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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Erik Holbek
PRESIDENT - Barkley Community Forest
Erik was born and raised on Vancouver Island and grew up working on the family farm and woodlot in Black Creek. After graduating from UBC Forestry, Erik eventually returned to the island and was lucky to join Econ Consulting, which he now owns and operates. Econ provides professional forestry consulting services to a wide range of small and medium sized tenure holders on Vancouver Island, including the Barkley Community Forest where Erik fills the General Manager role.
Molly Hudson
SECRETARY – Cheakamus Community Forest
Molly Hudson is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) and Biologist (RPBio) with over 10 years of leadership in sustainable forestry. As Vice President of Forestry & Sustainability at Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation, she oversees Squamish Forestry and supports the Squamish Nation’s forestry vision, integrating Indigenous values, climate action, and ecological stewardship. She serves on multiple boards, including as a Director-at-Large for the Forest Professionals BC (FPBC) Board. A frequent speaker on building a more diverse and equitable forest sector, Molly is also passionate about mentorship. Named one of Canadian Forest Industries’ Top 20 Under 40, she brings collaborative, values-driven leadership to forestry in BC.
Warren Hansen
DIRECTOR – Sunshine Coast Community Forest
Warren Hansen is a professional forester with diverse experience, he has been involved in forestry planning at the Sunshine Coast Community Forest since the beginning. He took on the role of Operations Manager of the Sunshine Coast in 2021 through a management contract with Chartwell Resources Group Ltd. Since then, he has led the Community Forest on a different path to more sustainable forestry practices, introducing Ecosystem Based Management in his first season as Manager, and inviting the Community into the planning.
Apart from managing the Sunshine Coast Community Forest, in Warren’s role as Managing Forester and Partner of Chartwell Resource Group Ltd, he continues to provide project management services for large capital projects, estimating logging/road building costs for forestry firms and energy developers, and manages land permits, licensing, and woodlots.
Outside work, Warren is a passionate mountain biker and trail builder and an active community recreation volunteer. Warren has given his time and expertise to many local organizations and events including the Sunshine Coast Trails Society, Coast Mountain Bike Trail Association, and BC Bike Race. Between his work and his personal interests, Warren spends a lot of time in our forests and knows them as well as anyone!
Donna Brochez
DIRECTOR – Burns Lake Community Forest
Donna Brochez is the Silviculture Specialist with Burns Lake Community Forest Ltd., where she oversees silviculture operations including planting, surveys, juvenile spacing, pre-commercial thinning, prescribed burning, and First Nations engagement. She is responsible for ensuring all projects meet legislative, contractual, and professional standards while also mentoring summer students. Donna is an active contributor to the forestry profession, serving on the Audit and Practice Review Committee of Forest Professionals BC and the Northern Silviculture Committee. She also contributes to Forest Landscape Planning initiatives and is a member of the International Association of Wildland Fire. Donna brings valuable expertise in stewardship, wildfire resilience, and sustainable forest management to the BC Community Forest Association Board of Directors.
Coulter Roberts
VICE PRESIDENT - Westbank Community Forest
Coulter grew up in Westbank, BC, he spent his childhood exploring the forests in his back yard. After graduating from UBCO with an undergraduate degree in Biology in 2015 Coulter got a summer job with Ntityix Resources LP, Westbank First Nation’s forest management company. Ntityix Resources manages the Westbank First Nation Community Forest and newly designated First Nations Woodland License (formerly a Replaceable Forest License).
Getting the opportunity to work in and learn about forestry in his own community sparked Coulter’s passion for forestry and his temporary position turned into a career in forestry. Coulter has since got his Registered Professional Forester Designation and works as Ntityix Resources’ Planning Forester. Coulter has been lucky to be able to bring his local knowledge into the management of the Westbank First Nation Community Forest.
Randy Spyksma
PAST PRESIDENT – Logan Lake Community Forest
Randy is the manager of the Logan Lake Community Forest (LLCF). He leads a team of specialists that have transitioned the community forest from Mountain Pine Beetle salvage to a more green-wood focused program, responding now to the significant impacts from the 2021 Tremont Creek Wildfire. He has helped facilitate significant focus and investments by the LLCF in recreation trails and wildfire risk management, demonstrating the key role of local/community engagement and involvement in forest management.
Randy is also a Senior Planning Forester with Forsite Consultants Ltd. and leads the companies wildfire risk management services. His passion is in the design and implementation of planning processes that bring groups and individuals together to tackle challenging forest and land management situations. He joined the Board of the BCCFA in 2021.
