Staff

Janet Sumner

Executive Director

Janet Sumner has more than 30 years’ experience working as an environmental leader. She has been the Executive Director of Wildlands League since 2003. 

In 2017, Janet was appointed co-chair of the National Advisory Panel (NAP) with a mandate to provide recommendations on how to protect 17% of Canada’s terrestrial lands and inland waters by 2020; and, in 2019 Janet was appointed the Special Representative on Nature for Canada.  Read More

Anna Baggio 

Conservation Director 

Anna Baggio is Conservation Director for Wildlands League. For two decades Anna has worked with Indigenous leaders, governments, industry and communities to protect Canada’s incredible ecosystems and to co-create solutions for people and the planet. Read More

Dave Pearce

Senior Forest Conservation Manager 

Dave is Wildlands League’s Senior Forest Conservation Manager where he works to improve forest management and bolster conservation efforts. 

Born and raised at a family tourism operation in the Ottawa Valley, where his passion for nature began, Dave is a graduate of the Master of Forest Conservation program at the University of Toronto (2001) and an alumnus of the Biology program at Trent University.  Read More

Megan Chen 

Ocean & Freshwater Conservation Manager 

Megan joined Wildlands League in 2020, as Ocean & Freshwater Conservation Manager.  She has a Masters in Coastal & Marine Management from the University of Akureyri in Iceland and has most recently worked for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.   Throughout her career, Megan has been fortunate to have the opportunity to get sea sick on an ocean exploration expedition through Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary with Ocean Exploration Trust, on the back of whale watching boats in Iceland while learning how to track whales and on Lake Ontario as part of a sailing crew. At Wildlands League, Megan is looking forward to learning more about preserving and protecting freshwater and marine areas.

Eugenia Kwok 

Campaign Engagement Manager

Eugenia is the Campaign Engagement Manager at Wildlands, and joined the team in 2018 as Outreach Manager. Prior to this, she was a community educator on animal welfare, and holds a Master of Arts degree in Geography from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Animal Biology from the University of British Columbia. Her previous work included improving the welfare of stray dogs in Brazil, and investigating perceptions of gender dynamics in small-scale fisheries and conservation areas in Cambodia. Read More

Jennifer Berney

Donor Specialist 

Jennifer Berney worked tirelessly in the role of Executive Assistant for Wildlands League from 2007-2018, offering an array of administrative, communications and event management experience, including serving as the lead coordinator for Wildlands League’s for Paddle the Rouge (2014-2018).  

In 2019, Jennifer moved to a new role in Fundraising, where she currently serves as Donor Specialist for Wildlands League. She is proud to support Wildlands’ dynamic team with skills and knowledge developed during her tenure as Executive Assistant, as well as during her training in George Brown’s Fundraising Certificate program. Read More

Paulette Collins

Database Manager and Financial Assistant

Paulette joined Wildlands League in May 2016 bringing organizational, administrative and financial skills from her banking days. She enjoys singing baritone in Barbershop quartet but her passion is travelling in the developing world. Her favourite two continents are Asia and Africa which allows her to camel trek and mix with the locals. In 2004 she took a short leave of absence from her employment and volunteered her time building houses in Sri Lanka after the devastating Tsunami destroyed part of Asia. She also helped at an orphanage for displaced young girls as a result of the Tsunami. Read More

Katie Hayashi

Digital Engagement Specialist

Katie joined Wildlands League in November 2020 as a Digital Engagement Specialist. 

She grew up in a small town an hour’s drive north of Toronto, and it was here that she developed her love for nature and her artistic creativity flourished. She attended McMaster University and obtained an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Life Sciences with a minor in Environmental Studies. Read More

Claire Buisson 

Data & Engagement Specialist 

Claire joined Wildlands League in May 2021 as Data & Engagement Specialist. She has a Masters in Museum Studies from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Environment, Biodiversity and Conservation from McGill University. Prior to joining Wildlands League, she managed data and outreach at a University of Toronto library. She is looking forward to bringing her wide variety of academic and professional experiences to the Wildlands team.  

Growing up, Claire moved around quite a bit! From a rural village in France to a rapidly developing suburbia in North Carolina, her experiences have inspired her desire to help protect local ecosystems. Read More

Trevor Hesselink

Policy and Research 

Trevor Hesselink has been immersed in the environmental policy field since 1992 both as an independent consultant to a wide range of organizations, and as a senior policy advisor to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. 

