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Staff Members

Executive Director - Amy Thompson, B.Sc. Executive Director - Amy Thompson, B.Sc.

Responsibilities
: I implement decisions made by the Board, ensure that the GRRB's staff follow the Board's decision, oversee research, management and education programs conducted or funded by the Board, prepare the Board's budget and monitor its expenditures, supervise office staff and prepare materials needed for Board meetings.

Personal biography: I am a participant in the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (GCLCA). I was born in Inuvik, NT and raised in Halifax, NS. In Halifax, I completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Mount Saint Vincent University (October 2004) and I worked for Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography on invertebrate research, including population and genetic studies. In January 2006, I moved back to Inuvik to work as a biologist for the GRRB. Since moving here, I have worked on Traditional Knowledge studies, fisheries field research, management planning, community engagement and several educational activities. I have also represented the GRRB at public hearings and many other conferences and meetings on renewable resources. In March 2009, I accepted the position of Executive Director and have since been working on more management level activities.

E-mail Amy

Wildlife Biologist - Kristen Callaghan, B.Sc., hons, M.Sc. CandidateWildlife Biologist - Kristen Callaghan, B.Sc., hons, M.Sc. Candidate

Responsibilities:
I coordinate and conduct research and management of birds and mammals in the GSA.

Personal biography: I grew up in south-western Ontario, where childhood experiences of wildlife and natural habitats around my home and region were influential in directing my interests toward biology. During completion of my B.Sc. in Biology at the University of Windsor, I gained field experience with many bird and bat species found in Ontario and spent two enjoyable summers assisting in a study of small mammal diversity at Point Pelee National Park, as well as completing a project examining prey selection of Long-eared owls in the park. Since then, I have been involved with projects across the country on species such as elk, grizzly bear and Sprague’s pipits, among others. I have completed my course work and field work towards a Master of Science degree on big brown bat roosting associations at the University of Regina and am enjoying the diversity of experience and opportunity working as a biologist with the GRRB. I began working for the GRRB in February, 2008 and am currently working on wildlife management plans with our co-management partners and assisting in the wrap up of field activities related to the Richardson project on Dall’s sheep, grizzly bear and wolf interactions that is being overseen by Catherine Lambert-Koizumi from her new location in Edmonton.

E-mail Kristen

Fisheries Biologist - Kris Maier, B.Sc.Fisheries Biologist - Kris Maier, B.Sc.

Responsibilities:  I coordinate and conduct fisheries research and am responsible for the management of fish and forestry resources in the GSA.

Personal biography: I grew up in north central British Columbia to a fishing and hunting lifestyle which had me interested in fish at a young age. I caught my first fish (a rainbow trout) at age two and my first Chinook salmon (barehanded in a brood stock seine net) at age five. I was hooked. As I grew older, it was an easy decision about what to do with my life. I started university in 2004, heading towards a B.Sc. in Fisheries & Wildlife Management at the University of Northern BC in Prince George.

During the time I was in university, I had the extreme good fortune to work under one of the top fisheries managers in all of western Canada for my first real fisheries job, estimating population size of arctic grayling via angling mark-recapture and tagging bull trout for migration tracking via raft electrofishing. Since that time, I was lucky enough to land numerous field jobs in both BC and Alberta which provided me with a wealth of diversity and experience from backcountry trail cutting in northern BC, extensive fisheries biodiversity sampling all over Alberta, radio telemetry of large migratory rainbow trout, lake trout SPIN population assessments in the south Cariboo and angler surveys on the famous Horsefly River.

I graduated university in the winter of 2009 and moved to Inuvik to work for the GRRB in March 2010. Since I have been in Inuvik I have greatly enjoyed the surrounding area (fantastic fishing!), as well as numerous trips to all communities in the GSA. I am really enjoying the diversity of my job at the GRRB and look forward to future projects and new challenges. I am currently working on the draft Dolly Varden Integrated Fisheries Management Plan with the IFMP writing team and updating the Rat River Fishing Plan. I am also planning for August fieldwork at Travaillant Lake which will involve a continuation of the past fisheries sampling as well as a look at the effects of past fire disturbance on the regeneration of lichens and forests in the area.

