2025 Open House, Forum and Youth Summit

Executive Director, Beaver Hills Biosphere

For more than 30 years, Brian has been bringing people together to work on common priorities for achieving sustainability on the landscape. Working throughout the diverse landscapes of Alberta, Brian has partnered with individuals, organizations and all levels of government to design and implement conservation and stewardship programs that benefit landowners, land managers and biodiversity. Brian has served as the Executive Director of the Beaver Hills Biosphere since 2019.

Keynote Speaker

Bruce Cutknife is a member of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Alberta. He has worked on numerous projects related to Cree language, culture and history. Most recently, Bruce received the Lois Aspenes Award from Augustana University and the Pioneer of the Year Award from Wetaskiwin & District Heritage Museum.

President, Beaver Hills Watershed Stewardship Society

Ken developed a long appreciation for the outdoors through years of living and working in diverse ecosystems in Northern Ontario, the Northwest Territories and Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. After arriving in the Beaver Hills, Ken began noticing the adverse changes taking place in this region, so has become a strong advocate and student of this unique ecoregion. He has participated in several citizen-science initiatives and, in 2023, helped found the Beaver Hills Watershed Stewardship Society (BHWSS), becoming the organization's first board president.

Resource Management Officers, Parks Canada

Annelise and Marissa are both Resource Management Officers at Elk Island National Park (EINP) and have worked for the Parks Canada Agency for nine and six years, respectively. They have been involved in a variety of ecological monitoring and active management projects in the Park, from bison handling for conservation translocations to contributing to prescribed fires and vegetation monitoring. Annelise and Marissa take lead roles in the invasive plant management work at EINP, including the mapping and control of terrestrial invasive plant species, organizing the associated volunteer programs, and contributing to the wider invasive plant management community.

Conservation Planning Coordinator, Beaver Hills Biosphere

Erin has worked with the Beaver Hills Biosphere as the Conservation Planning Coordinator for almost 2 years, and in the field of ecology and environmental conservation for 5 years. In 2024 she lead the completion of the State of the Biosphere StoryMap Collection, a project encapsulating everything in the Biosphere and how it has changed over the last 10 years or more, including biophysical, community, societal, cultural, and economic aspects. Following that, she will be shifting focus to action-oriented conservation planning and helping prepare for the UNESCO Periodic Review in 2026.

Consultation and Lands Manager, Montana First Nation

Kyra Northwest is a proud member of the Montana First Nation (Akamihk), one of the four Maskwacîs Cree Nations located within Treaty Six Territory in what is now Alberta, Canada. Currently, she serves as the Consultation and Lands Manager for her Nation. Her role centers on the crucial responsibility of ensuring the protection of Treaty and Aboriginal Rights while championing the right to free, prior, and informed consent.

Kyra is actively involved in various initiatives, including her role as a Committee Member on the Line 3 Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee, where she has contributed since its inception. Additionally, she sits on the Socio-Economic Sub-Committee of the TMX Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee. The IAMCs provide collaborative, inclusive and meaningful Indigenous involvement in the review and monitoring of the environmental, safety and socioeconomic issues over both projects’ lifecycles.

As a founding member of the International Buffalo Relations Institute, Kyra is dedicated to promoting the implementation of the Buffalo Treaty and supporting Indigenous Nations in rematriating buffalo to their lands, revitalizing important cultural and ecological connections. The Institute takes a holistic eco-cultural approach to achieving this goal through initiatives in education, conservation, culture, economic, health, and research.

In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, particularly hockey and slo-pitch. Kyra also loves to travel and attend concerts.

Beaver Hills Resident, Volunteer and Citizen Scientist

Alyssa has participated in the Biosphere’s Rural Residential Stewardship program and in 2024, received funding to implement a stewardship project on her acreage in the Beaver Hills using Green Acreages resources tailored to the region. As a landowner in Beaver County, in the neighbourhood she grew up in, Alyssa drew from her education in Conservation Biology and her participation in wildlife conservation groups to utilize the grant to enhance wildlife habitat in a unique way and construct a hibernaculum for the native plains garter snake.

Alyssa studied wildlife and fisheries conservation at Lakeland College and conservation biology at the University of Alberta. She volunteers with various wildlife conservation groups and partakes in numerous citizen science projects. She is passionate about wildlife and community engagement, and has a particular interest in reptiles and amphibians.

Engagement Supervisor, Alberta Parks

Brian is based out of Miquelon Lake Provincial Park. His passion is connecting people to the natural world through natural and cultural history interpretation. Brian and his interpretive team lead students and visitors on many experiential and engaging programs, including guided hikes in the biosphere, family activities, curriculum-based school field trips, theatrical evening shows and more. He has been working with Alberta Parks since 2006, starting out as a Park Interpreter at Dinosaur Provincial Park, before moving up to Miquelon in 2015. His greatest memories working in the Beaver Hills Biosphere are when he has facilitated a visitor’s “ah-ha” moment or when they allow themselves to deeply connect with the natural world around them.

