Speaker Bios
Speaker Biographies
Alphabetized by Last Name
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | ZMr. James Armstrong
Founder/Creative Director, Good for Business, Inc.
Jim Armstrong is Founder and Creative Director of Good for Business, a socially-responsible communications company. The company works with international clients ranging from The Hillary Institute in New Zealand to Cornell University in New England. Prior to founding Good for Business, Jim served as partner and creative director for the leading integrated brand development firm in the United States. His communications work is in the Smithsonian and acknowledged in the book, ‘Beyond the Mission Statement: How Cause Based Communications Lead to True Success’. His work in sustainability ranges from ecotourism marketing to renewable energy marketing campaigns to energy efficiency/conservation campaigns.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Jay Barnes
Director, North Carolina Aquarium
Jay Barnes has been director of the North Carolina Aquarium since 1989. He is a 1980 graduate of NC State University’s College of Design, and a 1988 graduate of Syracuse University’s MFA Advertising Program. He is a nationally-known author and speaker; his books include “Florida’s Hurricane History,” “North Carolina’s Hurricane History,” and “Faces from the Flood” (UNC Press). His has published numerous articles on subjects as diverse as hurricanes, sharks, geography, etymology, and coastal policy. He lives in Atlantic Beach, NC.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Clinton Mark Belcher
CEO, President, Customer Services Group and Canadian Ecotourism Services
Customer Services Group and Canadian Ecotourism Services are owned and operated by Clinton Mark Belcher. Clinton is well known as an innovator in the training and consulting field, working his way through the ranks of the tourism industry, focusing on human resources development. As the founder of CB Powers Enterprises, Clinton has assembled a team of leading tourism industry professionals, dedicated to the success of our clients. His experience and commitment to excellence has propelled CSG and Canadian Ecotourism Services to a position as leaders in our field. Clinton has now integrated Worldwide Tourism Training & Consulting into CB Powers to manage International contracts. Clinton’s primary role is to set direction for the organizations, and seek out new projects, partnerships, and opportunities for growth. In addition manage and coordinate all projects on a macro level.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
The Honorable Bill Bennett
Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, BC Provincial Government
Bill Bennett was appointed Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts on June 23,2008. Bill Bennett was previously appointed Minister of State for Mining on June 16, 2005, and served until February, 2007. In 2007, he became Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, a member of the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth, and Chair of the BC Outdoor Caucus. Bill Bennett was elected to represent the riding of East Kootenay in the 2001 provincial election. Bill served on the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and is a member of the Kootenay Caucus. He was also deputy chair of the Parliamentary Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, a member of the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources, a member of the Premier’s Olympic Live Sites Committee, the Caucus Committee on Treaties, the Waste Management Review Committee and is a legislative member of the committee for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. Bill served on the Committee of Development of the Provincial Noxious Weed Strategy, the Land Use Task Force as well as the Small Scale Salvage Committee and the Mining Task Force. He formerly served as deputy chair of the Legislative Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations and as a member of the Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct Committee, Standing Orders and Private Bills Committee.
Before being elected, Bill was a partner in a Cranbrook law firm. In 1976, he earned an honours degree in English from the University of Guelph and in 1992 a law degree from Queen’s University. Bill owned and operated successful fly-in wilderness lodges in the Northwest Territories and Manitoba from 1977 to 1992. In 1988, he worked as a tourism consultant with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and to the Manitoba Keewatin Tribal Council. Bill was a Cranbrook Rotary Club member who has also served as BC Chamber of Commerce first vice-chair (1999), Cranbrook & District Chamber of Commerce president (1997 & 1998), Kootenay Ice WHL franchise committee member (1998), and Kootenay Bar Association president (1998). In 1997 and 1998 he was elected Cranbrook Business Person of the Year. Born in 1950, Bill and his wife Beth married in 1974 and have two children, Dylan and Daniel. They have lived in the constituency since 1994. Bill is a passionate snowboarder who also hunts, fishes and hikes.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Daniel-Paul Bork
CEO, Aboriginal Tourism Canada
Daniel-Paul Bork is the Chief Executive Officer of Aboriginal Tourism Canada, a non-profit Aboriginal tourism entity based in Ottawa, Ontario.
