Heather Beresford

I worked for the Resort Municipality of Whistler for 27 years, the last 16 as the Environmental Stewardship Manager. This was more than a job for me…it allowed me to express my core values of doing what I can to protect the natural environment and contributing to my community. I have a Masters in Environment and Management from Royal Roads University where my thesis topic was methods for improving riparian protection in the RMOW. During my time at the RMOW, I collaborated with AWARE on a number of projects including the Big Moves climate strategy communications, Project Now, and funding school programs. I also funded the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council’s work in Whistler, plus undertook numerous projects to protect natural areas and understand our ecosystems better. I am a 40 year resident of Whistler and actually was an active member of AWARE in its early days by writing articles for the newspaper. Whistler is my home and I love it here. I want to continue to engage in work to protect the natural environment and AWARE’s mandate and on-the-ground engagement align with my personal goals and approach.

I am particularly interested in the climate action file and how to motivate citizens to take action. I loved working with the Whistler High School students as a mentor for Project Now and would like to continue with that. More broadly, I believe that my time spent working in local government and with provincial agencies has given me insight that will help AWARE lobby more effectively and understand where to most effectively insert itself for change in government processes. For disclosure purposes, I am currently the Executive Director of the Cheakamus Community Forest and will abide by the conflict of interest policy in any matters related to forestry or the CCF.

John Thomas (Tom) English

I am a retired lawyer, a long term Whistler resident, present Chair and founding member of the Whistler Lakes Conservation Association, Chair of the Whistler Lakes Conservation Foundation and the Discovery Foundation and past board member of numerous for profit and not for profit entities such as the YVR Authority and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. The WLCA and the WLCF are concerned with the health and water quality of our 5 Whistler Lakes which compliments the goals of AWARE. THE WLCA has just signed an agreement with Raincoast Conservation Foundation in respect of a 2 to 3 year project that will test the quality of our water from the mountain tops through the watersheds to Howe Sound. I am a retired lawyer, a long term Whistler resident, present Chair and founding member of the Whistler Lakes Conservation Association, Chair of the Whistler Lakes Conservation Foundation and the Discovery Foundation and past board member of numerous for profit and not for profit entities such as the YVR Authority and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. The WLCA and the WLCF are concerned with the health and water quality of our 5 Whistler Lakes which compliments the goals of AWARE. THE WLCA has just signed an agreement with Raincoast Conservation Foundation in respect of a 2 to 3 year project that will test the quality of our water from the mountain tops through the watersheds to Howe Sound.

Coordinating the emphasis of our water quality programs with the goals of AWARE.

John Rasmussen

I am Australian by birth and came to settle in Whistler in 2018 with my wife Alexandra and our twin boys, Nicolas and Thomas, both now 18, and attending university here in Canada. Our aim was to experience the natural wonder of this mountain environment, the myriad opportunities to be in nature and the appeal of living in a small community. The family all became Canadian citizens in 2021. I am currently co-founder, CFO and senior consultant of Nexial Logic, a systems mapping and strategy consulting company aimed at helping organizations all over the world through the complexity of issues relating to sustainability, climate change, environmental protection and social equity. Prior to coming to Whistler I lived in London, UK, for over 20 years, enjoying the latter part of a 35 year career with a large multinational company, retiring in 2016 as a senior executive with responsibility for a division with a budget of over USD 500m, profits of over USD700m and a staff of over 1000. I have a long and successful track record of multicultural business management ranging from operations, strategy, change management and people development. I have a well honed leadership style suited to diversity, excellent communications skills and a strong bias for seeking systemic solutioning for problems that pass tests of ethics, sustainability, longevity and concern for neighbors and communities.

Living in Whistler for the past 5 years and in my work with Nexial, I am acutely conscious of the need for strong and forceful leadership in environmental protection and social justice in the face of continued and relentless focus on growth and development. Whistler and the Sea to Sky stand at a crossroads with a need for considered and effective balance between the needs of the community and the protection of the immense wonder of the natural environment in which we live. AWARE is a critical and necessary vehicle to guide our community towards this balance. I feel a strong urge to give back to Whistler. If elected I would focus on helping to increase awareness and education regarding the impacts of decision making throughout the community on the natural environment with particular emphasis on how social movement, especially among our youth, is key to meeting the challenges of climate change, protection of biodiversity and social equity which in turn can positively impact leadership choices in relation to these matters. I have time and energy to assist AWARE with existing programs and to help develop a more forceful systemic consideration and then execution of how Whistler can become a model for other communities in meeting a challenging, yet exciting future where nature and people are balanced and prioritized alongside growth and profit.

