Staff & Board of Directors

Lara Ellis brings three decades of environmental leadership experience to her work, with deep expertise in advocacy, policy development, community engagement, and strategic partnerships. Working from coast to coast across Canada, she has been involved with protected areas, sustainable forestry, and regenerative agriculture initiatives, collaborating closely with government, corporate, nonprofit partners, and local communities. Her work includes developing innovative environmental programs, building effective partnerships, and advancing policy solutions for climate change and biodiversity protection. Lara holds a Master of Management degree from the McGill-McConnell Program for National Voluntary Sector Leaders.

Lara’s continuing passion for conservation is driven by her commitment to inclusive, landscape-scale solutions that bring together diverse stakeholders and communities. She believes in the transformative power of partnerships and the critical importance of supporting Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. Her love of nature spans all scales – from enjoying her local urban parks to annual backcountry canoe trips and exploring Canada’s majestic mountain landscapes. This personal connection to the land reinforces her dedication to working across Canada with all sectors of society.

Joining the Centre for Land Conservation following an extensive career with Environment and Climate Change Canada’s nature conservation programs and initiatives. Bob brings over four decades of knowledge and experience to CLC, ranging from policy development to program management, intergovernmental relations, conservation partnerships and the regulatory environment for conservation.

During his federal public service career, Bob’s responsibilities included migratory bird conservation and species at risk recovery programs, habitat conservation including protected areas and various habitat stewardship programs, and extensive involvement internationally related to the Convention on Biological Diversity and continental bird conservation initiatives. Since retiring, he has remained active in conservation working with Indigenous, agriculture, invasive species and land conservation organizations.

Bob’s continuing passion for nature conservation is driven by his belief in the importance of a whole of landscape, whole of society approach to conservation and the opportunity to advance reconciliation with Indigenous people through full and effective engagement in conservation and Indigenous-led conservation.

John recently retired as President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). In more than two decades of leadership John oversaw remarkable growth in NCC’s programs, conservation projects, funding and impact, leading to the conservation of more than 14 million hectares.

Previously, John was Executive Director of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (now Ontario Nature) and worked for several years in senior positions with the Government of Ontario. John is passionate about Canada – “what better country is there to live a life, work hard, love the land, and enjoy the great outdoors?”

John is an advocate for growing the community-based private land conservation movement and creating solutions that will change our trajectory to a nature positive future for generations to come.

Charlotte Craig is a graduate of the University of Toronto Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Masters program, and she has spent her career focusing on the environment and conservation. Charlotte has conducted research in beetle populations in Algonquin Forest and urban bee populations in the GTA, informing science-based conservation strategies. Her experience has led her to have various roles in data analytics, research, project management, and outreach to deliver results on key environmental topics including land conservation, green transportation, and sustainable urban development.

Charlotte loves backcountry camping and hiking through all of Canada’s parks but as an East Coaster Charlotte is the happiest on the East Coast’s diverse beaches ranging from red dirt to rocky shores.

Sarah Winterton has extensive experience in Ontario’s environmental non-profit sector, working on policy, program design and implementation, capacity building and development initiatives for over 30 years. Most recently, Sarah held the role of Director, Nature Connected Communities at WWF Canada where she led the development and implementation of innovative engagement programs. Prior to that she was Managing Director at Environmental Defence, and Director of Development at Ontario Nature.

Sarah is passionate about co-creating equitable, inclusive, and just solutions to heal the land and help us transition quickly to a climate resilient future.

One of her favourite landscapes is the Saugeen Peninsula (aka the Bruce Peninsula), located in the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. The limestone cliffs, caves, ancient cedars, alvars, and clear waters of the peninsula inspire awe and humility.

Charles Latrémouille is an environnemental consultant. He supports organizations in land use planning, strategic planning and continuous improvement, project and program management and evaluation, as well as in change, process, and information management. He is also Technical Advisor to the Biodiversity Excellence Program with Réseau Environment and a member of the International Standard Organization’s technical committee on Biodiversity (ISO/TC 331) with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

Charles worked with the Nature Conservancy of Canada and with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and was a Board member with the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP), the Centre de la nature du Mont St-Hilaire and Éco-corridors Laurentians.

Charles enjoys spending time in nature with his son and likes encouraging the next generation to take a leadership role in protecting their planet.

Bruce is a communications consultant and business founder with a career spanning more than four decades.

As a volunteer, he has been active in the conservation sector for a quarter century, including serving as the volunteer President of a local land trust in Ontario and as the national board Chair of the NCC. Bruce received the Vision Award in 2016 from the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.

In the not-for-profit conservation sector, Bruce is experienced in governance, fundraising, communications, donor relations, land acquisition and stewardship. He holds an MA in Public Administration from the University of Toronto.

Nathalie is a passionate supporter of land conservation and the land trust community in Canada. She was keen to join the Centre for Land Conservation, and as Chair contribute to establishing a performance assurance program, based on the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices.

