Meet the Team

Marla Anderson
Natural Area Assistant

Marla Anderson grew up in Regina, but has lived in four different countries. It was while working as a safari guide and large predator researcher in South Africa that Marla discovered her passion for conservation work. She returned to her roots to gain knowledge about Canada’s ecology. She obtained a diploma in wildlife and fisheries management from Lakeland College and a bachelor of science degree in environmental biology from the University of Regina.

In her spare time, Marla enjoys birding, hiking, photography and just about anything that takes her outdoors.

Kaitlin Baril
Stewardship Coordinator

Kaitlin Baril grew up on a small farm outside of Regina, where she spent most of her childhood outdoors. She enjoyed travelling and exploring Canada with her family. Her passion for nature led her to pursue higher education in environmental sciences. In 2020, she obtained a bachelor of science degree from McGill University in environmental biology, with a focus in applied ecology. Kaitlin first joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as an intern in 2019. After spending years in Quebec to complete her undergraduate degree, the internship served to quickly renew her love of the Prairies. Following her internship, Kaitlin completed her master's degree at Simon Fraser University in ecological restoration, where she researched whales, marine vessel traffic and sanctuary zone compliance. After spending countless hours watching for whales on the beautiful, ocean-blue horizon of the Salish Sea, Kaitlin is excited to return home to the grasslands. In her free time, Kaitlin enjoys hiking, photography, knitting and baking.

Levi Boutin
Stewardship Coordinator

Levi Boutin grew up in southern Saskatchewan and spends every summer camping throughout the province. His interest in nature conservation took him to Alberta and then Regina to earn a college diploma in environmental science and a bachelor’s degree in conservation biology. He has worked for several conservation non-profits across the Prairies, focusing on plant management and botany. Levi got his start with the Nature Conservancy of Canada on the shores of the Great Lakes, but is happy to be back in Saskatchewan to put his passion for prairie ecology to good use.

In his free time, Levi enjoys camping, hiking, botanizing and volunteering for youth groups in his community.

Sarah Bradley
Stewardship Coordinator

Sarah Bradley grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and spent much of her childhood exploring the mountains and Prairies surrounding the city. Even after her family moved to Ontario when she was a teenager, she knew she would return to the Prairies one day. Sarah graduated from York University in Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, and she holds a diploma from Seneca College’s Environmental Technician program.

Sarah volunteered and worked for a variety of non-profit and environmental consulting organizations in Ontario, northern Alberta and Costa Rica before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in 2021. The opportunity to work for NCC is truly a dream come true for her, and she hopes that her passion for connecting with people and for the natural world helps drive NCC’s mission forward.

In her spare time, Sarah enjoys birding, cooking, gardening and hiking with her two Labrador retrievers, Meeko and Maya.

Matthew Braun
Manager of Conservation Science and Planning

Matthew Braun's extensive knowledge of conservation science comes from his childhood, education and work experience. He grew up as a Saskatchewan farm kid, hopping between the grasslands and forests north of Saskatoon. During his master’s research, he looked at the effects of climate change on grasslands. Before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Matthew worked for several years with the British Columbia Forest Service.

Matthew completed his bachelor's degree in agriculture, majoring in environmental science, and his master's in rangeland management.

Mike Burak
Program Director, Southwest

Before Mike Burak worked for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), he volunteered for us. His first NCC project was in 2009 alongside his now-wife, Kayla. He fell in love with both the organization and the woman, and now works as an integral part of the NCC team.

Before NCC, Mike worked in the environmental consulting industry as a wildlife biologist, overseeing pre-disturbance wildlife surveys and habitat assessments to minimize the impacts of energy development on wildlife and species at risk throughout the prairies. Mike holds a technical diploma in wildlife and fisheries conservation and a bachelor of applied science degree in environment management, with a major in monitoring and environmental protection.

Kayla Burak
Engagement Manager

Kayla Burak was born and raised in Alberta, but her heart has fallen for Saskatchewan. She spent her summers outside and her family made frequent trips to the mountains, but it was within the Prairies that Kayla found her true calling. 

