{ Our Team |
Emily Payne
Co-Founding Director 
Emily hails from the mouth of the Fraser River on Coast Salish land. She is a certified teacher with 15 years experience working with young people of all ages. Aside from growing up by the salt and sea of coastal BC, her ancestral roots go back to the Celtic-Anglo isles and Scandanavia.
Emily has a background working as an international youth leadership trip facilitator outtrip director, motivational tour speaker, native plant researcher, curriculum designer and classroom teacher. She holds a BEd in Indigenous Perspectives from SFU, and a BA Biogeography from UBC. She co-founded Rivers to Ridges out of her belief that building curiosity for the natural world at a young age is an integral part of a healthy life. A big passion of hers is working with plants, which she pursues through basket-weaving, harvesting wild plants and making medicinal salves. These days, Emily spends time gardening, playing music, and falling in love with her new baby boy, Llewyn. |
Wren Nicolardi
Co-Founding Director 
Wren was raised between the Niagara Escarpment and the shores of Lake Ontario on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Attiwonderonk, Mississauga, and Mississauga of the New Credit.
She has always felt called to work outdoors with young people, and she is a certified teacher, with her BEd in Outdoor, Experiential Education. Rivers to Ridges was born out of a desire to create space for young people to feel curious about and connected to the land around them, and she uses her experiences to mentor young people and support those in the fields of education and child and youth work. Wren feels most alive when she's working in relationship with youth as they develop their sense of self in connection to place/land; being welcomed into children's explorations of the natural world; creating accessibility for children to take part in programs that connect them to the land; learning from local land stewards; exploring and supporting risky play; and celebrating bird language and song as a doorway to deeper awareness. |
Colin O'Neil
Camp Manager/Program Coordinator 
Colin grew up in New Westminster, British Columbia on Coast Salish territory. He spent his youth reluctantly hiking the Coast and Cascade Mountains with his parents, learning gradually to love them. One winter day, looking south to Hozomeen Mountain in the Washington Cascades, his love was realized and he has sought mountains and wild places ever since. Since 2014, Colin has been exploring the Yukon and meeting wonderful people in the process. In 2018 he finally decided to stay.
Colin has spent many summers working at Camp Goodtimes, a Canadian Cancer Society summer camp for children with a history of cancer. He has taught English to foreign exchange students, social science to university students, and currently works as an Educational Assistant at Elijah Smith Elementary School. Since moving to Whitehorse, he has had fantastic opportunities to run outdoor programming with Champagne and Aishihik First Nation in Haines Junction and with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation at Dechinta Centre for Learning and Research. Colin holds a Masters degree in human geography and a certificate in Wilderness Advanced First Aid. This is Colin's second year as Camp Manager. |
Kelly Scott
Forest School Manager 
Kelly was born in Guelph Ontario on the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabek People, specifically the traditional territory of the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nation. She moved to the Yukon in 2014 to pursue a career in teaching while increasing her naturalist knowledge found in this beautiful territory. Kelly holds a BA in Modern Languages (French and Spanish) and Sociology from Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec. In the summer of 2018 Kelly completed a course with National Geographic in Ottawa with a focus on Indigenous Studies and teaching Indigenous Perspectives. She also holds a certificate as a trained Montessori Elementary Teacher through the Association Montessori Internationale from Toronto, Ontario where she was guided down a path of mentoring the natural curiosity and deep sense of empathy that exists in children.