Daniel-Paul is from Opaskwayak Cree Nation and resides in Kanesatake Mohawk Territory, near Oka, Quebec. He holds his Baccalaureate in Arts, Political Science from Concordia University Montreal and studied in the Graduate Diploma in Community Economic Development (Aboriginal Economic Development specialization) from the School of Community and Public Affairs, Concordia University.
Daniel-Paul has worked with Aboriginal tourism industry since 2003 and has recently created with the Aboriginal Tourism industry to create and sustain interest in the Aboriginal tourism products of Canada.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Dr. Keith Bosak
Assistant Professor of Nature-Based Tourism, The University of Montana
My research is broadly centered in human-environment interactions and the intersection of conservation and development. Within this, my focus is on ecotourism, community development and natural resource management, particularly in mountainous areas. The pursuit of these investigations has taken me to a wide range of geographic locations where I have had the opportunity to study a diversity of topics. These include adventure tourism and economic crisis in Argentina, ecotourism and environmental justice and women’s roles in ecotourism in India. Since 2005 I have been conducting field courses on tourism and development with university students in the Indian Himalaya.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Dr. Chris Bottrill
Chair of Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Management, Capilano University
Dr. Christopher Bottrill is the Chair of Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Management at Capilano University, North Vancouver BC. Dr. Bottrill has over 20 years of experience in tourism ranging from tour guiding experience in 22 countries to over 40 major tourism planning projects in Canada, the USA, Central America and the Caribbean and he has over 15 years teaching experience in tourism and outdoor recreation in Canada, the USA, and New Zealand. Dr. Bottrill has specific interests in ecotourism, inter-organizational issues in tourism management, community and destination development. He has been actively involved in the BC Green Forum, and was chair of the provincial planning committee for the 2008 BC Tourism Educators conference and facilitated the statement of commitment reached at this conference.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Dr. Kelly Bricker
Chair, Board of Directors, TIES
Dr. Kelly S. Bricker completed her Ph.D. research at The Pennsylvania State University where she specialized in sustainable tourism development. She has special research interests in sustainable tourism, natural resource management, outdoor recreation, community and heritage tourism development, ecotourism, sense of place and incentive travel programs. Dr. Bricker has worked all over the world. She has been employed as a guide, tourism manager, wilderness instructor, scuba and sailing instructor, professor, and researcher. She has taught at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, West Virginia University, Sacramento State, and California Polytechnic University. She is currently Senior Scientist in recreation with Devine, Tarbell & Associates. Since April 2005, Dr. Bricker has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for The International Ecotourism Society (TIES).
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Rod Burns
Owner/ lead trainer, Bold Point Centre
Rod Burns, is a passionate Heritage Interpreter, educator and entrepreneur. His varied career history in banking, as a special needs employment trainer, teaching, tourist guiding entrepreneur has provided him with over 25 years of experiences enabling life long memories for peoples of different cultures, different abilities, in large cities to wilderness settings.
Rod’s initiation into Heritage Interpretation began as Education Supervisor at Salmonier Nature Park, Government of Newfoundland, 1983 – 1986. He left Newfoundland to follow his entrepreneur spirit and opened up C to C Tours on the far west coast of Canada in Victoria, British Columbia. Education and Experience opportunities for guests lead the company’s activities from 1986 – 1991. C to C developed and delivered Fine Arts Studio Tours, Specialty Garden Tours, walking tours through historic allies and buildings. First Nation Discovery tours had guests going to native canoe races, feasts, pole raising’s. Rod was teaching Business and Canadian Social Studies in rural communities of western Canada, between 1980 – 1995.
Since 1995, Heritage Interpretation programs have been central to his home / business Bold Point Farmstay. Obtaining the designation Tourism – Certified Professional Heritage Interpreter (T-CPHI) from the Canadian Tourism Human Resources Council – emerit, was followed with the opening of a second business Bold Point Centre: EcoInterpreter Guide training and services, in 2001. Over the past 7 years BPC has focused on bringing EcoInterpretation training and program development services to backcountry tourism companies, including emerging First Nations. Services have included research and writing of natural and cultural history binders, trail guides, brochures. Rod continues as a contracted EcoInterpreter Guide for a number area resorts. Ask him about his Grizzly Bear Guide experiences! BPC is in negotiations with 3 Luxury level tour companies to conduct full interpretation plans for program implementation, 2009.
