Our Board Of Directors

The NSWWT is a non-profit society governed by a voluntary board of directors based in Nova Scotia. Our directors come from various backgrounds and experiences, including foresters, ecologists, researchers, and, of course, woodland stewards.   

A smiling man with a beard in an outdoor landscape with hills and rocks.

  • Raised in the HRM, Pat took his first interest in Natural Resource Management while studying Environmental Science at Mount Allison University. He funded his education by tree planting in the wilds of northern British Columbia and eventually decided to go back to school where he obtained a Forestry Technology diploma at the Maritime College of Forest Technology in Fredericton, NB. Pat is currently the project coordinator for the Forest Innovation Voucher Program at the Nova Scotia Community College.

A smiling older man with glasses and a checkered shirt sitting at a wooden table in a modern room with warm lighting and wooden accent walls.

  • Don has been a furniture maker/woodworker since the mid-seventies and lives on a small acreage in the North Queens area with his wife, Sandra. Earlier in his life, Don entered the Canadian forces, initially as a radar tech, then remustered to structural tech; his years in the military allowed him to see a great deal of Canada. Within the community of Caledonia, Don plays an active role with many different local initiatives and organizations; the Medway Community Forest Co-op, Queens County Transit, the Board of Trade, the North Queens Business Hub, and the NSWWT. When Don is not helping with community events and planning, you can usually find him making unique wood furniture in his workshop. 

A woman with long curly hair in a green jacket and orange hat taking a selfie outdoors with two children, one sleeping in a carrier and the other smiling, all dressed in warm clothes in a wooded area.

  • Katie is the past Program Manager with the Clean Annapolis River Project, and currently taking time off work to raise her young family. She has dedicated a tremendous amount of her time to the MCFC over the years and also serves of the board of the NSWWT. Her educational background includes a Masters of Resource and Environmental Management from Dalhousie University. Outside of work, she has a passion for working with youth, and is involved in a number of outdoor recreation and education programs that focus on getting kids outdoors learning, exploring and having fun.

A man in outdoor gear standing in a forest next to a large tree with moss on its roots.

  • Andrew currently works as a forester with the Western Woodlot Services Cooperative Ltd. and lives in the Annapolis Valley. Through his professional career, Andrew has gained experience working in various forestry related roles including industrial forest operations planning and silviculture, private woodlot management and consulting, government approvals/compliance and wildfire management. Andrew is a Registered Professional Forester with the Registered Professional Foresters Association of Nova Scotia (RPFANS) and is active in various roles and committees within the association.

A young woman smiling outdoors in a forest, wearing a daisy-patterned cap with sunglasses on top, plaid shirt, and a gray shirt.

  • Laura has worked with the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute since completing her Master's in Resource and Environmental Management at Dalhousie University in 2021. Laura began her environmental sciences journey through completing a BSc. in Geology from Saint Mary’s University, but quickly pivoted her focus toward ecological forestry. A resident of Dartmouth, Laura is thrilled to be a part of an organization that allows her to escape into the forest and apply her passion for forest stewardship and species at risk conservation. Laura currently coordinates MTRI's Woodlands for Wildlife program in addition to working on other forest-related projects, such as old growth forest scoring and biodiversity research. 

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  • Amanda and her family steward a mature hemlock forest near the edge of Kejimkujik that is now protected through the NSWWT. With a background in forest ecology, she works for Parks Canada as a strategic advisor and has served in leadership roles with organizations including the NS Woodlot Owners and Operators, the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, and the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve Association. Formerly the Executive Director of the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute for 15 years, Amanda continues to bring her deep experience in forest conservation to her volunteer and professional work.

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  • September 2025 marks 51 years since Tom Miller first started working in the woods. He began with a three-month Forest Harvesting Technician (power saw operator) course with Scott Paper, where he worked for a year. He then attended the Maritime Forest Ranger School in New Brunswick in 1976. After a couple of years as a District Supervisor with Scott, Tom transitioned to private contracting, realizing he wasn’t much of a company man.

    Tom hasn’t passed his time quietly; he has served on various forestry boards and, alongside his wife, Lori, was named Nova Scotia Provincial Woodlot Owner of the Year in 2005. Together, they own 500 acres across two woodlots, where Tom continues to serve as Forest Keeper. He now looks forward to beginning a new chapter as a member of the NSWWT Board.

A man smiling outdoors in winter, wearing a blue knit hat, a blue jacket, and an orange safety vest with a snowy forest background.

  • Ryan is a graduate of the Natural Resources and Environmental Technology program at NSCC. Post-graduation, he worked for a silviculture contractor for two years doing quality auditing on planting sites, layout and data collection for PCT sites, and then chainsaw harvesting in the winter months. In 2012, Ryan became a self-employed contractor doing silviculture work, writing management plans, and doing small scale harvesting with a chainsaw and farm tractor. In 2017, he accepted a job for a larger mill as harvesting supervisor and silviculture coordinator and worked in that role for 2 years before returning to contracting. In addition to his silviculture and harvesting experience, Ryan has experience road building as a planner, supervisor, and heavy equipment operator.

A man hiking in a forest, standing next to a large tree, with woods and sunlight in the background.

  • Celes Davar is a tourism operator, facilitator, and experiential tourism coach who creates high-value experiences connecting travellers with local food, culture, and nature. He and his wife, Susan, own and operate Earth Rhythms, offering year-round, custom programs in western Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy and Annapolis Valley.  Prior to that, he spent 21 years with Canada’s federal parks system as a Visitor Experience Program Manager, combining his training as a biologist with management and field experience.

    Celes is also a woodland steward with NSWWT, caring for 84 acres of forest near Wolfville. His background and partnership with NSWWT reflect his commitment to community, conservation, and sustainable woodland stewardship.

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  • Don Munro is a retired Primary Products Inspector with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. He holds a BSc. Agriculture degree in Resource Management from McGill University. In his retirement he has become the steward of a 250 acre property on the North Mountain in Kings County. Over the past 20 years, Don has practiced silviculture management under the guidance of the Western Woodlot Cooperative. He encourages family, friends and neighbours to enjoy the woodland trails for walking and cross country skiing.

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  • John Brazner worked for over a decade as a Wetland and Bird Biologist with Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) and for 20 years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a Research Fish Ecologist on Lake Superior. His career also included time as a Wetland Policy Specialist with the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and as a contract biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where he contributed to shark, loggerhead turtle, and Atlantic salmon research.

    Most recently, his work with DNRR focused on the biodiversity value of forested wetlands and old forests, and on developing bird community indicators of ecosystem condition. Since retiring from government, John has been pursuing a variety of conservation projects, including research on bird communities associated with lakes and riparian forests in western Nova Scotia. He also serves as Science Director for the Jijuktu’kwejk Watershed Alliance in the Annapolis Valley. As a woodland steward in North Mountain, John sees his role with NSWWT as an opportunity to support long-term stewardship and conservation through Working Forest Community Easements.