistant Vancouver

After spending most of his teenage years focussed on how to amass a great fortune at any cost, Matthew started reading about the consequences of stratospheric ozone layer depletion and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster which were catalysts in rearranging his priorities to protect the Earth's ecosystems. He completed a degree in Environmental Studies, and has spent numerous years working in the nonprofit sector particularly towards conservation, including several years teaching environmental education around BC. He'll even fit in the odd jazz gig on tenor sax when time permits, and, with his wife and son, tries to get into the wild as much as possible .

Geoff Senichenko, Research and Mapping Director Vancouver

Geoff has had a love for wilderness and nature ever since he was a kid growing up going camping with his family. Geoff studied ecology and environmental science at the University of BC and graduated in 1998. He then went on to do ecological consulting and ecosystem mapping work for several years. Geoff wanted to do more to promote wilderness conservation, so he joined the Wilderness Committee as a canvasser in 2003 and then became research and mapping director in the summer of 2004. He is responsible for mapping projects and providing research support to the campaigners. He also participates in field expeditions, as he enjoys hiking and exploring wilderness areas both in and out of work.

Joan Varley, Office & Store Manager Victoria

Joan has arrived at the Wilderness Committee with a background in office administration, sales and marketing going back to the early '90’s when she operated a children’s consignment clothing store, followed by managing a wholesale seed company specializing in native plant seeds of Canada. Joan has had the opportunity to volunteer for several environmental organizations in various capacities such as office work, retail and outreach awareness, so jumping into the office/store manager position at the Rainforest Store was right in line with her love of nature and promoting the conservation of our environment. Joan enjoys family time, nature walks, reading and just puttering around in her garden.

Anton van Walraven, Office Operations and National Website Vancouver

In 1994, Anton took some time away from his career in architecture and industrial design in the Netherlands to travel around North and Central America. In 1996 he spent a summer in BC doing volunteer work for the Wilderness Committee, building trail in the Stoltmann Wilderness. Over the next few years, Anton became more involved with environmental advocacy, both in the Netherlands and in BC, which resulted in several longer trips to BC. Anton moved to BC in 1999 and started working for the Wilderness Committee in 2002. Since January 2007 Anton uses his technical creative background to manage the office operations in Vancouver and national Wilderness Committee website. Anton holds a Master Degree in Industrial Design Engineering from the Technical University Delft, Holland.

Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner

Ben West has been concerned about our living out of balance with the earth since he was very young. Ben grew up in an environment of socially consciousness and is a strong believer in life long learning. Ben has explored various avenues to make change for the better ranging from film-making and student activism to political organizing and sitting on the boards of a number of organizations including the Aurora Institute and the Board of Governors at Capilano College.
Ben was the coordinator of the BC Park Lovers Tour for the Wilderness Committee in 2005. As the Healthy Communities Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee Ben coordinates campaigns related to land use and transportation planning, protection of agricultural land and watersheds, reducing toxic pollution, and climate change policy.

Ken Wu, Campaign Director Victoria

Ken Wu grew up exploring wetlands, forests, and grasslands across Canada. His greatest interest is in the diversity of ecosystems and biodiversity on the planet. He graduated from the University of BC's Ecological Science program with an emphasis on evolution and conservation biology and has worked as a biologist, tutor, tree-planter, and door canvasser for Greenpeace and the Wilderness Committee. Over the years, Ken has organized numerous protests, rallies, hikes, campouts, meetings, and slideshows to foster the development of an educated grassroots movement to protect BC's endangered ecosystems. His central beliefs are that the environmental movement must become more biocentric and political. Ken's main campaigns include working to end the logging of old-growth forests on Vancouver Island, maintain the moratorium on coastal oil and gas development in BC, create a new South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park, and ensure strong federal targets and regulations to quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His hobbies include hiking, camping, kayaking, reading, eating, and napping.

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