Responding to the expectations of the Ecotourist, in the past 15 years, there has been an increasing wave of companies, around the world utilizing Heritage Interpretation principles and skills into their education and experiential programs. Consistently, the HI edge has facilitated increased revenues. Rod’s session will identify Canadian and international companies and to what levels they have incorporated Heritage Interpretation into their business plans. Key economic success is formulated around R2 x P2 = (2E)+M to build client lists. Those attending will experience a low tech non power point – interactive presentation which will dramatize the sustainable HI formula.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Dave Butler
Director of Sustainability, Canadian Mountain Holidays
Dave Butler, based in Cranbrook, BC Canada is a professional forester and biologist who is the Director of Sustainability for Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH). CMH is the world’s first and most experienced helicopter skiing and hiking company. Dave’s role with CMH, which operates throughout south-eastern and south-central British Columbia, focuses on government relations, environmental issues, tenures/permits and community relations. He has also worked in tourism consulting and with the federal and provincial governments.
Over the last 10 years, Dave has shown a commitment to tourism in BC through active involvement in many processes and committees including: Council of Tourism Associations of BC (COTA) Foresight Task Force and Steering Committee; Chair of HeliCat Canada Association Environmental Standards Committee; co-chair of the Tourism-Wildlife Guidelines Project Team; co-chair of Limits of Acceptable Change Pilot Project Steering Committee; and member of Adventure Tourism Policy Joint Steering Committee.
Under Dave’s leadership, CMH’s sustainability initiatives have been recognized with a number of federal and provincial-level awards. CMH is the first tourism company in BC to publish a regular sustainability report. As a member of COTA’s Foresight Taskforce, Dave is committed to putting sustainable tourism into practice in BC. He believes that this offers an incredible opportunity to sustain – for many decades to come – the businesses, communities and incredible places that we share with our visitors.
- Board of Directors of the Council of Tourism Associations of BC
- Board of Directors of Mark Kingsbury Foundation
- Co-chair of BC Sustainable Tourism Collective
- ESTC 2008 and NAEC 2007 Avisory Committee Member
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Ms. Christina Cavaliere
Director of Training and Education, TIES
Christina Cavaliere is the director of training and education at The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and has over a decade of international training program design experience. Christina has lived, worked and studied in nearly thirty countries, on six continents, primarily in equatorial regions. She holds an undergraduate degree in environmental studies and has completed field research throughout South-East Asia, the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon River basin. Her zeal for sustainable agroforestry and greenbuilding led her to earn a Permaculture Design Certificate while living in Costa Rica. Christina completed graduate studies in international training program design at American University in Washington, DC. She earned her Master of Tourism degree while living in Far North Queensland, Australia where she studied ecotourism and sustainable development at James Cook University. Her research examined agroecotourism as a vehicle for promoting sustainable ecoagriculture in tropical systems. Christina has a technical background in tourism projects involving tropical agroforestry, sustainable agriculture, capacity building, carbon management and mitigation, gender issues, artisan and fair trade cooperatives, small and medium enterprise development, environmental policy, planning and certification, and microfinance. She has spoken widely at international and domestic conferences, universities and meetings on various aspects of environmental and community development through sustainable tourism.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Jerome Clemons Jr.
Graduate Student, The Citadel Graduate College
Jerome R. Clemons, Jr. received his college education at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. In 2003 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science. After working as an English teacher in Ethiopia he worked for the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor promoting historical, cultural, and rural tourism. He currently is a full-time graduate student at the Citadel Graduate College and he is member of the City of Charleston Green Committee. He is pursuing a Master’s of Arts degree in Social Science and plans to enter into a doctoral degree program upon graduating.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Ross Cloutier
Owner, Bhudak Consultants Ltd.
Ross Cloutier is the founder of the Adventure Programs Department at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada and the owner of Bhudak Consultants Ltd. which specializes in providing tourism development services to businesses and governments around the world.
