Our People
Showing Golden Filter
Staff & Contractors
Leslie Adams
Golden Branch ManagerLeslie has lived in the Kootenays almost her whole life, growing up in Castlegar and now residing in Golden where she has been for almost 30 years. She loves the wilderness and spends as much time as she can outdoors; camping, hiking, swimming and cross-country skiing. Leslie has 7 grandchildren and it is important to her that they are able to enjoy the...Calvin Beauchesne
Branch Board Vice-Chair
Contractor Woodstove Exchange ProgramMy name is Calvin Beauchesne. I have a BA (Honours) in Environmental Studies and MA in Sustainability Studies. I led the fossil fuel divestment campaign at my university from 2013- 2015. I wrote my masters thesis on the effectiveness of different tactics and strategies of opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline in BC. I have lived in Golden for 3 seasons. This past...Aita Bezzola
Golden & Regional Board Director
Golden Area Forestry LeadAita is a born and raised Parson-ite, she moved away for school and life but recently moved back. She is a biologist and map-maker, and joined Wildsight to advocate for our amazing landscapes. She enjoys gardening, the outdoors and connecting with people.Gemma Cobb
ResearcherAfter completing a B.A in Geography and GIS at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Gemma came to British Columbia 'for a visit' and never left. She has been residing in Golden, BC for the past four years where she likes to spend time outdoors enjoying the sun, rain and snow. When she's not working you can find her enjoying a good book,...Rachel Darvill
Upper Columbia Swallow Enhancement Program - Project BiologistRachel is a registered professional biologist who developed and currently coordinates Wildsight Golden's Columbia Valley Swallow Project and Community Invasive Plant Program. She also developed and managed on the hugely successful Columbia Wetlands Waterbird Survey for Wildsight. At the top of her class, she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Environment and Management in 2014, and has a Bachelors of Science...Ashley Lang
Community Invasive Plant CoordinatorMy name is Ashley Lang. I was born and raised in rural central Alberta. I have always been interested and involved with helping protect the environment. I have completed my first year at the University of Alberta working towards a BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences. In my free time you will find me outside in rain or shine, mud or snow, doing...Meg Langley
Biologist & Project CoordinatorGolden Branch Director & Biologist on the Golden Rocky Mountain Sheep Project and Project Coordinator for the Plant Awareness ProjectAnnette Luttermann
ContractorAs a consulting boreal river ecologist, Annette Luttermann works with Aboriginal communities across Canada primarily investigating the cumulative environmental effects of large hydroelectric developments. Annette holds an interdisciplinary PhD from Dalhousie University where her research focused on the historical effects of dams and impoundments on riparian habitats of the Churchill River in Labrador.Reid Parkinson
Get Wild Camp CounsellorHi, my name is Reid and I have called Golden my home for my entire life. Some things I find myself doing include appreciating both nature, and the arts that have been created from its beauty, and I hope to be a gateway for the younger generation to enjoy it just as much as I do. As a musician and artist, I want...Verena Shaw
ContractorVerena Shaw is a very passionate naturalist who loves to get outside into the wild and has been birdwatching for many years. Verena has been involved with various environmental projects with some bird related ones being swallow, bluebird, wood duck nest box monitoring, nightjar and marsh bird surveys, a western screech owl study, and various other bird counts. When coming to the Wings...Steph Wiggins
Get Wild Camp Environmental Education CoordinatorHi, my name is Steph and I’m originally from the UK. I moved to Canada last year to experience everything this beautiful country has to offer. I have worked at a summer camp in the US for multiple summers as an Outdoor Adventure Counsellor and an Apprentice Director and I am extremely passionate about camp and the experiences it enables children to have. I love all...
Board of Directors
Calvin Beauchesne
Branch Board Vice-Chair
Contractor Woodstove Exchange ProgramMy name is Calvin Beauchesne. I have a BA (Honours) in Environmental Studies and MA in Sustainability Studies. I led the fossil fuel divestment campaign at my university from 2013- 2015. I wrote my masters thesis on the effectiveness of different tactics and strategies of opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline in BC. I have lived in Golden for 3 seasons. This past...Aita Bezzola
Golden & Regional Board Director
Golden Area Forestry LeadAita is a born and raised Parson-ite, she moved away for school and life but recently moved back. She is a biologist and map-maker, and joined Wildsight to advocate for our amazing landscapes. She enjoys gardening, the outdoors and connecting with people.Joan Dolinsky
Branch Board TreasurerJoan has been volunteering with WIldsight Golden since it’s inception in 1989. She has been the branch president for many years, spearheading and supporting many initiatives and projects Joan finds it a privilege to work with the great people that are part of Wildsight and to live and play in such a wild and wonderful place.Greg Galloway
DirectorGreg is an environmental professional with 7 years of experience in mountain hydrology. He’s looking forward to working with the community to help navigate climate adaptation and resiliency, sustainability, and responsible watershed management. Look for him on the local trails and rivers with his dog, Copper.Laura Hill
Branch Board DirectorLaura recently moved to Canada from the UK after completing a degree in Environmental Science. She is passionate about motivating community cohesion, environmental justice, waste minimisation and preserving the beautiful landscapes we are surrounded by for future generations. Laura is excited to work with Wildsight and to get involved with their projects.Christian Schlumpf
Branch Board DirectorChristian is an ACMG Ski Guide / Apprentice Alpine Guide, mostly guiding ski touring in the winter and rock climbing / mountaineering in the summer. Before becoming a guide, he worked for 3 years as an engineer in a solar panel research lab, and has a degree in Engineering Physics. He has always been passionate about wild places and strongly believes that we...Misty St. Peter
Branch Board DirectorBorn in the picturesque province of New Brunswick, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of Canada. Spending most of my life traveling across the country, I’ve been captivated by its diverse landscapes and rich wildlife. Settling in Golden for the past five years, I’ve immersed myself in the community as the General Manager of Golden Riverfront Campground. My passion...Jordan Wilkie
Branch Board DirectorJordan is a 15 year firefighter and disaster manager holding an MA in Disaster Emergency Management. He has advocated for environmental and social issues both politically and as an activist for more than two decades.Mathew Zaleski
Branch Board ChairMathew Zaleski has degrees in electrical and human factors engineering and a PhD in computer science from the University of Toronto. He has worked as an engineer, manager, and business owner and recently finished a 5 year stint as a computer science professor. In 1986 he started as a software engineer for IBM. Subsequently he worked for Autodesk, Adobe and Intel. In 1994,...
Join The Team
Want to protect wildlife, clean water and wild spaces? Volunteer with us! Wildsight volunteers are a very special group of people who give generously of their time to stuff envelopes, attend rallies, help run events, put up posters, keep tabs on forestry practices in their communities and participate in citizen science initiatives.