Team

Meet our Team!

Our team at SkeenaWild Conservation Trust comprises dedicated and passionate individuals who are committed to achieving our mission. Together, we bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experience to our work, and we are united in our goal to promote sustainable practices and protect the natural resources of the Skeena Watershed. Our team includes experts in environmental science, advocacy, education, forestry, and Indigenous engagement, among others, and we are proud to work together towards a common goal.

Greg Knox

Julia Hill Sorochan

Hup Wil Lax A (Kirby Muldoe)

Executive Director

Assistant Director

Indigenous Engagement Lead

Greg Knox has been the Executive Director of SkeenaWild Conservation Trust since its inception in 2007. In 2013, Greg completed a Master’s degree in Environmental Management at Royal Roads University, where he developed a framework for implementing a collaborative freshwater salmon habitat-monitoring program in the Skeena Watershed. 


Greg has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement throughout his career. He has worked tirelessly to develop innovative programs and initiatives that promote sustainable practices to help communities safeguard our most vital natural resources: salmon and water.


With his deep knowledge of the Skeena ecosystem and steadfast guidance through many challenges over the years, Greg is a trusted leader and advocate for Skeena salmon. He’s played a critical role in advancing our understanding of our fisheries’ challenges and developing effective solutions to address them.

Greg sits on the Northern Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission, is an advisor to the Pacific Salmon Watershed Fund, a board member of the Skeena Knowledge Trust, and a Steering Committee member of the Friends of Wild Salmon Coalition.

Julia Hill Sorochan, SkeenaWild’s Assistant Director, was born and raised in Northwest B.C. and has worked for SkeenaWild since it started in 2007.  With her roots deeply planted in the Skeena Watershed, Julia has been immersed in local conservation for most of her life. She is deeply committed to affecting the systemic change needed to ensure the long-term health of salmon, water, and communities in the face of mounting pressures and rapid change.  

 

She is currently working towards a Master’s degree in Environments and Management from Royal Roads University, where she is strengthening her ability to improve local agency and effective governance to build the resilience of our diverse communities and salmon ecosystems to respond to climate change.

 

Her expertise in conservation in the Skeena Watershed has been instrumental in guiding and advancing the organization’s strategic direction to implement environmental change and improve management approaches on the ground in Northern B.C. She believes deeply in justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation and strives to weave these principles into her leadership.

Hup Wil Lax A, Kirby Muldoe, is SkeenaWild’s Indigenous Engagement Lead. Hup Wil Lax A is a proud member of the Tsimsian and Gitxsan People and has lived in Gitxsan Territory for almost his entire life. Hup Wil Lax A enjoys spending time on the water and land in the Skeena watershed and pacific Ocean. His work focuses on building and maintaining relationships with individuals, organizations, communities, and Indigenous Nations across the Skeena Watershed and beyond. 

 

Kirby is deeply committed to protecting and defending the Skeena River for future generations. He is dedicated to building relationships with people from salt waters to headwaters to better understand the impacts of industrial development on our environment, food sovereignty, and human rights through the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles.

 

Kirby’s work has been instrumental in advancing the mission of SkeenaWild, and he continues to be a driving force behind the organization’s success.

Dr. Michael Price

Kait Yehle

Adrienne Berchtold

Director of Science

Fisheries Biologist

Ecologist & Mining Impacts Researcher

As Director of Science, Dr. Michael Price oversees all aspects of the organization’s science program, including research, monitoring, analysis, and writing. He works closely with a team of scientists and experts to develop and implement cutting-edge research projects, ensuring that the organization remains at the forefront of scientific discovery in the field of salmon conservation.

Michael holds a Ph.D. from Simon Fraser University and currently is a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellow with the Moore Lab. He has published over 30 scientific articles and reports on salmon conservation and ecosystem management.

Throughout his career, Michael has demonstrated a passion for environmental stewardship and a deep understanding of the complex interactions between salmon and their ecosystems.

His ongoing work with Skeena First Nations and the development of rebuilding plans for diminished salmon populations is helping foster their resilience to a rapidly changing world. 

Kait Yehle is the newly minted Fisheries Biologist at SkeenaWild and works closely with our Director of Science, Dr. Michael Price, and Executive Director, Greg Knox. Kait focuses primarily on research, advocacy, and communications related to sustainable fisheries & salmon habitat management and how climate change impacts wild salmon.


