Happy International Women’s Day!
At Ontario Parks, we simply couldn’t do without our women team members. They work as biologists, instructors, wardens, superintendents, planners, managers, and more.
Here’s the inside scoop on our staff:
Wasaga Beach Provincial Park Cluster Leadership Team
Oakley Hockley, Operations Technician
Oakley began working for Wasaga Beach Provincial Park as a park warden in 2021. She became the first female operations technician, leading the enforcement team at the park in 2022.
Her roles include supervising a team of wardens and waterfront safety officers during the busy summer months at Wasaga Beach and ensuring that the park, staff, and visitors have a safe season.
“I enjoy the dynamic aspect of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and the many opportunities it has to offer to its visitors.”
Marina Opitz, Chief Park Naturalist
Marina began working as a summer student in the Discovery program at Bronte Creek Provincial Park in 2010.
In 2015 she became the Discovery leader at Blue Lake Provincial Park in northern Ontario before joining the team at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park as the chief park naturalist in 2016. As someone living with a hearing disability herself, she is a strong advocate for accessibility within Ontario Parks and the Discovery Pprogram.
“What began as a student summer job during school turned into a full fledged career that has provided me with opportunities to grow and realize my potential. I have had the opportunity to fill leadership roles across the province and learn from other women in the organization.”
“While historically parks have been predominantly male, we are seeing more opportunities for diversity and inclusion every single day. The future of parks is exciting and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”
Madison Randell, Operations Technician
Madison started her parks career in 2017 as a maintenance student at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. In 2023 she became the maintenance foreman for Craigleith Provincial Park where she is now the operations technician. In this role Madison leads the gate, maintenance, and enforcement teams, which keep the park operating from April to October each year.
“I started as a summer student and it ended up becoming a career that I fell in love with. I enjoy working outside everyday and am proud of what Ontario Parks stands for. The people I work with are amazing.”
Connie Sacco, Senior Park Clerk
Connie began working at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park as a student in the park office. She now leads the administration and gate teams at the park. She keeps the park office and beach area entrances running throughout the busy summer season where her staff see over one million visitors every year.
“It is wonderful to see the changing dynamics of the organization and an increase of women stepping into leadership roles that were formerly dominated by men.”
Lindsey Hemphill, Resource Management Technician
Lindsey’s introduction to parks was spontaneous in 2021 when she began as a senior park naturalist working with the Piping Plover Recovery program. In 2022, Lindsey became a resource management technician and now leads several resource management portfolios for Wasaga Beach, including monitoring its species at risk (like the Piping Plover) as well as managing invasive species and carrying out large scale restoration work on the beachfront.
Taylor Lattimore, Head Gate Attendant
Taylor became a gate attendant for Wasaga Beach in 2017. She transitioned into working at the park office as an administration assistant in 2021 before becoming the head gate attendant in 2022.
She now leads a team of 18 student gate attendants each season, ensuring all park visitors receive the very best customer service.
“My favourite part of my job is meeting the new students each season and helping them reach their potential. I enjoy leading the team and sharing my knowledge and experiences with them so that they can grow and continue in their careers.”
Sonia Dharni, Social Media Assistant
As a social media assistant, Sonia assists with coordinating the social media program by researching, creating, developing, and posting social media content to increase visitation to and appreciation of provincial parks.
Her passion for education, conservation, and digital media marketing encouraged her to pursue a career at Ontario Parks, where she could use her creative storytelling skills to inspire others to connect with nature. Sonia believes that experiences in nature are essential to foster a connection with the natural world and form the desire to protect and participate in stewardship activities.
“I am grateful to work for Ontario Parks and to have the opportunity to reach a vast audience to inspire the protection of nature for current and future generations. My favourite things (besides squirrels) are advocating for nature and wildlife, creating content, and teaching. Working at Ontario Parks is incredible because I get to combine these passions into one fun role! And I am happy to do this alongside a team of incredible women; their dedication and expertise in the field continually amaze and inspire me. I enjoy being able to share their stories with our beloved online community of park-lovers!”
Pam Luke, Provincial Instructor
As a provincial instructor, Pam works with a team to design, develop, and deliver compliance and enforcement training for new and experienced park wardens across the province.
When she isn’t delivering training, Pam is working behind the scenes to improve the enforcement program and provide support to provincial parks and conservation reserves across Ontario.
“My favourite part of the job is getting to train new park wardens and share my advice and stories with them. They’re always so excited to get back to their parks after initial training is complete, and use their newfound skills and confidence to protect our parks and the people who visit.”
Sidney Boettger, Assistant Park Superintendent, Blue Lake Provincial Park
Sidney’s experience and commitment to Ontario Parks is instrumental in ensuring successful operations at a busy park in northwest Ontario.
She also supports other parks operations in Dryden Cluster, participating in capital projects, emergency response, and storm cleanup.