Ross is recognized around the world as an authority in adventure tourism product development, legal liability and risk management. He has written numerous books and development reports on the development of adventure tourism as well as adventure tourism legal liability and risk management.
Ross teaches in the areas of international adventure tourism development and risk management. As a mountain guide Ross has led expeditions to over 30 countries. He holds an MBA in International Business and was the climbing leader for the Everest Canada 1991 expedition.
Ross has worked on numerous tourism product development strategies within Chile and is intimately familiar with the southern Chilean coastline. Ross owns a 14 meter sailboat which he sails on the remote British Columbia and Alaska coastlines. In the past 10 years Ross has spent over 700 days sailing in the remote and glaciated fiords of Canada and Alaska.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Todd Comen
Professor, Johnson State College
Professor Comen has been engaged in the tourism sector for nearly 30 years having developed a country inn in rural California in the early 1980’s and has for the past twelve years been involved in teaching about ecotourism and its role in rural development. Currently Professor Comen is working towards his Ph.D at the University of Vermont in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources with a focus on evaluation of rural and ecotourism development programs. With his Masters Degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University and a lifelong passion for travel, Professor Comen plans to merge his interest in the environment and rural communities with his expertise in hospitality and tourism management. Professor Comen published a practical guide to rural tourism development in 2006 titled Integrated Rural Tourism; Weaving Low Impact Tourism into the Economic Fabric of Rural Communities. Professor Comen teaches at Johnson State College in Vermont and lives with his family on the land in Central Vermont.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Mark Crowdis Clean Energy for Clean Tourism, Think Energy, Inc.
Mr. Mark Crowdis has more than fifteen years of professional experience in the energy sector and has founded and managed his own clean energy company for eight years. His company, Think Energy, works both in the US and internationally to assess and purchase renewable energy for Fortune 500 companies, prominent academic, government, and multilateral institutions, and other large customers. He also works with clean energy entrepreneurs, investors, and legislators to develop the clean energy market. He is a regular speaker at conferences on topics related to renewable energy, carbon emissions reduction, and corporate responsibility.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Ms. Alicia Darvall
Development Manager, Footprints Network
Alicia has ten years of marketing, event strategy & business development experience in the private and public sectors. Her experience extends across the travel, entertainment and arts industries. Currently she is VP of Business Development for World Nomads Group in North America as well as working to develop the Footprints Network throughout the Americas. Prior to World Nomads, Alicia moved to Los Angeles to develop outdoor cinema across the US market in a joint venture with Village Roadshow Ltd. In Australia she worked on a range of festivals and events including the Event Director of Moonlight Cinema, CEO of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, at the Melbourne Fashion Festival and St Kilda Film Festival. Alicia holds a Masters of Arts & Entertainment Management from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Environmental Policy from RMIT University in Melbourne.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Chris Desmond
Director of 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project, Sea Excursions, Inc.
Chris Desmond is the Founder and Director of the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project. He is a Master Captain. Chris has led all aspects of the Project for the past three years to include marketing, dolphin research approach and relationships with resource managers.
