Mentor Bios

Ayla Zolwik

Ayla is a wildlife biologist who has spent the past several years working in some of North America’s most unique landscapes – from kayaking to puffin colonies in coastal Alaska to trekking through the Mojave/Sonoran deserts in search of tortoises, owls, and lizards. They graduated from UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship in 2021 with a degree in Natural Resource Conservation, specializing in Global Perspectives and are now pursuing a Master’s at Cal Poly Humboldt, where their research focuses on how Swainson’s hawks behavioral and movement responses to construction disturbance in California’s Central Valley.

They are passionate about fieldwork, wildlife conservation, and supporting students as they explore their own paths in the natural sciences. Ayla knows firsthand how daunting it can feel to take first steps toward a career in ecology and is excited to share lessons learned along the way—whether that’s about grad school, field jobs, or simply navigating life as a young professional in conservation. When they’re not in the field, you can usually find them birding, hiking, or experimenting in the kitchen.

Ben Romanchych

Ben Romanchych is the Business Development Manager at SmartLam North America, seconded from the Brian Fehr Group. He focuses on national accounts, specialty programs, and developing innovative partnerships to expand SmartLam’s CLT product lines through distribution.

Earlier in his career, Ben was part of the Idaho Forest Group team that built and started up a greenfield sawmill in Lumberton, Mississippi, gaining firsthand experience in modern sawmill operations. Since joining the Brian Fehr Group, he has led strategic projects across the forest products, real estate, and construction sectors. At SmartLam, he worked across operations to rebuild enterprise systems, streamline processes from design through to shipment, and helped start up a new automated glulam plant in Alabama.

Ben is a proud UBC graduate, holding both a BSc in Wood Products Processing and an MBA in Finance. He is passionate about mentorship, leadership, and advancing sustainable growth in the sawmill and mass timber industries.

   I am a lecturer in the department of Wood Science, Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. I have taught in WS since 2021 (pandemic times!), at first online and then, once students returned to class, in person. Before teaching in Forestry I taught in Women’s Studies (now the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice), Continuing Studies, the Department of English, and Arts Studies in Research and Writing. I have taught for 20 years at UBC, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Emily Carr University, Douglas College, and Fairleigh Dickinson University. I have published five books: Learned (2022), One Hundred Days of Rain (2015; French translation Cent Jours de Pluie, 2016), Fresh Hell: Motherhood in Pieces (2013), Wreck Beach (2007), and Every Inch a Woman (2005). In my spare time I sort-of love to bike to work (like, not the hill).

Chazel Solamo graduated from the UBC Forest Operations program in 2020 with a specialization in Harvest Planning and Engineering. She is a Registered Professional Forester and an Engineer-in-Training. Since graduating, she has been working as a Junior Engineer specializing in bridges and roads in the forestry and mining sectors. Her experience includes coordinating projects, designing crossing locations, performing maintenance inspections, and supervising construction projects all over Northern BC. With her current role at Allnorth Consultants, she works on a wide variety of projects involving remote access and land use planning, First Nations consultations, structural bridge analysis, as well as logistics and transportation feasibility studies. 

As a previous mentee for the Tri-Mentoring Program, she hopes to come full circle by sharing her experiences as a forestry student and the path that led to a career that combines her love for the outdoors with her passion for engineering.

Christopher Quilty graduated from UBC forestry with a degree in natural resource conservation in 2021. Upon graduating he entered the industry as a consultant with Industry Forestry Service assisting in Multiphase contracts and timber cruising. He then gained the chance to join the Ministry of Forest where he now works as a Tenures Forester focused on area based tenures such as woodlots, community forests, First Nations woodland Licences and Tree farm licenses. In this role he works to solve problems to help aid both government and the public in forest management. Expanding upon his education and passion for the outdoors he also works as an infantry officer for the Canadian armed forces where skills gained from forestry are applied to assist Canada.

I began my career with a summer job at a small forestry consulting firm in Cranbrook, BC. That experience—before my time at UBC—sparked my interest in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, where I spent subsequent summers conducting timber cruising, block layout, and road planning. A chance encounter at a rugby match introduced me to the field of geotechnical engineering. After connecting with ConeTec Investigations, I took a year off to explore this path, working across Canada and in the UK. The experience confirmed my passion for geotechnical work, and I returned to UBC determined to pursue it as a career. After graduating in 2024, I joined ConeTec Investigations as a Field Engineer and registered as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) with Engineers and Geoscientists BC. There, I gained extensive technical experience in geotechnical site investigation and drilling. I now serve as Drilling Operations Manager, overseeing projects and operations while continuing to build my expertise in the field.

