Board of Directors

Derek Simon - President

As an avid outdoorsperson and scuba diver, Derek enjoys exploring Nova Scotia's wild spaces, both above and below water. He is a lawyer with Patterson Law in Halifax, and works with a wide range of clients, including individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, governments and First Nations. He is the co-chair of the firm's Sustainability Committee. Derek has a law degree from University of Victoria and a business degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. He has previously served on the executive and the board of the UVic Environmental Law Centre, and worked for the ELC on numerous campaigns, including the protection of migratory bird sanctuaries. He has been involved in research and action on numerous other environmental issues, notably land and water use and climate change. He also does work for the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Green Business Council. Derek has had the good fortune to live in many different parts of Canada and the World, and is now proud to call Nova Scotia home.

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Martin Willison - Vice President

Born in England in 1943, Martin Willison moved to Canada in 1974 and is now a Full Professor at Dalhousie University. He is jointly appointed in the Biology Department (Faculty of Science) and the School for Resource and Environmental Studies (Faculty of Management). He also has cross-appointments to programs in marine affairs, international development, and environmental science. His teaching and research interests are similarly diverse, including nature conservation and the roles of non-government organizations in environmental management. Martin has had a long association with non-government conservation and environmental organizations in Nova Scotia and Canada, including helping to create several of these. He has written and edited nine books as well as about seventy refereed scientific papers. He also enjoys popular writing, sometimes including political commentary. He has received several national and international awards for his conservation work, including the Gulf of Maine Visionary Award (2002), the Canadian Environment Silver Award (2003), the Don McAllister Medal (2004) and Nature Canada's Volunteer Award (2004). Martin is married to Marjorie Willison and they have two adult daughters, Meghan and Kate.

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Elizabeth De Santo

Elizabeth De Santo is Assistant Professor of Marine Affairs at Dalhousie University. She earned her PhD in Geography from University College London and specializes in marine protected areas, environmental politics, and the science/policy interface in environmental decision-making. She holds Masters degrees in environmental management from Duke University, and the history of international relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Before joining Dalhousie, Elizabeth worked with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Washington DC and she has previously worked with the Institute for European Environmental Policy, the World Environment Center, and the American Museum of Natural History. Originally from New York City, Elizabeth moved to Nova Scotia in 2009 and is enjoying living in such a beautiful part of the world.

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Jen Ross

Jen Ross is a graduate student at the School for Resource and Environmental Studies taking a Masters of Resource and Environmental Management. With a Bachelors degree from Saint Francis Xavier University in the Interdisciplinary Studies of Aquatic Resources, Jen has always been interested in both the ecological and social dimensions of resource management. Growing up in rural Alberta placed Jen in a setting where she was surrounded by nature, which spurred her passion for wildlife and the environment. Over the last five years she has been able to experience a number of the Maritimes natural wonders and is happy to call Halifax her home. Jen's primary interests lie in conservation, public outreach, and environmental education, with a special focus on the urban forest.

Craig Smith

As Past-President, Craig holds degrees in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism, and Geography from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario as well as a Master of Environmental Studies from Dalhousie in Halifax. Before moving to the Maritimes, Craig spent 5 years working as an outdoor leadership professional, most recently for Outward Bound Canada where he led many long wilderness canoe trips, taught kayaking and ran sled dogs in the winters. Craig is currently the Coastal Conservation Coordinator at the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. When not working or volunteering with CPAWS, Craig likes to do just about anything that involves being in natural environments.

Guan Yue

Guan came to Halifax in 2008 to pursue her Master's degree of environmental studies in the School for Resource and Evironment Studies at Dalhousie University. Born and raised in a city with 30 million people in Southwest China, Guan cherishes the gorgeous natural features in and around Metro Halifax and everything that goes with it. She enjoys clear air, urban forest, hiking, skiing, and other outdoor activities. Guan is especially interested in birding and urban bird conservation. For her Master's thesis, she is mapping out places of great conservation value in metro Halifax.