Sandra Curtis -  has lived in North of Smokey area for over thirty years.  During that time
she has enjoyed hiking the many national park trails & other local trails and mountains in the 
area. Sandra has also experienced many trails and back country areas on cross country skis in the
winter. She is a great ambassador of our wonderful outdoors!!

Bill Danielson has hiked throughout the Cape Breton Highlands for fifteen years, often finding his way 
home by himself. This will be his third year as a guide for the Festival. His special interests are 
meteorology, astronomy and birding. He is author of the book "Cape Breton Weather Watching."


Bethsheila Kent - Bethsheila Kent is a Cape Breton naturalist and is the owner/operator of WALKING
 the WILDSIDE Nature Tours, a land-based outdoor adventure company offering guided/interpreted hikes.
Bethsheila has spent much of her adult life in the study of the natural world. She is a master birder,
having been involved in the hobby/activity for more than 30 years.  

Marie Stradeski, has been involved with the Festival the last two years. She looks forward to sharing 
her ecological perspective during the festival this year. She feels passionately about inspiring others to 
spend more time in nature as it is the primary source for fostering an ecological identity and a 
conservation ethic.

Jocelyne Quann, a long time National Park interpreter, enjoys being surprised by nature and watching 
it change with the seasons.  She has been known to side step slugs and woolly bears along the trails.

Anne-Claude Pepin has been a park warden at Cape-Breton Highlands National Park for 2 years. She 
has enjoyed experiencing the many trails of the park.  She has also hiked in the Canadian Rockies and
in South America. Anne-Claude has a forestry background, is perfectly bilingual and eager to share
knowledge and fun with you!

David Rasmussen has lived and hiked in the Meat Cove area for the last forty years. Since his 
retirement from teaching nine years ago, he has been able to spend more time during all seasons 
exploring the northern Cape Breton ‘backlands.’ With a knowledgeable interest of  the history of Meat 
Cove, David is able to share stories of the area as the group follows old roads through former homesteads
and settlements. 

Michael Fitzgerald was born and raised here in Northern Cape Breton.  He is passionate about the 
region, from it's exciting marine history to it's pristine and rugged hills.  Michael is both a fisherman and 
a sea kayak guide by trade.  His lifetime of experience give him a sense of place here on the trails and on
the water.  He enjoys sharing this amazing place, from it's thrilling tales to hidden treasurers.

Jean-Francois Bisaillon is a Park warden at Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  He loves to spend 
his summers hiking and climbing mountains and his winters skiing down their slopes. His backpacking
adventures have taken him to summits and trails in Africa, South America and many places in North 
America.He is always looking for new challenges and to meet new people.

DANIEL AUCOIN has been involved with Les Amis du Plein Air, Cape Breton Highlands National Park’s Cooperating Association, for the last twenty years.  His leadership and passion have helped make Les Amis du Plein Air a prime example for other cooperating associations to emulate.  His involvement with Les Amis has helped him develop a life-long commitment to support our National Park and protect our national environment and cultural heritage.  He enjoys hiking, cross-country skiing and photography.

Derek Quann may be new to the festival this year but he is certainly no stranger to the Highlands. 
His work as a Cape Breton Highlands National Park Warden for almost 20 years and his current 
involvement in research on the moose of northern Cape Breton have taken him to most parts of this
wonderful landscape at all times of the year.  He is fascinated by the ever-changing nature of the land,
the sea, the sky, and the people of this region.

Mariève Therriault has been working as an interpreter at Cape Breton Highlands National Park for the
past three years.  She is concentrating her efforts on sharing her enthusiasm and curiosity for nature 
with the youth of Cape Breton, and hope that someday, with a bit of wind, wood and sunshine the little 
spark she is trying to create will flame up into a life long appreciation and respect for all life around us.  

Nathalie Arsenault is an Interpreter at Cape Breton Highlands National Park. She is an Acadian 
from Prince Edward Island who loves to share her culture as well as her enthusiasm for the 
natural environment.

David Williams is Regional Protected Areas Coordinator with the NS Department of Environment and 
Labour, and is responsible for the planning and management of provincially designated wilderness areas,
nature reserves and Canadian Heritage Rivers.  David's work and leisure time find him exploring some of 
the most beautiful natural areas that eastern Nova Scotia has to offer, and he welcomes any opportunity 
to share those experiences with others.

Tom C. Wilson - An avid hiker of Cape Breton Trails, National Parks in Atlantic Canada, and trails in
Great Britain and New Zealand. A guide for the past two years who enjoys meeting people, sharing 
nature & heritage. A graduate of the Nova Scotia Outdoor Leadership Program.