Our Alumni in the Field

Our Alumni are doing amazing and inspiring things. Read their stories below!

Kelsey
Johansen

This is an image of Kelsey Johansen

Kelsey Johansen is a proud Lakehead University Graduate! After completing her undergraduate degrees in Anthropology, Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism, and Philosophy in May 2008, Kelsey went on to graduate from the MES – NBRT program in May 2011. At the undergraduate level, her Honours Thesis examined scuba diving and dive tourism impacts on marine environments; this ultimately lead into her graduate work studying effective environmental communication with scuba divers. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, Kelsey received encouragement and support from her Advisor, Dr. Rhonda Koster. During her graduate studies at Lakehead, she also worked as a Research Assistant for Dr. Harvey Lemelin on his SSHRC funded project studying the current and historical barriers to insect conservation through content analysis of journal articles.

In addition to her academic studies, Kelsey completed an internship with the Corporation of the Town of Marathon. As the Recreation and Tourism Development Coordinator, Kelsey gained hands-on experience in the areas of tourism and recreation development in a rural community. This built on her experience researching rural community boating tourism and marina development (completed as a Community Service Learning project for OUTD 5733 – Rural Community Tourism Development). While completing her internship, Kelsey focused on specific projects, aimed at building recreation and tourism capacity in Marathon and secured a Celebrate Ontario Grant, valued at $32,000 from the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, to promote the development of the Marathon Summerfest tourism festival. Kelsey also had the opportunity to survey the community to determine their recreation needs, and to research and draft policies aimed at increasing recreation access for persons with disabilities and to facilitate a variety of recreation and tourism programs in partnership with organizations like Parks Canada.

After leaving her internship, Kelsey branched into the field of community and government sustainability. She currently works as the Acting Community Environmental Action Plan Coordinator for the City of Thunder Bay, and facilitates the implementation of an integrated community sustainability plan (ICSP), helping the City of Thunder Bay meet its commitment to reduce greenhouse gases, address issues related to environmental sustainability and food security, and ameliorate the effects of climate change along the North shore of Lake Superior. This work is being completed through EarthWise® - a partnership between the City of Thunder Bay and the community and a participant in ICLEI's Partners for Climate Protection Program.

Kelsey is also worked as a Contract Lecturer for the School of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, teaching OUTD 3312 FA/ FB, Risk Management & Legal Liability in Outdoor Recreation.

Kelsey also volunteers as the Publicity Director for the Voyaguer Trail Association's Coordinating Council and sits on the Kinghorn Rails to Trails Project Committee. She is an SSI certified Master Diver and when not working, Kelsey can be found traveling the world or hiking, paddling (canoe, kayak, SUP), snowshoeing or scuba diving in North Shore communities.

  • MES – Nature-Based Recreation and Tourism (Lakehead), 2011
  • HBOR – Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism (Lakehead), 2008
  • HBSc – Anthropology (Lakehead), 2008
  • BA – Philosophy (Lakehead), 2008

Gail
Johnson

This is an image of Gail Johnson

As a graduate from Lakehead University and ORPT with an HBOR specialized in Tourism and a BA majoring in Geography I had the skills to launch into a lucrative career in the hospitality industry. I am currently the Front Office Supervisor at a brand new Marriott Hotel in Hamilton managed by Concord Hospitality.

As a student in ORPT I was given many opportunities to interact with the real world allowing me to practice the skills I was learning. As the ORPT/Lakehead University representative on the North of Superior Tourism Association I met many contacts who were an inspiration to me and I learned a lot about trends and forecasting. My involvement in other events such as organizing and running an Earth Day event for some local schools and being a member of a committee developing a tourism conference allowed me to practice all the skills I was taught ORPT.

The management, leadership and team building skills I developed while in ORPT assisted me in my career and have led to me doing some consultant work and training for Concord. This involves traveling to their various properties to work with the staff creating a team that will provide the best possible customer service.

Concord Hospitality is the fastest growing hospitality management company with a 35% annual growth rate. Their success stems from their four cornerstones: Quality, Integrity, Community, & Profitability. Concord Hospitality is a great company to work for and I owe my success within the company to my education and the great professors in ORPT.

Kim
Monaghan

This is an image of Kim Monaghan

I graduated from the ORPT/Bachelor of Science program in 2003.  It was through the courses that I took in this double degree program that I gained a real passion for conservation.  My experience at Lakehead put me on course for some pretty amazing opportunities in an ever-expanding field of work!

