Janet Antonio (she/her) | Executive Director
Janet is grateful to live in a region rich in natural beauty and green spaces. No matter how busy and hectic her life becomes, she can always find peace, tranquility and beauty in a park. Her hope is to continue building on the legacy of Regional Parks for the enrichment of children of today and the generations that follow.
Rafa Narciso (he/him) | Program Coordinator
CTS was a major part of Rafa’s life growing up. It allowed him to play, learn, and connect with others in nature. Nothing makes him happier than seeing himself in others as they reconnect with the world that has always surrounded them. Rafa wants to bring out the childish curiosity that everyone has within them.
Rachelle McBride (she/her) | Media & Communications
Growing up in the Fraser Valley allowed Rachelle to spend lots of time enjoying all that our regional parks have to offer. She knows that days spent among the trees and nights spent under that stars are some of the best memories that life will give you. Rachelle is grateful her love of digital design, nature and the passion and curiosity of youth was bundled up into one awesome role at CTS.
Summer 2021 Mentorvisors
Sofia Slater (she/her) | Pacific Spirit
Sofia goes way back with CTS. She started off as a participant in 2013 and loved the amazing community within CTS. Inspired by the program, she went on to become a Peer Leader for 3 summers, working with youth in the outdoors and gaining many skills along the way. In her free time, Sofia loves snowboarding, dancing, and essentially any water sport! She is currently going into her fourth year at the University of Waterloo studying Environment & Business in their honours and co-op program. She also has a very random mish-mash of minors, certifications and diploma add-ons with her degree that you should totally ask her about.
Sofia loves the outdoors and is passionate about making nature more accessible to young people in order to foster their love for caring for the planet.
Bethanea Chou (she/her) | Pacific Spirit
Though small in stature, Bethanea has always demonstrated a big love for promoting positive change. As a Mentorvisor, Bethanea hopes to empower youth and create supportive spaces for personal development just like the program did for her.
In the fall, Bethanea will be entering her second year at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Outside of class, Bethanea loves singing vocal jazz, studying cinematography, and upcycling objects into functional tools or fashionable clothing.
Bethanea is excited to meet this year’s PLs and Participants and continue making CTS an extraordinary place for connection, experiential education, and growth.
Miku Yamada (she/her) | Capilano
Joining CTS back in 2016, Miku has grown up with the program as a participant, Peer Leader, Youth Council President and is simply overjoyed to be back this year as a Mentorvisor! She believes that the power of the program comes from its ability to turn youth into confident leaders and to connect youth to local parks. She is super excited to support and welcome all youth joining the CTS community this summer and can’t wait to have a blast in the parks together!
Miku is a third-year undergraduate student studying Environmental Science at UBC and loves anything to do with mosses, fungi and the intertidal ecosystem! On her free time, she loves dancing, walking with her sausage dog Saku, watching kdramas/jdramas and volunteering every Saturday in the beautiful Camosun Bog!
Serena Sturton (she/her) | Capilano
Growing up exploring British Columbia’s diverse ecosystems, Serena developed a strong love, care and connection to the natural world. Being an avid adventure seeker, Serena works to actively interact with the environment through some of her favourite activities which include hiking, dancing, snowboarding, camping, swimming and sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows (yes, eating s’mores is an activity)
Through her experiences and studies, she has learned the importance for the conservation, mitigation and protection of Earth’s ecosystems. She is a strong believer in the power of education as well as the collaborative voices and actions of youth coming together to make lasting positive impacts on the environment.
Going into her fourth year of Natural Resources Conservation at UBC, Serena hopes to share her passion and love for ecology, wildlife, conservation, leadership and sustainability with Participants and Peer Leaders and she cannot wait to learn together with everyone she meets this CTS camp season!
Eilean McCutchon (she/her) | Burnaby Lake
As a life-long outdoor enthusiast and bird nerd Eilean is thrilled to be involved with CTS as a Mentorvisor for her second summer. Eilean was introduced to CTS in 2019 as a Mentorvisor and fell in love with the program especially with the passion peer leaders and returning participants had for uplifting each other, doing their part to contribute to nature conservation and experiencing the natural beauty parks have to offer.
Eilean is a graduate of the Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program at BCIT and currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ecological Restoration at BCIT. Eilean enjoys camping, wildlife photography, and bird watching.
Eilean is looking forward to another amazing summer with CTS and getting to know new peer leaders and participants.
Emmanda Zhang (she/her) | Burnaby Lake
Emmanda started her journey with Catching the Spirit as a participant in 2016. Ever since then, she has never looked back. As someone who has personally experienced how influential the program can be, she is very excited to come back as a Mentovisor to contribute in any way she can. Ever since her grandma taught her how to grow and care for a garden at the age of seven, she has always loved being in nature. She was able to grow this passion through stewardship projects volunteering as a Peer Leader, and also during her time spent as a member of the Crazy Boggers at the Camosun Bogs. Other than being a plant enthusiast, they are also a student at Queen’s University where they are currently working towards a Geography major, Sociology minor and a Media Studies certificate. If you ever want to discuss social science topics, they’re your person! In her free time, Emmanda is working on her personal passion projects of writing a comic, reuniting with her cello, and caring for her newly adopted chow chow. Emmanda can’t wait to meet new and familiar faces at CTS again, and is looking forward to encouraging and supporting the Peer Leaders to help them grow and achieve their leadership goals!
Annie Kim (she/her) | Tynehead
The great outdoors has always been a very special place for Annie. Whether it’s waking up for a hike at sunrise or paddle boarding at sunset, the outdoors is a place where she has created the most wonderful memories and lasting friendships.
Annie will be returning to UBC in the fall for her fourth year in the Natural Resource Conservation program and has dedicated her life path to giving a little back to the Earth that has given her so much joy and wonder.
Annie is incredibly excited to connect her love for nature with her passion for working with youth in this unique season with CTS!
Jessica Ludwig (she/her) | Tynehead
CTS Youth Society has been a large part of Jessica’s life since she started as a participant in 2012, and then in 2015 Jessica became a peer leader with CTS. Through CTS Jessica has made many friends and memories, while developing her leadership skills and working with the environment. Jessica’s experience with CTS has inspired her passion for the outdoors. Now Jessica is excited to be a part of this year’s mentovisor team to help others do the same!
Jessica is entering her fourth year at the University of Victoria. She is working towards an Elementary Education Degree. She has a passion for working with children and youth and connecting learning to the local environment.
Jessica is looking forward to a summer filled with lots of fun activities and stewardship projects!