Kayla's introduction to the Nature Conservancy of Canada was in 2009 when she was a conservation intern in Lethbridge. She has also gained work experience with numerous other environmental NGOs performing wildlife and species-at-risk surveys. Kayla completed her master of science degree at the University of Regina, where she studied the greater sage grouse. Most recently, Kayla managed the Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan, where she discovered a passion for environmental education and engagement. 

Allyson Carroll
Stewardship Coordinator

Allyson Carroll was born and raised on a farm near Lethbridge, Alberta. She has always loved the outdoors, but it was after working at a raptor rehabilitation centre that she decided to pursue a career in conservation. She attended Lethbridge College where she obtained a bachelor of ecosystem management degree with a specialization in fish and wildlife, as well as a diploma in renewable resource management.

Allyson first moved to Saskatchewan to work as an intern with the Nature Conservancy of Canada through the summer of 2021 and couldn’t resist coming back to all of the impressive landscapes in the province after completing her studies the following year. She has a soft spot for the Prairies and has enjoyed exploring Saskatchewan and all that the land, wildlife and people here have to offer. In her spare time you can find Allyson fishing, hunting, birding or hiking with her dog, Goose.

Janie Du
Finance Assistant

Janie Du is from China and spent her first three years in Canada living in Ontario. She has two diplomas in accounting. Janie has called Saskatchewan home for almost nine years and has been working in the accounting field there. Growing up, her parents loved to take her on trips to explore China.

Today, she still loves to travel and spend time outdoors. Janie enjoys working with her amazing Nature Conservancy of Canada colleagues, who share her passion for nature.

Ryan Dudragne
Conservation Science/LIS Coordinator

Ryan Dudragne (RJ) is one of the best companions you could take with you while birding in Saskatchewan. Highly knowledgeable, he spends a lot of his free time banding and studying birds for conservation research.

While growing up in southwest Saskatchewan, he became so passionate about ecology and the rich natural history of Saskatchewan's prairies that he spent much time exploring. This led him to pursue his honours bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Saskatchewan.

Krista Ellingson
Natural Areas Manager - Working Landscapes

Krista Ellingson has been living and working in large native prairie landscapes in southwest Saskatchewan for 15 years. She is a professional agrologist and completed a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Regina and a masters in conservation biology from the University of Alberta. When the national and provincial community pasture systems ended, she began looking for opportunities to encourage good range management and biodiversity conservation on these nationally important grasslands. The Nature Conservancy of Canada also saw an opportunity to advance conservation, and a match was made! Krista worked as a contractor for several years before joining the team as an employee. She is interested in the intersection between conservation and agriculture, and the ecological, social and economic implications of people’s relationship to land.

Krista lives at a community pasture with her husband and two children. When she’s not exploring vast tracts of grasslands, she enjoys checking cows, dabbling in yard-scale agriculture, traveling to rodeos with her family and making things with her hands.

Shianne Harrison
Project Coordinator, Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative

Shianne Harrison's love of nature began when she was a child camping all over Saskatchewan. Her love for all things outdoors, such as camping, skiing, kayaking and hiking, sparked an interest in conservation. A core value for her is conserving for future generations. With this passion in mind, Shianne earned her degree in environmental studies from the University of Regina.

Prior to joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), she worked within the Government of Saskatchewan for nearly five years, and as a park naturalist at Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, a genuine dream job for a natural beach bum! Moving back to her home province of Saskatchewan, she wondered how she could do what she loves everyday and make an impact? Fast forward to now, and she is proudly working with NCC, helping with the implementation of the Weston Family Prairie Grasslands Initiative.

Natalie Hassett
Natural Areas Manager, Southwestern Saskatchewan

Natalie grew up near the Alberta mountains, and since moving to southwest Saskatchewan her connection to the area is invaluable. She mixes her knowledge of the community, love of nature and environmental knowledge in her work. She studied environmental science and holds a master's degree in sustainable environmental management.