Since graduating I've worked on ecological field studies for Ducks Unlimited in Saskatchewan and for the Canadian Wildlife Service in the eastern Arctic.  I also worked for a time in the field of ecological restoration in New Zealand.  Most recently I had a chance to work on private land conservation and stewardship with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

The great thing about the Outdoor Recreation program was that it allowed me the chance to develop skills in many disciplines.  No other program would have offered me such a diversity of courses or given me the same opportunity to tailor my learning path to such a degree.  In addition to a well-rounded education, the program provided me with great opportunities to learn from my peers in a friendly, open-minded and supportive community atmosphere.

I had a great experience at Lakehead and I know that the ORPT program is what led me to pursue the work I'm doing today.  Currently, I'm doing my Masters in Environmental Studies at Dalhousie in Halifax.  For my thesis project, I'm working in collaboration withEnvironment Canada to study how nature conservation projects can, in addition to using science to preserve the environment, help people to become more environmentally aware, caring and active.

Fiona
Hough

I work as the Program Director for British Columbia for Outward Bound Canada. I have been with Outward Bound Canada on and off since 1995. I am also a Paddle Canada Advanced Instructor Trainer in multiple disciplines (Moving Water Canoe and Canoe Tripping, working towards same level in Sea kayak and Ocean Canoe in 2012).

I earned my ORPT/BA Geography degree in 1995 and an OEE Bachelor of Education from Queen's University in 2000. I am currently working on a Master of Arts (Education) from the University of British Columbia.

Within Outward Bound, we work with youth and adults on urban and wilderness-based experiential learning programs geared towards personal development and growth. Nationally we offer programs for veterans, male and female survivors of abuse, New Canadians, youth at risk, school and community groups, aboriginal youth as well as open enrollment youth and adult programs. The program is divided nationally by course area - Eastern Canada (lake and river travel, urban adventure based learning and curricular programs, winter dogsledding), Alberta (Mountain travel) and BC (Ocean travel and coastal backpacking).

Why pursue ORPT?

It is a good program (I think even better than when I was there), great faculty, but most of all an enormous community of people in the field who know and have gone through the program. Many Outward Bound staff are ORPT grads, as well as many of those I have worked with over the years (my classmate and good friend Scott MacGregor started Rapid Magazine, for example). While not everyone stays in the field from the program, those who do are good at what they do and knowledgeable about the industry.

  • ORPT/BA Geography

Luc
Cousineau

This is an image of Luc Cousineau

I have been a lifelong camper with more than 20 years of summer camping experience as a participant and employee. I was able to cater my education and my ORPT experience to the skills that are required to be successful in the residential summer camping field. This included my thesis which bridged my ORPT and Women's Studies degrees and examined gender bias in the leadership preferences of seasonal summer camp staff persons.

Immediately after leaving Lakehead I entered into full-time employment in the field working with the YMC A of Simcoe/Muskoka, and subsequently have moved to the YMCA-YWCA of Guelph to pursue an employment opportunity there.

I have continued with academic pursuits writing articles for industry publication and wider ORPT journal publication.

Why should other students pursue and ORPT education at Lakehead?

Your degree may say that it is Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism, but it really is much more than that. This degree prepares you to be lead right out of school, and to excel in leadership within your chosen field. You have more experience working in groups than most, and you have experience both leading and working as a team in that group atmosphere. ORPT grads are some of the most creative and active problem solvers that I have employed or worked with. You are infinitely employable in many, many fields, and the theoretical base knowledge that you can gain through this program can carry you a long way in business, the outdoors, or abroad.

Jennifer
Bond

This is an image of Jennifer Bond

In 2004, I graduated from the School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism with an Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation (specialization in Parks), and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Sciences. In 2006, I graduated with a Master of Environmental Studies in Nature-Based Recreation and Tourism. My thesis focused on whitewater paddlers in Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks.

That same year, I joined the interpretation team at St. Lawrence Islands National Park (SLINP), in Brockville, Ontario. SLINP is Canada's third smallest National Park, but it is one of the most diverse. We occupy only about 22 square kilometres, but we are stretched over 80 kilometres of the St. Lawrence River, in the heavily impacted region of Southern Ontario. Because of our small size, one of our major strategies is outreach and interpretation to create partnerships with local residents and visitors from farther away to create an awareness and interest in the region and its care.

Currently, I am a Park Interpreter based out of the Interpretation Centre in Mallorytown Landing. I am one of two primary interpreters at the Centre responsible for all the programs, displays, and exhibits at the Centre.

