We want you to love your experience outdoors.

Louise Pedersen
Executive Director

Louise joined ORCBC in 2019 with a vision to enhance the impact, diversity and sustainability of the organization. She holds an M.Sc. in natural resource management and a post-graduate diploma in public relations. She has a long resume in the philanthropic and communications fields for nature organizations in Canada and the UK. Louise lives in Revelstoke and is an outdoor enthusiast, to say the least: kayaking, nordic skiing, gravel biking, fishing and camping.

louisepedersen@orcbc.ca

Ximena Diaz Lopez
Fund Development Officer

Ximena returned to ORCBC in May 2022 after graduating from UBC Sauder School of Business with a BCom specializing in marketing. She previously worked on advancing efforts to build a BC Trail Fund as well as filling outdoor recreation research gaps in the province. Ximena is back to continue supporting ORCBC projects. She lives on the North Shore and her favourite outdoor activities include trail running, cycling, and swimming.

ximenalopez@orcbc.ca

Soraya Olszewski
Communication & Engagement Officer

With a postgraduate certificate in Environmental Visual Communication and a Bachelor of Education in Outdoor and Experiential Education, Soraya uses meaningful storytelling to connect people with the outdoors and to inspire them to protect the places they love. Soraya currently works and plays out of Nelson, where you can find her camping, paddling, fly fishing, skiing, and documenting the adventures on her camera all the while.

communication@orcbc.ca

Natalie Marsnik
Bookkeeper

Nat is CEO and Founder of Chickadee Nonprofit Solutions, a Vancouver-based team whose mission is to empower and equip nonprofits with strong financial systems and skill building. An accredited Certified Professional Bookkeeper (CPB) and Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP), Nat also holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from McGill University and a Fine Arts diploma. When not immersed in spreadsheets, Nat enjoys screenwriting, bird-watching, and dog agility.

Ryan Stuart
Feature Writer & Webinar Facilitator

As a freelance writer, Ryan contributes to many of the top outdoor magazines and websites in Canada and the U.S. His favourite assignments combine adventure sports, responsible recreation and environmental sustainability, so writing for ORCBC was a perfect fit. He has been contributing blog posts and articles covering everything from Indigenous relations to trail funding advocacy since 2021. When he’s not writing from his home office on Vancouver Island you will find him skiing, surfing, mountain biking, paddling, climbing and running.