Through his undergraduate studies in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Waterloo and his Masters’ studies in Urban Design at the University of Toronto, he has cultivated an enduring passion for sustainability dynamics and applied semiotics. Read More

Kaya Adleman

Carbon Manager

Kaya joined as Carbon Manager at Wildlands League in June of 2022. She attended McGill University, where she obtained an honours B.A. degree in Environment with a minor in German Language. While there she wrote her thesis on the links between agricultural subsidies, farm consolidation, and greenwashing in the U.S. dairy industry.  

Before joining Wildlands League, Kaya worked at multiple non-profits. As an intern at a lifestyle medicine organisation, True Health Initiative, she worked on various projects, assisting with research on the environmental impacts of dietary patterns. Read More

Marian Ocampo

Finance and Administration Manager

Marian joined Wildlands League in 2023 as Finance and Administration Manager. Having the background of Tourism and Non-profit organization, Marian brings a wealth of experience building relationships and creating memorable experiences for everyone. She has extensive background in Budget, Property and Administrative management. Having been in the hospitality industry, Marian’s skills of attention to details, empathetic approach and curiosity to life brought her to Wildlands. Read More

Board

Tracy Fellows

Chair

Throughout her career, Tracy has been responsible for transforming & building brands for some of North America’s leading consumer goods and retail companies.  

A multi-faceted executive with a deep and diverse understanding of retail with a unique view from both sides – As a in-house Senior Marketing Executive and as a Strategy Consultant| Advisor| 360°Customer Experience Activator to North American CEO’s and C-suite teams. Tracy was recognized as one of Canada’s ‘top marketers’ and ‘next marketing icon’.  Read More

Melissa Morris

Vice Chair

Melissa Morris is a passionate advocate for nature and the environment. As Mom to her 10-year-old daughter, parenting has given her even more reason to reflect on the importance of conservation, action and the protection of our wilderness. As an avid paddler, hiker and cross-country skier, Melissa spends as much time as possible in nature with her daughter. 

Melissa Morris is also an energetic and empowering media industry leader with a strong reputation for driving growth, optimizing talent, unlocking potential, and fueling innovation with the development and management of strategic partnerships. Read More

Mark Neves

Treasurer

Mark Neves joined the Wildlands League Board of Directors in 2016. He is an accountant and project manager, and he brings almost a decade of experience working with other non-profits in areas like revenue diversification, market development and stakeholder management.

Mark has worked his entire career in the Marketing and Communications industry for one of the biggest agency holding companies in the world, Interpublic Group of Companies, and now at the industry’s charity, the National Advertising Benevolent Society (NABS). Read More

Cassie Barker

Secretary

Cassie joined the Wildlands League Board of Directors in 2015. She is a strategist and campaigner, and she brings a decade of experience working in environmental advocacy, from grassroots organizing with the Wellington Water Watchers, to community management with Ecojustice and supporting international campaigns with Greenpeace. She holds a Masters of Science from the University of Guelph. 

Phil Goodwin

Past Chair

Phil Goodwin joined the Wildlands League Board of Directors in 2012 after a dozen years on the Don Watershed Regeneration Council, both as a member and Chair.  In 2016 he assumed the role of chair of the board of directors. He also founded the East Don Parkland Partners, a local stewardship group working on restoration projects on the Don. Phil graduated from Huron College, University of Western Ontario.  He has worked in advertising and marketing for over 30 years, including great Canadian companies like MacLaren Advertising, KTel, Wardair and Transcontinental Media.  He is currently Director of Media Sales at NABS, The National Advertising Benevolent Society.  NABS is a charity that helps people in the communications industry.

James Abbott

Director

James grew up in Ottawa, but has worked and traveled in southern Africa.  He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Studies in 2005 from Duke University, North Carolina.  He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Nipissing University in North Bay. 

Brad Fauteux

Director

Bradley (Brad) Fauteux is an accomplished senior leader with more than eighteen years of leadership experience across the public and private sectors with a focus on the environment and social justice.

A lifelong environmentalist, Brad was the Managing Director of Ontario Parks at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry where he was responsible for the designation of several new Provincial parks and a landmark amendment to the Algonquin Park Management Plan that reduced land available for logging. Read More

Darielle Teitelbaum

Director

Darielle Teitelbaum is a business lawyer, fitness instructor and entrepreneur based in Toronto, Canada. Her path led her to work in advertising, teach English in South Korea, travel and eventually to law. She worked in criminal defence, helping to advocate for those without a voice, and then founded her own niche practice of business law, AWE Legal, working with athletes, artists, wellness professionals and entrepreneurs. She is passionate about education and providing access to justice and legal support to her community. She has always been involved in social justice and environmental pursuits and loves being in nature and seeks to help protect our great outdoors.