Board Profiles

Meet the Board

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Board Profiles

Meet the Board

Lisa Banks
Lisa Banks
Represents Residents Group and Secretary

Lisa left the GTA behind and moved to Horseshoe Valley in March 2013 to work at Georgian College.  Always interested in discovering trails where her dog could safely run, a neighbour introduced her to the delights of the Copeland Forest. Some of her best memories, since moving to this beautiful part of the province, are walking/hiking in the Copeland with friends, family, and dogs. A relative newcomer to the garlic mustard pull, Lisa and her partner Barb, jumped inwith hands and feet to help quell the impact of this invasive plant to help preserve the splendid spring flowers we so enjoy, especially the precious trilliums.

Ann Marie Markle
Ann Marie Markle
Mountain Bike Director
Don McKinnon
Don McKinnon
Trail Committee Director

Don and his wife moved from the GTHA to Horseshoe in Summer 2021. He is a
Registered Professional Planner and semi-retired environmental planning consultant.
Don spends most of his leisure time in the outdoors and is an avid cyclist (mountain,
gravel and fat), hiker, dog walker, and “bushwhack” skier. He enjoys exploring new
areas and getting “lost” in the woods. He has travelled throughout North America and
other places in the world to bike and hike on trails.

Pat Tuero
Pat Tuero
Director at Large
Pat Tuero and her husband recently bought a condo at Horseshoe Valley Ski Resort (Copeland House) as a weekend/vacation property after having fallen in love with Copeland Forest.  Though her “official” primary residence is in Newmarket, since retiring at the end of January 2023, she has been spending the majority of her time at the condo and can be seen hiking, biking, xc skiing, snowshoeing and trail running in the forest.  She and her husband also road bike throughout Oro-Medonte.  Pat is actively involved in the Trail Committee and has participated in the Garlic Mustard pulls.
Jenn Copeland
Jenn Copeland
Hiker Director

Jenn Copeland has grown up with deep, strong roots in Copeland Forest, and is a new representative for the Hiker User Group. Even while away, attending school in Toronto and in Kingston, Jenn returned to the forest as often as possible to hike, ski and snowshoe, and has chosen to live and work nearby, to be close to the forest, for her entire career.

As an Arts Educator and Arts Advocate, with a focus upon connecting to Nature, this place has been an ongoing source of inspiration, and of solace. Within the past 3 years, she has also been an active member of the Garlic Mustard Pulling Crew and has just joined the water-testing team.

David Myles
David Myles
Treasurer

I have lived full time in the neighbourhood for 12 years now and part time for another 7 years.  I
love the Copeland for the biking and even more so for snowy bushwhacks on skis, off
the trails, in the deep snows of winter.  The beautiful forests, streams and quiet
meadows of the Copeland are great places to unwind from the urban world.

Catherine Blakely
Catherine Blakely
Horseback Rider Representative
My family and I moved to our farm in the area about 15 years ago. My husband and I have a small custom upholstery business serving the GTA and Muskoka.
We were delighted to find the Copeland forest so close by.
Two of our Three daughters are very involved breeding, training and showing horses, however I am the one you will find in the forest with my Mule Sue.
I have always volunteered, most recently as E.D. of a distress line. The opportunity to switch it up and get out of the office and into the forest was perfect for me!
Kyra Howes
Kyra Howes
Naturalist Representative, Chair of Ecology and Sustainability Committee

Kyra has been enjoying hiking in Copeland Forest for almost 20 years and is the ‘Naturalist’ representative on the Copeland Forest Friends board of directors.

Kyra’s career has been focused in the field of conservation, working on various invasive species projects in Southern Ontario, then as the Stewardship Manager at the Couchiching Conservancy and currently as the Manager of Lands & Operations with the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority.

Kyra lives with her family in a straw-bale house near Moonstone.

Len Cater
Len Cater
Snow Sports Representative and Vice-President

I have lived on the edge of the Copeland forest. Since 2011 and have been skiing in the forest since 1978.
An avid XC skier and Mountain biker, I also snowshoe and hike through the entire range of the forest. A father of 3 grown children, they too have had the pleasure of spending time in this wonderful resource.