   David Hamilton is a RPF and a researcher studying electric logging trucks working for Muaka Energy Inc. David has a Masters in Geomatics and environmental management from UBC and a Bachelor of Science in forest resource management from UBC. At Mauka, David is leading a US DOE research project that is commercializing the patented electric log truck range mapping technology he developed during his PhD at Oregon State University (OSU).

   His background includes serving as assistant operations supervisor for UBC’s Alex Fraser Research Forest. David has served as a sessional lecturer in forest policy at OSU and has a background in forest operations, project management and GIS programming, as well as over a decade of experience in forest engineering roles.

Devon Campbell (he/him) is a lawyer at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP in Vancouver, where he practices Aboriginal law, representing both Indigenous communities and industry clients. Before becoming a lawyer, Devon worked in the forestry industry in both British Columbia and Alberta, where he was involved in harvest planning, logging supervision, and GIS mapping. He also volunteered with recreation and search and rescue groups during this time. Devon holds a degree in Forest Resources Management from the University of British Columbia and a diploma in Sustainable Resource Management from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Domenico Iannidinardo is a second generation forest worker and UBC graduate with degrees in Forestry and Business. He is also registered as a professional forester, biologist and engineer. As Chief Executive at Strategic Natural Resource Group, he is continuously working to advance frontline and strategic level resource management across varied landscapes, sectors and cultures while celebrating professionalism at all stages. 

I am primarily a builder. I help build relationships, organizations, and processes tailored to the unique characteristics and needs of the groups that I am working with. My objective is to help create legacies that helps those groups better envision and shape their own futures. Over the last 50 years some of the things that I have been involved in creating include businesses, schools, various land stewardship arrangements, public policies, foundations, working relationships, and governments.  I am often sought out to help groups work through difficult situations in unknown territory.

Some of my current roles include co-chairing the Provincial Forest Advisory Council that is “empowered to provide timely oversight, assessments, advice, recommendations and guidance on forestry in BC as we make the paradigm shift in BC to a new, more stable system that supports resilient communities, economies and forest ecosystems” plus being the Director of the Centre for Indigenous Land Stewardship housed under the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship at UBC.  These initiatives are helping to reshape our land stewardship systems to provide long-term stability, predictability and reliability grounded in maintaining ecosystem health.

Graeme Dick graduated with an MSc from the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship in 2009 after completing the UBC, Wood Products Processing Co-op program in 2007. His work experience has ranged from optimization of engineered wood-based products, to overseeing the technical performance and capabilities of operations, managing adhesive development efforts for the forest products industry, and being a technical resource for mergers and acquisitions. Graeme has routinely transformed technical departments and laboratories into results-oriented organizations with an emphasis on collaboration within and between operations.

Graeme is currently the Director, Product Quality & Technical Services for Tolko Industries Ltd.  He is responsible for leading EWP product and process development and improvement efforts, while ensuring that quality management systems are effectively deployed across the veneer- and strand-based businesses. He has been trained in, and practices, Six Sigma and is an active member of the ASQ. He has experience effectively interacting with all levels of an organization, driving change through indirect leadership, and employing systematic techniques to problem solving.

Haibo Feng

Haibo received his PhD training in UBC Civil Engineering in the field of Sustainable Construction. He was an Assistant Professor for over 2 years at Northumbria University in the UK before joining the Department of Wood Science at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. He also worked in construction industry for over 6 years on construction management and sustainable building design.

Dr. Feng’s research area is in green building, building information modeling, life cycle assessment and building energy performance. He has extensive industrial and research experience on promoting sustainable building construction with the integration of advanced building systems and renewable energy supports. He has practical knowledge on various building rating systems including LEED, BREEAM, Passive house, BC Energy STEP Code, Zero Carbon Building, EnerGuide. His work focuses on integrating innovative technologies into sustainable building design to achieve low carbon buildings with the consideration of social and economic impacts. He is particularly interested in using mass timber products to promote zero-carbon timber frame buildings. He also has extensive local and global experience in sustainable building design and construction management. He will continue his research on the development of Sustainable Built Environment Centre.

Hana Mohammadi

Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) expert with a PhD in Environmental Engineering and Postdoctoral experience at UBC with 5+ years of project management experience. Over 15 years of combined expertise in academia, industry, and government, delivering applied LCA studies, sustainability assessments, and environmental modeling. Skilled in conducting comprehensive feasibility studies for renewable energy projects and power plants, evaluating technical, economic, and environmental viability. Significant refinery experience with conducting an in-depth LCA of Parkland refinery operations. Proven track record in managing multi-partner research and consulting projects both in Canada and internationally. Published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Lead author for IEA reports on biofuel policies and an active contributor to shaping policy recommendations and advancing sustainable practices within the renewable energy sector. Currently appointed as an Instructor for the Micro Certificate in LCA course at BCBN & UBC and collaborating on NRCan’s project to develop an LCA framework for medium-and heavy-duty trucks, specializing in model design, data integration, and carbon accounting methodologies.

