CPAWS Staff

Alison is CPAWS' National Conservation Director. She has more than two decades of experience in the conservation field, including eight years as CPAWS’ National Manager of the Protected Areas Program, and Northern Conservation Specialist. She coordinated CPAWS’ nation-wide campaign to protect the South Nahanni Watershed, and contributed to many other national park and northern campaigns.

Alison holds a BSc in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick, and a Masters in Geography from the University of Waterloo, specializing in parks and protected areas and community-based tourism planning. Alison is also an active volunteer with the local environmental group, ACRE, in her home community of Chelsea, QC where she lives with her husband and two teenage daughters.

Ellen has been CPAWS' Director of Communications and Marketing since June 2005. Previous to that, she worked for several years as an independent communications consultant assisting groups including CPAWS with strategic communications planning and activities.

Trained as a journalist, she has over 20 years of experience in Ottawa providing communications advice and program management to national organizations and government agencies including the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, the Canadian Boreal Initiative, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and the Canadian Council on Social Development.

Andrée recently joined the CPAWS team, and brings with her significant experience in the arts and non-profit sector, as well as in administrative support. As Executive Assistant, she ensures that the National Office in Ottawa is run in an organized and efficient manner, and is the first point of contact for public enquiries.

Andrée is fluently bilingual. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University, and participates in the arts culture in Ottawa, as an educator and youth leader.

Aran was formerly a staff lawyer and the director of forest monitoring for Ecojustice, Canada’s foremost public-interest environmental law firm. Aran is a former director of both the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre and the University of New Brunswick’s Environmental Law Society.

Aran is also a founding director of the forest monitoring organization, Global Forest Watch Canada. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Aran worked for many years as a whitewater paddling guide, instructor and trip leader.

As part of CPAWS commitment to the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA), Aran is currently on long term leave to the CBFA secretariat. Aran can be reached at the secretariat offices in Ottawa - (613) 235-2274 x 303 or aocarroll@borealagreement.ca. Chris Henschel is leading CPAWS nation-wide engagement of the CBFA.

Ashley joined the CPAWS team in 2008. As the Chapter Relations Manager she manages chapter contracts and ensures proper flow of fund disbursements to chapters. In her role as Foundations Manager she is the first point of contact for Foundations and ensures that grant applications are coordinated effectively. Since starting with CPAWS, Ashley has worked in various positions within the organization including Database Assistant and Executive Assistant. Her passion for CPAWS' mission is what fuels her to constantly seek out new sources of funding to help achieve their conservation goals.

Ashley holds a BA (Hons.) Degree in both English Literature and Gender Equality and Social Justice as well as a graduate certificate in e-Publishing. She has a passion for Environmental Justice, Human and Animal Rights and loves to write poetry and create art. Ashley lives in Ottawa with her partner Michael and 2 rescued cats Kylee & Mia.

Chris has a decade of experience in the Canadian conservation movement with a specialty in private and public sector forest policy. The focus of his current work is ensuring that international and domestic policies and markets for forest carbon make a real contribution to mitigating climate change and result in biodiversity benefits.

Chris is a 2007 Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation Global Youth Fellow.

Chris's work involves expanding the protected areas system in Nova Scotia and developing nationwide climate change adaptation strategies for wilderness protection.

Chris has a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Waterloo and a B.Sc. in biology and earth sciences from Dalhousie University. He is also an assistant professor in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University.

Chris developed a grassroots campaign that led to the successful protection of the Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area near Halifax and has been involved with many other successful nature conservation campaigns in Nova Scotia, including the protection of the Jim Campbells Barren Wilderness Area. Chris is a director of Global Forest Watch Canada and the scientific advisor for the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.

