Qualified Environmental Professionals (QEP)
Current Environmental staff bring a wealth of project experience and passion to a wide range of environmental fields that include assessment, permitting, prescription development, implementation, and monitoring.
Rupert Wong, B.Sc., R.P. Bio # 705
Rupert Wong is a professional biologist who has lived and worked as an independent consultant in the Comox Valley since 1996. His 23 years of experience include a broad range of projects involving ecological assessments and habitat evaluation work in more than 30 watersheds on Vancouver Island and Queen Charlotte Islands. He has experience in site inventories, design and implementation of habitat restoration and compensation works. Rupert is a competitive paddler and recently traveled to Hawaii and New Caledonia in the French Polynesia to compete for Team Canada. He also likes to ski and beat Warren at Crossfit.
Warren Fleenor, Principal, B.Sc., R.P. Bio #1385
Warren has over 20 years experience as a biologist, working primarily in land-use planning, environmental impact assessment (EIA), habitat enhancement and restoration, and water quality and hydrometric assessment throughout BC. An excellent collaborator, he is lately interested in approaches to mitigating the effects of climate change through ecological design. Warren is a lifetime Vancouver Islander with no plans to leave.
Dusty Silvester – Principal, B.Sc., R.P. Bio #3165
Dusty is a Registered Professional Biologist and Partner in CEL since having joined the team in 2009 as a Technologist. He prides himself on delivering personalized and responsive service, and always working to ensure that CEL clients receive the highest quality advice and support.
Dusty has amassed a wide variety of project experience during his tenure, including management of major infrastructure projects; terrestrial, freshwater, and marine Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); instream fisheries habitat restoration; Phase 1 ESA Contaminated Sites Investigations; marine shoreline protection; erosion and sediment control (ESC) planning; and GIS-based mapping.
When not at his desk, Dusty can be found on the trails, in the mountains, or on the waters surrounding Vancouver Island.
Carly Palmer, Dipl Env Tech, B.Sc., R.B. Tech
Carly has been wading the streams of the Comox Valley since she was six years old, where she first cut her teeth in fish identification and habitat restoration. She has a deep love for ecology, environmental conservation and restoration. Carly has been with Current for six years, and prior to that worked in various roles as an environmental technician and educator for organizations including Parks Canada, Metro Vancouver, and the Mayne Island Conservancy Society.
Carly is currently completing a Masters in Geography at the University of Victoria. She has experience working in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments doing everything from mapping eel grass beds, working to restore wetland and stream habitats, and conducting environmental monitoring for construction. In her spare time Carly enjoys mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and dancing.
Corinne Couture – Cert. Env Professional, ASTTBC
Corinne Couture has been working in the Environmental field for over 22 years and has been with CEL for 4 of them. Corinne has worked extensively in the fields of contaminated sites, environmental monitoring, and instream restoration, including amphibian salvage and construction of amphibian crossings for trails, logging roads and highways. Corinne was one of the lead field staff from CEL working for on the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve ʔapsčiik t’ašii Trail Project and the Bamfield Main Road Surfacing Project and has gained extensive experience working in the west coast Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii regions. Corinne enjoys volunteering for beach cleanups, especially on less accessible beaches on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, and enjoys rollerskating, paddleboarding, hiking and camping during her time off with her rescue pup and family. She’s usually sporting a high-vis hair colour and a smile.
Hannah Sungaila, M.Sc., R.P.Bio #3450
Hannah joined the CEL team in spring 2022. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of British Columbia, a Diploma of Technology in Fish, Wildlife and Recreation from the BC Institute of Technology and a Master of Science Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (Biology) from the University of Northern BC. Hannah has a background in fisheries science, with more than five years of professional experience in fish biology, stock assessment, fisheries management, fish habitat assessment and restoration, hydrometric assessments, and water quality monitoring. Since joining the CEL team, Hannah has diversified her experience and is now involved in a wide range of projects including bio-inventories, impact assessments, stream restoration, environmental management plans, and construction monitoring. After growing up in North Vancouver, Hannah spent nine years in interior BC before returning to the coast in 2022; she is ecstatic to be back by the ocean. Hannah is passionate about growing her own food and enjoys discovering new hiking and swimming spots with her young family and adventurous dog.