Kait holds a M.Sc. from the University of British Columbia, where she studied natural resource management and conservation physiology. Conserving the Skeena’s vital ecosystems and habitat is a personal commitment for Kait, driven by a desire to ensure the well-being of salmon and the communities they sustain. 


“I’ve been privileged to explore the Skeena Watershed and find it truly unique in its beauty and connection with its people. I feel blessed to work alongside a small team of such passionate and talented individuals,” says Kait. 

Adrienne Berchtold is an Ecologist and Mining Impacts Researcher with SkeenaWild and focuses her research on the effects of mining on freshwater and salmon resources in Northwestern B.C. 

 

Adrienne holds a M.Sc. from Simon Fraser University, where she specialized in aquatic ecology. Since beginning with SkeenaWild in early 2018, she has been working diligently to understand   the technical aspects of mining and how they interact with salmon river systems.

 

Her work includes assessing mine environmental monitoring data, providing technical reviews of mining proposals, working with Indigenous Nations and communities to understand and advocate for responsible mining practices, and pushing for mining law reform in BC. She believes decolonization is inextricably connected to climate resilience and sustainable resource management and tries to hold this as a constant throughout her work.

 

Her passion for protecting the land and water and her commitment to community engagement have been instrumental over the years. 

 

“I get to work with so many amazing and inspiring people and do my part to protect what will matter most in the long run – our shared land and water,” explains Adrienne. 

Marie Blouin

Sarah Railton

Nita Back

Education Programs Manager

Registered Professional Forester

Office Administration

With a background in education and a strong commitment to environmental stewardship, Marie, our Education Programs Manager, focuses on developing curriculum-based initiatives that combine interdisciplinary content with local Indigenous knowledge to engage community members of all ages and backgrounds. Through hands-on, inquiry-based activities, she teaches about wild salmon, climate change, conservation, current events, and sustainability in both classrooms and outdoor spaces throughout the Skeena Watershed. 

As an environmental educator, Marie strives to provide knowledge and tools that empower people to make better-informed decisions and explore solutions, especially in light of the growing eco-anxiety caused by climate change. 

 “It is an honour to represent the voice of salmon and advocate for positive changes. I am privileged to work with diverse community members and to inspire the next generation of watershed stewards and policymakers,” says Marie.

Sarah Railton is a Registered Professional Forester with deep roots in the watershed. Sarah facilitates and assists with various Indigenous-led Land Use Planning initiatives in the Skeena and Nass Watersheds and promotes best management practices for forestry operations. 

Sarah is passionate about planning and implementing watershed restoration work, such as the Willow Creek Restoration project, part of the Healthy Watersheds Initiative, and advocating for natural resource management legislation and policy reform.

When reflecting on her work with SkeenaWild, Sarah says, “I love these wild rivers and all the beings that depend on healthy wild watersheds. It is an honour to use my time on Earth to play a meaningful role in the stewardship of the waters and lands of our planet.”

Nita Back was born and raised in Northwest, B.C. As SkeenaWild’s Office Administrator, she has been working with us for over a decade. Nita is deeply passionate about the Skeena, salmon, rivers, and people. Her love for the watershed is reflected in her dedication to her work at SkeenaWild and her commitment to the organization’s mission of protecting and conserving the natural, wild places of the Skeena watershed.

 

As well as overseeing the day-to-day administration of the SkeenaWild office in Terrace, Nita is a critical member of the organization, providing essential support, ensuring the office runs smoothly, welcoming visitors, bookkeeping, merchandise sales, and helping organize community events. 

 

Nita is the heart of the machine. Her colleagues and peers highly value her positive attitude, hard work, and dedication.

Alice Arbuthnot

Communications Manager

Originally from the rolling hills of Scotland, Alice followed her dreams and moved to Canada in 2017, subsequently falling in love with the rugged wilderness of British Columbia. With roots now planted, she is proud to call the Skeena Watershed home. 

Alice has worked in marketing over the past decade across various industries, including film, advertising, tourism, and food. However, conservation has always been very close to her heart. Working with SkeenaWild allows her to combine her professional skills with her love for wild places and steadfast commitment to conservation. 

Alice focuses on digital communications and leads the hugely successful annual SkeenaWild Film and Photo Festival. Her expertise in storytelling and outreach helps us share our mission, work, and successes with the world, which will be instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of defending salmon and the Skeena Watershed.

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