The ORPT program, its courses and opportunities (such as the exchange program to Charles Sturt University in New South Wales, Australia) gave me a great foundation in interpretation, environmental issues, and the natural environment. The skills I learned while in ORPT have been essential to my success in my chosen field – one that I am enjoying every day.

  • HBOR (specialization in Parks)
  • MES-NBRT

Christopher
Britt

This is an image of Christopher Britt

I graduated from the ORPT concurrent education program in 2010 and went ahead and moved out to Vancouver British Columbia to peruse a career in education. I took a position at York House School which is a medium sized private school on the West coast. I teach in the senior science department, both junior classes and senior, while over-seeing the outdoor education program.

The biggest perk to the job is being involved in the Outdoor Education Program at the school. The program runs from grade 3-10 and offers a variety of experiences, culminating in a 4 day backpacking trip up a local mountain. Teaching and getting to know the students out of a formal classroom setting is an amazing experience. It does incredible things for the classroom dynamic. I am also involved in risk management at the school, from offsite activities to day to day operations.

The school of ORPT prepared me as a facilitator and educator. It prepared me for work in coordinating, managing and running off site activities for youth, both from the risk management perspective and the facilitator role. Leadership and reflection are an integral part of any educator and Lakehead's ORPT program offers both. Very rarely do you get a program that can zero in on such interpersonal skills. Along with the faculty and staff provided a life changing education, one key component that cannot be forgotten is its setting. The Thunder Bay campus offers a university experience like no other. Something that truly needs to be experienced and preserved. As a student if you are looking for a unique, one of a kind and meaningful education look no further.

  • HBOR (Leadership), 2010
  • BEd 2010, BSc 2009, OCT and British Columbia Teacher Certification

Matthew
Bowes

Matt graduated from the Master of Environmental Studies in Nature Based Recreation & Tourism (MES) program at Lakehead University in November of 2006. He quickly entered a PhD in Geography at University of Victoria September of 2006 but life is full of surprises. In the spring of 2007, an opportunity became available to purchase the Vancouver Island paddling division of Gabriola Island Cycle & Kayak (GCK), a pioneering adventure outfitter established in 1987 based in the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia.

The PhD was put on hold and in the fall of 2008 Matt & partner Jen Smith (a fellow Lakehead University MES and HBOR/BSc graduate) commenced their first year of operation as Gabriola Sea Kayaking (GSK).  "Both Jen & I had both been working with GCK for a number of years in British Columbia and Baja California Sur, Mexico as guides and managers. We have loved the business and the company from day one and have always dreamed of owning our own, so it was a natural transition." Matt is also faculty in the tourism program at Camosun College in Victoria BC, a freelance writer and photographer, private consultant in recreation and tourism planning, and is currently president of the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of British Columbia (SKGABC).

"The MES experience at Lakehead U provided a theoretical and experiential background to my existing skills and abilities. I was truly allowed the freedom and flexibility to blend my passion for the outdoors, the BC Coast, adventure education and paddling with my academic pursuits. The program has enriched my ability to perform in a demanding, challenging and very competitive nature based tourism industry overwhelmed by complexity and externalities. It has provided depth to my decision making, values, teaching, writing, and critical thinking, enhanced by research and the outstanding mentorship and guidance I received from the ORPT faculty and staff. The incredible people, good friends and sense of community within the program top off what I regard as an uncommonly profound learning experience."

Matt & Jen currently spend their time between their sailboat and jobs in Victoria BC, base of operations and Gabriola Island, and sea kayaking all over the west coast of Vancouver Island during peak season.

  • MES-NBRT

Carolyn
Wendt

This is an image of Carolyn Wendt

My time as an ORPT student at Lakehead taught me many things. I loved the opportunity to study a variety of topics and participate in two degrees that gave me numerous options upon graduation. I may not have known what I wanted to do while I was studying, but I surely knew I was in the right learning environment. Close contact with professors and fellow students supported educational goals I wouldn't have accomplished on my own. I came to the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) on the recommendation of a friend one summer nine years ago. I have worked a variety of positions for NOLS in wonderful and exotic locations, with the freedom to create and shape my own job. Some of my proudest moments include the opportunities I've had to visit ORPT classes at Lakehead U as a fellow professional who has a story to share, remembering where it all began. Today, as a trained personal coach I take all of these experiences and support the growth of others, building the life that I love.

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