Our People

Karen Barkley comes to Invermere from Banff with vast experience in climate change and community issues. Most recently, she was the Operations Manager with the Global Call for Climate Action for over 8 years and was Project Manager for The Resilience Institute in Canmore, AB. She has worked in international development in Nigeria and Nepal, where she helped the national office of the Federation of Community Forest Users with its strategic planning and...

Katarina Graves was born and raised near the Rocky Mountains in Alberta and has lived and worked across the country, including in Banff and Toronto. She has degrees in Urban Geography, Energy Management and Environmental Planning.

Clare grew up in Calgary where her close proximity to the Rocky Mountains inspired her passion for the environment and sustainability. As a recent graduate from the University of Victoria with a BSc in Geography and Environmental Studies, Clare is excited to help contribute to positive action relating to climate change. Clare spent her summers in Invermere making the Columbia Valley a very special place to her. In her free time, Clare likes...

Jessie moved to Invermere in August 2016 from Crawford Bay in the West Kootenays. She now works as a Wildsight Environmental Educator, and at Eagle-Eye Tours. Her favourite spot in the Columbia Valley is her garden, followed closely by Wilmer Wetlands and any number of local hiking trails.

Miel Dubielewicz

Tracy Flynn came to the Columbia Valley from northern Alberta 12 years ago. She appreciates intact, healthy ecosystems but it was Columbia Lake that drew her here. Having spent most of her life in the unspoiled lake environments that northern life offered, she was pleased to find Columbia Lake. Tracy has always preferred to be outside, doing everything and anything outdoors related, including hiking, skiing and biking. She feels she has landed in...

Cam grew up in the Columbia Valley and is thrilled to return and call it home. He has a PhD in Biology and his passion for birds and the environment comes from a life of enjoying the outdoors since he was a child. Living in Windermere, he runs Eagle-Eye Tours, which provides an opportunity for travel to remote and wonderful corners of the world. He has also been involved in several wildlife research...

Baiba Morrow has navigated much of her working life as a freelance writer, photographer, and dabbler in documentary film making. In partnership with her husband, Pat Morrow, she has travelled and explored the mountain world, especially the Himalayan region, and found inspiration from ancient cultures. Since moving back to the East Kootenay in 2007, Baiba continues to find joy in her community, the mountains, and her garden.

Although Aurora has lived most of her life in Invermere, she was born in New Zealand and has been enjoying the outdoors since a young age. Many weekends were spent hiking and camping if she was not already training for cross country skiing, soccer and other outdoor sports. Aurora has had the pleasure of travelling to other countries to enjoy nature and appreciate its beauty. Aurora is excited about representing the youth voice in nature conservancy and...

Penny was born and raised in South Africa, and moved to Calgary in 1978 with her family. Her passion for travel and adventure took her around the world and back to South Africa briefly. Knowing that Canada and the mountains were her home, she settled in Banff/Canmore for a number of years before moving to the Columbia Valley in 2003. As the owner of Canadian Mountain Experience, she is passionate about the protection...

Taoya Schaefer moved to Invermere in 1985, and has been a member of Wildsight since its inception (as the East Kootenay Environmental Society). She is a retired physiotherapist, and along with her husband has raised two sons.  She is passionate about preserving the natural environment and loves all manner of outdoor pursuits, especially ski touring in the winter and hiking, biking, and whitewater kayaking in the summer. 

Ben’s passion for all things outdoors has brought him from the UK to Invermere in August 2021, with his wife and two children. He is a chartered accountant and has gained experience in a range of finance roles at not-for-profit organisations since 2008. Ben is a fan of all the seasons and likes to connect with the environment by hiking, swimming, kayaking and cycling in the warmer months, and skiing in the winter....