Brian Frenkel
DIRECTOR – Vanderhoof Community Forest
Brian Frenkel brings more than four decades of experience in forestry, governance, and community leadership to the BC Community Forest Association Board of Directors. A lifelong advocate for rural and resource-based communities, Brian has dedicated much of his career to advancing sustainable forest management and public policy in British Columbia. He has served as a Vanderhoof councillor for more than 20 years, held leadership roles with the Union of BC Municipalities, the Managed Forest Council, and the Minister's Forest and Range Practices Advisory Council, and has contributed to numerous initiatives supporting resilient forest-based communities. Brian's deep understanding of forestry, coupled with his commitment to stewardship, collaboration, and strong local governance, brings valuable insight to the BCCFA and its members.
Denise English
TREASURER – Golden & Area Community Forest
As an independent forestry consultant, for the last 20 years Denise has focused primarily on small scale forest management for family directed woodlots and private land. And recently guiding project management for wildfire risk reduction. Since the late 90’s Denise has been a strong advocate for a Golden and Area Community Forest. Over the last eight years she has taken on the role of Team Lead for this community endeavor.
Denise’s experience as a volunteer with not-for-profit organizations, include President of the Forest Practice Board of Canada, Woodlot Products Development Council and Secretary Treasurer of the Columbia Woodlot Association and Golden Visual Art’s Society.
Work as a Forester and volunteering, along with farming, hiking and creating art, are what Denise calls hobbies.
Ken Nielsen
PAST SECRETARY/TREASURER – Chinook Community Forest
Ken started his career in forestry in the early 80s when the forest industry in British Columbia continued to experience noticeable changes. At the time, several mills began to automate many of their intensive labour activities, and many rural communities depended greatly on forestry as their primary source of employment.
As the General Manager of Chinook Community Forest, Ken oversees forestry and logging operations, wildfire salvage projects, and wildfire mitigation efforts. The work Ken and his team carries out in the community forest ensures environmental sustainability and employment opportunities for economic and social growth.
The community forest agreement includes eight partnerships consisting of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, the Village of Burns Lake, Lake Babine Nation, Skin Tyee First Nation, Nee Tahi Buhn Indian Band, Burns Lake Indian Band (Ts’il Kaz Koh), Cheslatta Carrier Nation and Wet’suwet’en First Nation. The collaboration between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities ensures an equal voice and equity in all forest stewardship operations.
Francis Johnson
DIRECTOR – Esk’etemc Community Forest
Francis Johnson is the Forest Manager with Alkali Resource Management Ltd. and a member of the Esk’etemc First Nation (formerly Alkali Lake First Nation). With a strong commitment to Indigenous stewardship and sustainable forest management, Francis brings extensive experience in community forestry, wildfire resilience, and ecosystem restoration. His work integrates Secwépemc traditional knowledge and values with contemporary forest management practices to support healthy forests and communities. Francis has led projects focused on wildfire risk reduction, forest carbon management, and habitat enhancement, and is a respected presenter on Indigenous approaches to land stewardship. His collaborative and innovative approach brings valuable perspectives to the BC Community Forest Association Board of Directors.
STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jennifer Gunter, MRM
With over 20 years of experience working in community forestry and community economic development, Jennifer is a passionate advocate for community-based resource management. The granddaughter of a woodsman, Jennifer was born and raised in New Brunswick and moved to British Columbia in 1996 to pursue a Masters in Resource Management from Simon Fraser University, focusing on community forestry. After completing her studies, Jennifer moved to Kaslo, BC where she lived for 15 years with her family on a small farm. Relocating to Victoria in 2014, Jennifer continues to devote her energy to building sustainable local economies and to forest management that benefits local people while creating more resilient ecosystems. One of the co-founders of the BCCFA and long time Executive Director, she has had the pleasure of working with the Board of Directors, staff and membership to help it grow from an organization of just 10 member communities to one of over 100.
SENIOR MANAGER
Susan Mulkey
With a background in social work, mediation, and six years as a tree planter, in the early 1990s Susan dove into the deep end of land use planning as the assistant mediator with the Commission on Resources and the Environment (CORE) West Kootenay Land Use Planning table. She found the complex, multiparty process compelling and subsequently shifted her career focus from families to forestry and communities.
In 1996 she facilitated the formation of the Kaslo and District Community Forest, and the awarding of a 15-year volume based tenure to a non-profit society, that migrated to a long term CFA in 2008. She participated in the creation of the BCCFA in 2002 and continues to be an enthusiastic student of community forestry. Susan lives in Kaslo, BC.
MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH
Carly Dow
With over a decade of experience working with land management and forestry organizations, Carly has engaged in various responsibilities, including fieldwork and data collection, research, education and outreach, communications and media, creative writing, graphic design, and administrative support. She graduated with Honors from the Environmental Studies program at the University of Manitoba and holds a certificate in Communications Strategies for Resource Practitioners from the UBC Faculty of Forestry. Carly is deeply passionate about her work in this field, and she is also a professional musician and published poet. Currently residing in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, she loves to spend her free time hiking and paddling.