Kim Maitland

I believe in AWARE’s mission and their efforts to advocate for our natural world. I can bring my marketing experience, digital design skills, non-profit experience, and community-building enthusiasm to their board. I moved to Whistler for its unique properties; access to amazing amenities while being so close to wilderness, not pretty parks, but real wilderness. Nothing hurts more than hiking for hours, and feeling so completely immersed in the natural environment to be brought rudely back to reality by finding garbage littering our trails by a careless hiker.

Jeremy Valeriote

I am a professional engineer who has worked on numerous environmental assessment, restoration and reclamation projects. I have also managed solid waste reduction programs and projects as local government staff, and been an elected councillor and regional district director on the Sunshine Coast. I am currently the chair of the BC Green party, and dedicated to continuing environmental advocacy and stewardship in the Whistler valley and throughout the Sea-to-Sky.

Policy Statement:

As a father of 7-year old twin daughters, I believe strongly in efforts aimed at valuing our natural assets, stabilizing climate, reducing waste and prioritizing education and awareness to promote behaviour change. I truly believe we can balance human development with environmental stewardship if we accurately value the importance of environmental health, promote science & innovation, and stay at the forefront of the new green economy.

Paul Dorland

As a full time Whistler resident who grew up and worked in big cities, I am grateful every day to live in such a special place. The natural environment inspires me daily, and I am passionate about AWARE’s efforts to be Whistler’s voice for the environment.

Policy Statement: Conservation and climate action initiatives are critical to our environmental future. I am hopeful Whistler can be an environmental leader for all those who come here to enjoy the specialness of what we call home.

Diana Boone

– MBA in Strategic Planning combined with 20 years of experience in marketing, communications – Expertise in developing content marketing, communications and engagement strategies – Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills with ability to coach leaders and staff at all levels – Proven track record for managing projects efficiently, delivering measurable results

Marketing and communications solutions to reach and engage conscious consumers. I advise organizations that are ready to grow

Alison Jenkins

I’m originally from the UK but British Columbia has been my home for the past 10 years. I was drawn to BC by the mountains and the recreation opportunities that they presented. I have a Masters degree in Renewable Energy Systems Technology from Loughborough University and worked in the wind energy sector in the UK for several years.Since living in Whistler I have worked as a ski instructor for Whistler Blackcomb and am now the Sustainability Assistant Manager for the mountain.

Policy Statement: As residents of Whistler and British Columbia, we need to take action to preserve nature, eliminate waste and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. There are actions that we can take at a personal level such as utilizing transit and cycling instead of driving and being considerate of our food choices. At a community level local government, schools, businesses, and the non-profit sector have a responsibility to protect habitat, educate and engage residents on climate action and waste, and demonstrate leadership. We must tell the Provincial government to protect the remaining old growth forest.

Emily Kane

I am a yoga teacher, author, and outdoor enthusiast who founded Yogacara Whistler, a local yoga studio. Studying Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, owning and operating a local business for over a decade, and releasing my first book, “The Energy and Art of Restorative Yoga” all offered me valuable learning opportunities and experience. I’ve gained strong skills in organization, management, finance (payroll, reporting etc.), staff training and leadership, customer service, communication, marketing, social media, web design, event planning, and more. One of my best assists is learning and adapting, even while under pressure.

Policy Statement: I am very passionate about the outdoors and environmental responsibility. As an avid snowboarder, hiker, climber, vegan, and forager I am dedicated to making a difference when it comes to sustainability efforts, education, biodiversity, climate change prevention, and the preservation of nature, especially in the Whistler area.

Edgar Dearden

Edgar studied a dual bachelor of chemical engineering and business management in Australia, graduating in 2007. He worked in many different industrial process industries, and came to understand that buildings contribute >40% of global emissions.  Edgar now pursues a new career as BC’s first ‘Sustainable Home Designer’ at his firm GNAR Inc.   – This firm’s vision is to design ‘the most sustainable homes imaginable’, and we hold continuous education in all environmental aspects of home design as one of our highest value.

