About us

Danah Duke

B.Sc, M.Sc

Executive Director

Danah has been the Executive Director of the Miistakis Institute since 2001. Her role as the ED of Miistakis puts Danah at the interface between academia, policy and decision-making and community conservation. Through her tenure at Miistakis, Danah has developed skills in various conservation related disciplines that include spatial analysis, research design, wildlife management, transportation ecology, citizen science and nature-based solutions. Her experience also includes non-profit management and governance, facilitation and collaboration and community engagement. Danah holds M.Sc. in Environmental Biology and Ecology at the University of Alberta and a B.Sc. in Biology from McMaster University.

Tracy Lee

B.Sc, M.Sc

Director of Conservation Research

Tracy has 25 years of experience working on landscape conservation where she has managed projects with a focus on road ecology, connectivity, community engagement and conservation planning. Tracy has published numerous academic articles on citizen science, road ecology and landscape connectivity research from wood frog to pronghorn. She acquired her M.Sc. from the University of Calgary, Resources, and the Environment Program.

Nilo Sinnatamby

B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D.

Manager of Conservation Research

Nilo has been the Manager of Conservation Research with the Miistakis Institute since 2022. She holds an M.Sc. in Biology in paleolimnology and a Ph.D. in Biology focused on fish ecology, both from the University of Waterloo. As a Post-doctoral Fellow and Research Associate at the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta, she specialized in assessing human impacts on aquatic environments and fisheries. Prior to joining Miistakis, Nilo worked as a Species at Risk Biologist and a Marine Planning and Conservation Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. She is also an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Biology at Mount Royal University.

Ken Sanderson

Dipl. Environmental Sciences

GIS and Web Developer

Ken is a GIS Developer with the Miistakis Institute. He enjoys problem solving and the creation of applications that help people understand and use GIS data. Ken originally started his career in Parks Management working with the Alberta Park Service for ten years, first as a Park Ranger then later as a Cartographer and finally as a GIS Specialist for Kananaskis Country. Joining the Miistakis Institute in 2001 Ken is responsible for system administration and server management, data management, GIS and website development, online mapping applications and any other tool that can be developed in a GIS or Web environment. Ken currently works remotely from his home in Prince Edward Island.

Holly Kinas

B.Sc., P.Biol

Conservation Analyst

Holly is a Conservation Analyst at the Miistakis Institute, where she supports the research needs of various projects. A Professional Biologist with the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists, Holly holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Royal University. Since joining Miistakis in 2016, she has played a key role in the "Working with Beavers" project while also contributing to a broad range of research initiatives. Prior to her time at Miistakis, Holly gained experience in environmental consulting and worked on wildlife projects across Alberta and British Columbia.

Nicole Kahal

B.Sc., M.Sc.

Conservation Analyst

Nicole is a Conservation Analyst for the Miistakis Institute. Nicole holds a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Water Resource Economics from the University of Arizona. Nicole supports Miistakis' science and engagement goals, and currently works on the citizen science for conservation programs, Calgary Captured and Call of the Wetland. Prior to working with Miistakis, Nicole has worked in private consulting, writing environmental regulatory reports, as well as in community-based not for profits, developing long term habitat stewardship programs.

---

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Craig Harding

Board Chair

Director of Conservation Science and Planning, Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)

Craig is the Director of Conservation Science and Planning for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in the Alberta Region. He works across the province to integrate multiscale planning, into the broader areas that NCC works and at a property scale. Although the major focus of his role is planning in implementation, he also works to integrate collaborative science and research initiatives into NCC's activities to improve our understanding of what species use our properties, how we can adapt our management to benefit those species, and building new relationships to further this work. Prior to joining NCC, Craig completed his BSc from the University of Western Ontario and went on to complete his MSc at the University of Cape Town with the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology.

Jason Unger

Executive Director and General Counsel of the Environmental Law Centre (ELC)

Jason Unger is the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Environmental Law Centre (ELC), an Alberta based charity focused on legal education and environmental and natural resources law reform. Jason's practice has focused on issues of water law, legal tools for conservation on private lands, environmental assessment law, species at risk and pollution prevention. Prior to joining the ELC Jason worked in private practice at firms in Edmonton and Calgary. His private practice included experience before the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, the Alberta Court of Appeal, and the Natural Resources Conservation Board. Jason also sits as a Board member on the Alberta Water Council, a multi-stakeholder organization that provides advice and input on provincial water policy.

Kimberly Pearson

Nature Legacy Ecosystem Scientist, Waterton Lakes National Park

Kimberly Pearson is Waterton Lakes National Park's Nature Legacy Ecosystem Scientist. Much of her work is focused on collaborative, landscape-scale conservation and supporting Indigenous-led conservation and restoration. She manages the post-Kenow wildfire science program and has led the successful restoration of northern leopard frogs at Waterton. Kim has been involved in the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association since 2009. She collaborated for ten years on the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Waterton Park Front Project and has consulted on various projects for organizations such as the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society.

