Get to know the Directors of the BLPA
Executive
Irene Lau (2012) – 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.
Hannah Nieman (2013-2017, 2021) – Vice-Chair
Hannah has a B.Sc. in Ecological Restoration and diploma in Renewable Resource and is a certified Registered Biology Technologist. She has knowledge of environmental laws and legislation as well as strong field experience. As a past member from 2011-2017, Hannah brings a strong historical knowledge about Burnaby Lake Regional Park, the BLPA, its projects and board operations. As a volunteer, Director, and past Chair, she participated and led hands on stewardship activities, participation on sub-committees, planning, and representing the BLPA in the community. She has also contributed her time to Wildresearch (bird banding), BC SPCA, Metro Vancouver (interpretive volunteer and Parksfest planning committee), Society for Ecological Restoration Student association at BCIT (vice president and co-founder), Stanley Park Ecology Society (Coexisting with Coyotes program). In her words, “I have a passion for the environment, a history at Burnaby Lake Regional Park, and want to contribute positively to local
communities.”
Will Siegner (2021) – Secretary
Will holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with a specialization in Environmental and Land Use Planning, which focused on climate change resiliency planning. He has over 2 years experience on the implementation side of a municipal-wide green infrastructure network policy with the City of Surrey, primarily serving as a Project Manager within the Area Planning division. He handles a diverse array of development applications including those which involve compliance with the City of Surrey’s Official Community Plan for green infrastructure corridor establishment and streamside setback protection. He often has interactions with the City of Surrey Parks staff on a wide variety of applications/inquiries. Since moving to BC in the summer of 2018, Will loves spending time at Burnaby Lake and is an avid wildlife photographer. He has
also attended a couple of Weedbusters work parties and events and has also volunteered his time in the past leading youth in environmental projects. Will feels he could bring his love of nature and Project Management experience to assist the BLPA lead larger stewardship and community engagement initiatives and to assist the Board with advancing our mission.
Ted Bassett (2003) – Treasurer
Ted grew up in Victoria and joined the Christian Brothers after high school. With the exception of a few years in the West Indies his science teaching career has been entirely with St. Thomas More Collegiate in Burnaby. Photography has been a lifelong interest of Ted’s (the BLPA has enjoyed the benefits of his skill over the years), and about fifteen years ago he got hooked into fly fishing. Ted’s association with the Burnaby Lake Park Association began in 2004 when he attended the AGM and a presentation about mason bees. At the beginning he was involved with Weedbusters and the Nest Box Program, but nowadays his main involvement has been assisting with occasional displays at public events and attending the board meetings. Ted also previously served as Treasurer from 2010-2016.
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.
Directors-at-Large
Cindy Hayto (2020)
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.
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.
Lindsay Marsh (2022)
Lindsay (she/her) has visited Burnaby Lake Park many times since she was young, growing up in Delta and later living in South Burnaby. She has always held a deep appreciation of its unique environment. As an avid bird photographer, she has spent countless hours observing our feathered friends at Burnaby Lake, and the occasional muskrat. Lindsay regularly promotes wildlife and habitat conservation through social media, volunteering in clean-ups and Christmas Bird Counts, and fundraising. She acknowledges the unceded, ancestral and traditional lands of the hən̓qəmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples that she lives and works on and strive toward reconciliation in her professional and volunteer activities. With a Master’s degree in Intercultural and International Communication and as a communications professional with the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, she looks forward to applying her skills, experiences, and passion on the BLPA Board to help enhance Burnaby Lake Regional Park, particularly through its online presence and community events.
Heather Minty (2022)
Heather has worked in customer relations and project management for the past 7 years, and has held a life-long interest in the outdoors and volunteer work. Growing up in the Lower Mainland and other locations around BC offered no shortage of outdoor spaces to explore, so that passion for her environment has grown into a love of her local parks and public spaces. She currently holds a bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement Studies and has recently branched out into the specifics of BC’s park laws and first aid training. Previously, she has acted as a survival instructor for her local Royal Canadian Air Cadet program and has participated in various volunteer activities for the betterment of her community and others. For the past several years, Heather has been volunteering with her local church group to participate in the annual BC Thanksgiving Food Drive and other such events to help her community. Recently she has begun working with the BLPA Weedbuster program, and she looks forward to becoming even more involved in that area of park stewardship.
Leah Purdey (2022)
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.
Susan Wilkinson (2009)
Susan was introduced to Burnaby Lake Park when she was a UBC student and a member of the UBC Varsity Women’s Rowing Team. She rowed on the lake and ran in the park as part of the training program. Upon graduation with her BScN Susan’s career took her to Ottawa for several years and then back to BC where she worked in Community Health serving the residents of Burnaby in various capacities including Home Care Nursing, Case Management, Clinical Leadership, and Program Management and Program Development, until her retirement in 2018. Susan served on the Board of Directors of the Burnaby Lake Rowing Club (BLRC) from 2003-2012 and was vice president of BLRC from 2008-12. Susan joined the Board of Directors of the Burnaby Lake Park Association (BLPA) in 2009 and served as the secretary of the board from 2016-2022. As a member of the BLPA board she has assisted with updating BLPA Bylaws, review and development of policies and procedures, development of the BLPA board nomination process and preparation of the annual contribution grant application. She particularly enjoys volunteering with the BLPA nest box program and has fun rowing on the lake and spending time in the park. Susan is a licensed Rowing Umpire and officiates at many regattas in Canada each year. She serves on the Board of Directors for Rowing British Columbia as past president and also volunteers at a Residential Care Facility in North Vancouver.