Prior to the Dolphin Project, Chris was a senior television executive for CBS and independent television stations. At CBS, he was Vice President & General Manager of KCBS-TV and KMOX-TV and worked of the Chairman of CBS in strategic planning. He was involved in programming, news and new technology, and arranged White House Presidential news meetings.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Mark Dineen
Design Staff, EDSA
Mark Dineen is a designer at EDSA, a planning and landscape architecture firm based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He specializes in ecotourism and hospitality projects in Mexico and Central America and has worked on projects ranging from independently developed hotel accommodations to world-class hotel brands such as Four Seasons, St. Regis, and Capella. As a recipient of the Ryerson Traveling Fellowship (University of Illinois) for his studies in ecolodge planning and design, Mark has focused his research on the ecotourism industry of Costa Rica.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Dr. Paul Eagles
Professor, University of Waterloo
Dr. Paul F. J. Eagles is a Professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He is a Biologist and a Planner, specializing in environmental planning. Over a span of 35 years Dr. Eagles has worked on a wide variety of planning projects, with an especially strong emphasis on the planning and management of parks and protected areas. He has over 340 publications. He has undertaken substantial international work in nature-based tourism, with experience in over 25 countries. Since 1996 he has been the Chair of the Task Force on Tourism and Protected Areas for the World Commission on Protected Areas, of World Conservation Union based in Switzerland.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Andrew Fairley
Board of Directors, TIES
Andrew practices as a specialist equity and commercial lawyer in Melbourne as a Consultant to Holding Redlich. He has had a long association with sustainable tourism having been a Director of Turtle Island Fiji for over 20 years until December 2006. He played a significant role in elevating Turtle Island to achieve international recognition for its commitment to destination stewardship and capacity building. He is a Director of the International Eco Tourism Society. He is also Chairman of Zoos Victoria, which comprises of three zoos in and around Melbourne. In 2004 he was appointed Chairman of the Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council by the Victorian Government. This Council has responsibility for overseeing Victoria’s five Alpine Resorts. Andrew is a member of the Council of Deakin University.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Ms. Amy Fraenkel
RONA, UNEP
Amy Fraenkel has more than 20 years of experience in environmental and maritime law and policy. She has worked in both the executive and legislative branches of the United States government, inter-governmental organizations, and the private sector. Her areas of expertise include climate change, ocean and coastal issues, endangered species, chemicals, trade and environment, and international law. She joins UNEP from the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation where she served as Senior Counsel of the Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard Subcommittee. There she worked on legislation related to a wide range of issues, including climate change, ocean acidification, maritime industry pollution, invasive species, marine mammals and sea turtles, coral reefs, and coastal conservation, as well as implementing legislation for international agreements. Prior to joining the U.S. Senate, Amy worked as a senior policy advisor in the Office of International Affairs within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C. There she served as coordinator for UNEP, and negotiated agreements in UNEP, the International Maritime Organization, the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), including the Persistent Organic Pollutants Convention. Prior to joining EPA, Amy worked for seven years on international, corporate, environmental and pipeline safety issues in private law practice at the law firms Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton in New York, and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene and MacRae in San Francisco. She has also served as a consultant to the United Nations and to the OECD. Amy graduated from Grinnell College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and completed a concentration in environmental studies. She obtained her Law Degree from Harvard. She also holds a French language certificate from l’Institut Catholique de Paris.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Richard Franko, AIA Principal, Mithun
Rich Franko is an architect and principal at Mithun, an integrated design firm in Seattle, Washington incorporating architecture, landscape architecture, interiors, planning and ecology. Rich is a leader in the integration of sustainability strategies in many Mithun projects, and works on firm-wide initiatives for sustainable operations and processes. His projects include eco-lodges in Belize and eco-resort planning in Brazil and the Caribbean, and sustainable farmworker housing. He wrote a chapter on green buildings for a new ULI book on Sustainable Communities. He is a board member of the Center for Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, as well as One Planet Living, North America.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Ms. Fabiola Galáz
Representative, InvestChile, Canada
Fabiola represents The Investment Attraction Program of The Chilean Economic Development Agency CORFO in Canda. Gubernamental Organization that is carrying out an Investment Attraction Program to develop Chilean Patagonia Marine Tourism. She is based on Otawa,Ontairo.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Mr. Gary Golla
Associate, SERA Architects
Gary Golla is an Architect with SERA Architects in Portland, Oregon. SERA is an Architecture, Planning, and Interiors firm with a special focus on sustainable design and development. His portfolio includes over 2,000 built guest rooms ranging from a 900 room convention center hotel to a 50 room ski resort. Gary is a LEED Accredited Professional and has several LEED registered projects in design and construction. Among those is a 331 room Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel and a 256 room Courtyard by Marriott both designed with the goal of LEED Silver.
Where I am presenting at the ESTC 2008
Dr. Sonya Graci
Assistant Professor, Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Dr. Sonya Graci is a specialist in sustainable tourism, corporate sustainability and environmental management and has over 15 years experience in these fields. Dr. Graci is currently an Assistant Professor at the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Ryerson University. She’s also the Director of Accommodating Green, an environmental consulting organization that works with organizations to integrate sustainability in business operations. Dr. Graci is also the co-founder of The Icarus Foundation, a not for profit organization that focuses on tourism and climate change issues in Canada.
I am presenting twice at the ESTC 2008: Session 2 and Session 3
