Catherine (she/her) grew up in the coastal rainforest on traditional Stó꞉lō land of the Fraser Valley. She spent her childhood climbing trees, mastering frog-catching techniques, building elaborate (albeit very temporary) bug zoos in the woods, and enjoying the company of her many animal companions, including a herd of champion dairy goats with the 4-H program. Years of wandering the wild world and concrete jungles of Canada, the US, Europe, Asia, Africa and Central America, tracking lions in the South African bushveld and tracing Celtic ancestry through misty moors eventually led to following her recent ancestors to what we now call Victoria, where she has rooted herself amidst Arbutus trees since 2016. In her pursuit of building a relationship to place and giving back to the natural world she spent over a decade as a Wildlife Rehabilitator which gives her a unique understanding of many of our local species.

Following her own nature connection journey naturally led to mentoring through an inspiration to help others deepen into their own connection to self and place. Catherine is passionate about the intersection of nature and psyche and believes that these ways of remembering lend to an ethics of environmental care and stewardship. She was introduced to 8 Shields and Coyote mentoring through Wilderness Awareness School's Tracking Intensive in 2015, and found her way to Thriving Roots Tend the Fire Apprenticeship in 2021 where she also began mentoring kids and adults through various nature connection organizations. She has continued with the Wild & Alive program and as a youth program sub, and is thrilled to now be officially part of the mentoring team. 

Catherine also holds an MA in Environmental Education and Communication through Royal Roads University and pursues ongoing training with Animas Valley Institute. An artist and naturalist at heart, she remains a lifelong apprentice to the natural world, immersing herself in the stories of wildlife tracking, bird language, organic art materials, wild food and medicine making. She loves sharing beauty and inspiration in nature and art-making, bringing joy through music and song, solving naturalist mysteries (or reveling in the unknown), and connecting with her own inner child through play and games. She lives with a doglike cat, a catlike dog, and a corn snake, and enjoys painting wildlife on driftwood and beach stones, ocean swimming, and following animal trails through the forest.