Get to know the Directors of the BLPA

Executive

Irene Lau (2012) – A/Chair
Irene Lau has lived most of her life in Burnaby and has been a volunteer for a great part of it, She graduated from Burnaby School District 41 before attending Simon Fraser University, graduating with a BA and Liberal Arts Certificate. While always appreciating nature, it was a Biology 101 course that ignited a deeper curiosity about the natural world around her. During her time in the wine industry, she enjoyed working with and learning from some of the leaders in sustainable wine practices. She was looking for a way to contribute to sustainability in her community. In 2010, Irene saw an article in the Burnaby Now about the BLPA needing volunteers to help service nest boxes. Since then, she has been actively involved and became a Director in 2012, Vice-Chair in 2015 and Chair in 2017. You will see her at stewardship, outreach and special events in the community, but she is also is active behind the scenes as a contact for community groups and government agencies, many subcommittees as well as handling the social media, website and newsletter for the BLPA.

Cindy Hayto (2020) – Vice Chair
Cindy is a physio/occupational therapist who retired a year ago after a 28-year career working with Burnaby Home Health. She has recently started her own successful small business. Cindy is an experienced volunteer having chaired the PAC for her children’s elementary and secondary schools, has sat on the Burnaby Access Advisory Council for more than twenty years, chaired the Nancy Green Program of the Cypress Ski Club and was a race volunteer for thirteen years. She is an experienced organizer of fundraising events. Cindy and her family have lived in Burnaby since 1990 and for many years they have enjoyed Burnaby Lake and Burnaby Lake Regional Park as paddlers, rowers, runners, and walkers. Now that she has more time she is motivated to give back to her community in a meaningful way. She loves the Park and Lake and is aware that good stewardship of this beautiful space is needed in order to maintain it at present and over the long term. She looks forward to taking part in stewardship activities in the Park and is excited to contribute her energy, experience, ideas, and organizational skills, as a member of the Burnaby Lake Park Association Board of Directors.

Janice Froese (2021) – Treasurer
Janice has lived within walking distance from Burnaby Lake with her family for over 35 years with a very close relationship to the lake and its watersheds. She has a long list of organizations for which she has volunteered in various capacities over the years. Notable among them are Girl Guides, Eagle Creek Streamkeepers and Rotary Club of Burnaby. She facilitated Project Wet and Project Wild activities for the Girl Guides, with many of those events taking place in the Burnaby Lake watershed. With Eagle Creek Streamkeepers, she helped with the education, the annual fish release, fish count and as a steward of the creek. Through her chapter of the Rotary Club of Burnaby, she helped fundraise for the Piper Spit Boardwalk and is currently involved with engaging young adults to volunteer in environmental stewardship. She had also volunteered for BLPA activities like the Butterfly Garden and the past annual “Birds, Butterflies and Bees” event. As a retired CPA, she has volunteered her experience with other not-for-
profits and charities and is familiar with the documentation and reporting required; she is happy to provide financial management guidance to the BLPA as well as help in other areas, as needed.

Leah Purdey (2022) – Secretary
Leah (she/her) currently works as a Horticultural Attendant for the City of New Westminster. In September, she will be returning to Simon Fraser University for the Professional Development Program to become certified to teach high school biology. Leah loves nature and animals and looks forward to sharing that passion with young people. Her overall goal is to inspire youth to be nature stewards and help them apply science to their everyday life. Leah has been volunteering with the Burnaby Lake Park Association for about 4 years and has attended Weedbuster events as well as nest box servicing sessions. Her favourite part about Burnaby Lake are all the birds at Piper Spit and the fact that the park is a sanctuary for wildlife in an increasingly urban area.

Directors-at-Large

Marisa Bischoff (2024)
Marisa, born and raised in Burnaby, has extensive work experience and an educational background that is very relevant to the BLPA. Having worked for the Wild Bird Trust of BC, and now serving as a Conversation Technician for Stanley Park Ecological Society, Marisa is experienced in stewardship and surveying as well as working with volunteers. She holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Victoria and is considering pursuing her RPBio. As she works in Vancouver but lives in Burnaby, Marisa hopes that by joining the BLPA Board of Directors, she will be able to get more involved in her local community. During her interview, Marisa indicated an interest in supporting BLPA’s Stewardship Committee. She is also highly experienced at delivering nature walks and working in outreach. She is excited to hear that BLPA is beginning to invite more Traditional Knowledge Keepers to participate in BLPA events. Her versatility means that she is ready to contribute to invasive plant management, office admin, and fieldwork tasks.

Mark Cunningham (2024)
Mark is a dedicated art teacher with a rich volunteer history, particularly in environmental and Indigenous advocacy. In addition to volunteering with the BLPA since 2022 at both Weedbuster and outreach events, Mark has volunteered to support Kwekwecnewtxw, the Coast Salish Watch House set up near Forest Grove in opposition to the Kinder Morgan/Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Mark’s professional work is driven by land-based relationships and responsibilities, where he is committed to honouring First People’s rights and perspectives. Mark also brings past work experience as a fundraiser and experience working with neurodiverse students. He founded and chaired an anti-racism committee at South Slope Elementary and currently sponsors the Gender Sexuality Alliance at Burnaby North Secondary School. Mark would be interested in exploring initiatives directly related to the BLPA’s Strategic Plan, including connecting with schools in the Burnaby area.

Dasha Kamalova (20
Dasha was introduced to BLPA through the Weedbusters program this past fall. She has been living on the Burnaby/Coquitlam border for the last 18 years so has enjoyed the park with her family. Graduating this spring from SFU’s Resource and Environmental Management Planning Program, extra certificates include Indigenous Research Studies, GIS, and Sustainable Development. Her coursework, internships and volunteer experiences include plan analysis, report writing, and policy work. She is passionate about including indigenous communities in her work. Languages include English, Russian, and French. Dasha is young and enthusiastic with a
fresh skill set to complement BLPA’s strategic plan.

Michelle La Haye (2022)
Michelle is a certified Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist with six years experience tending to gardens in downtown Vancouver. In what seems like a past life she was a software engineer but the outdoors is where she belongs. Her love of the outdoors, cultivated through years of hiking and camping, has evolved into a deep fascination with plants and ecology. To satisfy her desire to help nature thrive, she enjoys giving back to the parks and natural spaces in Metro Vancouver by volunteering at invasive species removal events and native plantings. While working in her garden or walking her dog, Michelle is frequently listening to her favorite podcasts about plants or the natural world.

Tristan Yan (2023)
Tristan has been volunteering with Weedbusters and outreach events since this past fall. With his passion for the ongoing protection of the natural environment, he is eager to contribute to BLPA. He is a recent graduate from Douglas College in Environmental Science. Years as a gymnastics coach and more recently as a wellness leader he is comfortable with outreach and leadership. Tristan has experience using social media to communicate organization initiatives. He also has experience developing training manuals and coordinating volunteers. He speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

Kean Wah Wong (2024)
Kean is a committed volunteer who joined the BLPA’s Weedbusters program in September 2023, demonstrating his passion for environmental stewardship at Burnaby Lake Park. Kean would like to become a member of the Board to get more involved with the community, to learn what it’s like being a part of a non-profit organization, and to step beyond his comfort zone. With a professional background in software engineering and GIS, Kean brings valuable technical skills to the table, particularly in web development and mapping projects. Kean is well-versed in speaking with the public, particularly in an educational setting through his experience as a teaching assistant at the University of British Columbia. Initiatives that Kean would be interested in are: mapping projects, leading nature walks, and working on the BLPA website. Once, Kean saw a black bear by Cariboo Dam.