Jamie Godfrey – Tech. Dip., B.Sc.
Jamie has a wide range of work experience but has focused on the field of conservation with previous work experience as a fisheries conservation lab tech at DFO’s Pacific Biological Station, a field technologist specializing in wetland plants for the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, and as a field crew lead in a Taylors’ Checkerspot recovery program on Denman and Hornby Islands. Jamie also has 7 years experience as a Ranger with BC Parks, which gives him a solid base for planning and executing trail and park planning projects, working with volunteers and stakeholders, and conducting remote works. Since working with Current, Jamie has gained valuable experience using the provincial Riparian Areas Protection Regulation methodologies to assess streams, environmental monitoring and planning of construction projects, and ecological enhancement and restoration works. Jamie is about to embark on the Pacific Crest Trail for 5 months.
Mikala Wheeler, B.Sc. (Biology)
Mikala is an aspiring Professional Biologist with several years of environmental consulting experience on Vancouver Island, providing a wide range of specialty services for forestry, mining, First Nations, and various levels of government. Specializing in marine and aquatic environments, Mikala is most at home wading through streams, knee deep in a wetland or snorkeling in the intertidal zones of the Salish Sea. She completed a Post Graduate Marine Sciences program at the University of New Brunswick after her B.Sc..
Outside of work, Mikala enjoys leaving cell service for adventurous pursuits of all kinds, usually involving rock climbing, sea kayaking, mountain biking ,or skiing. She is a certified apprentice ACMG Rock Guide and regularly volunteers with the John Howard Society.
Molly Duncan, B.Sc., Biology
Molly has been a part of the Current Environmental team since Summer 2021. She recently made the move out west where she has worked throughout Vancouver Island for government agencies, private clients, and environmental non-profit organizations. Molly has experience in stream and riparian restoration, construction monitoring in sensitive habitats, water quality monitoring, fish habitat sampling, habitat inventory and assessments, GIS mapping, and working with community and stream enhancement groups. In her spare time, you can find Molly hiking in Strathcona Park, up the mountain skiing, or lacing up the skates in the hockey arena.
Sylvie Stewart Grantham – B.Sc. Honours, Biology
Sylvie graduated from the University of Guelph, with a B.Sc. Honours degree in Environmental Biology along with a minor in Biophysical Geography. During her time at Guelph, she developed special interests in ecosystem conservation and forest mycology (fungi!). Sylvie’s research thesis focused on investigating several common wood rot fungi for antagonistic characteristics towards three Armillaria species known to cause root rot in native trees. Having grown up in the Comox Valley, Sylvie was eager to bring her knowledge and experience back to the place she feels most connected to. Outside of work, Sylvie loves Nordic skiing, hiking, kayaking, and knitting an excessive number of toques and socks!
Ardis Mellor-Laing, B.Sc., R.B. Tech in Training.
Ardis was born in Vancouver, BC, spending her childhood exploring the West Coast and fostering a love for the outdoors. Ardis has worked primarily as an Environmental Field Technician in BC and Alberta working for different levels of Government and Non-Profit organizations over the past five years.
This is Ardis’ first year working for Current Environmental and she couldn’t be more excited to live and work in the Comox Valley. Ardis brings her GIS mapping, impressive knowledge of terrestrial and marine species, and passions for conservation ecology and ecosystem restoration to the Current Environmental team. When not in the office, Ardis can be found mountain biking, rock climbing, trail running, or skiing.
Caitlin O’Neill, B.A.Sc., ER Grad
Caitlin completed an undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph in Biology and Geography and graduated from the Ecosystem Restoration post-graduate program at Niagara College in 2013. Over the past five years, Caitlin’s work as a sea kayak guide has taken her to several countries, including New Zealand, Chile, and the Bahamas. Of all of these places, her four seasons of guiding and living on Quadra Island have been the most influential.
Caitlin has experience in riparian zone restoration, ecological land classification surveying, fish salvage and construction monitoring, GIS-based mapping, and water quality monitoring. In her spare time, Caitlin enjoys kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, playing guitar, and learning to pluck a mean banjo.