Rhonda L. Millikin

I retired to Whistler in 2019 from a 35-year career as an Ecologist with the Federal Government, where I managed teams of 20-40 staff, responsible for the delivery of wildlife and habitat programs across BC and the Yukon. The programs included monitoring, regulations, permitting, enforcement, emergencies, and data management. After my career in government, I went back to UBC and received an ITC level 2 for Landscape Horticulture. I have a PhD in Environmental Studies and an MSc in Applied Ecology.

I am an adjunct professor at SFU, and have graduated a PhD and 3 master’s students, all studying the conservation of endangered species and their habitats – one from Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

In 2003, I incorporated EchoTrack Inc., to apply the remote sensing technology I developed in my PhD, to the conservation of habitat for birds and bats. Last year, I formed Nativus under EchoTrack, to combine the principles of landscape horticulture with ecology, to restore native plant communities for wildlife that provide the ecosystem services essential for sustainable agriculture.

I have significant experience in proposal writing, project management, hiring and training of staff, science-based research and education, statistical analysis, and reporting. I have delivered on 68 projects globally totalling $1.9 M for EchoTrack, provided reports (progress, performance, financial and final reports) for each of these projects, and have 16 journal publications from research teams I have led.

I am passionate about wildlands and guiding people to prioritize the protection of “specialist” plant and animal species, that truly need our care. I am now working with vineyards in the Okanagan to encourage them to re-introduce native plants as cover crops and hedgerows, because these plants are resilient to climate change and function as substrates for native wildlife which in turn provide nutrient cycling and pest management services back to the vineyard.

I believe citizen science, with the proper leadership on experimental design, statistics, and reporting, motivates the community to embrace the importance of ecosystem processes and the need to move beyond business sustainability to ecosystem sustainability. This is our avenue to climate change adaptability, including fire management.

In Whistler, this is my 3 rd year as a member of the RMOW Forest and Wildlands Advisory Committee. Becoming concerned about the unintended impacts of fire-thinning in Whistler’s Forest, I led a team of volunteers to research the impact of this approach to fire management on the forest microclimate. We showed the approach is increasing fire risk and are in the process of publishing this in an international journal on Fire.

With AWARE, I hope to work with others on the board to develop government-funded community science projects, that connect people and nature, through curiosity and careful observation. I believe we can do better in Whistler in the way we manage climate change, fire risk, housing development and recreation. I would like to realize that vision as a member of AWARE.

Kim Tindal

Kim grew up on a farm in Central Alberta; growing grain, raising cattle & driving tractors. In university she achieved two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Recreation Management & the other in Communications.  Most recently Kim has opened Vessel Refillery; it’s her way of making in easier for Sea to Sky residents to reduce the plastic in their lives.

Deciding what to do about climate change can be overwhelming for individuals, but Kim believes that empowering people to make small, incremental and achievable changes is the best way to get and keep people engaged.

Claire Ruddy

Originally from the UK, Claire followed a Masters in Environment and Business by working with small and medium sized businesses to reduce environmental impacts through improved processes, training and creating cultural shifts. Upon moving to Canada in 2006, she joined Whistler’s environmental charity, AWARE and switched focus to the natural environment and habitat protection. In 2013, She became AWARE’s Executive Director and is well networked in the Sea to Sky Region. Familiar with working with different stakeholder groups and vested interests, Claire believes in finding the common ground amongst stakeholders as a path to moving forwards. On her days off Claire can be found outside with her rescue dog Sula (which translates to ‘Little Bear By The Water’).

Charlotte Reid

Charlotte moved to Whistler from the UK in 2018 to follow her dream of living close to the mountains. She has a Masters degree in Environmental Geology from the University of Birmingham. Since living in Whistler, Charlotte has become a Ski Instructor, and worked across numerous hospitality industries. She is passionate about educating the youth of today in order to inspire the change needed to help combat current climate issues. Charlotte has spent the summer working at our Zero Waste Station at the Farmers Market, helping to spread waste segregation awareness amongst the local community and its visitors. In her free time, you’ll find Charlotte outdoors paddling the lakes, mountain biking the trails, or jumping off things on her skis.

Christi Willis

I’m a plant person. I love to be in the garden and the forest, growing and learning with the natural landscape. In 2018 I studied Herbalism at Pacific Rim College and have been making herbal medicine for my friends and family ever since. I’m excited to be part of the AWARE team and work with the community to protect, steward and celebrate the incredible landscapes of Whistler and the Sea to Sky Corridor. Deep gratitude to the Líl̓wat and Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh Nations for their wisdom and stewardship of this territory since the beginning. I am committed to building relationships that foster the land, water and animals who exist here.