Maureen Gordon

Maureen grew up, like most coastal children, influenced by the beaches, ocean, and rainforest of the BC/Alaska coast. After professional work in the journalism, publishing and high-tech industries, she joined her now-husband, Kevin, in
building the eco-expedition cruise company, Maple Leaf Adventures.

Maple Leaf is a pioneer in developing conservation-based travel in British Columbia and Alaska. The company was designed from the inside out as an ecotourism company in 1986 -- a long time before it was cool to be green. It has
a reputation for superb quality and integrity, and as such, Maple Leaf's principles are happy to talk about issues to media -- whether they be about the value of wildlife viewing versus trophy hunting; the value of conservation-based
economies; or the astonishing come-back of baleen whales on the BC coast.

Maureen and her husband are not ones to shy from a challenge. They resolved to create a flourishing employer and force for good from their company that, as one flabbergasted person in 2001 said, "takes people in the fall, on a boat in the rain, 'way up the central coast, to sit in the forest and look at a bear". Twenty years on, they've won more than a dozen awards, grown the company to 20x what it was then, and they employ dozens of skilled coastal residents while continuing to build conservation business with their colleagues along the coast. All while maintaining two of Canada's heritage vessels as certified passenger vessels as well as one newer expedition catamaran in one of the world's toughest regulatory environments.

In addition to developing and managing the company, Maureen is an experienced freelance writer and speaker. She is chair of the board of Raincoast Conservation Foundation, an amazing, science-based conservation group and one of the recipients of Maple Leaf Adventures' donations.

She lives in British Columbia, Canada.

Katherine McRae

.Katherine MacRae is the Executive Director of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of British Columbia (CBVA), where she leads industry-wide efforts to promote sustainable wildlife tourism, protect bear habitats, and ensure the long-term viability of bear viewing in the province. Representing 26 operators and more than 1,000 trained guides, Katherine works closely with government, Indigenous communities, and conservation partners to set high standards for safety, stewardship, and education in bear viewing. Her leadership has helped position the CBVA as a model for responsible wildlife tourism in Canada and beyond.

With over twenty years of experience in the tourism sector, Katherine’s career has taken her from dive instruction in the Caribbean to managing remote wilderness lodges in British Columbia. Her passion for sustainable tourism led her to complete a Master of Arts in Tourism Management at Royal Roads University, where she received the Founders’ Award for Leadership and the Tourism Industry Partnership Award.

Katherine is also Co-Vice Chair of the Adventure Tourism Coalition and the President of the Wilderness Tourism Association. In recognition of her contributions to Canada’s tourism industry and conservation efforts, she was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.