Emily Payne
Co-Founding Director

Emily hails from the mouth of the Fraser River on Coast Salish land, and now calls the Yukon home. ​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 are in the Celtic-Anglo isles and Scandanavia. Emily has a background working as an international youth leadership trip facilitator in rural Kenya and Ecuador, canoe and backpacking outtrip director, motivational tour speaker, native plant researcher, outdoor curriculum designer and classroom teacher (French, Science & Humanities).  

She holds a BEd in Indigenous Perspectives from SFU, a BA Biogeography (Environment & Sustainability) from UBC, and is a Level 3 Childcare worker. She has certificates in 80-hour Wilderness First Responder, Flatwater Canoe Instruction, Swift Water Rescue Level 1 & 2, Yoga Teacher Training and Permaculture Design. She has recently trained at The Tracker School in New Jersey in survival skills and tracking. Her big passion is working with plants, which she pursues through traditional willow basket-weaving, harvesting and blending wild herbal teas and making medicinal salves. 

​After traveling to nearly every continent, she continues to be inspired by the immense beauty of her Yukon home. 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. When she’s not outside teaching, you can find her singing along with her piano, blues dancing, growing backyard vegetables or trying to bake the perfect sourdough loaf. ​

Erin Nicolardi
Co-Founding Director

For Erin, Rivers to Ridges was born out of a desire to create space for young people to feel curious about and connected to the Earth. Erin was raised on Mississauga of the Credit Territory between the Niagara Escarpment and the shores of Lake Ontario. Erin has always felt called to work outdoors with young people, and she is a certified teacher, with her BEd in Outdoor, Experiential Education (Queen's University). She seeks out community- and skills-focused professional development, and uses her experiences to mentor young people and support those in the fields of education and child and youth work.

What makes Erin feel alive?

• working in relationship with youth (ages 13-18) as they develop their sense of self in connection to place/land
• being welcomed into children's explorations of the natural world; cultivating natural curiosity
• creating accessibility for children to take part in programs that connect them to the land
• listening to and learning from Indigenous perspectives and knowledge
• exploring and supporting outdoor and land-based risk management and risky play
• celebrating bird language as a doorway to deeper awareness
• using the power of song within land-based learning and processing

{ Our Team |

Rosalind Crump
Forest School Educator and Coordinator

Rosalind was born in Whitehorse, on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council. She is thrilled to call the Yukon home again and to be joining the Rivers to Ridges team. 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 the Forest School, the Nest.

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 and on organic farms in Ontario and BC. 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. In addition to playing and learning outside, Rosalind enjoys singing and playing music, and growing veggies to support local food security. She loves all aspects of theatre – from backstage production in Inuvik’s high school, to touring with a bilingual theatre troupe (once as a talking broccoli!), and performing in Shakespeare in the park. Rosalind is excited by how theatre can empower children and youth, and build self-confidence. 

She believes that a healthy connection with the land leads to healthier relationships between people. 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. 

Matt Friesen
Senior Outdoor Facilitator

Matteo is returning for his third season with Rivers to Ridges. He was raised in Sto:lo territory in southern BC, and has since drifted far and wide in both education and travel. He currently lives in Sechelt BC, working as an Indigenous Education Support Teacher with the Sunshine Coast School District. He has recently taught in the nature-based education program - NEST, Nature Education for Sustainable Todays and Tomorrows, which provides opportunity for students to learn outside and from the natural environment.

He has taught for a number of years both in BC and the Yukon and holds a BA in History and Fine Arts and a BEd in Environmental Education from SFU. Before finding his groove as an educator, he was involved in urban farming projects in Mexico, helping develop a Young Weavers cooperative in Oaxaca, and pursuing his passion for the natural world through travel and work. He holds a Wilderness Advanced First Aid certificate, and a Conservation Outdoor Recreation Education certificate through BC wildlife Federation.

​His enjoyment of the natural world and passion to share it others, has connected him with opportunities to lead student teams on adventure and educational based trips, ranging from kayaking in south - eastern Alaska to multi-day alpine trips. ​

Colin O'Neil
Outdoor Facilitator

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. In 2014, Colin has been exploring 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 in the Yukon education system as a supply teacher.

Colin holds a MA in human geography and is thrilled by any opportunity to connect people to places,
history, and the natural world around them. When not working with kids, Colin can be found exploring
the mountains and valleys of Yukon. 2019 is Colin’s first summer with Rivers to Ridges and he is thrilled to
​be a part of the team!

​Véronique Lachance
Outdoor Facilitator

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, to feel the same organic sense of being in the bush. 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 her life 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 works at the KDFN government in the Youth Recreational Program as support and art facilitator. She also teaches weekly drama and art in many schools with the program Artist in the Schools. In the last few years, she has developed a passion for teaching and mentoring youth through art and outdoor activities. 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.

Kelly Scott
Outdoor Facilitator

Kelly Scott has lived in Whitehorse for 5 years now. Born in Rockwood Ontario, Kelly spent many childhood days exploring nature and discovering the wonders of the local Conservation Area. As an adult, Kelly is keen to spread the joy of outdoor exploration with other children.

Kelly graduated with a BA in Modern Languages (Spanish and French) and a Minor in Sociology in 2009 from Bishop’s University in Quebec. Kelly then taught as a French Assistant in Toronto Ontario for 4 years with children ranging from 3 to 9 years old. During this time Kelly realized that Montessori was where she wanted to focus her time and energy and she is now a trained Elementary Montessori Guide with AMI, qualifying her to teach in Montessori Schools internationally.

Kelly has chosen Whitehorse as her home base and has been teaching at the Yukon Montessori School for 5 years with grades 1-3. Her other passions include singing, performing at open mic nights, theatre (you may have seen her in the Zeitgeist Cabaret recently), connecting children with theatre opportunities (5 plays to date), crocheting, making jewelry, reading, writing, cracking jokes (teachers love wordplay). Kelly is thrilled to put on her sunhat and join the team at Rivers to Ridges to guide children in finding their place within society by connecting them with the outdoors!

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Debbie Payne
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. 

​​Our team of staff are highly qualified and have professional education, training and
​certifications through some of the following organizations, schools, and institutes:

{ Our Story |

An early fall multi-day backpacking trip in with a local experiential high school program is where Emily found Erin in 2014. At the time, Erin 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 Erin on the adventure.

​A couple months later, Erin 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 Erin 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 in wild spaces, Rivers to Ridges was born! Now, in 2019, Rivers to Ridges and are celebrating four years in operation.