Emily Smith returns to CPAWS after two years in the Yukon wilds. From 2006 to 2009 she worked as National Chapter and Board Relations Manager for CPAWS and is happy to be returning to her CPAWS family to cover Ashley Windsor’s sabbatical. Passionate about Canada’s wilderness, Emily moved to the Yukon to be closer to the wilderness she fell in love with on remote horsepacking expeditions in the Muskwa Kechika region of Northern BC. In the Yukon, Emily enjoyed teaching the amazing and inspiring students at Yukon College while managing the Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon part-time. She stayed involved with CPAWS, volunteering as the Secretary-Treasurer on the CPAWS-Yukon Board from 2010-2011. Emily enjoys paddling, hiking, horseback riding and snowshoeing in Canada’s wild spaces with her partner and two dogs.

Jill has been working to protect wilderness and wildlife for more than a decade. Jill holds a BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences, with a major in Conservation Biology from the University of Alberta. She first became involved with CPAWS as a volunteer in university, and in 2001, joined the staff at CPAWS-Northern Alberta. Originally from Edmonton, Jill moved to Ottawa in 2005 to work at the CPAWS National Office. She became actively engaged in nation-wide campaigns, including CPAWS campaign to protect the South Nahanni watershed in an expanded national park reserve, and even had the incredible opportunity to paddle the mighty Nahanni! As the National Conservation Coordinator, Jill works closely with the CPAWS chapters across the county to protect Canada's wilderness and wildlife, including protecting Canada's Boreal Forest and woodland caribou.

A Lorax at heart, Jill is dedicated to protecting all things wild. Now, as a new mom, she hopes to instill the wonder of nature in her young son. Jill lives south of Ottawa with her son and partner.

Jim has worked in the non-profit sector since 2000, with duties in communications, administration and logistics. He has a background in the technology field, working in online tool creation and database analysis. Jim is coordinating web and print communications for CPAWS.

Jim has a B.Sc. in Biology and Environmental Science from Trent University, with a focus in aquatic ecology. He fills his spare time with video production and other creative pursuits. He lives in Ottawa with his wife Wendy.

Kailash Dongol joined CPAWS team in September 2010 and brings with him more than two decades of experience in accounting and finance. An internationally trained accounting professional, Kailash, who has a master's in accounting from the Tribhuvan University, enjoys meeting new challenges and community based activities.

Prior to joining CPAWS, he worked for charities and non-profit sectors which include Global Campaign for Climate Action, La Siembra Cooperatives, Canadian Red Cross, Micronutrient Initiatives and the CIDA's Project Support Unit in Nepal. For fun, he likes music, volleyball and spending time with family and friends. He resides in Ottawa with his wife and three children.

Sabine Jessen is the National Manager of the Oceans and Great Freshwater Lakes Program for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. She also serves as the Conservation Director for the British Columbia Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. Sabine has been involved with CPAWS since 1991 when she began four years of volunteer work, prior to becoming the first Executive Director of the BC chapter. She has worked on marine conservation issues since 1993, and also conducted research on land use planning in Canada’s Arctic.

Tina joined CPAWS in summer 2011 as a volunteer in the Accounts & Finance department. She later joined the CPAWS team as a part-time Accounts clerk. A well trained auditor with 3 years of working experience, Tina holds a Master's degree in finance from a renowned University in Nepal. She works 3 days a week out of which she contributes a day for CPAWS, voluntarily. She has volunteered for Canada Africa Community Health Alliance (CACHA) as well. Tina loves to paint in her leisure time.

Ursula joined CPAWS in the summer of 2008. She has a BA in Environmental Science and Chemistry from Poland and a Diploma in Computer Programming from Canada. She has 10 years of experience in fundraising.

Prior to her role at CPAWS, Ursula worked for Nature Canada as their Database Manager and for the Canadian Cancer Society as a Programmer Analyst. She enjoys traveling from coast to coast across our beautiful country with her husband, two children and dog which she takes camping during the summer.

Vicki has 12 years of experience fundraising for charities and not-for-profits. She joined CPAWS in 2003 as a part-time membership assistant, and expanded her role in 2005 as the full-time Donor Relations Manager.

Prior to her role at CPAWS, Vicki worked for the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the Administrative Coordinator, and she was employed 10 years as the Development Officer for the Queensway-Carleton Hospital Foundation. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Canadian Marketing Association.

Vicki resides in Ottawa with her husband and three children.