E-mail Kris

 

Renewable Resources Manager - Matthew Armstrong, M.A. (casual employee)Renewable Resources Manager - Matthew Armstrong, M.A. (casual employee)

**The competition for a full-time Renewable Resources Manager closes May 21, 2010**

Responsibilities: I review research and land use applications in the Gwich'in Settlement Area; frequently liaise with the community Renewable Resource Councils; and assist in the implementation of recommendations from the Gwich'in Harvest Study, including data management and organization of public hearings. I am a good person to contact if you have questions about renewable resource-related research in the Gwich’in Settlement Area.

Personal biography: I was raised in rural London, Ontario and lived previously in Inuvik for the summers of 2001 to 2006 while completing a Bachelor’s degree in Geography at the University of Western Ontario and a Master’s degree in Northern Resources at the University of Lapland in Finland.  My undergraduate thesis involved surveying residents of Inuvik about their participation in the Inuvik recycling program (Things I learned: garbage is a resource; and be aware of your ‘footprint’), while my Master’s thesis related to food security in the western Canadian Arctic (Things I learned: eat lots of delicious country foods - junk foods are called junk for a reason).

I am excited to be back living in the Mackenzie Delta, where I hope to spend a lot of time with friends and family, fish as much as humanly possible and contribute to the successful management of renewable resources in the GSA.

E-mail Matthew

 

Office Manager - Cheryl Greenland Office Manager - Cheryl Greenland

Responsibilities:
I provide financial and administrative support for the GRRB.

Personal biography: I was born and raised here in Inuvik. My parents are Alec and Elizabeth Greenland. I attended both the elementary and high school here and graduated from the Native Women's Training centre in 1992. I also attended Mount Royal College in Calgary for a year.

Over the years, I have worked with many of the Gwich'in organizations, as well as the GNWT, gaining a wide array of office experience. I have always been interested in the environmental issues that are happening in the NWT and have been trying to educate myself in this area over the past few years.

As the Environmental Coordinator for the GTC's First Nations Forestry program, I trained Gwich'in Beneficiaries in Environmental Monitoring. I helped create the Environmental Monitors Manual, now the standard for this type of work. As Environmental Coordinator/Finance Clerk with IMG Golder in Inuvik, I worked on projects such as Bathymetry, Aquatics, Vegetation, Wildlife, Pellets, Traditional History and Archeology. I trained outside of Calgary in Terrestrial Biosciences and Aquatics techniques.

I have held a few other positions in the finance world, but I have been here at the GRRB since February of 2009. I also sit on the Inuvik Native Band as a councilor. I enjoy being out on the land as much as possible, when time permits. I am an avid curler and have enjoyed this sport for many years.

E-mail Cheryl

Former Wildlife Biologist - Catherine Lambert Koizumi, Ph.D. CandidateFormer Wildlife Biologist - Catherine Lambert Koizumi, Ph.D. Candidate

Responsibilities: Catherine is currently working on her Ph.D. at the University of Alberta. From Edmonton, Catherine is continuing to be the lead of the Richardson project (dall's sheep, grizzly bear and wolves interactions). If you wish to get further information about this project contact Kristen Callaghan or Catherine.

E-mail Catherine

Communications Manager/Fisheries Biologist (Acting)- Chelsea Hermus, M.Sc.Communications Manager/Fisheries Biologist (Acting)- Chelsea Hermus, M.Sc.

Responsibilities: I coordinate and conduct fisheries research and am responsible for the management of fish and forestry resources in the GSA. I joined the GRRB as Acting Fisheries Biologist in July and am assisting with several large fisheries and communications projects on a contract basis..

Personal biography: A paleontologist and Web designer born and raised in Alberta, I have a wide variety of interests and skills. My career path has taken me many places, including research, teaching, editing, writing, laboratory coordination and several incredible opportunities to work from remote Northern field camps.  I enjoy any chance I get to work with fish, both career-wise and as a hobby. I am currently living and working in Winnipeg. 

E-mail Chelsea

Communications CoordinatorCommunications Coordinator - Competition on hold

Responsibilities:
I assist the GRRB with producing communications material.

 

 

 
 
 
Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board