Staff Biographies

Skeet Sutherland, director and lead instructor, founded Sticks and Stones Wilderness School in 2007. His unique passion for living and breathing the integral life studies of wilderness skills training and stewardship education has proven to be both inspiring and practical to thousands. For over a decade, Skeet has played an active role in the Headwaters Community of southern Ontario through teaching wilderness skills, coordinating stewardship projects and events and providing ecological consulting services.  When he isn’t teaching you can find him volunteering his time facilitating the growth of the community through the Headwaters Tracking Club, local Stewardship Projects and helping to coordinating the Headwaters Gatherings in Ontario.

Certified as a Plan Approver for the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP), Skeet also assists landowners in preparing stewardship and sustainable forest management plans for their lands.  Here is a link to Skeet’s Full Biography

Kate Jones is Sticks and Stones’ Assistant Marketing Director and Assistant Instructor. Her BA in Psychology from Concordia University, coupled with an Ecosystem Management diploma from Sir Sandford Fleming College lays the foundation for her personal philosophies with respect to people and their natural needs. Kate is a firm believer that every adult and child is intrinsically connected to nature and the environment, and can best maximize their health, happiness, and overall human potential through nourishing this relationship.

Kate is also a singer-songwriter and piano player, and has performed her indie/folk music nationally and internationally. Having been born to a family of artists, Kate studied painting and drawing at university and likes to decorate the musical stage with her original works.

Darian Bacon is Sticks and Stones’ IT Director, and his staff biography will be following shortly.

Sticks and Stones Wilderness School has affiliations with many seasoned and skilled individuals who come to assist with various programs and iniatives as Guest Instructors.

Guest Instructors

Chris Gilmour of Earthmentorship Programs has been instrumental in co-facilitating the Empowering Ancient Ways I and II programs, and often appears to help students during other workshops as a Guest Instructor.  Chris also plays a major role in coordinating the bi-annual Headwaters Gatherings.  View this link for Chris’s website biography http://chris.earthmentorship.com/chris.html

Alexis Burnett of Earth Tracks helps instruct the Traditional Tanning Workshop and the Way of the Wild – Survival Quest.  Here is a link to find out more about Alexis and other programs he offers. http://www.earthtracks.ca/about.html