Kelly has been teaching in Montessori for 10 years in a few capacities: as a French Assistant in a preschool setting as well as in a lower elementary classroom and she has spent the last 6 years in Whitehorse teaching in a Montessori elementary classroom with grades 1, 2 and 3. Kelly is now excited to be bringing her passions forward with the Rivers to Ridges Team at the Forest School, The Nest. Outside of work Kelly can be found writing music, playing guitar and ukulele, writing poetry and short stories, practicing yoga, reading, working in theatre productions, and on arts based volunteer boards. She enjoys handwork such as crocheting, sewing, beading, bookmaking and up-cycling or repurposing clothing. Kelly is most curious about plants life, the changing seasons, life in the Age of the Invertebrates (and beyond!), human interconnectedness and recognizing what binds us as a community. |
Mariana Giaccaglia
Forest School Educator 
Mariana is from Argentina, and is grateful to call the Yukon her second home. She has lived here for the last 17 years, where she has raised her two children. She has had the opportunity to run her own day-home for 7 years as well as work in a variety of daycares and kindergarten classes for the last 14 years in the Yukon. She loves helping the children to grow and become the best they can be, and is particularly passionate about the importance of early learning in the outdoor environment.
She decided to go into this field to be able to provide the best quality care for her own children and others. Mariana is trained in Early Childhood Education, First Aid and is always looking for opportunities for more learning and professional growth development. She loves dancing, creating art and being and playing outside. |
Talitha Horoscoe
Outdoor Facilitator |
Veronique Lachance
Outdoor Facilitator |
Mason Unrau
Outdoor Facilitator |
Talitha was born and raised on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. Talitha was raised to have an innate respect, understanding, and appreciation for the land that she is on. Talitha maintains a connection to her own Indigenous culture and makes an effort to uphold traditional Nehiyaw practices and values.
Her career as a student so far has been mainly focused on natural biology and geology, but shehas nurtured an interest in nursing and health as well. Talitha has completed her Wilderness First Aid (16hrs), as well as her WHMIS certificate. Talitha hopes to lead the education of children by example, by emulating behaviours that reflect her values and beliefs. With an emphasis on curiosity, she hopes to gently guide children in respectful practices. With a hardy work ethic and an appreciation for organization, Talitha has dedicated much of her time outside of school to volunteering and programming for Girl Guides different age groups. Inher down time, Talitha enjoys hiking and biking, cuddling with her dog, and making art. |
Born and raised in Southern Québec, Véronique has a familial heritage of bush life and traditional herbal medicine passed down by her grandmothers. Véronique spent much time exploring the wilderness and since childhood, visual arts and theatre have been a significant part in her life. She spent a couple of years in Montréal where she built her artistic approach through an Acting Degree (from the University of Montréal in Québec), several artistic residencies, and experiences as a performer, director and writer. She enjoys developing installations and performances in an immersive space. In 2017, she found in the Yukon a perfect balance of living in a cabin, spending time on the land and living aligned with her passions. Since she began living in the Yukon, she has worked with Gwaandak Theatre, Ramshackle Theatre and Nakai Theatre. She is also teaching an afterschool program at Ghùch Tlâ Community School (Carcross) and teaches weekly drama and art in schools with the Artist in the Schools program. Her work in predominately indigenous and diverse backgrounds inspired her to go back to school this fall in the YNTEP program (Yukon Native Teacher Education Program) at the Yukon College. Véronique also has a Wilderness First Aid certification. |
Mason grew up in Bonnyville Alberta, which is located on the traditional lands of the Denesųłiné, Nehiyaw (Cree) and in the heart of the Métis homeland.
The medium of photography has taught Mason to slow down and observe the intricacies within local ecosystems. Through the photographs he makes, he hopes others can pause and feel the therapeutic reprieve nature offers. After going to college and travelling around the world photographing diverse cultures, he returned to his hometown with a renewed appreciation for the local environment. Compassionately caring for people, benevolent animal husbandry, and attentive land stewardship are the trials he engages in to help build whole communities. With his experience in educating students on the importance of healthy ecosystems, he plans to continue sharing his observations and receiving the local knowledge of his new home in Whitehorse. |
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Kate Hannah
Outdoor Facilitator |
Berenike Ziemert
Outdoor Facilitator |
Kate was born and raised in Whitehorse Yukon but is a proud member of the Trondek Hwechin first nations from Dawson City. As as child, Kates family took her on all sorts of outdoor adventures, from hiking up the the Sam Mcgee trail, to canoeing the Yukon river and since she has gotten into the outdoors at a young ager, she has completely fell head over heels for nature and the well being of the planet.
