Meet Our Board

Nancy Wilkin

Chair

She/Her

Nancy Wilkin (BA Geography (UVic)) has worked for the people of British Columbia at all levels of government. From 1998 to 2002 Nancy served as a Chief Treaty Negotiator for the Province of BC and from 2002 to 2008, as the Assistant Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Environment. Nancy has over 30 years of experience in the public sector which has resulted in wide and deep roots in the fabric of British Columbia, working collaboratively with First Nations, local government, recreation and conservation organizations and resource industries. Nancy successfully retired from the BC Public Service and accepted a position as “Executive in Residence” at Royal Roads University. Nancy was the Director of the Office of Sustainability at Royal Roads University and retired in 2018. Now fully retired, Nancy volunteers her time as a Director with Ducks Unlimited Canada, and as a Park Elder. Her most recent appointment is as one of the Co-Chairs of the Minister’s Wildlife Advisory Council.

Risa Smith

Vice Chair

She/Her

Risa Smith is a founding director of the Galiano Conservancy, the volunteer warden of the Galiano Ecological Reserve and current  chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy.  She is an ecologist who currently works on  the protected areas/biodiversity/climate change nexus, producing reports, assessments and issue papers for the World Commission on Protected Areas and other national and international organizations. She has led many ‘state of the environment’ and ‘state of biodiversity and ecosystems’ assessments for provincial and federal governments and international organizations. Risa’s personal interests include ecosystem resilience, natural history, impacts and adaptation to climate change, social justice, gardening, solar energy and kayaking.  Risa is committed to the potential for the Galiano Conservancy Association to have a positive impact on natural history education, restoration of damaged ecosystems, protection of special places and reconciliation with the First Nations of the Gulf Islands area.

Sid Fels

Treasurer

He/Him

Sid has been part of our Galiano community since the summer of 2017 and lives here with his
cat, Caju, about 1/2 the year. He comes from an academic background as he is a professor of
Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of British Columbia since 1998. His
research deals with designing better computer interfaces for people as well as modeling the
human vocal tract. His long-term research goal is to make a voice instrument that can be
played. He brings academic expertise in machine learning, computer interface design, musical
instrument design, modelling biological tissues and biomechanics. As an engineer, he brings a
wealth of pragmatic knowledge and know-how to solve problems such as found in electrical
installations, construction projects, broken pieces of equipment or just a pipe that needs fixing.
For 12 years, he was the director of a research centre called the Media and Graphics
Interdisciplinary Centre (MAGIC), thus, brings management and HR experience to the board. He
believes in finding creative approaches to find win-win-win solutions to complex problems.
While on Galiano, if he’s not enjoying working on his endless list of home and garden projects,
he’s cooking up a storm, walking the trails and occasionally trying to learn how to wing foil in
Montague harbour.

Emily Gonzales

Secretary

She/Her

Emily Gonzales (M.Sc. Wildlife Ecology (Guelph), PhD Restoration Ecology (UBC) believes that people and relationships are central in the solution to every ecological issue. She is an Ecological Restoration Specialist for Parks Canada, where her work focuses on restoring relationships among humans and more-than-humans. She is also working to link on-the-ground restoration with international policy and targets including the 2022-2030 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Target for ecosystem restoration. Emily also chairs the Science and Policy Committee for the Society for Ecological Restoration. This committee, comprised of representatives from every global region, developed the 10 Principles of the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, defined international standards for ecological restoration and generally aims to elevate science and policy in ecological restoration at the global scale. Emily also teaches Conservation Biology a the University of Victoria..

George Maddison

Director

He/Him

In 2014 George moved from Vancouver to Therah Village, an intentional community on 160
acres of rainforest on north Galiano Island. He was seeking a sustainable lifestyle that included
growing food and collaborating with others to conserve this land and habitat. George has since
served as Chair and Director on the board of Therah Village Development Corporation.
George is a retired publisher, most recently as the Associate Director of UBC Press. He has also
served on the boards of Access Copyright (Canada) and the Association of Book Publishers of
BC.

Holly Schofield

Director

She/Her

Holly obtained a Forestry degree in 1981 and worked for the BC Forest Service on Haida Gwaii for several years in the silviculture department. She then moved on to various administrative and managerial roles in the financial field. Since retirement, she has lived on Galiano part-time for the first three years and full-time for the past seven years.
She currently writes speculative fiction with an emphasis on eco-fiction, with over a hundred short stories published in Rising Tides, Save the World, Cli-Fi: Canadian Tales of Climate Change, and many other publications throughout the world.  A long-time member of SFWA, she has been a fiction editor at Solarpunk Magazine and media content coordinator for SF Canada, as well as mentoring new writers and conducting writing workshops.
She is passionate about the environment and believes it is not too late to protect, steward, and restore critical habitat and that, by working together, we can create a new reality.

