Staff
Jenn Blancard
Field Research Supervisor
Jenn completed her Bachelor of Science at Simon Fraser University in 2010 and majored in biology with ecology and evolution. She has worked on many projects, including research on bivalves as water quality indicators in the Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound, population studies of the Western sandpiper and dunlin at Boundary Bay, monitoring and management of mosquito populations in Metro Vancouver and on the Sunshine Coast, and mark-recapture studies of crab populations in Belcarra Regional Park. At SFU, she worked with graduate students on salmon conservation by tracing nitrogen isotopes through plants and animals to investigate marine effects on inland ecosystems.
Dale Jackson
Manager, EarthFair Store
Dale is Canadian born, but she grew up in the mid-west and eastern USA and moved with her family to England in her teens. She studied law and worked for 15 years as a solicitor in London. Dale decided to leave the rat-race of London with her husband, Michael, and they discovered the serenity of the Sunshine Coast in the spring of 2001. Dale was a founding director of the Loon Foundation and served as the secretary for many years. She also helped in establishing the Foundation’s charitable status and organized many board meetings during the building of the Iris Griffith Centre. Dale's first Sunshine Coast job was at Community Futures. She later became a Marriage Commissioner and worked part-time in the Madeira Park Post Office. Dale and her husband opened Bluewaters Books in Madeira Park in 2009. They donated the store to the Foundation in 2013, and it is now known as the EarthFair Store. Thanks to Dale, the store has become a central hub of Madeira Park life.
Giovanni (Gio) Festa-Bianchet
Finance and Operations Director
Gio's passion for nature and the great outdoors has been a constant throughout his life. He grew up hiking and skiing in the Italian Alps. When his family moved to Canada he continued to take every opportunity to enjoy the incredible natural wonders it offers camping, hiking, skiing and fishing. He settled in Vancouver after moving there to complete an MBA in Nonprofit Administration at UBC and he and his wife Wendy moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2020. He first became involved with the Loon Foundation as a volunteer and continues to help with the monitoring program as a volunteer whenever he can. With over 30 years of experience in nonprofit operations, Gio brings a wealth of knowledge to the Loon Foundation. He is enthusiastic about contributing to an organization committed to biodiversity conservation and fostering environmental stewardship in the community he now calls home.
Ieva Bunte
Financial Officer
Ieva was born in Latvia where she completed a bachelor’s degree in finances and marketing. Her passion to explore and adventure led her to travel and live in different countries for a decade. On one of those adventures, she came to British Columbia, where she instantly fell in love with its beauty. Now on the Sunshine Coast, she is raising her children while studying accounting at Capilano University and working for the Loon Foundation as a bookkeeper. She is a knitter and book reader in her free time, but mostly you can find her swimming year-round in local lakes or hiking and exploring the outdoors with her children. She believes that the most important thing is teaching the new generation to be knowledgeable and respectful of our environment.
Michelle Evelyn
Grant Writer
Michelle is passionate about conservation of the Sunshine Coast’s precious species, habitats, and ecosystems. She is delighted to use her grant writing skills to help the Loon Foundation to gain funding support for the organization’s valuable facilities, programs, and projects. When not working on grant proposals, Michelle can be found out in the field studying wildlife and collaborating with community partners to conserve, restore, and enhance habitat to help ensure the survival of species at risk. For the past 20 years, together with husband Dave Stiles, Michelle has led the Sunshine Coast Wildlife Project. Michelle holds a BSc from UBC and MSc and PhD from Stanford University. She is a Registered Professional Biologist and a member of the Western Painted Turtle Recovery Team, BC Bat Action Team, and Western Screech-Owl Working Group. Her work has always focused on balancing the needs of humans and wildlife.
Ruby Banwait
Media and Communications Director
Ruby has a deep love for the Salish Sea and curiosity for the ocean. She spent 14 years as a Senior Aquarium Biologist at the Vancouver Aquarium becoming a Scientific Diver Level II and working as part of the field dive team. Ruby was honoured to contribute to the Nearshore Ecological Survey, a collaboration between the Vancouver Aquarium and Polar Knowledge Canada. She helped build the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium in Newfoundland, working as the Founding Curator, General Manager and Dive Safety Officer. After securing the mini aquarium’s membership to CAUS, Ruby returned home to the unceded and traditional homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. She spent 2 years working on behaviour change programs as Outreach Manager at ISCBC and helped establish the iNaturalist, community science initiative, I Spy & Identify. Ruby spent 3 years as a Board Director for CaNOE and now works as the Education Coordinator for the charity. She is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and loves to help people foster meaningful connections with the ocean. Ruby is thrilled to move to the Sunshine Coast and join the Loon Foundation team.
Sidney Flumerfelt
Assistant Field Biologist
Sidney grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Roberts Creek and has been interested in nature, particularly biodiversity, since she was a child. She pursued this interest in her undergraduate education, receiving her BSc in Zoology from UBCO.
Sidney is excited to be able to use her passion and education with the Loon Foundation monitoring local biodiversity and marine trends. She hopes to continue to make an impact in her local community and beyond.
In her spare time, Sidney enjoys skiing, hiking, and biking, especially when her dog Aspen is able to join!