Our Staff and Board

Our Staff

The Islands Trust Fund staff implements the strategic planning and decisions of the board while providing advice and services to island landowners, partner conservancies and local governments.

Manager
Jennifer joined us in 2008 after working in the non-profit conservation world at Habitat Acquisition Trust as the Executive Director. Before that Jennifer successfully ran her own landscaping business and when her two young children allow it, she spends her spare time in her ever expanding garden. Jennifer brings vision and initiative to her diverse role here at the Islands Trust Fund, managing everything from accounting and operations to property negotiation and government liaison.

Ecosystem Protection Specialist
Among the most recognizable faces at the Islands Trust Fund, Kate’s often found on the islands, visiting with property owners, giving public talks about land protection or coordinating conservation planning with partner conservancies. Having lived in the islands since she was 16 years old, Kate’s our resident expert on the ecosystems so unique to this region. Kate joined us in 2007 after working for other local and regional non-profit land trusts in the islands. Today, she splits her time between our office in Victoria and her home office on Galiano where she can keep a close eye on her young son.

Property Management Specialist
With a Masters in Environmental Studies, Jeff brings experience in field survey techniques, ecological restoration, and risk management to his work managing the Islands Trust Fund’s nature reserves. His love of the outdoors bodes well for his position here, as he’s often found in the field doing everything from invasive species removal, to trail building, to repairing composting toilets. He’s discovered his role managing our properties is much like his role raising two daughters – filled with unexplainable hiccups and unexpected delights. He approaches both roles with his most enduring quality – his good humour.

Communications and Fundraising Specialist Inspired by the work we do, Christine first came to us as an auxiliary secretary in 2007, soon finding a permanent home in her communications and fundraising role in 2008. Christine’s passion for the environment started at a young age, volunteering long summer hours monitoring ecosystems and promoting opportunities for youth to get involved in science and conservation. Today, Christine promotes ways islanders and other British Columbians can become involved in the conservation of the Salish Sea islands in her role as our Communications and Fundraising Specialist.

Secretary
Natalie worked for more than five years in the trades industry before taking a leap into the conservation world. Her experience in office management makes her the perfect person to keep the Islands Trust Fund’s office functional, answering inquiries and managing systems to keep our office running. With an education in interior design, Natalie is our resident artist, often found drawing sketches for displays and communications materials. She adds beauty and creativity to our work and makes everyone feel welcome and enthused to join the Islands Trust Fund in our conservation cause.

Our Board

The Trust Fund Board is the legal entity (independent from the Islands Trust) which governs the activities of the Islands Trust Fund and holds conservation land for the purpose of preserving and protecting the Trust Area. The Trust Fund Board consists of three elected trustees (two elected to the Board by Trust Council, and one appointed as a representative of the Islands Trust’s Executive Committee) and up to three members of the public appointed by the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Chair
Tony Law has served as one of two elected local trustees for Hornby Island since 1996. Tony rejoins the Board in 2012, after serving as a Board member from 1996 to 2005 during a key period of the Islands Trust Fund’s growth and development.

Tony’s interest in conservation began in his youth when volunteering with the National Trust in England. He continued on in Nova Scotia where he protected a rare old-growth stand of eastern hemlock on his farm. On Hornby, Tony served for several years as secretary of Conservancy Hornby Island. He made a leading contribution to the preservation of 187 hectares, later becoming Mount Geoffrey Escarpment Provincial Park. Tony also led a Marine Stewardship Initiative on Hornby.

Tony has worked as a counsellor and mediator, as well as working in publishing and community development. He’s also operated a sheep farm. Today Tony enjoys partial retirement while helping to look after the Hornby Island provincial parks each summer. Tony is a strong supporter of the Islands Trust Fund working in partnership with local land trusts to preserve the best of what is left of the unique environment of these special islands.

Dereck Atha is the owner and managing broker of Gulfport Realty on Mayne Island, managing realtors on several southern Gulf Islands. With more than 16 years in the real estate industry, Dereck brings extensive experience with land negotiations to the Trust Fund Board. Dereck is deeply involved in his island community, having served as a volunteer for many island groups, including the parish of St. Mary Magdalene Church. One of his passions is teaching.

Dereck’s interest in nature developed in his early teens working with the Alberta Forest Service and participating in the Canadian Forestry Conservation program. With the Trust Fund Board, Dereck uses his experience in business and community leadership to help communities protect island landscapes for future generations.

Julie Glover has been a long-time summer resident of Hornby Island. Contributing over the years to many community initiatives, Julie enjoys the natural beauty and unique culture of the island. She owns a working vegetable farm on Hornby.

With a degree in Community and Regional Planning from UBC, Julie spent much of her career working for the Agricultural Land Commission, both as a land use planner and as Vice-Chair of the Commission from 1992 to 1997. She’s also worked as Program Director organizing professional short courses for planners at the Centre for Continuing Education at UBC. Currently she’s the president of a family-run charitable organization and owner of a recording studio in Vancouver.

From her history with the Agricultural Land Commission and her other experiences, Julie brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, policy development, legislation drafting, and fundraising. Julie hopes to contribute to the preservation and protection of the islands for all British Columbians to enjoy in perpetuity.

When Peter Luckham moved to Thetis Island in 1987, he was an avid kayaker exploring the Pacific Northwest. His past career was in information system management. Today, he works as a Divemaster and operates a scuba diving charter business from Thetis and Chemainus. He’s passionate about the waters and islands of the Salish Sea. It’s this love of nature that brought him to the Trust Fund Board.

Peter is serving his third term as an elected trustee for the Thetis Island Local Trust Area. He’s served on the Islands Trust’s Local Planning Committee, Trust Programs Committee and Financial Planning Committee. He’s currently a vice-chair on the Executive Committee. Peter’s a strong defender of the preserve and protect mandate. He hopes to contribute to the Islands Trust Fund’s conservation work, bringing his experience working in a team atmosphere to promote positive outcomes.

Robert Grant is a partner with the Canadian law firm Heenan Blaikie where he practices civil litigation with an emphasis on constitutional and administrative law. Robert brings extensive legal expertise to the Trust Fund Board. His experience includes pleading before the British Columbia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He also served as a former Director of the British Columbia Law Institute.

Robert was born on the prairies, but was meant to live by the sea. He fulfills that dream on Denman Island, where he’s been a property owner since 2002. Roberthas a growing interest in land conservation on the islands.

Susan is serving her second term as one of two elected trustees for Lasqueti Island. Susan joined the Trust Fund Board because of her belief that the work of the Islands Trust Fund is crucial in realizing the basic purpose of the Islands Trust – to preserve and protect.

Susan was the founding chair of the Friends of French Creek Conservation Society in Parksville in 2003. From that role, she brings public relations and communications expertise to her work with the Islands Trust Fund. Susan has served on the Islands Trust’s Trust Program Committee and Financial Planning Committee. She and her husband currently preserve forty acres of Coastal Douglas-fir forest and wetlands on their own property.

Past Board Members:

Carol Quinn (1990-1991), Nick Gilbert (1990-1991), John Dunfield (1990-1993), Graeme Dinsdale (1990-1996), Elizabeth Bosher (1993-1996), Larry Holbrook (1993-1996), Melinda Auerbach (1993-1999), Beryl Young (1994-1995), Ross Johnson (1994-1997), Michael Paine (1994-1997), Ann Hillyer (1995-1999), Tom Ward (1996-1998), Kathy Dunster (1997-2003), Susie Washington-Smyth (1998-2001), Louise Bell (1998-2005, 2008-2011), Kim Benson (1999-2005), Linda Nowlan (2000-2003), Barrie Morrison (2004), David Borrowman (2004-2007), Marie Potvin (2004-2007), Bruce Whittington (2004-2009), Peter Lamb (2006-2008), Sheila Malcolmson (2006-2008), Gary Steeves (2006-2008), Christine Torgrimson (2008-2011), Michael Dunn (2008-2011), Nerys Poole (2008-2011)