Kate has participated in and lead multiple public events to help people understand the importance of taking care of the planet. Kate is currently going to Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta and is majoring in Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership. Kate has completed multiple certificates such as her First Aid and CPR, Bronze cCross, Bronze Star, Bronze Medallion and the National Lifeguard Service (NLS) Kate worked at an outdoor facility in British Columbia for multiple years where she quickly learnt how happy it makes her to teach youth and inspire them to learn all they can about the outdoors. Kate has also volunteered for programs such as Projects Abroad, where she went to Argentina to renovate schools and teach english to elementary school children. |
Berenike is a childhood educator and wilderness teacher from northern Germany. There, she worked in a forest kindergarten for three years - feeling at home in the forest, all year everyday outside.
She came to the Yukon for the first time four years ago, fell in love with the vast wilderness and 9 months later she moved to the territory. Berenike is passionate about learning about wild plants and their use, always fascinated that nature provides us with all we need. She enjoys gardening, baking and cuddling with her pet goat. Constantly having melodies in her mind, you’ll often find her humming, she loves to play guitar, flute, to sing and learn new songs. |
Rosalind was born in Whitehorse, on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, and is thrilled to call the Yukon home again. Growing up in Ontario and in Denmark, Rosalind has many memories of playing outside with her sisters, creating worlds in a cluster of flowering bushes or up in the branches of trees – and she cannot wait to explore the worlds that await at the Nest Forest School.
She is a certified teacher with a BEd from St. Thomas University, and a BA in Geography and Aboriginal Perspectives, and Drama from Mount Allison University. She has spent the last several years living and working in Inuvik, NWT, most recently as a
Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten teacher. Prior to that, she worked as the Coordinator
for the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. She believes that a healthy connection with the land leads to healthier relationships between people. Rosalind has also spent a year teaching English in four elementary schools in Montluçon, France.
Rosalind is passionate about play-based learning and the role it can play in helping children gain autonomy and responsibility. She
believes the learning journey resembles a seed as it grows – what is crucial is cultivating an
environment where every child can put down roots for their learning to flourish.
Rosalind also enjoys singing and playing music, and growing veggies. She loves all aspects of theatre – she even once toured with a bilingual theatre troupe (once as a talking broccoli!), and performing in Shakespeare in the park.
She is a certified teacher with a BEd from St. Thomas University, and a BA in Geography and Aboriginal Perspectives, and Drama from Mount Allison University. She has spent the last several years living and working in Inuvik, NWT, most recently as a
Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten teacher. Prior to that, she worked as the Coordinator
for the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. She believes that a healthy connection with the land leads to healthier relationships between people. Rosalind has also spent a year teaching English in four elementary schools in Montluçon, France.
Rosalind is passionate about play-based learning and the role it can play in helping children gain autonomy and responsibility. She
believes the learning journey resembles a seed as it grows – what is crucial is cultivating an
environment where every child can put down roots for their learning to flourish.
Rosalind also enjoys singing and playing music, and growing veggies. She loves all aspects of theatre – she even once toured with a bilingual theatre troupe (once as a talking broccoli!), and performing in Shakespeare in the park.
MC Boucher is a dynamic and passionate person. With her silly and bubbly personality, she loves connecting with children on many levels. She grew up on the traditional territory of Abekani First Nation (also known as Sherbrooke, Southern Québec). She spent her first moments on earth in a modest cottage in the woods, where she then spent every summer playing with nature.
She developed a passion for dance in her teenage years that led her to obtain a degree in contemporary dance at Concordia University. She has been a dance teacher for over 10 years now. She recently graduated from the Yukon Native Education Program in the spring where she learned how to connect with Indigenous knowledge as an educator. In the summer, she loves going out camping, hiking and exploring lakes with her stand-up paddleboard. She can't wait to share her love of dance and nature with the participants this summer!
