STAFF
Nicholas Scapillati
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Nicholas has over 20 years experience in environmental non-profit management. He studied Biogeography at McMaster University and began his career working at the David Suzuki Foundation.
Passionate about biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, food sustainability and climate action, Nicholas has lead programs and organizations at the national, provincial and community level. He served on the Vancity enviroFund grant committee for over a decade, ran as a candidate in the 2013 BC provincial election, and worked in the Great Bear Rainforest, and closely with the Musqueam Nation for many years.
Taylor Green
OUTREACH & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Taylor studied Environmental Science at McGill University with a specialization in Biodiversity and Conservation. She has worked as an environmental educator, naturalist, and wildlife guide in ecotourism.
With years of experience in bear-viewing, Taylor has developed an intimate knowledge and admiration for grizzly bears. She has a particular passion for wildlife photography, which is a way she connects with her environment and shares her appreciation for the natural world.
Sara Vickruck
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR
Sara is a multi-disciplinary performer living on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, AKA Vancouver. Their artistic practice often advocates for social, political, and environmental awareness. Being an artist, Sara has always worked in the non-for-profit sector, and is excited to have joined the Grizzly Bear Foundation Team in a more administrative capacity.
Maybe one day soon there will be a new Grizzly Bear Foundation jingle….or a new script titled “The Grizzly of the Foundation”.....only time will tell.
Richard Sparrow
DIRECTOR OF INDIGENOUS-LED CONSERVATION
Richard Sparrow has been active in the field of First Nations conservation and restoration management and policy for more than 20 years. He is a member and Councillor of xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band).
Richard has spent his career advocating for the protection and enhancement of the inherent fishing rights and title of local First Nations communities. His work primarily focuses on building and maintaining natural resource relationships with Indigenous communities throughout BC, as well as on collective impact related to First Nation natural resource management and inherent rights.
Prior to his work with GBF, Richard spent more than 6 years providing senior management to the First Nations Fisheries Council of BC (supporting intergovernmental affairs and fisheries management) as well as governance and leadership to the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance and the Musqueam Fisheries Commission.
Lindsay Marie Stewart
CREATIVE & DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER
Lindsay is a content creator and communication strategist driven to honour the living world, using storytelling through photography, film, graphic design, and multimedia projects to inspire positive change and ignite community mobilization.
Always curious and an advocate for amplifying diverse voices and stories; she holds a Diploma in Journalism, a Bachelor in Professional Communication and a Masters in Intercultural and International Communication.
From the forest to the ocean, Lindsay has over a decade of experience leading and producing conservation film projects and public awareness campaigns, receiving accolades for her work locally and internationally.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stuart McLaughlin
Stuart McLaughlin is a business executive in BC's tourism industry and Chair of the BC Pavilion Corporation. Mr. McLaughlin has served on many public, private and charitable boards. He is known for his ability to combine innovation in business with sustainability measures, including via sustainable energy demonstration projects.
Ken Macquisten
Dr. Ken Macquisten is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, with a special interest in wildlife, who has been involved in various conservation efforts. He is the Director of the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife and was the founder of Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge. Dr. Macquisten was a Director of the Fraser Valley SPCA, and has worked with various wildlife rehabilitation centres.
Michael Magee
Mike is a leading international sustainability strategist, working with business, government and NGOs to address critical environmental challenges while making the most of the opportunities offered in a new, green economy.
Douglas Neasloss
Douglas Neasloss is Chief Councillor and Resource Stewardship Director for the Kitasoo/Xai'xais Nation. He has been integral to many grizzly bear initiatives, including Coastal First Nations' ban on trophy hunting in their traditional territories. He is chair of Spirit Bear Research Foundation, and a former guide with Spirit Bear Adventures.
John McKercher
John McKercher, QC is a retired corporate lawyer. He brings skills and oversight in business, compliance and corporate operations to the Foundation. Mr. McKercher is a past Director and Chair of the BC Children’s Hospital, past Director of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, past Chair of BC Borstal Association and director of the Audain Foundation.
Doria Moodie
Doria Moodie is a full time artist based in Whistler. She is a strong advocate for BC bears and has spent many days observing them in the wild in order to paint large portraits of them. Previously, Mrs Moodie taught in the Vancouver French Immersion program, and was on the board of the Vancouver Chapter of Room to Read, which promotes literacy and gender equality in the developing world.
Ralf Schmidtke
Ralf Schmidtke, CPA, is a retired CFO of a leading BC home builder. He serves on several private and charitable boards that focus on child poverty, housing for the homeless, and the arts.
Timothy Young
Timothy Young has been in the mineral exploration business for over 25 years, primarily working as a prospector in the field. He has spent many hours in the wilds of British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories and Nunavut. He brings knowledge of resource issues as well as the Pacific Northwest and the Arctic to the board.
John E. Marriott
John E. Marriott is one of Canada’s premier professional wildlife photographers and co-founder of the EXPOSED Wildlife Conservancy environmental non-profit. John has worked with grizzly bears since being a naturalist with Parks Canada in Banff National Park from 1993-95. He helped form the initial bear viewing program at Knight Inlet Lodge, where he was the Guide Manager from 1997-99. John currently resides on the Political Committee of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association.
Laura Grizzlypaws
Laura Grizzlypaws is a dancer, drummer, singer/songwriter, academic, educator, and advocate of language and culture. She was born and raised in Lillooet, BC in the Interior Plateau region. She is of St’át’imc descent. Her St’át’imc name is “Stálhalamcen– Grizzly Paws.” She belongs to the people of Xwisten the Bear Clan.
RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Our Research Advisory Committee advises on current data gaps and research needs. The Board of Directors then uses this information to establish our research priorities. To ensure good communication between the two bodies, this Committee is chaired by a member of our board.
Dr Bruce McLellan
Bruce McLellan is Wildlife Research Ecologist for the British Columbia Forest Service. For 39 years Bruce has conducted ecological studies of grizzly bears in 6 study areas in BC and for 25 years, mountain caribou across most of their distribution. This research has led him directly into the complex interface between people using the land and conservation of these two challenging species. Bruce was once the president of the International Association for Bear Research and Management, then co-chair of the IUCN Bear Specialist Group, and is now the Redlist Authority for the Bear Specialist Group.
Dr Chris Darimont
Chris Darimont is the Hakai-Raincoast Professor at the University of Victoria and Science Director for the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. Specializing in long-term, community-engaged wildlife research, Chris and his students in his Applied Conservation Science lab partner with several Indigenous governments of the BC coast to monitor coastal grizzly, black and spirit bears. Broader interests include the ecological, evolutionary, and ethical implications of trophy hunting.
Dr Courtney Hughes
Courtney Hughes is a conservation social science, or human dimensions of wildlife, researcher and practitioner in Alberta. Her work focuses on policy and planning, applied research, and educational outreach, with an emphasis on bears in Alberta. She currently works for Alberta Environment and Parks - Peace Region, is a visiting tutor for Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, and is a collaborator with Korup Rainforest Conservation Society's girls conservation scholarship, Southwest Cameroon. Courtney is near completion of her PhD at the University of Alberta, addressing the cultural context of grizzly bear recovery in the province.
Dr David Fraser
David Fraser is Professor in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia. His 46 year research career has focused on the behaviour and welfare of farm, wild and companion animals. He has served as a scientific advisor on animal welfare to many organizations including the World Organisation for Animal Health (Paris) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Rome). His publications include his 2008 book Understanding Animal Welfare: The Science in its Cultural Context. He was appointed Member of the Order of Canada in 2005 for his work as “a pioneer in the field of animal welfare science.”