CPAWS Manitoba Staff

Ron Thiessen has worked professionally in the conservation arena for the last 18 years.

Ron’s efforts began with Greenpeace where he was primarily involved in education and fundraising. He worked in 10 Canadian cities in his eight years with the organization.

Ron spent the next six years as Director of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee’s Manitoba office. In January 2006, he began his post as Executive Director of CPAWS Manitoba.

Ron employs his experience in community, media, industry, and government relations to achieve protected areas and safeguard wildlife. His efforts have lead the way to creating protected areas such as the Manigotagan River provincial park as well as halting logging in important woodland caribou habitats. He has also been influential in achieving extended protection for Fisher Bay, Poplar/Nanowin Rivers, and Sturgeon Bay park reserves. Most recently, logging in Manitoba’s provincial parks was finally banned thanks to the efforts of outspoken citizens and environmental groups in which Ron’s leadership at the Wilderness Committee and CPAWS was a key driver.

Born and raised in Manitoba, Ron is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys photography and playing music.

Chanda Hunnie, B.A. (Hons.), is the Coordinator for CPAWS. Over the last 5 years her responsibilities have been diverse and include program management, communications and administration. Her efforts in logistical support, planning, communications, and reporting ensure the efficient and organized implementation of CPAWS operations.

Chanda’s experience has provided the opportunity to educate others and support the efforts of Indigenous peoples’ assertion of their sovereignty to protect their lands. Her supportive role was instrumental in achieving Manitoba’s two newest parks, Little Limestone Lake and Fisher Bay provincial parks.

Chanda is also the Manitoba Regional Working Group Coordinator for the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA). Signifying a new era, the CBFA is an agreement between forest companies and environmental groups to endeavour to concurrently achieve high degrees of both ecological integrity and socio-economic prosperity in Canada’s Boreal region.

Josh Pearlman holds a B.Sc in Botany from the University of Manitoba as well as a Diploma of Environmental Studies from Langara College. Over the past 6 years he has worked extensively in biological research support roles both in Canada and the United States. Additionally he has worked on the development of a regional seed collection initiative and youth ecological education program in Baker City, Oregon as part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Millennium Seed Project.

Josh is a section editor for Above & Beyond Magazine for which he regularly travels to Canada’s arctic regions to learn and write about the intimate relationships between northerners and their rapidly changing environment. As the newest addition to the CPAWS Manitoba staff, he is looking forward to providing insight and support as well as developing his expertise in the service of wilderness conservation.