“Working for Ontario Parks started out as a summer job in high school, and now I have turned it into a career! I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in so many different experiences and have gained a lot of knowledge from the various positions I have worked in. Moving up to northwestern Ontario for work was one of the best decisions I made for my career, and I’ve gained a new appreciation for this part of the province.”
Ashley Krahn, School Outreach Coordinator with Discovery Branch Team
Last summer Ashley worked at Petroglyphs Provincial Park as a Discovery student. This winter, Ashley is delivering the Kinoomaage-Waapkong (The Teaching Rocks) virtual tour as a school outreach coordinator.
“Overall, being a part of the Ontario Parks Discovery program has been so rewarding!
I feel fortunate that as part of the Discovery program, I get to keep learning about local cultural and natural heritage spaces, such as the Teaching Rocks active sacred site and McGinnis Lake (a really special and beautiful meromictic lake). These positions have also been great opportunities for me grow as a public speaker – both in-person and in a virtual setting! I’ve made wonderful friends working for Ontario Parks since the positive work atmosphere is fueled by so many supportive people.
“As a woman with an avid interest in environmental stewardship and education, I am thankful for the connections I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had while working as a discovery staff member at Ontario Parks.”
Louise Collins, Northwest Zone Ecologist
Louise is a zone ecologist in the northwest zone.
In this role she collects biological and ecological information to aid in protected area planning and management. The work she does as an ecologist is critical to preserving ecological integrity.
Jenny Dallan, Discovery Program Project Coordinator with Discovery Branch Team
Jenny works as a Discovery program project coordinator on the branch Discovery team.
She helps manage the Discovery School program and works with the branch team to coordinate the “behind-the-scenes” of all things Discovery.
She began her parks career over eight years ago as a high school summer student in the Discovery program at Lake Superior Provincial Park.
“Working in Ontario Parks is rewarding as I get to help the public strengthen their feelings of connection to land. In the process, my own relationship to land deepens as well! As a female settler working in interpretation in parks, I often reflect on what Ontario Parks means to me and how my identity shapes my perspective, the stories I share, and the work I do.”
“On this International Women’s Day, I’m grateful to be on a passionate team of interpreters, many of whom are women that are dedicated to sharing, respecting, and celebrating the diverse stories of this land now and for generations to come.”
Erica Lemelin, Interior Entry Station Ranger, Quetico Provincial Park
Erica helps to run an off the grid park entry station located in Quetico Provincial Park’s backcountry along the Minnesota/Ontario border.
Her entry station in the busiest at the park, and she and the crew have to be very self-reliant in managing visitors and the facilities there due to their remoteness.
Fellow staff fly to the entry station via float plane once per week to resupply the crew there. Erica has a unique job at Quetico, and she rocks it!
“I have had the amazing opportunity to work as an entry station ranger at Prairie Portage in Quetico Provincial Park for the last two seasons. In this job we work as a team to help preserve the beautiful entry station, as well as educate and assist those heading into the backcountry. However, I sometimes feel like they teach us more than we teach them. To me, this job matters because it not only preserves what’s there now, but it also keeps the memory alive of those who travelled there before us. With Quetico’s rich history, that is very important.”
“Nature is the world’s best teacher if we only take the time to listen.”
Staff at Sandbanks Provincial Park
Sandbanks is fortunate to be supported by a vibrant staff of multitalented women. Pictured above are just a few members of the team from across departments that enrich the park’s operation.
“The sky is the limit in Ontario Parks! The opportunity to be trained to work in any department is empowering to many women. All the women pictured here have risen to the opportunity to grow and expand their skill sets in various departments within the park. We work together as a team, supporting our career journey through Ontario Parks.”
Sophie Williams, Senior Park Interpreter at Killarney Provincial Park
Sophie has just recently begun a new role as senior park naturalist at Kettle Lakes Provincial Park.
She has previously worked in Discovery at Killarney Provincial Park and Bon Echo Provincial Park, and is looking forward to taking her experiences working under great supervisors forward with her as she starts planning for her first season at Kettle Lakes.
As a Discovery staff member, Sophie has presented virtually to hundreds of students across Ontario, sharing stories and photos from Killarney. She has also led guided hikes, boat tours, evening programs, children’s programs, and more for hundreds of campers every summer.
Sophie grew up visiting provincial parks and attending interpretive programs, and is thrilled to be able to run her own programming for campers.
“What is it like working in Ontario Parks? Every day is a new adventure, and there is always opportunity to explore new places and learn about the outside world.”
Claire Alarcon-Belanger, Discovery Leader at Murphys Point Provincial Park
This is Claire’s fourth year working in the Discovery program at Murphys Point Provincial Park.
She leads educational programs for park visitors and helps to protect park wildlife by participating in monitoring and management efforts.