Chair, Friends of Elk Island Society and Manager for the Environmental Impacts Team, InnoTech Alberta

Brian is an ecologist with research experience in terrestrial and aquatic systems, examining pure and applied questions across a wide array of taxa and habitat types. He has 30+ years of experience in applied ecological research, including studies in oil and gas, forestry, and agricultural systems. Most recently, Brian and his colleagues have been exploring the use of environmental DNA to detect species – including fish, amphibians, semi-aquatic mammals, and invertebrates - in aquatic systems in Alberta.

Brian has been on the Board of the Friends of Elk Island Society since 2012, and is currently Chair of the group. He believes strongly that we need to connect people need to experience nature in meaningful ways through personal recreational, conservation, and research activities. This reflects the vision of the Friends of Elk Island Society: to connect people to nature, nature to knowledge, knowledge to conservation. 

Natural Sciences Programme Officer, Canadian Commission for UNESCO

Zoe Compton is the Natural Sciences Programme Officer at the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. She is the point of contact between UNESCO sites and headquarters, and also coordinates a working group for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Zoe has a background in environmental studies and visual arts. She is a strong advocate for gender equity and youth engagement in sciences. 

Research/Resource Developer, Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre

Shauntee Fryingpan is a Researcher/Resource Developer at the Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre (IKWC) and a University of Alberta B.Ed. graduate. She contributes to developing a specialized virtual library for First Nation students and educators, with a focus on First Nation history in Treaty 6, 7, and 8. Shauntee played a key role in developing the Exploring wâhkôhtowin board game, an educational tool designed to promote understanding of interconnectedness and relationships within Indigenous communities. Additionally, she works closely with the Beaver Hills Biosphere to create immersive land-based learning opportunities that engage in cultural practices, storytelling, and environmental stewardship.

Research Station and Observatory Technician and Programming Coordinator, Augustana Miquelon Lake Research Station

Alex Bairos-Novak’s career path was not as linear as she had imagined it would be. After changing degrees half way through university, joining the workforce in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and eventually carving a path that would lead to her unique current role, she has experienced all there is to experience as a young woman in male-dominated STEM fields. Now happily working for the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus, Alex, the Observatory Technician at the Hesje Observatory in Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, has what many of her visitors say is their dream job. Nothing quite beats a career spent gazing at stars, chatting with visitors about mind-boggling concepts and taking beautiful astrophotos! Alex is excited to share her story of how she got the dream job and what you can discover in the night sky, with or without a telescope, if you just look up!

Provincial Youth Representative & Secretary of Youth and Sports for the Otipemisiwak Metis Government

Rebecca Lavallee was born in Lac La Biche, Alberta and was raised deeply immersed in her Métis culture and community. She is the Provincial Youth Representative, as well as the Secretary of Youth and Sports for the Otipemisiwak Metis Government within the Metis Nation of Alberta. Starting as a summer student with the Métis Nation of Alberta, she gained valuable insights into Métis governance and the importance of her voice as a Métis youth to help guide critical discussions and policies. She recently graduated from the University of Calgary with a bachelor's degree in psychology and visual studies. Rebecca loves to listen and share all the things she continues to learn about what it means to be Metis.

Director of Youth Programs and Services, Otipemisiwak Métis Government

Melissa Tipler is the Director of Youth Programs and Services at the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, Métis Nation within Alberta. Her dedicated service began in 2018 at the Rupertsland Institute, a sister organization, where she honed her skills before transitioning to her current role. As a proud Métis woman, Melissa is deeply committed to making a meaningful impact within the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and the broader community. 

A professional in Community & Human Services, Melissa is known for her dynamic, patient, and approachable personality, which allows her to foster strong relationships with colleagues, staff, stakeholders, and community members. Her innovative and creative problem-solving skills, combined with her out-of-the-box thinking, have earned her a reputation for delivering effective solutions.

With a strong passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Melissa is dedicated to creating a working environment that empowers individuals, drives organizational success, and honors the rich cultural tapestry of the Métis workforce.

Watershed Planning Technician, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance

Jillian Peterson is a Watershed Planning Technician with the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance, co-leading the Youth Water Council program, and supporting watershed coordination, outreach, and environmental communications. She lives and works in Edmonton, Alberta on Treaty 6 Territory. Educated in Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta, she is passionate about environmental education and grassroots stewardship. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Professional Communications at Royal Roads University part-time, aiming to apply new skills to lead effective environmental communications and collaborative projects. Jill lives and works in Edmonton on Treaty 6 Territory. 

Watershed Planning Technician, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance

Lauren Comba is the NSWA’s newest Watershed Planning Technician. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Alberta. Lauren is passionate about the environmental history of Western Canada, and how our changing relationship to these lands and waters has shaped the watershed we know and study today. Lauren is interested in finding creative ways to teach others about the watershed, and find opportunities for collaborative, community-based management.

Lauren has family roots from across Treaty 6 and in Treaty 1 lands. Today, she is grateful to live alongside the North Saskatchewan River Valley in Edmonton.