She developed a passion for dance in her teenage years that led her to obtain a degree in contemporary dance at Concordia University. She has been a dance teacher for over 10 years now. She recently graduated from the Yukon Native Education Program in the spring where she learned how to connect with Indigenous knowledge as an educator. In the summer, she loves going out camping, hiking and exploring lakes with her stand-up paddleboard. She can't wait to share her love of dance and nature with the participants this summer!
Debbie Payne
Consultant & Mentor
Consultant & Mentor
Debbie’s heart and roots are centered in the southwest coast of British Columbia. She lives in a small community called ‘sunny’ Tsawwassen close to the gentle waves of Boundary Bay and not far from the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary; yet only 30 minutes to bustling Vancouver.
Debbie holds an M.A. in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University and a variety of people development designations and education. Her skills include facilitation, project management, instructional design, e-learning, business process review, survey design, evaluation, succession planning, strategic planning, and visioning. She is the author of several leadership books and over 20 articles and curriculum publications. Her work experience includes employment in three large organizations (WorkSafeBC, Terasen Gas Inc, Open Learning Agency) where she managed and developed teams; and provided organizational learning and leadership advice to senior leaders. As owner of DP Leadership Associates she is grateful for the opportunity to work with over 50 clients, providing them with an outside perspective, and a critical yet solution-based focus to empower them to make positive change.
Debbie’s nature name is ‘Sunbeam’ and she has brought rays of energy, vitality and an extra pair of hands to the Rivers to Ridges team since October 2018. Debbie, as a mentor, helps the team focus on their vision and strategy, coaches and provides a listening ear, and jumps in to help review proposals and documents. Debbie is delighted to dedicate her energy to Rivers to Ridges, a social enterprise that is making a difference in the world.
Debbie holds an M.A. in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University and a variety of people development designations and education. Her skills include facilitation, project management, instructional design, e-learning, business process review, survey design, evaluation, succession planning, strategic planning, and visioning. She is the author of several leadership books and over 20 articles and curriculum publications. Her work experience includes employment in three large organizations (WorkSafeBC, Terasen Gas Inc, Open Learning Agency) where she managed and developed teams; and provided organizational learning and leadership advice to senior leaders. As owner of DP Leadership Associates she is grateful for the opportunity to work with over 50 clients, providing them with an outside perspective, and a critical yet solution-based focus to empower them to make positive change.
Debbie’s nature name is ‘Sunbeam’ and she has brought rays of energy, vitality and an extra pair of hands to the Rivers to Ridges team since October 2018. Debbie, as a mentor, helps the team focus on their vision and strategy, coaches and provides a listening ear, and jumps in to help review proposals and documents. Debbie is delighted to dedicate her energy to Rivers to Ridges, a social enterprise that is making a difference in the world.
Our team of highly qualified staff has a range of education, training and certifications from the following bodies:
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{ Our Story |
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An early fall multi-day backpacking trip in with a Yukon experiential high school program is where Emily found Wren in 2014. At the time, Wren was fresh to the territory and woefully unprepared for her first backcountry hiking trip. With the help of a shared tent, warm tea and lots of duct tape, Emily supported Wren on the adventure. A couple months later, Wren had the chance to repay the love by heading out with a friend to support Emily who was stuck in Watson Lake with a broken down vehicle. A surprise snowstorm closed the roads, and they were forced to stay the night at the Cozy Nest. Conversation eventually turned to life passions, and it turned out that Wren and Emily both had the same (not-so) secret dream of building a program that guides young people towards a meaningful connection with the land. Rooted in mutual support for one another and a deep love of mentoring children on the land, Rivers to Ridges was born! Now, in 2021, Rivers to Ridges celebrates over five years in operation. |