Laurene Stefanyk

Director

She/Her

Laurene has called Galiano her full time home for over 32 years. She is currently a volunteer at the Conservancy’s Food Forest and has participated in many of the educational offerings on the island throughout the years. Laurene is particularly interested in environmental education/eco-therapy and food security/indigenous food sovereignty, especially in the light of our rising climate crisis. She holds a BA Honors degree in Geography and Sociology and has a Child Care Workers certificate, with experience in working with youth in mental health. Laurene currently works at our community school as an EA (education assistant) and enjoys working in the woods.

blake danis

Director

They/Them

blake is a neurodiverse queer settler and an environmental toxicologist with a PhD from Simon Fraser University, where their research investigated the molecular, endocrine, and developmental effects of environmental pollutants, with a focus on amphibians. They also hold an Honours BSc in Biology from the University of Victoria. blake has lived, worked, and spent time in community on Galiano Island and across British Columbia, engaging in projects ranging from amphibian conservation and wetland monitoring to contaminant risk assessment and public science education. Their experience spans field ecology, molecular techniques, organismal toxicology, environmental contaminant assessment, curriculum design, and community-based science. Alongside their academic and research work, blake brings years of experience in the service industry and labour sector, which shaped their strong skills in teamwork, adaptability, and inclusive communication. blake is committed to inclusive and anticolonial approaches to environmental research and practice and has been actively involved in developing training programs, public outreach, and equity-focused initiatives within science. Outside of research, blake enjoys cooking, playing volleyball, watching anime, reading, while also enjoying hiking and birding.

Michael Keefer

Director

He/Him

 Michael Keefer (MSc, PAg) is a broad-based environmental expert who particularly loves to explore the links between people and their ecosystems. Michael is a Professional Agrologist and the owner of Keefer Ecological Services, a niche environmental company that focuses on Indigenous food security, biodiversity management, ecological restoration and more. As a volunteer, Michael is the former Chair of the Society for Ecological Restoration Western Canada, a former director with the BC Grasslands Conservation Council, was a founding director of the Columbia Basin Environmental Educators Network and is currently a director of Twin Sisters Native Plants Nursery on behalf of West Moberly First Nations. Michael has known Galiano Island since the 1970’s and has been a fulltime resident for over two years. His work at restoring forests on Galiano began in the mid 1990’s and continues to date with him managing over 200 acres of forest land.

Brenda Lomax

Director

she/her

Brenda was born in Victoria and earned a Bachelor of Science in Cell Biology from the University of Victoria. She spent more than 30 years at BC Children’s and Women’s Health Centre, where she worked in research and development in the field of clinical genetics, while also teaching at BCIT.

A frequent visitor to Galiano Island, Brenda spent many years enjoying kayaking, camping, and bikepacking before making the island her permanent home in 2022 following her retirement.

Brenda enjoys cycling, gardening, pottery, and volunteering at the GCA Food Forest. She can often be found exploring local trails with her dog, Charlie. Passionate about lifelong learning, she has a particular interest in medicinal herbs, native plants, and the diverse bird species found on the island. A frequent visitor to the Millard Centre trail system, Brenda regularly participates in GCA-sponsored workshops and community activities.

Derek LaCroix

Director

he/him

Derek LaCroix, KC, joined LAPBC as Executive Director in 1997. With over 50 years work
experience, he brings a sincere and valued perspective to his commitment to both the law and
to the BC legal profession.
Derek practised law for 18 years and went on to expand his skills in business and counselling.
This diverse range of interests has helped Derek become a respected leader in the legal, health
care and recovery communities. He has served on committees with the Canadian Bar
Association and the American Bar Association and the Law Society of B.C. He is also on
several non-profit, and charitable, boards of societies dealing with addictions, education and
spirituality. These include: Be the Change Earth Alliance, The Haven Institute, Multifaith Action
Society, North Galiano Volunteer Fire Department Society, all of which he has been the
president.
He is often called upon to present seminars and workshops throughout the province and is
tireless in his efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of legal professionals and those
who care about them. He received the designation of Queen’s Counsel in 2004.

Tanya Inglis

Director

she/her

Tanya Inglis is an island entrepreneur who owns and operates the Galiano
Trading Company Ltd and until recently was part of the three person
Cooperative, owning and operating The Loose Leaf Tea and Papery and Post
Office. At the heart of her business philosophy is the importance of people and
place. She uses the success of her business to bolster the local economy by
providing essential goods, year-round employment and actively supporting
community organizations or charities and youth with donations or financial
contributions. She believes in the power of community and shares her time and
skills by volunteering with local organizations and as a volunteer Fire Fighter with
the Galiano Volunteer Fire Department.