Marina’s journey with NatureKids began many years ago as a parent, where she and her daughter (now all grown up!) made lasting memories through bird banding adventures, winter bird counts, and bat walks.
In her professional life, Marina is a licensed Early Childhood Educator with a Master’s degree in special education from The University of Western Ontario. She is passionate about outdoor learning and leads an urban forest school program for preschoolers that takes place in East Vancouver’s local parks. Her work aligns with NatureKids’ mission to connect children and families to the natural world we all belong to.
Marina grew up on a hobby farm on the unceded territory of the Syilx people (Vernon, BC), where her days were filled with outdoor play and encounters with wildlife, fungi and plants — experiences that shaped her deep appreciation for nature connection in early childhood. In her spare time you can find her birding, looking for mushrooms, walking her big lovable rescue dog, gardening and spending time with family.
As a proud East Vancouver resident of over 30 years, Marina is excited to create Explorer Days in her own neighbourhood!