Call For Nominations: President-ELect

​The Ontario Chapter of The Wildlife Society will be holding its election for Executive Officers in February 2020. If you are a member of the Ontario Chapter, or are interested in becoming Ontario Chapter members, this is a great time to get involved!
     We are looking for nominations for the following position:
President-elect (three-year term – one as president-elect, one as president, one as past-president)
     If you would like to nominate yourself, please send your contact information to info@octws.ca along with a brief bio (around 200 words). The nomination deadline is February 21st, 2020. If you are not already an Ontario Chapter member you can become one, for a nominal fee ($5), through our website www.octws.ca/membership or through the membership portal from the main TWS webpage wildlife.org/.  
     Ballots with candidate bios will be sent out to Ontario Chapter members approximately one week after the nomination period ends and elections will occur by e-mail ballots. The new president-elect will be announced at the AGM on Sunday, March 29th, 2020.

Current Executive: 2019 - 2020

President – ​Danielle Ethier
​Danielle has spent the last decade studying species-at-risk in Ontario’s agroecosystems, resolving critical ecological knowledge gaps to better inform recovery planning and implementation. Specifically, for her PhD, Danielle developed an applied research program on Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark to better inform Ontario’s Grassland Stewardship Initiative. Danielle is also a founder and manager of the Ontario Badger Project, which uses interdisciplinary research approaches, including extensive public outreach, to understand the habitat characteristics and resources needs of this elusive carnivore. Danielle is currently working as a Terrestrial Ecosystems Science Specialist with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in Peterborough. 

President-Elect – Matt Dyson
​Matt is a PhD Candidate in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo studying waterfowl demography in the western boreal forest. Matt completed his BSc at the University of Northern British Columbia in 2013 and was active in their student chapter during his undergrad. Matt received his MSc from the University of Western Ontario in 2015, where he studied habitat selection and survival of wood ducks. Matt has been an active member of the Canadian Section as a member of the executive board as Student Rep and Secretary-Treasurer, and as a committee member for the website, newsletter, education, and membership and recruitment committees. In addition to working on his PhD, Matt has also submitted his Associate Wildlife Biologist certification through TWS. Matt is interested in promoting the value and importance of a professional society/network of wildlife biologists in Ontario through helping to re-energize the Ontario Chapter. Matt enjoys spending time fishing, hunting, and hiking with family. Keep up with Matt on twitter @mattdyson89. 

Past President​- Peter Hettinga
​Peter is a wildlife biologist with an interest in large mammal species; particularly modelling species habitat relationships to inform land use planning. Currently, he is a biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in Kenora, Ontario where he does a range of wildlife related activities including supporting harvest planning for three Wildlife Management Units, planning studies for and managing species at risk and providing biological expertise into land use planning. Peter’s prior employment was as a biologist with an environmental consulting company located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Notable accomplishments included providing support for completed environmental assessment work at two environmental hearings, producing a poster presentation for the 22nd Annual TWS Conference and preparing Regional Cumulative Effects Assessments for moose and coastal caribou populations. Peter is a TWS parent society member since 2014 and an Ontario Chapter member since 2016. 

Secretary - Scott Pynn
​Scott is a passionate advocate for the sustainable management of healthy wildlife populations. He is currently working as a Wildlife Policy Intern for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF). In addition to his current position, he has worked with the MNRF in other positions such as a Learn to Fish program coordinator, student enforcement assistance, and an interior park warden at The Massasauga Provincial Park. Scott has also worked as a wildlife technician in Newfoundland and Labrador, monitoring and promoting the conservation of species at risk like the Piping Plover. Scott is a graduate of the University of Guelph where he studied Wildlife Biology. He also advanced his education with a graduate certificate in Conservation and Environmental Law Enforcement at Fleming College. Scott spent many weekends of his summer months during undergrad volunteering to assist Canadian Wildlife Service biologists tagging egrets and herons, counting cormorants with Parks Canada, and banding passerines in Thunder Bay with Bird Studies Canada. Scott also enjoys hunting, fishing, camping and hiking with friends and family.

Treasurer –Twyla Douaire

​Twyla has been employed with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry since 2005, holding numerous positions across the organization. She has two diplomas in Ecosystem Management from Fleming College, and an in-process Bachelor of Environmental Science and Studies at Trent University (16 of 20 credits completed). She is currently the Treasurer for her Union Local, as well as the Treasurer for the annual Federated Health and United Way campaigns at Robinson Place in Peterborough. Twyla has a deep passion for animals and the conservation of our wildlife and their habitats. She is excited to take on the role of Treasurer for the Ontario Chapter of The Wildlife Society. 

​Board Member – Emilie Kissler
​Emilie is a wildlife biologist and has always been interested in cross-disciplinary work and her focus is on plant-animal interactions at an ecosystem level. Currently, she is a terrestrial ecosystem science specialist with the Northeast Region of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in South Porcupine Ontario. Emilie completed her HBSc. at the University of Guelph in Biological Sciences with a focus on Wildlife Biology. She gained her MSc. at the University of Sydney in Australia on Wildlife Health and Population Management. She is currently completing her PhD at Memorial University in Newfoundland on the impacts of moose on forest regeneration across the island of Newfoundland. Prior to starting her PhD Emilie worked with Newfoundland’s provincial Wildlife Division as a research biologist on topics ranging from moose health, to rare lichen abundance and diversity. While working in NL she also worked and contributed to the research and game management programs for both small mammals and fur bearers (snowshoe hare and the NL marten) and big game species programs including moose, caribou and black bears.

Board Member - Kelly Mclean
Kelly is from Woodville, Ontario, and currently lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Kelly is completing her Master of Science degree at the University of New Brunswick and will be returning to Ontario in May. Kelly's master’s thesis researches the effects of commercial forest harvesting on the distribution and productivity of forest breeding waterfowl. Prior to beginning her masters, Kelly worked as a biologist with the Aquatic Assessment Unit of the Canadian Wildlife Service, completed her BSc(hons) in Biology at Trent University, and a dual diploma in Fish and Wildlife and Ecosystem Management technology at Sir Sandford Fleming College. While at Trent University Kelly was actively involved in the student chapter executive of The Wildlife Society as vice president. Kelly has attended two annual conferences of The Wildlife Society; Winnipeg, MB and Cleveland, OH. She hopes to attend this year’s conference in Reno, NV. Kelly is passionate about conserving Ontario’s wildlife and their habitats. As a board member of the OCTWS she hopes to bring awareness to the benefits of being a TWS member and help connect people involved with wildlife management in Ontario from the student to scientist level.

Previous OCTWS Executives

June 2017 - April 2019
President - Peter Hettinga
President-Elect - Danielle Ethier
Past-President - Neil Dawson
Secretary/Treasurer - Morgan Hawkins
Board Member - Emilie Kissler
Board Member - Matt Dyson