Harrison Mar

Harrison graduated from the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship in 2024 with a MSc. specializing in electrochemical fuel production. His research was in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and completed the majority of his lab work at the NRC labs at UBC. Prior to this, he completed a BSc. at UBC in 2020 majoring in environmental science and minoring in physics. Harrison has internship experience in the non-profit and non-governmental sectors, working with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and Foresight Canada. He currently works for the BC Non-Profit Housing Association as a Building Energy Specialist. He is interested in all facets of climate and sustainability, and has a background that touches on many different aspects of these topics including environmental systems, air quality, clean energy technologies, and built environment decarbonization. In his free time, Harrison enjoys rock climbing, biking, reading, and listening to music.

Harry Seely

Harry completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Guelph, specializing in Wildlife conservation. After developing a passion for GIS, cartography, and remote sensing, he decided to further pursue these skills as a career. In 2022, Harry completed the Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM) program at UBC and began a doctoral thesis in the IRSS where he is currently a PhD Candidate.

Harry’s research applies deep neural networks (DNNs) to estimate aboveground biomass in forests across Canada. This work brings together several different datasets, including provincial forest inventories, airborne LiDAR, and multispectral satellite imagery. A major focus in this research is transferring effective artificial intelligence methods to forest applications, including data fusion, self-supervised learning, and deep ensembles.

Ian Tom

Ian is currently the Manager of Parks Capital Projects at the City of Coquitlam where he oversees a portfolio of parks and open space project delivery. Ian’s work focuses on finding solutions to deliver parks services, by taking multidiscinplinary approaches to integrate technical disciplines with municipal process and governance. Ian previously worked at the City of Richmond in progressive roles focused on parks planning, design and construction. He is a proud graduate from UBC’s natural resources conservation program, a registered landscape architect, and PMP certified project manager. His pastimes include exploring local mountains and knitting (occasionally both at the same time).

Ira Sutherland

I am a systems thinker and aspire to apply my knowledge and skills that are centered around forest landscapes and social-ecological systems to help understand and navigate complex environmental challenges. My background has included a healthy mix of research, activism, science communication, and professional consulting as a Registered Professional Forester. During my PhD at UBC, I analyzed the historical and systemic roots of forest management challenges in BC. These diverse experiences help shape a broad perspectives and curiosity. I try to embrace complexity and support processes that are good for both people and the environment. This intention underlies my commitment to careful listening, learning, and reflecting; thinking across scales; collaborating across disciplines, cultures and worldviews; and, ultimately, building a more integrated understanding of landscapes. My philosophy as a mentor mirrors that commitment. I am happy to offer practical advice but try to hold a beginner’s mindset and see if there is someone I can really help.

Jane Ho

Indecisiveness has always been a trait of mine and during my undergraduate years, I’ve transferred between Programs and even Faculties. In the end, I stuck with UBC’s Urban Forestry Program with a Minor in Landscape and Recreation Planning. I had an unusual mix of work experience and education as the gigs I secured as a student focused on forest management, conservation, and Indigenous communities. I wasn’t exactly jack of all trades but trying jobs in different sectors allowed me to learn more about what I like and my working style. Today, I work for Fisheries and Oceans Canada as a Program Officer here at home. I support recovery planners in the Species at Risk Program (SARP) by ensuring proper protocols are being followed and government policies are being adhered to. Day to day, this looks like contacting First Nations and Indigenous Groups about SARA listed species, reviewing letters to stakeholders drafted by biologists, and training our biologists on using communication tracking tools to ensure everything is accounted for.

Jennifer Hong

Jennifer Hong is a policy analyst for the Multilateral Affairs team at the Canadian Forest Service where she supports international commitments related to Canada’s forests and forestry practices. Jennifer graduated from the University of British Columbia’s Forest Sciences program specializing in Forest Ecosystem Services. She has worked for a wide range of organizations including Parks Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dillon Consulting, and Singapore’s National Parks Board. Outside of work, Jennifer is a Global Ambassador with Youth4Nature where she co-leads the Faces of Forestry campaign and supports youth engagement and participation at international fora, such as UNFCCC COP and the UN World Forestry Congress.

