As the Executive Director at the High Park Nature Centre, I orchestrate impactful strategies driving operational and financial success, resulting in notable achievements and quantifiable growth. Spearheading organizational leadership and program development, I currently direct the Nature Centre's initiatives, ensuring tangible results:* Operational Growth: Leading a team of 25 staff members, overseeing an annual budget of just over $1M, and engaging over 14,000 participants annually, achieving a 30% increase in program participation over a 5-year period.* Financial Sustainability: Strengthening the Nature Centre's financial position, successfully balancing annual revenues and expenses, ensuring a consistent year-end balance, and driving a 20% increase in fundraising revenues year over year.* Program Excellence and Community Reach: Developing and expanding programs to promote inclusion and community reach, collaborating with Keys to Inclusion, CultureLink, Together Project, and other agencies to enrich the Centre's outreach and community impact.* Strategic Project Oversight: Leading and managing major upcoming projects, including the renovation of the Forest School and the development of a new Outdoor Classroom, both scheduled for commencement in 2024. These projects are poised to expand the Centre's program offerings and engagement within the community.My current tenure optimizes operations and fosters community engagement through strategic planning, financial management, and collaborative outreach, resulting in a cohesive and thriving nature-centric organization that makes a substantial impact within the community.

The Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre is located on 3,000 acres of wetlands, fen and forest in Midland, Ontario. We are a non-profit organization whose mission is that we are a centre of excellence for wetlands research, interpretation and education based on the principle of stewardship and the importance of environmental awareness. To this end I am motivated to work towards environmental sustainability and promote awareness about our natural environment and how humans are affecting it both negatively and positively. My appointment at the Wye Marsh in 2011 found me eager to engage our community and renew partnerships. Over my 6 years in this role with the Wye Marsh I have accomplished many milestones. Including the completion of the replacement of the 400' boardwalk, raising over $300K towards this project; coordinating the redesign of our website; working in cooperation with stakeholders during a re-visioning process resulting in our new mission and vision; and rekindling relationships with all levels of government.

Stepping up in a time of challenges for our organization I was promoted to provide job support to our Executive Director that was meeting life's own challenges. In this role I led and directed over 6 full time staff, liaised with the Board of Directors in the absence of our Executive Director and managed day to day operations. This involved thinking on my feet and coming up with innovative solutions with limited resources.

In my role of Stewardship Coordinator I was responsible for writing grant applications to further research efforts at the Wye Marsh as well as conducting species inventories that would create a baseline of data for future generations. During my role with the Marsh we completed a comprehensive species inventory including compiling data from previous years research. As an outdoor educator I was responsible for leading groups of students or visitors on educational tours or for facilitating educational school programs. I also led many a Wet'N'Scaly show (Snake and Turtle show) educating visitors about their life history and threats that they are facing and how humans can help their species.

Completed reptile species at risk research with a masters student from Laurentian University on Massasauga Provincial Park.

During my summers off from studies at the University of Guelph I worked with the local municipalities skilled horticultural team to maintain the gardens and parks around the city. This role was a fun and engaging position in which I had the opportunity to discover my creative side. Often being asked to work in collaboration with other staff on the execution of the special designs in the floral clock at Riverside Park and also the crest at Royal City Park and finally having the opportunity to work on Blossom the floral train at Paisley and Edinburgh Park.