Our Team

Warren joined the MARS Board of Directors and began volunteering as a wildlife caregiver in 2002, shortly after attending a MARS open house. By 2003 he became president of the board and he hasn’t looked back since.

When he was in his teens, Warren started working in construction and forestry. Warren is a Registered Professional Biologist with the BC College of Applied Biology. He has a BSc in Biology and a Diploma in Forest Resources Management.

In 1999, Warren was presented the award for excellence in Coastal Forest Ecosystem Restoration, and in 2002 he accepted the BC Ministers Award for a society he helped found and manage based in Ucluelet. In 2011, he was granted the Bill Young Award for Excellence in Integrated Forest Resource Management, and in 2020, the Campbell River Mirror Animal Ambassador Local Hero Award.

Warren is also chair of the construction and maintenance committee for MARS and helps plan all sorts of projects from wetland restoration, to flight pens and mews.

After starting a community legal information and advocacy office in the early 1980s in North Vancouver, most of Pearl’s work life was dedicated to law reform activities to protect the rights of people. After a Snowy Owl led Pearl to MARS, she joined the board of directors in January 2006.

Growing up in a rural area, like most kids of her time, Pearl spent every possible moment outside. Just beyond the door was this fascinating and vibrant world of plants and forests filled with the sound of bird calls and insects buzzing, leaving her with a lifelong feeling of connectedness to nature and a need for wildness.

Pearl enjoys collaborating with the other volunteers in the MARS Visitor Centre to create similar “wild” adventures for today’s children and working at any task that keeps MARS running smoothly.

Nicole joined MARS and began volunteering as a wildlife caregiver in 2018, shortly after attending a MARS open house. She quickly became enthralled with the wildlife the hospital dealt with and the variety of new skills she learned as a caregiver, going on to obtain her Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Certificate and pursuing further continuing education in the field. She joined the Board of Directors in 2023 and became Treasurer in 2024, continuing to be a Mentor and Rehabilitation Assistant in the wildlife hospital.

Nicole has worked in the property and casualty insurance industry since 1998, but has always had a passion for animals. She is deeply involved with dog training, in both obedience and agility, and volunteers time as a trainer for a local agility club. Her interest in training aligns her with the education side of MARS as well and she is a member of the Ambassador Bird Committee.

Therisa’s first experience with MARS was many years ago when she was directed to the hospital by a friend for help with some ducklings that were unexpectedly in her care due to a reckless driver. Relieved that there was a refuge for these ducklings in need, and impressed with the kindness and skills of the volunteers, Therisa knew that one day she wanted to be able to give back to MARS.

Being an avid proponent of animal rights and wildlife conservation, Therisa has always been passionate about nature and wildlife. With 20 years of combined volunteer management experience and as a previous board member for multiple non-profit organizations, Therisa is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve with the MARS Board of Directors since 2019.

Candy joined MARS as a volunteer tour guide in the spring of 2023 and was subsequently elected to the board in the fall of 2025. She is driven by a profound commitment to community engagement through education. She excels at introducing MARS to our supporters through stories and laughter creating positive experiences and memories.

For her, MARS provides an environment that fosters professional growth and supportive learning. It has reinforced her dedication to continuous learning and knowledge-base sharing. ”Each day I guide, I have the privilege of taking a group of strangers into the forest and returning with new friends who have shared their own love of nature with me a testament to the invaluable community cultivated at MARS.”

Leona joined MARS in 2019. She has always had a passion for animals of every kind. Growing up in the small community of Gold River, Vancouver Island, the great outdoors was her backyard.

When she heard about the wildlife caregiver role, it seemed like the perfect fit and soon volunteering in the MARS hospital became her happy place. Leona became a volunteer mentor, and wanted to do more. She completed the Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Certificate to add another level to her ability to care for patients.

Her entire working career has been in dentistry. Retiring in April, 2025 gives her more time for MARS. Leona joined the board in November, 2024 and leads the fundraising committee.