Joey is an Arborist on the team with an Honors Bachelors of Environmental Studies with a Management specialization from York University, Toronto. She also has a Certificate in Arboriculture from Humber College, Toronto. She has been a climbing arborist for 5 years in the Niagara region in Ontario and in West Vancouver. She participated in ISA Tree climbing competitions and other tree climbing events as a competitor and volunteer, advocating for industry safe practices in tree climbing. Before joining DHC, she worked for the Government of Alberta in the Wildfire Division as a Crew Leader for the Junior Forest Rangers program. There she worked with young people to provide exposure to outdoor work from Forestry to Wildfire, and working with and learning from local indigenous peoples. Joey is both an ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Qualified Tree Risk Assessor, and part of the ISA-PNW DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Committee. In her spare time, Joey enjoys rock climbing, hiking and camping. She also enjoys admiring trees across Metro Vancouver and spreading knowledge to educate others, all the while continuing to educate herself. Most of all, she strives to find the balance between the natural and urban environment that is both safe and inclusive for all.

Kelsey is currently a PhD candidate in the Geography department at UBC, and her research focuses on studying the interactions between river habitat characteristics and Chinook salmon freshwater survival.  Her work aims to better understand how climate and land-use changes have altered river geomorphic dynamics and the implications for salmon early-life-stage survival. She is passionate about salmon and wildlife conservation and river restoration practices. Kelsey has completed two undergraduate degrees (BSc Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 2015; BSc Forest and Conservation Sciences, UBC, 2022) and a Masters in Forestry (UBC, 2022) with a focus on aquatic community ecology. In her free time, Kelsey enjoys hiking, fishing, and exploring the outdoors.

Kendall McLaughlin holds a degree in Natural Resources Conservation and is dedicated to fostering inclusive community building through ecology and community science. Kendall currently works part-time in three roles: Engagement Coordinator with the B.C. Wildlife Federation, Education Researcher with Access to Media Education Society, and Outreach Projects Manager for the Galiano Arts Alliance.

Their professional experience spans ecological restoration, grant writing for equity and sustainability initiatives, and event planning for the Galiano Island community. As a 2020 Canadian Conservation Corps alum, Kendall developed virtual wetlands workshops and led community cleanups to raise awareness about litter and its ecological impacts.

Outside of work, Kendall is an active volunteer with organizations that reflect their values—contributing to wildlife monitoring, promoting equity and traditional Indigenous knowledge, and supporting community arts and theatre. Kendall also leads monthly coastal waterbird surveys for Birds Canada, provides tech support for seniors, contributes graphic design for local initiatives, and works as a technical technician for community events.

Kiah is a Knowledge and Capacity Development Officer with the BC Wildfire Service’s Research and Innovation Team, where she leads the research program for the provincial Cultural and Prescribed Fire program. Her work spans fire ecology, fire and fuels management, fire behaviour, and social science. Kiah is a Registered Professional Biologist with the College of Applied Biology specializing in disturbance ecology, she has 13 seasons of operational experience with BC Wildfire Service, including ongoing service on a Type 1 Incident Management Team. Her work has focused on wildlife habitat restoration in post-wildfire areas, fuel management in sensitive ecosystems, and ecosystem restoration projects centered on prescribed fire.

Beyond wildfire, Kiah is a dedicated whitebark pine enthusiast, having contributed to restoration and research as both a field technician and as the Whitebark Pine Seed Orchard Coordinator, leading the establishment of the first seed orchards in B.C. She holds a B.Sc. in Natural Resources Conservation (2017) and an M.Sc. in Forestry (2019), both from UBC.

Kieran Ray Daniels

Kieran is an Associate Program Manager at CLEAResult Canada, an energy efficiency, transition, and sustainability consultancy. In this role they direct a commercial and industrial energy efficiency program and are responsible for client engagement, program performance, financial management, forecasting, and reporting. Before this, Kieran worked at ChopValue, a circular economy start-up, and held co-op/summer positions with FPInnovations and UBC’s Advanced Renewable Materials Lab. Kieran participated in the Tri-Mentoring program while completing their degree in Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology and enjoys helping guide students on their academic and professional journeys.

Kieran is passionate about promoting environmental and social justice through novel business and technological ideas, and in their spare time enjoys eating and cooking good food, hanging out in nature, and staying active (usually in the mountains)!

Kristy McConnel

Kristy McConnel is a Climate Risk and Resilience Advisor at WSP. She works to improve climate resilience by conducting vulnerability assessments and undertaking adaptation and sustainability planning and advisory. She is passionate about building sustainable communities through creativity and innovation and works on wide range of projects for clients across Canada. Kristy holds a Master of Community and Regional Planning degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources Conservation from the University of British Columbia, and a certified Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP). Outside of work, she loves to mountain bike, garden, and spend time with her family and her dogs in the beautiful West Kootenays.

