Our Team

Jim Herbers

Executive Director

Jim Herbers is the Executive Director of Biodiversity Pathways. He has been actively sharing the story and the science of biodiversity since 2004, first through the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) and now also across Biodiversity Pathways’ work in Alberta, British Columbia, and beyond.

He has an extensive background in research, planning and ecology, and for many years has been providing leadership in the areas of science development, strategic governance, engagement and consultation, and business development. At Biodiversity Pathways, he leads an organization that connects wildlife science, environmental sensing, avian modelling, geospatial analysis, and Indigenous-led programs through five centres and partnerships with universities across Canada. His work has helped build a uniting force that brings together scientists, managers, and Indigenous communities to address environmental monitoring needs.

Jim holds an M.Sc. from the Department of Forest Sciences, University of British Columbia and a B.Sc. from the Department of Zoology at the University of Alberta.

When not building awareness on biodiversity science, he likes to spend time with his family exploring Canada’s wilderness.

Colleen Scott

Program Manager

Colleen Scott has been a Program Manager since 2006, first with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) and now with Biodiversity Pathways as well. What started out as a short-term engagement turned into a long-term commitment to the vision and mission of both organizations. Working with such an enthusiastic and committed group of people has made her years fly by! Her days are spent managing all things corporate, supporting our Executive Director and working with our Board of Directors and Members.

Colleen came to the ABMI from the Alberta government, where she worked with government and industry forest management specialists. Prior to that, she worked in both the private and not-for-profit sectors. She has a diverse employment history, with more than 20 years of experience in project and issues management, strategic communications consulting, emergency management, and planning and development.

She was educated at MacEwan and Royal Roads Universities and is an accredited business communicator.

Dr. Marcia Ferraz

Manager of Operations

Marcia Ferraz has been the Operations Manager for Biodiversity Pathways since March 2026, supporting the organization’s work across our Centres and university partners.

Marcia came to Biodiversity Pathways from a research career built across Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, and Canada. Most recently she was a Researcher with the Toronto Zoo and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Before moving to Canada she was a Professor of Clinical-Experimental Reproductive Medicine at Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, where she also led a research group at the Gene Center, and earlier held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

Marcia holds a Ph.D. from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University, an M.Sc. in Animal Genetics and Biotechnology of Reproduction from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of São Paulo.

After years focused on the reproductive biology of single species, she is enjoying the wider view that comes with biodiversity stewardship, and the chance to help the science reach the people making decisions with it.

Pamela Foster

Finance and Administrative Coordinator

Pamela Foster started with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) in May 2009, right after completing her Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Alberta.

Pamela leads financial management and tracking, human resources management, and general administration for the ABMI’s UofA offices, and carries the day-to-day finance and contracting work for Biodiversity Pathways. She is also responsible for office management and supports the safety protocols and practices at the UofA offices. Even though her focus is on the UofA offices, she works closely with staff and contractors at all ABMI and Biodiversity Pathways locations to keep things running smoothly.

Yvette Umutoni

Program and Admin Assistant

Yvette Umutoni joined Biodiversity Pathways in May 2026 as the Finance and Administration Assistant. She supports the organization’s day-to-day financial and administrative activities, including accounting, financial tracking, records management, and general operational support.

Before joining Biodiversity Pathways, Yvette spent four years working in accounting and administrative roles within the non-profit sector. Her experience includes maintaining accurate financial records, supporting administrative processes, and helping organizations stay organized and efficient. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from MacEwan University.

Yvette is excited to contribute her skills to meaningful environmental work and to be part of a collaborative team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family—whether they are making music together, dancing, or exploring the city’s many trails.

Dr. Erin Bayne

Academic Director, SENSR & Boreal Avian Modelling Centre • Professor, University of Alberta

Dr. Erin Bayne is the Academic Director for both the SENSR and the Boreal Avian Modelling Centre. He is also a Co-Director of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute’s Science Centre and a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta. Dr. Bayne’s research combines ecology with cutting-edge techniques in wildlife monitoring, survey design, geographic information systems (GIS), and habitat modelling to support the development and maintenance of WildTrax.

Dr. Elly Knight

Operational Director, Boreal Avian Modelling Centre

Dr. Elly Knight is an applied ecologist interested in how environmental variation across temporal and spatial scales affects the ecology and population trends of wide-ranging species. She specializes in bringing together large datasets, including acoustic data, to describe the spatiotemporal patterns of bird distribution and abundance and inform when and where wildlife conservation efforts will be most effective. Elly is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta.

Alex MacPhail

Director, SENSR

Alex has over 15 years of experience in wildlife ecology, specializing in large-scale data management from environmental sensors used for species monitoring. His current work focuses on leveraging big data to develop software and data management solutions that advance species conservation and inform decision-making. Since 2018, Alex has led acoustic sensor operations and development for WildTrax at the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, helping to build a large and now international environmental monitoring platform.

Todd Penke

Director, Partnerships for Applied Research Centre

Todd Penke is the Director of the Partnerships for Applied Research Centre (formerly the Engagement Unit) for Biodiversity Pathways, overseeing collaborative efforts with Indigenous communities, government, and industry to mobilize monitoring and implementation work in support of wildlife. He brings 14 years of strategic planning and engagement experience in the social impact and philanthropic sectors, focusing first on global health and development before shifting to conservation over the past five years.  

Dr. Rob Serrouya

Co-Director, Wildlife Science Centre

Dr. Rob Serrouya’s main research focus has been to test recovery options for caribou and other species by implementing broad-scale adaptive management experiments. He has worked as a large mammal ecologist in Alberta and British Columbia for 20 years. He specializes on broad-scale processes, particularly how forestry and energy extraction affect trophic interactions within ecosystems that, until recently, had little early seral vegetation. He currently works on boreal and mountain ecotypes of woodland caribou, and focuses on how the changing dynamics of other herbivores (moose and deer) and carnivores (bears, wolves, and cougars) affect the survival of caribou.

Dr. Adam Ford

Co-Director, Wildlife Science Centre • Associate Professor, University of British Columbia–Okanagan

Adam an Associate Professor and the Canadian Research Chair in Wildlife Restoration Ecology at UBC-Okanagan. His research group, the Wildlife Restoration Ecology (WiRE) Lab, works to restore important relationships in nature’s food webs, including those between people and wildlife. Some of his group’s research includes studies involving mule deer, caribou, moose, Roosevelt elk, mountain goats, wolf, bighorn sheep, bison, cougars, boreal caribou, and wolves, as well as studies on bear and human interactions, chronic wasting disease modelling, and policy analysis and numerous other studies with the federal and regional governments.  

Dr. Oscar Venter

Director, Geospatial Centre • Professor, University of Northern British Columbia

Oscar is a Professor and the FRBC West Fraser Conservation Solutions Research Chair in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at UNBC.  His work integrates large-scale spatial analysis, remote sensing, and ecological modelling to map and monitor human impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. His research has advanced our understanding of wilderness, intact ecosystems, and the role of protected areas in mitigating biodiversity loss. Dr. Venter collaborates widely across international research institutions and contributes to global conservation policy frameworks and indicators, informing evidence-based strategies for balancing development, climate objectives, and biodiversity conservation.