Our People
Showing Golden Filter
Staff & Contractors
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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. -
Rachel Darvill
Registered Professional Biologist | Conservation Biologist | Principal ConsultantRachel Darvill is a Registered Professional Biologist with over 25 years of experience in conservation biology, wildlife research, and environmental project design and management. Based in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, she specializes in avian ecology, species-at- risk recovery, and ecosystem monitoring with a strong emphasis on community-based science and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Rachel has been the founder and lead biologist of several projects including... -
Meg Langley
ContractorBiologist on the Golden Rocky Mountain Sheep Project and Project Coordinator for the Plant Awareness Project -
Annette 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. -
Laurie Marchessault
Get Wild! Environmental Education CoordinatorOriginally from Montreal, Laurie has called the Columbia Valley home for the past five years. The amazing landscapes and vibrant nature here stole her heart and deepened her passion for conservation. Rain or shine, you’ll find Laurie hiking, running, slacklining, paddleboarding, or simply soaking in the beauty around her. She’s also an avid reader and learner, constantly seeking to understand the natural world.... -
Natasha Nolet
Invasive Plant Program CoordinatorNatasha found her way to Golden in April 2025 after living on Vancouver Island for the previous decade where she graduated with her BSc in Biology and worked as an Aquatic Invasive Species Biologist. With an interest in ecology and restoration, Natasha enjoys working with and understanding the impacts of invasive species on local biodiversity and ecosystem health. Natasha is Wildsight Golden’s 2026... -
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... -
Monica Taylor
Branch ManagerMonica stumbled across Golden whilst backpacking through the rockies in 2021 and is delighted to have called this community home ever since. Monica has worked all over the world in varying roles, holds an MSci in Biology and brings a genuine passion for environmental protection and defending wild places. An avid hiker and skier, she spends most of her spare time in the...
Board of Directors
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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. -
Else Bosman
Branch Board DirectorOriginally from The Netherlands, and in Canada for the last 10 years. Else works for Interior Health as a data consultant to improve our health system and has a PhD in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia. She joined the board of directors with a desire to protect the wild places in the Columbia Valley. In her free time, she enjoys... -
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. -
David Geselbracht
Branch Board DirectorDavid Geselbracht is a lawyer and writer, and works as legal counsel for a national environmental NGO. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of British Columbia, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. He enjoys exploring the many trails and waterways of the Columbia Valley. -
Bastien Lye
Branch Board DirectorGrowing up in the French Pyrenees, Bastien always had this love towards the complex, yet fragile ecosystems that exist in the mountains. Having worked as a forest technician in France’s mountains, Québec’s boreal forests and BC’s interior region, he now aims to put his experience and curiosity to the benefit of the communities in the Columbia Valley alongside its natural habitats. He strives... -
Christian Schlumpf
Branch Board DirectorChristian is an ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide, working year-round in the mountains of BC and other parts of the world. Before becoming a guide, he spent 3 years as a scientist in a solar panel research lab, and has a BSc in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University. Growing up in southern Ontario, he has always been passionate about wild places. Living in... -
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 a software 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...
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.