Chair
Keith Atkinson is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forestry from the University of British Columbia. He served for 10 years as the chief executive officer of the First Nations Forestry Council, where he worked to create opportunities for First Nations in forestry. Keith has also held positions as the forest resources manager at the Nisga’a Lisims Government and served as a community trustee for the Snuneymuxw First Nation, of which he is a member. Keith lives in North Vancouver on the traditional and unceded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
Vice Chair
Gerry Grant is a Registered Professional Forester with a degree in forestry from Lakehead University.
Gerry was employed by the BC Ministry of Forests from 1980 to 2011, in various tenure administration and management roles. He served as district manager in the Chilcotin and Quesnel districts from 1993 to 2011. He is currently a self-employed consultant and has recently worked in forest harvesting and engineering, for bioenergy clients and on increasing First Nations involvement in the forest sector. Gerry lives in Quesnel.
Appointed Board Member
Natasha Caverley is a multi-racial Canadian of Algonquin (Whitney and Area Algonquins), Jamaican, and Irish heritage. She holds a M.Ed in Counselling Psychology and PhD in Organizational Studies from the University of Victoria. Natasha is a Canadian Certified Counsellor through the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association. She is a management consultant specializing in organizational behaviour, career counselling and development, and multicultural counselling.
Natasha has over 20 years of experience in workshop facilitation, management and organizational behaviour, and knowledge product development with an emphasis on Indigenous fire stewardship. She is a co-author of the book Blazing the Trail: Celebrating Indigenous Fire Stewardship and authored publications within professional Canadian and international-based counselling psychology, public administration, natural resource management, Indigenous studies, and human resource management journals/magazines. Natasha lives in North Saanich, BC.
Appointed Board Member
Phil Burton is a Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) and a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at the University of Northern British Columbia. He also has served as a manager with the Canadian Forest Service during the Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative and has worked as an environmental consultant. Phil’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in biology and land use studies from the University of Saskatchewan, followed by the completion of his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in the United States. After his studies, Phil taught various courses in plant biology, silviculture, forest policy, conservation biology, ecological restoration, disturbance ecology, and integrated resource management at UBC, UVic, and UNBC.
Phil’s research program over four decades has focused on the disturbance and recovery of vegetation. The resulting scientific papers and book contributions address the ecology and management of forests and grasslands, emphasizing options to bridge their conservation and use. In recent years, his work has focused increasingly on the impacts of and adaptation to a changing climate. Ongoing research is attempting to better understand the behaviour of wildfires.
Phil divides his time between a home in Terrace and a cabin outside of Smithers.
Appointed Board Member
Rick Monchak is a professional forester with a long history working on the coast of BC. Rick retired from TimberWest in 2017, where he was employed since 1977. Rick has a degree in biology and a degree in forestry from UBC.
A member of the Coast Region Implementation Team and Silviculture Sub-Committee, as well as the CR Forest Education Association, Rick has experience in every aspect of forestry operations and administration. He was awarded the ABCFP Distinguished Forest Professional in 2013 and was the Coastal Silviculture Committee Silviculturalist of the Year in 2016. Rick lives in Campbell River.
Appointed Board Member
Cindy Stern is a registered professional forester. From 1996 to 2006, she worked for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development as District Manager for the Haida Gwaii and South Island Natural Resource Districts and Regional Executive Director for the Coast Region.
For the past 14 years, Cindy has been a consultant working primarily with First Nation communities on the Coast advising on strategic forestry matters, resource management, economic development and administration. Cindy lives in Parksville.
Appointed Board Member
Gail Wallin has worked in the natural resource management field as an outdoor educator, professional facilitator and as an executive with non-government organizations. Gail has served in senior leadership roles with the BC Forestry Association, Fraser Basin Council and is the Executive Director for the Invasive Species Council of BC. For over 25 years, Gail has also had her own consulting business specializing in natural resource facilitation. She has also facilitated many Indigenous initiatives from federal Metis consultation to First Nations strategic planning.
Gail has served as a volunteer to many Boards including BC Rural Network, Canadian Council on Invasive Species and Sustainable Forest Initiative. Gail lives in Williams Lake.
