Joining ABP as Wildlife Policy Advisor

I grew up with a deep appreciation for the outdoors and rural Alberta lifestyle. Both of my parents are multigenerational nursery growers, who raised me and my three brothers on our family’s tree nursery on the outskirts of Edmonton.

I learned the value of agriculture and hard work while also gaining an appreciation for the wildlife and habitats that contribute to Alberta’s economy, aesthetics, and recreational opportunities.

I took a different path than my parents, working at the intersection of wildlife management and agriculture. After earning a bachelor of science degree in Environmental Studies – Biology, I began my career in Lethbridge, working on delivering wildlife, habitat, and conservation projects in partnership with producers and landowners across southern Alberta. I later obtained a master of science degree in environmental practice and became a registered professional biologist with the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists.

Through seven years of first-hand, on-the-ground experience, I have learned much about the many challenges and opportunities that producers face due to the diversity and abundance of Alberta’s wildlife. I recognize the ingenuity that producers bring to wildlife management challenges and have developed a deep appreciation for the contributions that beef producers make to Alberta’s economy while supporting healthy wildlife populations and habitats.

One of my responsibilities at ABP involves coordinating ABP’s Wildlife Working Group. I represent ABP on several partner working groups including the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association’s Carnivore Working Group, the Alberta North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Policy Committee, and as ABP’s staff observer on the Cows and Fish Board.

I am currently working on a wildlife jurisdictional scan for elk management across several Canadian provinces and the western United States. Through this exercise, I am investigating and comparing ways jurisdictions manage elk populations and issues through methods such as harvest, culling, damage mitigation, compensation for damage, habitat, and land access, and other landowner programs. The goal of the scan is to provide direction and suggestions for improving elk management in Alberta. The findings from this study will be presented to the Wildlife Working Group to help inform group priorities and decision-making.

Other key priorities include refining mitigation and compensation programming for predator and ungulate conflicts, seeking ways to improve producer input into Alberta’s wildlife management and tag allocations, and creating useful resources for producers seeking information about existing ungulate, predator, and stewardship programming.

While I currently live in Lethbridge with my wife and two sons, I have been fortunate to spend time working in many areas of the province and am familiar with beef production and wildlife management across Alberta’s natural regions. I encourage any beef producer in the province to reach out to me with their wildlife concerns. 

This was first published in Volume 6 Issue 2 of ABP Magazine (June 2026). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily.