With a background in communications, community engagement, and environmental advocacy, Andrea has devoted her career to safeguarding the natural world.
She has spent the last decade volunteering and working with conservation organizations in Australia and Canada, including the Australian Marine Conservation Society, The Nature Conservancy, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, and most recently, the Ancient Forest Alliance, where she helped influence the BC government to take significant steps to protect at-risk old-growth forests.
Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts and Business Degree from the University of Waterloo and a Masters of Environmental Management from the University of Queensland.
She’s thrilled to support Canopy’s mission to transform global supply chains for the benefit of Earth’s forests and wild species while upholding Indigenous and community rights.
More about me
I grew up spending many happy hours roaming and playing in the beautiful Douglas-fir forests of Southwest British Columbia. Living on a small island in the Salish Sea, I also spent a lot of time in and on the ocean.
A passion for music and writing drove my early studies and career ambitions, but it wasn’t until I moved to Australia in 2010 that I became a conservationist. Waking up to the wild and wondrous creatures and ecosystems around me – and rampant environmental destruction – sparked a fire that burns even brighter today.
I’m lucky to now live in beautiful Vancouver where you can usually find me binge-watching baking shows, doing yoga, wandering in the forest, paddling, skiing, or walking my rescue dog, Jack.
Why are forests important to me
There is nothing like standing in an ancient, primeval forest to instill a sense of peace, wonder, and wholeness. Ancient forests represent the most profound expressions of time where all living things have been brought into a complex and beautiful balance. Our own survival and resilience depend on our ability to respect and protect that balance.
Why Canopy
I love that Canopy is solutions-focused, creative, collaborative, and wildly ambitious. I also love how optimism, fun, and an ‘anything’s possible’ attitude are intentionally baked into Canopy’s culture.
Ask me about
Bushwhacking through BC’s old-growth forests; Australian slang words; meditation, cold plunges, and Stoic philosophy; why midnight is the best time to go sea kayaking; and my ambitions of being an opera singer in a past life.
What ruffles my feathers
When people with the power to make positive change lack the courage to do so. Also, when we fail to recognize each other’s humanity or the inherent rights and values of non-human beings. Oh, and littering!
Octopuses are curious, imaginative, and playful creatures who love to explore their environment. Although they may occasionally come across as a little weird and antisocial, they forge close friendships and collaborate wonderfully with other animals – yes, even humans! They’re highly sensitive, yet easy-going and good-natured, make great multi-taskers and problem-solvers, and are just a little bit cheeky.
