Meet the Team
We are photographers, educators, naturalists, and volunteers passionate about nurturing the next generation of nature lovers. We believe in accessibility, inclusivity, and the power of experiential learning to spark change.
Executive Team
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Sarah was brought up on a country hobby farm surrounded by animals and nature. In the summertime, she would go camping and exploring with her family taking day trips out to the beautiful waterfronts in Ontario. When she was 16 she was given her first digital camera and sent to Australia on a youth exchange program for a month where she spent her time hiking and exploring the wilderness of New South Wales Australia. This experience awoke a new passion for photography and nature. Sarah continued to expand and explore taking her camera across multiple countries and capturing the beauty of different landscapes and nature through camping and photography.
To help her fund these explorations Sarah started working in Management at the age of 21 and proceeded to manage a variety of businesses over the course of her professional career. Through her experiences as a manager, she found herself excelling in a leadership role by encouraging self-growth and mentoring individuals to inspire a positive work-life balance.
Sarah's belief in a child's curiosity for the world makes them ideal to become excellent photographers. Now working with Focus on Nature, she works to nurture this curiosity and through it, children can grow as artists and be inspired to create wondrous and impressionable art.
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Laura has been surrounded by nature her entire life—whether it was swimming in the ocean as a child, hiking on family trips, or traveling to new places and discovering the beauty of nature around the world. In 2024, she earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Drawing and English, combining her love of the natural world with her passion for art to create paintings and illustrations that serve as love letters to Mother Nature. After spending several years working in marketing and graphic design, Laura decided to shift paths and discovered a new passion: teaching. She fell in love with working with children and sharing her appreciation for the environment with others. Laura is currently applying to teacher’s college and hopes to continue her journey toward a fulfilling career in education.
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Abby connected with nature at a very young age as she has always enjoyed walking through forests, swimming in lakes and could be found chasing after butterflies. Abby’s favourite nature scene to photograph is the beautiful and colourful summer sunsets and sunrises. Her favourite sunset colours are pink and orange!
Abby has various experiences in the restaurant and customer service industry and excelled in the positions she took on. Abby is now a student at Wilfrid Laurier University and is enjoying her studies in the Social Work program. In both her work and education, Abby enjoys interacting and collaborating with others and enjoys bringing her creativity into her projects.
Abby believes that children are the true change-makers of the world and their sense of wonder and eagerness to interact and photograph nature is inspiring. Through her work with Focus on Nature, Abby works towards representing the goals, work and contributions of Focus on Nature to a variety of audiences through social media platforms.
Workshop Leaders
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Nature has long been a meaningful part of Sofia’s life. As the daughter of immigrant parents, exploring Canada’s national parks became an important way for her to connect with the country she calls home. Her experiences travelling to places such as Australia and Peru have further deepened her appreciation for the beautiful landscapes. In her daily life, Sofia continues to connect with nature through activities such as walking her dogs.
In 2023, Sofia earned a Bachelor of Arts in History, where she developed a strong foundation in understanding Indigenous perspectives and relationships to the land. She is currently completing her Master of Arts in History, with a continued focus on Indigenous histories, and will graduate in Spring 2026. Sofia will begin teacher’s college in Fall 2026, where she plans to pursue a career as a high school teacher and foster a passion for learning and diversity among her students.
Sofia is also passionate about the role of the arts in building confidence among children and youth. Having attended an arts high school for vocal music and currently working as a museum and art gallery tour guide, she has experienced firsthand how creative expression can foster connection, self-confidence, and community.
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Hi! My name's Taryn and I am very passionate about having a close relationship with nature. I believe it is important for everyone to be immersed in nature and outdoor activities. I love capturing beautiful moments in nature on my own camera, and look forward to fostering this love of nature photography in kids as well. I enjoy paddle boarding, hikes, swimming, canoeing and anything outside! It's even better that I get to do all these activities with my two dogs! I believe nature has the power to transform lives, create valuable experiences and lasting memories.
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Melosa's earliest memories of family outings are all of wilderness trails, beach barbecues along the Great Lakes, and visiting national parks. Although she grew up in a suburban area, she had many opportunities to connect with the great outdoors. She always preferred being the photographer rather than the photographed, and when gifted a small digital camera, she began exploring nature photography on local trails near her home.
Melosa believes that photography is equally enriching for individuals, or as a collaborative activity. Having previously led Focus on Nature summer camps, she encourages children to be independent artists, but still uplift and support their peers. She believes in the importance of self-expression through art. Melosa is continuing as a member of the Focus on Nature team to give children meaningful opportunities, and inspire them to care for the world around them.
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Hello my name is Eden! From a young age I have always enjoyed nature. Whether it's camping, field trips or hiking I am always happiest when I am outdoors. These hobbies are what sparked my interest in ecology. I am currently a student at the University of Guelph, majoring in ecology and criminal justice and public policy. I aspire to connect people with nature by helping them appreciate its value, beauty and diversity through photography. I believe photography is a great tool to inspire curiosity, creativity and conservation when it comes to nature. I am excited to have the opportunity to share my knowledge and love for nature through teaching!
Join Our Team
At Focus on Nature, we strive to connect children to nature through photography! We believe everyone should have an equal opportunity to participate in our workshops. As a growing charity, we are always looking for passionate, creative individuals who have a love for the arts, nature, and children.