Mike Harrhy

Mike Harrhy is a Registered Professional Forester and ISA Certified Arborist who works at, Diamondhead Consulting, a Vancouver-based consulting firm. He specializes in managing trees in parks and cities. This includes tree risk assessments, riparian protection measures, wildfire protection, and planning tree management through urban development and large infrastructure projects. Mike is an interdisciplinary professional who taps a range of experience to solve problems at the scale of an individual boulevard tree up to an entire forest. Mike graduated from UBC’s Natural Resources Conservation and Management program, and then went back to complete a Master’s of Sustainable Forest Management in 2016. Mike lives in Vancouver and is a passionate outdoorsperson; enjoying sailing, skiing, and the marvels of the forests.

Molly Hudson

Molly spent the beginning of her multi-decade career in the forest sector working throughout coastal British Columbia as a tree planter, timber cruiser, research technician, and biologist. She held multiple leadership positions with Mosaic Forest Management, overseeing forest management certification, forestry operations, environmental performance, community relations, and fish and wildlife management, including the species at risk program. She is currently Vice President, Forestry & Sustainability with Nch’ḵaỷ Development Corporation, the business arm of the Squamish Nation.

Molly holds a biology degree from the University of British Columbia and a Diploma of Technology in Forest Ecosystems from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She is a Registered Professional Forester and Registered Professional Biologist and is passionate about forestry’s role in a climate-smart future and about creating a diverse and equitable forest sector.

Montana Goddard

Montana Goddard’s passion for exploring the intersection of resource management and Indigenous rights began during a study abroad program in Peru. Back in BC, she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Forestry at UBC, specializing in Community and Aboriginal Forestry and is a Registered Professional Forester with the FPBC. After gaining hands-on experience in operational forestry in silviculture and engineering, Montana transitioned to public service in 2016.

At the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, she contributed to treaty policy, the Tsilhqot’in title implementation, tripartite negotiations and the early groundwork for adopting UNDRIP in provincial policy as a Senior Policy Advisor. She later joined the Ministry of Forests as a Senior Indigenous Policy Forester, and later, a Timber Supply Review Forester, focusing on forest policy development.

For the past four+ years, Montana has managed Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) implementation in the Great Bear Rainforest. In this role, she collaborates with First Nations, forest licensees, and environmental organizations to advance the Great Bear Agreements, oversee land-use order implementation and lead adaptive management initiatives. Montana’s work reflects her commitment to sustainable forestry practices and meaningful partnerships.

Natalie is a fisheries biologist specializing in salmonid ecology, environmental DNA (eDNA), and aquatic habitat monitoring. She holds the Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) designation and has over three years of consulting experience, where she was worked throughout British Columbia and in the Canadian Arctic, focusing on fisheries assessments, aquatic monitoring, and environmental management. She has also worked with First Nations governments and non-governmental organizations across the province to support fisheries and resource management initiatives. Natalie completed her B.Sc. in Natural Resources Conservation at the University of British Columbia in 2020, which included a semester abroad in New Zealand and a summer term with the Haida Gwaii Institute. She went on to earn an M.Sc. in Oceans and Fisheries at UBC in partnership with the Hakai Institute, researching the use of eDNA for juvenile salmon monitoring during their outmigration. In addition to consulting, she teaches at the Haida Gwaii Institute. Natalie now resides and recreates on Ktunaxa territory.

Nancy is a sustainability and management consultant with more than 20 years of international experience. She currently sits on the BC Environmental Appeal Board, Forest Appeals Commission and Energy Resource Appeal Tribunal and was previously the CEO and Executive Director at the Jane Goodall Institute Australia. She has also served as Non-Executive Director on several boards including Greenpeace Australia Pacific and worked as a management consultant at two of the “Big Four” professional services firms: Deloitte and EY.

Nancy is a graduate of the Natural Resources Conservation program in UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship and also holds an MBA and MSc (Ecology). She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and trained as a Climate Reality Leader under Al Gore.

Nancy has recently happily relocated back to Vancouver from Sydney with her family.

When I graduated from the Cons program at UBC, my first job was with the Business Operations section of Surrey’s Parks Division. While I had always envisioned working in the field and getting my hands dirty, this role was almost entirely an office-based database and work management system administration role. It turns out I really enjoyed the work! The job provided me with valuable experience to build upon my formal education and also allowed me to stay connected with the ever-evolving realm of urban forestry in Surrey. I served as Surrey’s urban forestry manager for more than 4 years and now I am Surrey’s director of parks. In this role I oversee long range planning and parkland acquisition; park design and construction; athletic field, structure, and landscape maintenance and operations; community enhancement and park partnerships; the operation and maintenance of the city’s three cemeteries; and urban forestry within Surrey’s parks division.

