Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors volunteers their time to steer The Fur-Bearers towards a sustainable future. They help to ensure our organization has the adequate resources, proper governance and policies to advance our mission.
Erin Ryan, B.Sc., MSc candidate (President)
Erin Ryan is a Research Communications Specialist with the BC SPCA’s Science & Policy Division. Much of her work focuses on urban wildlife, including wildlife and rodent “pest” control. She has experience in research, communications, stakeholder relations, fundraising and event planning. Erin holds a BSc in Applied Biology and an MSc in Applied Animal Biology from the University of British Columbia. Erin is a proud member of the Syilx nation.
Erin has been a passionate follower of The Fur-Bearers for many years with a shared passion for improving wildlife welfare and ending inhumane trapping. In 2019, she was a co-recipient of the Clements Award for “Outstanding Organization”, awarded to the AnimalKind program.
Ingrid Katzberg (Vice-President)
Ingrid Katzberg is a Martial Arts School owner – Champions Martial Arts Academy Ltd. for 29 years. Upon arriving in Canada from Chile, Ingrid embraced martial arts and that began her journey in competition and finally in opening her own school.
Today, with over 35 years of training and instructing experience and a background in health and fitness, Ingrid continues to teach and mold the future generations of Champions.
Martial Arts holds a special place in Ingrid’s heart but so do animals. As a small child she was always bringing home cats, and dogs in need of love and a good home. Currently she has 14 cats and 2 dogs. They are all rescues and pretty much drive her crazy!
Today she is a proud animal activist and is very proud to be a part of The Fur-Bearers. Ingrid began volunteering with The Fur-Bearers because of what the organization stands for; fighting for fur-bearing animals and educating the public on how to co-exist with them. “I feel so proud to be a part of The Fur-Bearers. I feel complete as a human being when I am volunteering in events that take what we do out into the public”, she says.
Christine Pintea (Treasurer)
Christine completed a Bachelor of Arts in English and German at the University of Manitoba. After moving to British Columbia, she dedicated many years to volunteering at her children’s schools, serving as Treasurer of the Parent Fundraising Committee for four years. She also worked as a bookkeeper and accountant for the family business. She is currently working on expanding her knowledge of accounting and is taking the required courses that will earn her a Post Baccalaureate in Commerce.
In 2018, she joined the University of Vancouver Women’s Club and brought the Environment Committee out of dormancy. During her two-and-a-half-year term as Chair, she organized Earth Day and Oceans Day events for the public and members to attend. Key speakers were brought in to present on such issues as marine preservation and wildlife conservation. Under her guidance, she and her team also advocated for the elimination of single-use plastics and wrote to the provincial government recommending that immediate and significant changes be made.
Christine has always had a soft spot for animals – snakes and spiders aside. She feels that any form of cruelty or abuse – whether to a person or an animal is unjustifiable and unethical. Since the animals do not have voices, she believes that we must speak up on their behalf, and, as much as possible, allow them the freedom to live their lives as nature intended.
Anne Carchesio (Secretary)
Bio coming soon.
Kitty Bourne, B.Sc. (Director at-large)
Camran Monsef, B.A., M.A., J.D. (Director at-large)
Camran completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees at UBC in Political Science before going to the University of Calgary for law school. He co-founded Lions Gate Law with his brother in 2009, a real estate conveyancing law firm and has been a practicing lawyer ever since.
Camran has a second degree black belt in Sport Kickboxing and is currently in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Emily Carr University, majoring in Visual Arts (Painting). He, his wife, and two daughters have a loving and feisty chihuahua named Chico.
He grew up in Vancouver in a pet-loving household; his love of animals comes from his maternal grandfather, who had a special connection with animals throughout his life.
