PRESIDENT

Lisa works at the science-policy interface, with a focus on biodiversity.  Her graduate work at Simon Fraser University investigated pollinator diversity and pollination services in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

VICE PRESIDENT

Charity studied entomology at the University of Alberta. She kept herself in entomology with invertebrate ID contracts, teaching at Red Deer College, and beekeeping. Charity has since shifted her interest to wild bee ecology. She is completing her MSc on the potential impacts of hobby beekeeping on bumble bees in Red Deer. Charity is landscaping her front yard to create wild bee habitat—so far, it looks like they’re interested!

TREASURER

Adele completed her BSc in sustainable agriculture systems from the University of Alberta. She is now working on her MSc on agriculture entomology. Her love of bees started a bit rocky—she was afraid! That fear quickly became fondness when her mom took up beekeeping. Now, Adele loves bees and is excited about the ways to sustain native populations. Adele can usually be found helping out on her parent’s bison farm or enjoying hobbies including reading, camping, and hiking.

SECRETARY

Mathias is an instructor at Mount Royal University. He has a passion for observing nature and has a particular interest in insects, birds, wildflowers and trees. For his MSc at the University of Calgary, he studied the acoustics of mountain pine beetles and lodgepole pine. To promote the conservation of native bees, he raises awareness for them among students and friends, and frequently contributes to citizen science.

DIRECTOR

Alex is an instructor at Mount Royal University, where she's taught for over 25 years. Alex has an MSc in Ecology focused on how bumble bee species respond to clearcut logging. During her down time, you will find her bee-watching in her flower gardens or off enjoying nature in the backcountry.

DIRECTOR

Brandon is a senior terrestrial ecologist with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. He focuses on analyzing complex ecological data to develop provincial scale landscape and biodiversity indicators for land-use planning initiatives.

DIRECTOR

Ron has kept honey bees since childhood, but became concerned about the impact they may have on native bees. He spent four years at the University of Calgary researching this complex relationship. Ron now teaches beekeepers how to mitigate environmental harm and foster native bee success. The photo shows Ron collecting pollen from honey bees to determine resource competition.

DIRECTOR

Tiffani loved following bugs around with a camera as a teenager and since pursued a BSc in Environmental Management and a MSc in Environmental Science. Tiffani has spent most of her career on monitoring, recovery, and community engagement of at-risk bumble bees across Canada. Currently, she works as a Conservation Coordinator with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, assisting with the Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area initiative and leading the Native Bee Conservation Program. Tiffani is also a member of various pollinator task forces and is an active identifier on Bumble Bee Watch and iNaturalist.

Jenn works as the research and extension manager for the Alfalfa Seed Commission of Alberta in which she gets to work with producers, students, and scientists on questions pertaining to alfalfa seed and leafcutter bee production in Alberta. Jenn has an MSc in Ecology focused on how bumble bee communities respond to land cover composition in southern Alberta. She is also part of a farming operation east of Calgary which allows her to meld her interests and understand the needs of agricultural producers in the region. Other than that you'll find Jenn spending time with her 3 daughters in her garden or at community events.