“I am so fortunate to both work with and provide leadership to so many passionate and inspiring women who share my love for nature. I hope that I, myself, can be a source of inspiration to the next generation of girls in parks.”
Kelila Seymour, Assistant Superintendent at Rushing River Provincial Park
Kelila started her career with Ontario Parks back in 2016 at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park where she spent five years in the Discovery department before making the move to northwestern Ontario.
Up north, she began as a Discovery leader at Neys Provincial Park for one year before moving on to the northwest zone office in Thunder Bay as a learning and education leader, overseeing the Class 2 Discovery program for all of northwestern Ontario.
Now she’s found herself in a new role as the seasonal assistant superintendent of Rushing River Provincial Park, delving into the world of park operations.
“What is it like to work for Ontario Parks? Life changing. I started with the organization with no real plan in life; I didn’t know what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. I saw the opportunity at Wasaga Beach as a cool summer job, but little did I know it would lead to so much more.”
“I found the work so fulfilling, and the people I got to work with inspiring. I loved seeing the look on a visitors face when I shared a story about my park, my passion, and their face lit up because they felt that connection too. The love of parks is contagious, and I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone I encountered.”
“Now entering my 9th season with Ontario Parks, I honestly cannot imagine working anywhere else. This journey has been better than I could’ve ever imagined it would’ve been back in 2016, and I’m on the edge of my seat to see where it takes me next.”
Krystal Gray, Provincial Instructor
Krystal began her Ontario Parks career ten years ago as a gate attendant at Lake St. Peter Provincial Park. Although it has been a decade, Krystal says it feels like just yesterday this journey all started!
She is now a provincial instructor with the provincial enforcement team of the park management unit where staff design, develop, and deliver the law enforcement and compliance training for provincial park wardens across the province.
They also support park staff by providing advice on training matters, policy development, and investigations.
“There is nothing more rewarding than being able to share the knowledge and experience I have gained over the years to new and seasoned officers in the field. Simultaneously, the continuous learning and growth I experience from every course we instruct adds another layer of fulfillment to the position.”
“I’ve had the honor of working for, and alongside, some of the most influential women in Ontario Parks. Their passion, dedication, and deep appreciation for the outdoors has played a key role in shaping the organization into what it is today.”
Keira Killin, School Outreach Coordinator at Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Working as a school outreach coordinator at Ontario Parks, Keira gets to show students how cool nature and heritage really are.
From exploring the Victorian Era through art to becoming a Monarch Ambassador by making messy seedballs; students benefit from Keira’s knowledge and enthusiasm during school programs.
When Keira isn’t meeting with school groups in person at the park, she brings nature and history into their classrooms through in-person and virtual programs.
Working as part of the Bronte Creek school programming team is a face-paced role that Keira has never shied away from. She creates lasting memories for the students she visits with which will have positive impacts on them for years to come. She is a role model to everyone, but especially the young girls she presents too who can see that they too could one day be a park naturalist just like Keira.
“Bronte Creek’s school programs use dynamic storytelling to share the park and the Ontario Parks system, and I see, firsthand, how these programs ignite curiosity and instill an appreciation for the natural and cultural resources we protect.”
“Noticing an excited student turn to their friend or teacher to show off a new discovery is a special moment. Having students tell me that, after participating in a program I led, they visited Bronte Creek with their families, highlights the connections we are making between the community and all the experiences the park has to offer. I use knowledge from my past work in parks, museums, classrooms, archaeology, farming and forestry in this job that has lots of moving parts, lots of behind-the-scenes paperwork and lots of rewarding moments with the students I meet.”
Lynnea Barker, Park Clerk at Pancake Bay Provincial Park
Meet Lynnea, the heart and soul behind Pancake Bay Provincial Park‘s exceptional park experience! Since 2022, she has been weaving her passion for the great outdoors into the fabric of the park.
From her childhood summers spent at Pancake Bay to now supervising the gate house, Lynnea’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.
As a gate attendant, she laid the groundwork for her current role, where she oversees eight students and a head gate attendant position.
Lynnea doesn’t just manage, she nurtures, ensuring each team member receives top-notch training and providing unwavering support.
But that’s not all—she’s the powerhouse behind the scenes, managing the park’s revenue streams. From the park store to the recreational watercraft rental program, Lynnea ensures every detail is perfect. And guess what? She’s the wizard behind the park’s social media magic too!
Here’s to Lynnea, a woman who breathes life into Pancake Bay, making every visit unforgettable!
A huge thank you to the amazing women working hard to protect our provincial parks!
Why are your scientists picking up wildlife? Can I pick up snakes and turtles too?
Please do not handle wildlife. The staff members featured here are trained scientists engaged in professional research. These scientists are following a strict animal care protocol approved by the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. These protocols review the desired outcome of the research, and ensure measures are taken to put the least possible amount of stress on the animal. We ask that you always observe animals from a distance for both the safety of you and the animal.