For nearly 20 years Nathalie has worked closely with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), serving as Chair of both NCC’s national board and regional board in Quebec.
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A forestry engineer by profession, with a master’s degree in environmental sciences and an MBA, Nathalie founded Envirostrategies Consulting Group. In recent years she has left the consulting business to devote more time to board memberships.

Peter Arcese is a conservation and evolutionary biologist with extensive international experience studying large mammal, bird and plant populations.

Peter is native to the Pacific Northwest and is deeply familiar with the ecology of marine and terrestrial systems, and the roles of Indigenous Peoples in their stewardship.

Peter has mentored more than 30 people who are now teaching in 8 countries, authored over 200 academic papers and books and served as Board Chair of Nature Trust British Columbia. He also served two terms on COSEWIC’s sub-committee on birds, and led many workshops on adaptive management, conservation planning, long-term monitoring of plants and animals, and private finance in conservation.

Ian is a seasoned general counsel and business executive with a proven track record of providing strategic legal and business guidance on transformative, high-impact projects across both the private and public sectors.

His portfolio includes landmark initiatives such as the West Don Lands revitalization, the Waterfront Toronto/Sidewalk Labs Quayside project, and Manulife’s historic acquisition of John Hancock—the largest trans-border deal in Canadian history.

Ian brings deep expertise in board governance, real estate investment and leasing, procurement, private equity, privacy, litigation management, and insurance, risk, and compliance. His multidisciplinary approach and leadership have made him a trusted advisor on complex, high-stakes ventures that shape industries and communities alike.

Stephen is the CEO of Manitoba Habitat Conservancy and has spent over 20 years working in conservation, focused on his home province of Manitoba. He’s passionate about protecting natural landscapes and brings deep experience in environmental planning, policy, and partnerships to the Centre for Land Conservation. Stephen has served on international and national committees and boards focused on wetlands and habitat conservation. Outside of work, he enjoys backcountry camping and canoeing with his family—experiences that fuel his commitment to preserving wild spaces for future generations.

Karen Cooper practices charity and not-for-profit law with an emphasis on corporate and tax issues. Her practice focuses on creating, restructuring and maintaining corporations, governance issues, and securing and defending charitable registrations.

Karen also has extensive speaking and teaching experience, including as a part-time professor at top Canadian universities.

She has been recognized as a leading expert in charity and not-for-profit law by Chambers, Lexpert, and The Best Lawyers in Canada. She also serves in a leadership capacity on several charity and not-for-profit boards and has provided legal advice to many land trusts and other environmental organizations.

Sue joined the CLC Board in 2022 to contribute to the protection and stewardship of Canada’s natural environment, a cause that was the focus of her long career with the Government of Canada. Sue was the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Canadian Wildlife Service before she retired in 2021.She lead the service’s transformation into a modern conservation organization which placed significant emphasis on the creation and management of protected areas and recovery of species at risk. Earlier in her career she worked other environmental issues at both Environment Canada and Health Canada.

Sue currently serves as the President of her neighbourhood’s Community Association and has recently joined the Board of the Queensway Pinecrest Community Health Centre. She also mentors some of the next generation of public service managers.

Eliza is a cattle rancher in Tatlayoko Lake, a small community in the interior of British Columbia. She has served two terms on the national board of the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and now serves on the NCC regional board in British Columbia. She is also a director of The Weston Family Foundation in Canada and the UK.

Kamal Rajani is a seasoned finance executive who has successfully navigated complex financial landscapes, ensured regulatory compliance, and implemented effective risk management strategies to safeguard organizational assets. Recently as CFO for the Nature Conservancy of Canada, he played a pivotal role in managing financial operations and investments that supported the organization’s mission to protect natural habitats and promote biodiversity.

His work has always been driven by a passion for protecting the environment and empowering organizations to achieve their missions. He is deeply committed to supporting initiatives that address the pressing environmental challenges of our time and ensuring the financial health and sustainability of Centre for Land Conservation as it continues to make a meaningful impact.

Tara leads the Mining Association of Canada’s policy work related to Indigenous engagement, wildlife management and biodiversity conservation. She is passionate about responsible mining practices and has several years’ experience working with mining companies, Indigenous organizations and others on the development and implementation of the mining sector’s Towards Sustainable Mining program.

Recognizing the important contribution that the land trust sector makes to conserving biodiversity, Tara joined CLC’s Board of Directors to apply her experience implementing an assurance process for responsible mining standards, to the development of a performance assurance program for the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices.

A philanthropist and impact investor, Laurie is founding Chair and Executive Director of the Chisholm Thomson Family Foundation whose mission is to support and promote environmentally sustainable economic growth in Canada.

Laurie also finances and advises start-up and scale-up ventures primarily in the clean-tech and sustainable food sectors. She is a founding Director and President of Friends of Muskoka, a community organization that advocates for responsible and sustainable shoreline development in cottage country.

Laurie is former Chair of the National Board of the Nature Conservancy Canada and a graduate of Queen’s University (Economics and Math) and Harvard Business School. She and her husband live in Toronto.