As an education leader, curriculum designer and project manager, Wren can be found on the land with young people and project partners, as well as in classrooms and boardrooms. 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, and they have over 15 years experience working with children, youth, families and community partners on the land and behind the scenes in education design and delivery.
Wren has always felt called to work outdoors with young people. 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. Wren uses their BEd and organizational leadership experiences to increase access to land-based learning for young people, and to decolonize educational systems through learning design.
Wren feels most alive when working in relationship with youth as they develop their sense of self in connection to place/land; working with inspiring teams to create meaningful learning experiences; learning from local land stewards; supporting young people in taking risks; and celebrating bird language and song as a doorway to deeper awareness.
Team: Year-Round Team
Emily is a mother, educator, business leader and artist whose work bridges land, learning, and creativity. She hails from the ‘land facing the sea‘ of Tsawwassen (sc̓əwaθən), a peninsula at the mouth of the Fraser River in the territory of the Halq’eméylem-speaking people. Growing up on the tidal flats of coastal BC shaped her early love of place, while her ancestral roots reach back to the Celtic-Anglo Isles and Scandinavia.
She holds a BEd in Indigenous Perspectives from Simon Fraser University and a BA in Biogeography from the University of British Columbia. With 20 years of experience working alongside young people, Emily has spent the past decade as co-founder of Rivers to Ridges, growing a social enterprise that connects thousands of youth, educators and clients to the land through innovative programs and curriculum design. Her earlier work as a motivational speaker and leadership trainer deepened her belief in the possibility within young people and the importance of supporting staff at the level of foundational wellness, while her leadership at Rivers to Ridges has taught her to follow the flow, learn from Elders, and trust the co-vision.
Beyond her professional life, Emily is a creative who finds expression through beading, writing, music, and swing dancing. She is also passionate about the ways plants root people in place, from tending gardens to harvesting wild food. She treasures the adventure of raising her four-year-old son, who continually inspires her sense of wonder and possibility.
Han was born and raised in Whitehorse, on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. This year, they are excited to step into the role of Program Lead with Salmon in the Schools.
With a background in environmental sciences, outdoor facilitation, and conservation, Han brings both passion and awe for the land to the program. Their approach to education is holistic and empowering, rooted in the belief that young people thrive when given the knowledge and confidence to become informed, kind community members. Han is especially eager to explore the salmon world with classrooms—honouring the roles salmon play in ecosystems, culture, and lifeways—and to inspire students to care for and protect them.
Outside of work, Han can often be found on the trails mountain biking, trail running, or cross-country skiing, and at home sewing or enjoying a home-cooked meal.