Board of Directors

The Council’s Board of Directors is comprised of 18 members, which are selected by the Council’s membership at the Annual General Meeting. Directors on the Board represent perspectives including federal government, First Nations, provincial government, local government, forest industry, mining, agriculture, utilities, transportation, regional committees, conservation and wildlife, recreation and tourism, and horticulture.

2011 and 2012 ISC Board of Directors and Alternates.

CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS (listed in alphabetical order)

Chief Harold Aljam (First Nations perspective). Profile to come. Alternate: Ralph Gravelle

Kristy Alphonse-Palmantier (First Nations perspective, past-Chair)
Kristy is the Aboriginal Program Specialist for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Cariboo Region in Williams Lake, and is a member of the 17 Band Secwepemc (Shuswap) Nation. She has held various positions with her Williams Lake Indian Band, including Education, Treaty and Natural Resources Directors, and has served two terms on Chief and Council. Also, she and her family run a custom haying operation on the Bear Claw Ranch. Kristy was a member of the writing committee of the Invasive Plant Strategy of BC, and was previously the Vice-Chair of the ISCBC since its inception. Alternates: Rocky Desjarlais and Darwyn John

David Borth (Treasurer, Provincial Government perspective)
David Borth is Director of the Range Branch, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and is one of two provincial government representatives on the ISCBC Board. David was General Manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association in Kamloops from 1999 to 2005, and prior to this, he held multiple roles in range and planning for the Vanderhoof Forest District. Alternate: Val Miller 

Glen Davidson (Recreation and Tourism perspective)
During his 30-year career with BC Parks, Glen Davidson managed the conservation program within the Cariboo Region, including the management of invasive plants in many of the Cariboo’s significant grassland parks. Now retired, he works in ecosystem restoration and is a Director for the Friends of Churn Creek Protected Area Society, and Cross Country BC. Glen and his wife, Cathy, enjoy horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, hunting, cross-country and downhill skiing. Alternate: TBC

Christine Ensing (Local Government perspective)
Christine works as a Fisheries Habitat Officer for the City of Burnaby Engineering Department. She functions primarily in an operational capacity, where City maintenance work and private development occurs near streams and wildlife habitat. Habitat protection includes managing and preventing the spread of invasives. Alternate: Jamie Viera

Barry Gibbs (Transportation perspective)
Barry Gibbs has been a Professional Agrologist since 1984. In 2011, he retired after 34 years with Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc. Barry has specialized in raising heritage sheep and managing crop lands in western Canada. He has travelled to all corners of BC to meet with Regional Committees and has been involved in national invasive plant forums. He recently took on the role of Executive Director with the Alberta Invasive Plants Council. Alternate: Crystal Wheeler

Jude Grass (Secretary, Conservation and Wildlife perspective)
Jude has had a lifelong interest in natural history. In 2004, she retired from her work as a park naturalist for both BC Parks and the Greater Vancouver Regional District Parks. She currently serves as Lower Mainland Regional Coordinator for BC Nature, is a Nature Vancouver Board Member, and Chair of the Birding Section Committee. She is President of the BC Field Ornithologists, and serves on the boards of the Biodiversity Centre for Wildlife Studies, Langley Field Naturalists, Stanley Park Ecology Society, and Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society. Alternate: Brian Heise

Merci Hillis (First Nations perspective).
Merci Hillis has been working with the Northwest Invasive Plant Council since 2005. She started out with the Gitxsan Crew in their Invasive Plant Program, a partnership with NWIPC. In 2008, she became the NWIPC's First Nations and Western Program Assistant, where eight partnerships between First Nations communities in Northwest BC, and NWIPC, are currently underway. Alternate: Darwyn John

Judy Millar (Provincial Government perspective)
Judy Millar is a biologist with the Ministry of Environment in the Parks Division. She has worked for the ministry for 22 years and prior to that as a consultant in the ministry responsible for forests. She lives in the Okanagan and spends much of her time on the coast. Her interests outside of work include kayaking, camping, reading, cooking, photography and gardening. Alternate: David Ralph

Peter Mohammed (Forestry perspective)
Peter Mohammed is the President of the Integrated Vegetation Management Association of BC, and part owner of Spectrum Resource Group, which is actively involved in invasive plant management. Peter helps to inform and train project leaders about the intricacies of herbicide legislation and the subtleties of legislative risk management.

Steve O’Hara (Mining perspective)
Steve worked in the forest industry, carrying out silviculture surveys for many years before venturing into the mining industry. He has worked in the Environmental Department at the Gibraltar Mine site since 2004 and is actively involved in reclamation work, which includes the invasive weed program at the mine site. Steve is a Director on the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast Invasive Plant Committee Board as the mining perspective as well. Alternate: Dave Polster

Jamie Richardson (Federal Government perspective)
Jamie has worked for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency since 1992 as an Inspector and Program Officer in Vancouver. He is currently the Program Network Specialist for Invasive Alien Species in Western Canada, and deals with invasive plant pests as well as invasive plants. He is also involved in several other projects across the country. Alternate: TBC

Carolyn Richman (Local Government perspective) 
Carolyn is the Environmental Education Officer for the District of Saanich and lead for invasive species management for Saanich Environmental Services. She currently chairs the Coastal Invasive Plant Committee’s regional subcommittee “CRISP” (Capital Region Invasive Species Partnership), which pulls together local government representatives and others for more effective regional management. Carolyn also worked in ecological restoration and is finishing a diploma in Restoration of Natural Systems at the University of Victoria. Alternate: Caroline Jackson

Emily Sonntag (Regional Committee perspective). Profile to come. Alternate: Elaine Armagost

Barb Stewart (Regional Committee perspective)
Barb Stewart is the Invasive Plant Program Coordinator for the Boundary Weed Management Committee based out of Rock Creek. She has been involved with invasive plants for the past 11 years and was a member of the writing committee for the Invasive Plant Strategy of BC. Barb currently chairs the Communication Committee and has been instrumental in helping guide the outreach work of the Council. Alternate: Lisa Scott

Lesley Tannen (Horticulture perspective)
Profile to come. Alternate: Paulus Vrijmoed

Wayne Tofsrud (Agriculture perspective)
Wayne was born and raised on a farm, and after a 12-year career with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, returned to the family farm. He then went into the sawmill industry, retiring after 32 years as Plant Manager for Canfor in Houston BC. A believer in sustainable farming practices and healthy soil to prevent invasive plants, Wayne continues to actively farm with cattle, sheep and gardening. He is president of the Bulkley Valley Cattlemen’s Association, Vice President of Skeena Regional Cattlemen’s Association, and a BC Cattlemen’s Director. Alternate: Duncan Barnett

Tom Wells (Chair, Utilities perspective) 
Tom Wells is the Manager of Vegetation Program Strategy and Standards at BC Hydro, and he oversees the planning of vegetation maintenance programs on the provincial transmission and distribution system owned by BC Hydro. Tom is an active botanist and member of Botany BC. Alternate: Dan Tisseur