Meet Our Staff
Meet the Staff Team of Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary
Cara Gibson
Executive Director
Cara has a BSc (Biology, Honours, Univ. of Toronto) and a Master’s and PhD (Entomology, Univ. of Arizona). She taught in higher education for over 20 years and her background spans biodiversity monitoring, science research and management, instructional design, fundraising, community organizing and scientific illustration.
Cara joined the Nature Sanctuary as a Board member in 2019 and stepped into the Executive Director role in 2020. She is honoured to be helping to protect the Nature Sanctuary's rare and threatened species, steward and restore its ecosystems, and grow its communities of practice and education.
Elaine Parker
Operations Manager
Elaine has worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years with a focus on education and science organizations. Joining the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary as Operations Manager in summer 2024, Elaine focuses on Human Resources, Financial and other Administrative work.
She has recently moved to Victoria from Nanaimo where she was Executive Director at Nanaimo Science. Elaine holds a BSc in Psychology and BA in English, and completed graduate studies in math and second language acquisition.
Elaine enjoys cooking, puzzles, and traveling with her family.
Alice Adam
Office Administrator
Alice has over a decade of experience working in the recreation and non-profit field. She is currently studying Health Sciences at Queen's University. She is passionate about engaging people of all backgrounds in nature and outdoor spaces.
Alice recently moved here from Kingston, ON and is excited to explore the traditional territories of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples and learn more about the native species and plants. When she is not working or in school, Alice enjoys biking, camping (but not hiking), and reading at the beach.
Tara Todesco
Manager of Volunteer Programs
Tara has a master’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Victoria, with a specialization in environmental education and community-engaged research and learning. She has extensive experience in developing, coordinating and evaluating environmental and community education programs throughout Greater Victoria.
Tara managed the Land Conservancy of British Columbia’s Volunteer Development Program, where she grew her love of working with and supporting volunteers and community-led stewardship. Tara joined the Swan Lake Team in summer 2023 and continues to grow and nourish our incredible volunteer community.
In her free time, Tara loves to garden, especially with native plants, and to cook, hike and bike with her family.
Jay Rastogi
Site Director
Jay studied Natural Resources Management and Environmental Studies at the University of Guelph and worked at the University Arboretum. After graduation, he mentored in sustainable forestry practices with renowned ecoforester Merv Wilkinson. Over the past 15 years he has shared these teachings and principles with thousands of students and adults during tours and workshops.
His family background includes farming and forestry, in Ontario, and wandering the foothills of the Himalayas, where he lived until he was 12 years old. Jay joined Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary in April 2013.
His interests include nature observation, studying landscape ecology and promoting sustainable land stewardship and self-sufficiency. He is especially fond of growing food and foraging for wild plants and mushrooms.
Ben Milligan
Site Assistant
Ben is a graduate of the Camosun College Environmental Technology Program and has training and work experience in the trades. His goal in doing site work at the Sanctuary is to help preserve and restore habitat for the many rare and amazing plant and animal species that inhabit our region.
He began working for the Sanctuary in June 2019 as a summer student, and has been working here full time since December of that year.
Deanie Harding
Community Science Assistant
Deanie is a recent graduate from the University of Victoria, with a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies, a path stemming from her love for the outdoors. Outside of work, her hobbies include biking, skiing, and rock climbing.
As a Community Science Assistant, Deanie works with the Adopt a Patch groups from Pacific Christian School and Reynolds Secondary School, working on restoring sites around the Nature Sanctuary. Additionally, she is working to advance the Christmas Hill Letters to Nature Campaign, which helps to promote more stewardship and connection to the land.
Taylor Nishimura
Community Coordinator
Taylor is a recent graduate from the University of Victoria with a BA (honours) in Geography and Political Science. With an academic background in Indigenous geographies and experience in outreach and communications, she is passionate about identifying creative avenues for place-based community engagement.
Taylor grew up on Treaty 7 territory and has been living and learning on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples since 2019. During her free time, Taylor enjoys making art and music, cooking Korean food for her friends, and exploring outdoors both on her bike and by foot.