Connie Van der Byl

Academic Director, Mount Royal University

Connie Van der Byl is the Academic Director of Mount Royal University's Institute for Environmental Sustainability (IES) and an Associate Professor in the Bissett School of Business, teaching courses in business strategy, environmental management and sustainable development. Connie holds a PhD in Energy Management and Sustainable Development, as well as an MBA from the Haskayne School of Business and a BA (Honours) in Economics from the University of Waterloo. She acquired over ten years of experience in various business roles with NOVA Corporation and subsequently TransCanada Pipelines before embarking on a PhD. Dr. Van der Byl's research interests focus on energy organizations as well as parks and protected areas and their strategic responses to sustainability issues.

Chad Willms

Director of Land and Environmental Planning (South), Government of Alberta

Chad Willms has lived and worked across all corners of Alberta, the Canadian arctic, and tropics of Central America conducting academic research, environmental assessments, and monitoring projects. Since joining the Government of Alberta in 2011 he relocated back to Edmonton and is now the Director of Land and Environmental Planning (South). Having worked on land use planning across the province for the last decade, Chad's work is now predominantly focused on Crown lands in southern Alberta's eastern slopes. Planning in this area provides direction to manage the cumulative effects of multiple activities including recreation, forestry, energy and grazing to maintain the region's cultural importance to Indigenous peoples, the headwaters of southern Alberta's rivers, and the diversity of flora and fauna. When not working, Chad can often be found with his family exploring this same landscape with skis, paddles or trail running shoes.

Dan Farr

Regional Director of Fish and Wildlife Stewardship (Northeast), Government of Alberta

Dan works at the interface between science and policy. His childhood fascination with nature led him to study garter snakes and forest birds in British Columbia and Alberta. After grad school, he was a Forest Ecologist at fRI Research, where he kick-started the province-wide monitoring system now operated by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. In later consulting roles, he leaned in to systematic conservation planning, scenario modelling, and environmental impact assessments. As Director of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute's Application Centre, he led several projects that applied monitoring data to develop climate change adaptation strategies, improve the environmental performance of Canada's oil sands industry, and assess the value of ecosystem services in rangeland and other agricultural landscapes. Dan currently leads a team of biologists and managers to assess fish and wildlife populations, advise regulators on the potential impacts of development impacts, and recover woodland caribou and wood bison.

---

CONSULTANTS

Elliot Fox

Indigenous Conservation Consultant

Elliot has over 30 years of experience in environment and land management and natural resource conservation, as a front-line technician and senior manager. He has extensive experience collaborating with Federal, Provincial and First Nations governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, on sustainable land use and natural resource management. Elliot is a graduate of Lethbridge College in the Environmental Science and Renewable Resource Management Program (1994). Elliot has worked with the Miistakis Institute since 2021 and brought his extensive experience in First Nation engagement to provide guidance and help us better engage with First Nations communities. Elliot has worked on several of our projects including Calgary Connect and the Bow River Regional Wetland Dataset.

Carla Klassen

Principal, Clay Graphic Design Inc.

Carla's passion for art and design is demonstrated in everything she does. With a Bachelor of Arts in English literature she has an equal appreciation for both visual design and the written word. Carla graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1995 and went on to complete her design diploma in 1997 at Winnipeg’s Red River College. She brings over 25 years of industry experience working with clients from an expansive variety of sectors including environment, retail, corporate, arts, non-profit, human resources, real estate, finance and more. From publication design to brand identity projects to retail packaging—and most recently animation and motion graphics—Carla has an ever-growing skill set to help support her clients in attaining their goals. In her personal time she has used her design background to establish herself as a self-taught, skilled painter. She is currently focused on the figure and portrait and how those can integrate with flat geometry and pattern to explore the ever-changing human condition. Her works are with collectors across Canada, the UK, and France.

Sara Jordan-McLachlan

B.Sc., M.Sc.

Wildlife biologist, Naturalist

Sara has a diverse background from biological field work to wildlife rehabilitation, animal welfare and environmental education. She earned a B.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Calgary and an M.Sc. in Environmental Practice from Royal Roads University. Sara began working with Miistakis in 2017 on Calgary Captured and now supports various projects such as Calgary Connect. Outside of her work with Miistakis, Sara is a member of Bird Friendly Calgary, Calgary Bird Banding Society, the Calgary Urban Species Response Team and is a naturalist with Weaselhead/Glenmore Park Preservation Society.

Tyne Baker

M.Sc., P.Biol, R.P. Bio

Wildlife Biologist, Bioacoustician

A/Vian Ecological Consulting Inc.

Tyne has over a extensive experience in bioacoustics and wildlife consulting. She earned her Masters in Behavioural Ecology from the University of Windsor and is a professional biologist registered in BC and Alberta. She champions the use of audio-visual remote species detection for data-driven ecological decisions. She has developed technologically-enhanced biodiversity monitoring programs across North America and abroad. Tyne has worked with the Miistakis Institute since 2017 on several bioacoustics projects, including Call of the Wetland, Calgary Connect, Bow River Regional Wetland Datasets, and Wildlife Xing.