Her hobbies include horseback riding, snowboarding, yoga and cooking. Natalie lives on a mixed farming operation near Claydon, Saskatchewan, with her husband and son, and large (and growing) list of animals, including dogs, horses, cows, pigs and cats.

Vanessa Headford
Senior Development Officer

Vanessa Headford grew up on a farm near Kedleston, Saskatchewan, and had an overall love of animals and nature. After receiving her bachelor's degree in agriculture, majoring in animal science, Vanessa began a career with not-for-profit organizations, such as Canadian Western Agribition, Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership, and then STARS air ambulance.

Focused on sponsorship, sales or fundraising, it has always been about raising money to make a difference, and Vanessa is excited about the opportunities to do so at the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Vanessa lives near Dilke, Saskatchewan, where she and her husband enjoy a rural lifestyle at home and at the lake. 

Morgan Kanak
Ecological Restoration Manager

Morgan Kanak started with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as a conservation intern in 2018 while completing her bachelor of science in agriculture in applied plant ecology. In her current role, she plans and implements restoration projects on NCC-managed land in Saskatchewan. Morgan is passionate about prairie conservation and is excited about the future of restoration in the province.

When she is not at work, you can find her fishing, gardening or at the movies.

Richelle Kenn
Director of Development

Richelle Kenn has spent her career in the non-profit sector and found her calling in the field of fundraising. Growing up in southwestern Ontario before moving to Alberta and then Saskatchewan, Richelle has always enjoyed the abundance our Canadian natural landscapes offer. 

Joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) was the "dream job" for Richelle. She was first introduced to NCC when accessing public lands as an outdoorswoman living in Ontario. She is passionate about connecting our philanthropic community to NCC's work. She lives on an acreage south of Saskatoon, and enjoys fishing, hunting, camping, gardening and other food-motivated activities.

Bohdana Kornelyuk
Donor Relations and Engagement Officer

Bohdana Kornelyuk was born and raised in a small town in western Ukraine. While growing up, her parents took her on multiple trips to explore different parts of the country, and that's how her love for nature started. In 2018, Bohdana moved to Canada, where she completed her master of arts degree in religion and culture at the University of Manitoba.

Over the last few years, Bohdana has worked in non-profit organizations, and now she is proud to say that her work is helping to conserve nature. Bohdana enjoys caring for her indoor plants, camping, hiking, biking and travelling. So far, in Canada, she has had a chance to walk along the Pacific Ocean in British Columbia, hike mountains in Alberta and camp among the prairie grasslands in Manitoba. Bohdana loves living in Saskatchewan as it very much reminds her of the landscapes where she grew up.

Kristen Martin
Conservation Science and Planning Manager

Kristen Martin's passion for a career in conservation was sparked when she got a summer job surveying the South Saskatchewan River for piping plovers. Since then, she has explored many different parts of the Prairies through her work on various field research projects focusing on grassland songbirds, prairie snakes, rare prairie plants and secretive marsh birds. She has a master’s degree in natural resource management.

Kristen grew up in Regina, but now lives on a small farm in Treaty 4 with her husband, twin daughters and many different animals, including goats, turkeys, rabbits and chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, canoeing, gardening and reading.

Daphne May
Director of Communications and Engagement

Daphne May grew up in Saskatoon and loves to explore the natural habitat along the riverbank while biking or running. She also enjoys running races and plays both women’s and co-ed soccer.

Daphne has a bachelor of commerce degree. She spent 10 years in marketing and communications with Saskatchewan Polytechnic and seven years as a certified business counsellor with Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan. When she's not sharing the Nature Conservancy of Canada's remarkable conservation stories, Daphne enjoys spending time with her family — Chris, Kayla and Brett — and going for walks with their dogs, Rocky and Jasper.

Jennifer McKillop
Regional Vice President (on secondment)

Jennifer McKillop's first introduction to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) was when she visited our Old Man on His Back property in southwest Saskatchewan. She took her then five-year-old son there and fell in love with the property. She looked at the interpreter who got to spend the summer there and thought, “How does someone get a gig like this?”