As the owner of Tsolum Veterinary Hospital, Nicole believes strongly in supporting her community in meaningful ways. Serving on the Board of Directors allows her to combine her professional experience, personal values, and long-standing passion for avian welfare in support of MARS and its vital work.

Nicole brings experience in wildlife conservation and natural resource management to the Board of Directors. She graduated in the 1990s with a diploma in Fish & Wildlife and Integrated Resource Management and worked for many years in natural resources, including hands-on involvement in raising fledgling Peregrine Falcons in the wild for a reintroduction program.

Nicole also cherished the time she spent assisting Maj and her husband Keith, founders of MARS, when they brought injured birds to the veterinary hospital for medical care and surgery. Those experiences deepened her respect for the dedication, compassion, and expertise required to rehabilitate and advocate for avian wildlife and for MARS.

Lynda has been an animal lover and rescuer as long as she can remember. She has been involved with MARS since 2000, when she was trained as a wildlife caregiver by MARS founder, Maj Birch. Since becoming both a member and a volunteer, she has learned much about wildlife and their habitat, how humans impact both, and what we can do to lessen the damage we cause.

As a member of the board of directors, Lynda has all aspects of MARS at heart, and as chair of the special events committee, she works with other committee members to find ways to raise the funds to carry on the day-to-day operation of our wildlife hospital. She is also administrator of the MARS Facebook page, where she does a fantastic job updating our followers and supporters on both patients and events at MARS!

Robert joined MARS as a volunteer wildlife caregiver when MARS was located on its Headquarters Road location and joined the board shortly after. When MARS founder Maj passed away, he was asked to fill in as manager. He was actively involved in the search for a new property and the transition to the current location when the hospital was under construction.

With a background in adult education and training, he took on the role of education coordinator when the new visitor’s centre was still in the planning stages before construction started. After a few years pursuing other opportunities, Robert returned as visitor centre manager. Recently he rejoined the board continuing to advocate for the MARS mission and connecting us with the Bird Friendly Cities initiative.

For many years Dianne combined administration with work as a cartoonist, painter, and fabric artist. As well, she was part owner of an artists’ co-op store and special events planner for a land development company in Vancouver.

Upon moving with her family to Comox in 2009, it wasn’t long before Dianne discovered MARS. Rehabbing looked like a perfect way to help but she soon found out that it takes a special breed of person to work directly with wildlife, and “I was just not that special!” However, her love of animals and the natural world allowed her to find a niche at MARS when she joined the special events and fundraising committee. She was welcomed by our founder, Maj Birch, and the small group of people who met around a table in her garage It was a cozy space which doubled as a wildlife hospital, reception area, laundry room, kitchen, office, furnace room, and washroom.

In 2015, along with many dedicated sewing volunteers, Dianne began producing the very popular wildlife tote bags for sale as a fundraiser. With her leadership, the team is still at it.

Ginny has been volunteering with MARS since 2019, and a member of the board of directors since 2020.

Having grown up in a large family, Ginny was often kicked outside to play along with her siblings and told not to come back until dinner was ready. Along the way she developed a love of the outdoors and all the beauty it held. It also helped that every orphaned or injured animal, whether domesticated or wild, would gravitate to her front door step, where her mom would care for them.

Once retired and back on the West Coast, becoming a MARS volunteer seemed like a natural fit. She can be found at MARS, guiding, providing virtual tours, or gathering information for the weekly Life on MARS hospital updates. Presently she is spending a lot of quality time with the albino crows, helping to prepare and train them to become ambassadors for MARS

Jan grew up in Ontario and spent family camping trips looking under logs for bugs and saving drowning Monarch butterflies. She enjoys exploring the interconnectedness of nature and was drawn to the MARS mission, to conserve and protect native wildlife and its habitat through education and rehabilitation. She joined the visitor centre team as a guide in 2019.

Since the purchase of the MARS property in 2015, a lot of work has been done by MARS volunteers to improve the land by removing invasives and planting native trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers. Jan joined the team of habitat stewards and spends time wrestling blackberry and admiring the bees.

Jan is on the board for a second term. She is grateful to be working with such a dedicated and fun team of board members, staff, and volunteers.