   Neil is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Wood Science at UBC’s Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship. He holds a PhD in Computer Science (Educational Technology) from National Central University in Taiwan, an M.Ed. in Teaching Second Languages from the University of Southern Queensland, and a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Victoria. With over twenty-five years of teaching experience, Neil’s work integrates communication, technology, and inclusive pedagogy. He has led major curriculum innovations in communication education, including the redesign of NRES 225: Communication Strategies and the development of an Open Educational Resource textbook. His educational leadership focuses on AI integration, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and decolonizing assessment practices. Neil’s work continues to influence communication teaching across UBC and the broader field of environmental education.

Nick is a Registered Professional Forester and Partner at Chartwell Resource Group Ltd. Since graduating from UBC, he has always had a keen interest in Ecosystems Based Management (EBM) in Coastal BC. Over his career he has gained an in-depth understanding of Ecosystems Based Management on Haida Gwaii and its application in operational forestry. Beyond EBM, Nick is passionate about emerging technologies and remote sensing. Part of his role at Chartwell, is researching the ways new technologies and devices can be used to improve productivity and deliver great services to his clients. Nick is also committed to mentoring the next generation of forest professionals and believes that the UBC Tri-Mentoring Program is a great program for students looking to navigate the next steps of their careers.

Nicole is a recent graduate of UBC’s Bioeconomy Sciences & Technology program. She now works as an ESG consultant within KPMG’s Infrastructure, Capital Projects, and Sustainability Services practice. Before joining KPMG, Nicole built a strong foundation in sustainability through co-op roles at Equinox Gold Corp, UBC’s Advanced Renewable Materials Lab, and the Automotive Retailers Association. These experiences gave her practical insight into environmental performance, research innovation, and industry engagement across diverse sectors. Nicole has also served as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for courses in biometrics and bioproducts and worked with UBC’s Centre for Accessibility to support inclusive exam processes. Now based in Vancouver, BC, Nicole is passionate about helping organizations navigate the evolving ESG landscape. Outside of work, she enjoys baking and playing video games.

Noah is a Registered Professional Forester and Partner at Chartwell Resource Group Ltd who graduated from UBC in 2015. Since graduating, Noah focused his professional development on multi-phase forestry management, until transferring to applying his harvesting planning knowledge to infrastructure development projects in 2019. Noah has been involved in major development projects throughout the province of British Columbia including the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project, and multiple powerline and linear development projects on behalf of BC Hydro. Noah is proud to be a part of constructing legacy projects, and enjoys contributing a balanced approach of resource management and harvesting knowledge and expertise to his clients.

Patrick Duffy is a 1955 UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship alumnus and a Varsity Outdoors Club and Thunderbird Ski Team alum, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, a Masters from Yale and a PhD from the University of Minnesota. He is the founder of Vancouver-based international environmental consultancy, PJB Duffy and Associates. 

Patrick’s first professional job involved solving local frost occurrence problems in Ontario, after which he moved to Alberta to research on lodgepole pine and white spruce productivity while managing a forest research team on land classification. Following his doctorate, Patrick spent a year in Australia and Papua-New Guinea on land classification, then moved to Ottawa to coordinate land classification across Canada and to manage the Canada Land Inventory, which involved teams from the provinces. Patrick has over 55 years of experience working in Canada and overseas in over 40 countries on projects which were for the United Nations, including the FAO and the World Bank, industrial and non-government organizations. He has served as a mentor at UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship since the program’s inception about 20 years ago. In his spare time, he has enjoyed trekking in the Canadian Rockies, ski racing, classical music, and is interested in international affairs, governance of Canada, and climate change. 

https://pjduffy0.wixsite.com/home

Peter Wood is the coordinator of UBC’s Master of International Forestry program, and teaches courses in international forest policy, governance, economics, and finance. He has worked in related fields for over two decades in a variety of roles, including with non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations (e.g. the UN Forum on Forests). He has served on various international expert bodies, such as the Global Expert Panel on International Forest Governance (IUFRO) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and has been involved in the development of multilateral agreements on climate change and biodiversity. He has also worked for the BC Ministry of Forests, and several Canadian NGOs, including the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-BC), West Coast Environmental Law, and the David Suzuki Foundation. He completed his PhD in Forestry at the University of Toronto. Born and raised in Vancouver, he loves getting outdoors and enjoying all that the West Coast has to offer.

