Shortly after graduating with a combined honours BA in Communication Studies and Spanish from Wilfrid Laurier University, Kristine merged her work experience in corporate finance with her passion for wildlife conservation. In 2008 she moved to West Africa to help manage a primate conservation, education and research non-profit called CERCOPAN. After returning to Canada in 2009, she moved to British Columbia to focus on Canadian conservation issues. She worked with Burns Bog Conservation Society in Delta as their Communications Coordinator before starting with NWPS in 2011. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, snowboarding and kayaking. Kristine lives in Horseshoe Bay, British Columbia.

Darren has always been interested in the natural world. For more than twenty five years he has attentively learned about animals and their natural behaviour. Darren holds a BSc in Environmental Studies and Primatology from McMaster University (1998), as well as a degree in Animal Sciences (1999).

Darren began his professional career in 1999 as a Lead Zookeeper at the Toronto Zoo and Little Rock Zoo where he worked with a wide variety of animal species representing all vertebrate classes, over 250 species and over 5,000 individuals. He learned about animals through daily care such as feeding, cleaning, rehabilitation and natural enrichment of animals. During this time he also developed a passion for teaching others about wildlife as he delivered educational talks to the public regarding wildlife behaviour and species conservation.

In 2004 Darren worked as a Wildlife Rehabilitator with Earth Rangers while also working at Sheridan and Georgian Colleges as a Wildlife Biology Instructor. For the colleges he developed units and programming to teach college students in advanced zoology topics such as wildlife rehabilitation and care, wildlife biology, animal species adaptations and behaviour, and habitat conservation.

In 2006 Darren moved from Ontario to the West Coast of British Columbia. He worked as the Ecology Supervisor at Capilano Suspension Bridge, leading nature walks for guests throughout the temperate rainforest. At this time, he also began volunteering with Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society, a Vancouver-based wildlife education charity focused on connecting children to the natural world. In 2008 he was hired as their Education & Communications Coordinator where he developed and delivered wildlife education and environmental stewardship programs to people of all ages throughout BC. Darren was promoted to NWPS’s Wildlife Education Director in 2016 where he continues to work today.

Darren knows that understanding wildlife is the key to conservation so he continues to develop his skills and share his experiences. Darren has participated in field studies and wildlife photography expeditions on four continents and published multiple papers on a variety of topics.

Connel Bradwell is NWPS’s lead educator based in Victoria. Connel continues to increase NWPS’s involvement throughout Vancouver Island by delivering wildlife education programs year-round and assisting with projects on Manley Farm Bird & Wildlife Sanctuary.

Connel holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation from Nottingham Trent University. His background includes working with Wildlife Trust in the UK and on southern resident orca research with Cetus Research & Conservation Society in Victoria.

Connel has recently had the great honour to partner with the International Fund for Animal Welfare to be Canada’s sole delegate at the Youth Forum for People and Wildlife in South Africa in conjunction with the 17th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Connel was also recently named one of Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25 by The Starfish.