Fast-forward several years, and Jennifer joined NCC to oversee all conservation operations in Saskatchewan. She previously worked as the executive director of the Landscape Stewardship Branch of the Government of Saskatchewan. She has a bachelor's degree in native studies and a master's degree in environmental design. Her career has focused on the human-environmental interface, with specific interest in First Nations consultation, public engagement and landscape planning.

Verity Moore-Wright
Senior Development Officer

Growing up in Saskatoon, some of Verity Moore-Wright's earliest encounters with nature were during visits to see her grandfathers, one a small-town lawyer and the other a physician. Wandering the dusty roads, grasslands and boreal forest surrounding their homes remain some of her fondest childhood memories. Years later, she fell in love with W.O. Mitchell’s book Who Has Seen the Wind because it reminded her of those magical experiences.

After adventures in northern Canada after high school, Verity pursued a political studies degree at the University of Saskatchewan. Following school, she discovered a passion for fundraising, beginning with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan and later with College of Medicine at her alma mater. More recently Verity found a new love for philanthropic work, focusing on conservation and especially grasslands (which she sees as the most important kind of health care for the future of humanity) with her role with a Saskatoon-based conservation agency, Meewasin Valley Authority. This work led her to her current role with Nature Conservancy of Canada.         

Today, Verity and her family immerse themselves in nature as often as they can, out of love for its beauty and its healing powers, along with concern for what the future holds for the planet and for those, including her 14-year-old daughter, who will inherit it.

Ashley Sahulka
Stewardship Coordinator

Ashley Sahulka was born and raised in Saskatchewan and spent most of her childhood getting lost in the rolling hills and aspen stands. She graduated from the University of Regina in 2020 where she obtained a bachelor of science degree in biology, with a concentration in ecological and environmental biology and also has a certificate in sustainability.

Ashley first joined the Nature Conservancy of Canada as an intern in 2018 and was immediately hooked. To her, there is something exceptional about Saskatchewan’s unique landscape that she is passionate about conserving for future generations. Furthermore, she is a big believer in the positive effects that the natural environment has on a person’s well-being. Ashley loves all things outdoors and has a huge place in her heart for the Prairies. During her free time, Ashley enjoys birdwatching, hiking, camping and weightlifting.

Mika Sevcik
GIS Coordinator - Working Landscapes

Mika Sevcik grew up on her family's hobby farm in Mission, BC. where she spent most her time exploring the surrounding forests and fields. Her passion for the environment and studying Earth’s systems was instilled in her from a young age and grew during her travels and studies abroad. She obtained her bachelor of science degree majoring in physical geography before completing her GIS certificate from the University of the Fraser Valley. She has a passion for conservation and GIS with previous experience modelling invasive insect populations in the Prairies and conducting spatial analysis for cultural resource management. During her free time, Mika enjoys all things outdoors, writing music, camping and DIY woodworking projects.

Anja Sorensen
Program Director - Southeast and Central Saskatchewan

Growing up on her family’s farm near Cut Knife, Anja Sorensen developed a passion for exploring Saskatchewan’s natural landscapes at a young age. After finishing her bachelor's degree in environmental science at the University of Alberta, she completed her master's degree at the University of Saskatchewan, where she studied elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer. Before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Anja worked in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains and foothills conducting research on grizzly bears, until her prairie roots called her back home.

In her spare time, Anja enjoys camping, hiking, photography and gardening.

Terri Trautman
Office Manager

In her spare time, Terri Trautman writes stories and poetry about nature, always moved by the way nature makes her feel and think. She’s committed more than 10 years to help the mission of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Admired and respected by all, Terri has previously worked as a ministerial assistant and legislation officer with the Government of Saskatchewan.

Cameron Wood
Acting Regional Director

Cameron Wood's experience in the environmental field has been about connecting the conservation sector with landowners and interested parties in order to make practical advances in conservation efforts across the Prairies. Before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Cameron’s main work was in Alberta doing field work to improve management for riparian areas.

Cameron has a bachelor of science degree in environmental practice, a post-diploma certificate in fish and wildlife technology and a diploma in renewable resource management.