Staff

Program Manager – Camille LeBlanc

Camille is a graduate of Selkirk College’s Integrated Environmental Planning Program and has been volunteering with FOKLSS for quite a few years.

Camille is passionate about ecosystem conservation with a particular interest in wetland restoration. She is excited to bring her knowledge of wetlands, native plants, and restoration to the many exciting projects FOKLSS has planned.

Camille grew up along the Sturgeon River in Alberta where she explored the surrounding wetlands and learned the names of the birds and the plants. After traveling in British Columbia’s Southern Interior, working on organic farms, her draw to live in wild spaces next to lakes and mountains brought her to Nelson, BC in 2013.
Camille graduated from Selkirk College with an Associates Degree in Peace and Justice Studies and a diploma in Integrated Environmental Planning in 2018. Camille is grounded in both the social and environmental sciences which reflect her passion for community capacity building and environmental advocacy.  Today Camille is the Program Manager of Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society and is leading projects on shoreline restoration, wildlife monitoring, and water quality monitoring.

 

 

Assistant Program Manager – Kayla Tillapaugh

Kayla grew up in the Okanagan and Shuswap regions on Syilx and Secwepemc traditional territory. She fostered a young passion for geology, ecology and biology in the rolling mountains and river valleys of the North Okanagan. Kayla conceived a radiant son and soon after moved to the Kootenays to pursue a diploma in Integrated Environmental Planning Technology. She now resides in Castlegar, BC – traditional territory of the Sn̓ ʕay̓ ckstx (Sinixt), as well as the outer territories of the Ktunaxa, Secwepemc and Sylix First Nations. She plans to pursue a career in Indigenous Environmental Science or a related field.

Kayla has a year and a half experience in rural research working at Selkirk College’s Applied Research & Innovation Centre in partnership with local governments, businesses and organizations in the Columbia Basin and Boundary regions. She also has experience working as an Environmental/Cultural Field Technician for the Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land) department of the Splatsin Band. She is passionate about traditional stewardship, cultural awakening, sustainable living, conservation, plant-based living, ecological restoration, human-wildlife relationships, and various aspects of societal constructs and paradigm shifting.

Kayla has been with Friends of Kootenay Lake since September 2020 assisting with program creation, program management, fundraising, communications and outreach.

 

 

 

Environmental Outreach Coordinator – Kieran Simpson

Kieran grew up in Creston, BC, where he spent his free time hiking the surrounding mountains. His love for the outdoors led to a passion for conservation and protecting wild places. He continues to spend every chance he gets in the mountains, whether hiking, skiing or climbing.

Kieran obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria. He chose to major in English and Communications and focussed most of his projects on environmental issues in the Kootenays.

Before joining FOKLSS, Kieran worked and volunteered for several non-profits in BC in communications and outreach roles, including Sierra Club BC, Wildsight and Watershed Watch Salmon Society. In these roles he became more interested in laws and policies relevant to environmental issues, and chose to pursue his Juris Doctor.

Currently, Kieran is a law student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He hopes to practice Environmental Law when he finishes school.

With FOKLSS, Kieran is excited to help protect an area he grew up around, and to work with local people and surrounding communities to improve stewardship of the Lake.