My passion is canoeing and canoe instruction. I hold advanced Paddle Canada Instructor Trainer Certification in Lake and Style Canoe and an Instructor Certification in Poling.
I have had a lifelong interest in plant ecology, edibility and uses of 'wild' plants, and I have a particular fondness for lichens and mosses. My early work life involved working at camps for the City of Winnipeg and the YMCA. I taught canoeing and Small Craft safety at the Red Cross for several years. Then did a couple of stints working at The Morden Research and Development Centre. I spent several years wandering around the wilderness as a field research assistant in Botany. In between, I guided wilderness trips when I could and was a partner in the bicycle equipment company Rationally Applied Design. I started working at the University of Manitoba in 1984 as a laboratory demonstrator and field assistant, worked for IST in disabled student services and supported open-area computer labs, providing computer support in the Faculties of Science and Architecture. I completed my graduate studies in Botany at the UofM in 1992. Between 1992 and 2024, I worked at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP), University of Manitoba, doing everything from IT and programming to database support and statistical analysis, and most recently as an associate director.
I am now retired and spend considerable time cycling and exploring my hometown, looking for new parks and places of interest (YouTube @Exploring Winnipeg). Over the last year (2025/26), I have taken a keen interest in following the Ghost Creeks of Winnipeg and their historical connections. I have been leading trips to the Nature Manitoba Mantario Cabin, primarily as part of their summer program, since 1993. I regularly lead walks and workshops on plant identification and edible wild plants.