Ravdeep Brar is a Registered Professional Forester with the Ministry of Forests supporting multi-agency planning initiatives in the Northeast Region. His work is closely tied to the Treaty 8 Consensus Agreements and the Supreme Court decision in Yahey v. British Columbia, where he supports the shift to ecosystem-based management guided by the Blueberry Implementation Agreement. His day to day requires strategic thinking, relationship-building and leadership to support the management and implementation of natural resource initiatives. Ravdeep has experience in timber development, fuel management, forest policy and forest stewardship.
   
   Ravdeep graduated from UBC with B.Sc. in Natural Resource Conservation and a Master of Sustainable Forest Management. Currently, he is an MBA candidate at the University of Northern British Columbia.

Rob has over 15 years’ experience overseeing the management of parks and urban forestry in Surrey and Port Coquitlam. A Natural Resource Professional with the Association of BC Forest Professionals, his work experience includes habitat restoration, forest health management, tree risk assessments and wildlife research. Rob has a Bachelor of Science (Natural Resource Conservation) from the University of British Columbia, is an ISA Certified Arborist and Qualified Tree Risk Assessor.

Sam has a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources Management and a PhD in Forestry from UBC. He has been a Registered Professional Forester since 2012. Sam has a diverse range of experience in natural resources management including forestry, fisheries, environmental science, oil and gas development, environmental assessments, land management, and geomatics. Sam’s career began in 1993 in the UK in operational forestry. After completing his education in 2011, he moved to Terrace, BC. Northwest BC offered opportunity to work for First Nations governments in technical and administrative roles, and also in consulting on major project developments in the Northwest. From 2017 until 2020 Sam was the Director of Investigations for the Forest Practices Board and became an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship at UBC. He is now self-employed and based in Smithers BC. Sam works mostly with First Nations in natural resources management and workforce planning and development.

Shane Hunt

Junior Urban Forest Planner – BUF, FIT, ISA Certified Arborist®, TRAQ, WDTA

Shane is driven by a vision of the ecological cities of tomorrow. He holds a Bachelor of Urban Forestry (BUF) with a Minor in Urban Greenspace Management from the University of British Columbia. In his role, he supports the development of urban forest strategies, planting plans, and technical specifications. Throughout his degree he learned to develop and implement monitoring protocols and indices that could be used to baseline and monitor the urban forest. He has been a strong advocate for the urban forest throughout the development of UBC’s Campus Vision 2050, as well as while a member of the Imagine West End Waterfront Advisory Committee for the City of Vancouver.

Shruti Sidhar

Shruti is a Senior Analyst at Envint Services LLP, a sustainability advisory firm where she helps businesses and investors with responsible investment, and ESG & impact management. She graduated from UBC’s Natural Resources Conservation program in 2022 and went on to complete a Master of Management at the Schulich School of Business. Since then, she has worked in sustainability consulting and finance, specializing in developing impact frameworks and strategy for private equity funds, environmental and social due diligence, impact assessments, and corporate sustainability. She also holds certifications in CFA Sustainable Investing, Impact Fund Management, and sustainability reporting through the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). 

Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, spending time with friends and family, pottery, and playing video games.
As a proud UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship graduate and former Tri-Mentorship Program mentee, Shruti is excited to support students and be a small part of their journey as they explore opportunities in sustainability and beyond.

Stephanie Bron

Stephanie is a Postdoctoral Researcher at UBC in the Forestry department. Her journey has been a bit unconventional since she holds a PhD in physics, from the University of Geneva. She crossed the Atlantic to pursue research in particle physics, starting a Postdoctoral Fellowship at TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator center, nested in Pacific Sprit Park in Vancouver. 

While fascinated by the most mysterious phenomena in the Universe, such as the nature of neutrinos, tiny “ghost” particles of which not much is known, she always had a strong interest in natural ecosystems, which got reinforced by being surrounded by the beautiful forests of British Columbia. This strengthened her decision of transitioning toward environmental sciences and to join the Forestry Department, this time only having to cross the UBC campus and not a whole ocean.

Her research in the Forest Action Lab develops machine-learning models to predict productivity in forest operations, as part of a global effort to explore how artificial intelligence and data analytics can transform forestry. Combining LiDAR-based forest inventory with data from onboard machine computers that monitor ignition status and movement, she uses available operational and forest information to test different models. Reliable productivity predictions have a huge potential to optimize planning for crews, equipment, and logistics, which supports economic sustainability while minimizing the environmental impacts of harvesting.

She hopes that her non-linear journey across multiple fields of science can help students navigate their own paths through the vast and exciting possibilities of research.

Theraesa Coyle

I am a Senior Science Advisor with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). I currently manage the Science Funding Secretariat, a team of ten employees who oversee and administer over $40 million in research funding for DFO scientists, universities, Indigenous organizations, NGO’s, and other groups who want to undertake research in marine and freshwater sciences.

I received my BSc from UBC in Environmental Sciences in 2012, and my MSc in Geography from McGill University in 2016. My graduate thesis focused on biodiversity in agroforestry systems in southern India, and I was briefly a visiting student in the UBC Forestry & Environmental Stewardship department. After completing my degree, I worked in both the government and private sectors before accepting a permanent position with DFO as the Pacific region program lead for an Aquaculture Monitoring Program. In this role, I managed a long-term research program on the environmental impacts of Aquaculture.

Originally from Langley, BC, I am currently based in Nanaimo where I live with my partner and two young boys. Between working and parenting I have very little free time, but in the off-chance I manage to squeeze it in between diaper changes and temper tantrums, I enjoy sewing, wildlife photography, painting, and pottery.

Tianyang Liu

Ten years ago, an 18-year-old ventured abroad for academia with three bags and no connections. Six years later, I graduated from UBC with a Master’s in International Forestry, a 4.0 GPA, and a prestigious scholarship in the Class of 2020.

   With a passion for sustainability, I joined Infarm, an AgTech startup, where I advanced from an entry-level associate to Regional Account Manager, overseeing 71 Sobeys retail locations in Canada. In 2023, I returned to the forestry sector as a Global Account Executive at Canfor, managing pulp and paper exports for Asia-Pacific and North America, with annual revenue of ~USD $164M.

   In my spare time, I help my partner’s resell business, dance ballet, explore the outdoors, and visit cute retail stores.

Sydney Baker

Sydney graduated from the Natural Resource Conservation program in 2012, and then went on to complete a MA in Human Geography at the University of Toronto in 2019. Her thesis looked at an extended producer responsibility program for tires in South Africa. She then spent 4 years working at Ontario’s regulator for recycling programs for tires, batteries, electronics, hazardous products and printed paper and packaging. Sydney is currently working as a consultant with Dillon Consulting Ltd. on the waste advisory team and works on a variety of projects related to waste management planning, diversion and the circular economy.

Tim Hawkins

Tim graduated from the Natural Resources Conservation program in 2016 from the Science and Management stream. He then did a masters in the Forest Resources Management department with a thesis focused on the sociology of how scientific knowledge is translated into management outcomes in salmon conservation. In his masters and in work since, Tim has focused on natural resource planning and decision-making involving First Nations across BC, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. He now works as a facilitator and mediator with West Coast Aquatic, where he supports collaborative governance processes in the fisheries and aquatic resource management space. Much of this work involves Pacific salmon and their ecosystems, but Tim’s time is spent with people focused on the human element of what makes collaboration for fish and their ecosystems effective.

Tom Lundgren

Graduate Britannia 1971, BCIT Forestry 1973, UBC BSc Forestry 1977, RPF 1214 1979. Summer work timber cruising Kitimat and Vavenby, road and block layout Mackenzie. Engineering MacDonald Cedar Products 1977 – 1980, Administrative Forester (appraisals, tenure management) Whonnock Industries 1980 – 1986, Silviculture Superintendent (reforestation program) Interfor 1986 -1990, Assistant Chief Forester (reforestation program, negotiations with First Nations and ENGO’s, company environmental standards) Interfor 1990 – 1992, Chief Forester Interfor 1992 – 1995, General Manager (responsible for business unit of 1.5 million m3/yr) Interfor 1995 – 1998, Manager Forestry (electronic mapping, reforestation, negotiations with First Nations, ENGO’s, government agencies) Interfor 1995 – 2012, Senior Forestry Manager 2012 – 2013, retired 2013.

Victor Mate

Victor Mate is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) based in Vancouver with experience spanning forest operations, policy, and industry advocacy. He began his career with internships and technical forestry work across BC, gaining experience in road engineering, harvest design, and ecological management. Currently, Victor works with the BC Council of Forest Industries, where he represents member companies on complex regulatory and market issues, including landscape-level planning, biodiversity policy, and international trade. His work emphasizes collaboration with government, First Nations, and stakeholders to build sustainable, practical approaches to forest management.

Yeganeh Asadian

Yeganeh Asadian is a senior leader with extensive experience in environmental sciences and strategic management. She excels in guiding organizational growth and transformation across sectors like energy, infrastructure, and natural resources. She specializes in environmental stewardship, policy development, and sustainable project management, seamlessly integrating long-term environmental goals with business strategies.

Known for her strategic thinking and collaborative approach, Yeganeh is skilled in managing complex projects and leading diverse teams. She is committed to sustainability and focused on building strong stakeholder relationships while driving continuous improvement.