Although Sarah grew up in the middle of Canada, her early love of the ocean inspired her to tell anyone who asked that she planned on becoming a marine biologist. Studying biology at the University of Manitoba broadened her horizons, making her realize just how much there was to be excited about in the natural world. Her learning and travel opportunities ranged from microbiology lab work with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Cape Cod to interpreting animal behavior for her Honors project focused on the plains of South Africa. She even learned about the immense value of ecotourism during a class in the Polar Bear Capital of the World: Churchill, Manitoba.

Once Sarah graduated from the University of Manitoba with a bachelor’s degree in ecology and environmental biology, she decided to expand her horizons further by teaching English in Japan for a year. Here, she immersed herself in another culture and ultimately realized that igniting passion in her students through teaching was enormously rewarding—even when the subject matter wasn’t about nature. On a visit to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, while describing the incredible intelligence of gorillas to a friend, Sarah realized she wanted to pursue a career that combined her love of nature and passion for education. Upon her return to Canada, she gained employment at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg.

Sarah now works with polar bear and harbor seal rescues, champions Arctic conservation and has the great pleasure of guiding polar bear adventures in Churchill with Natural Habitat Adventures. She lives in Winnipeg with her husband and two young children, and outside of work can be found nerding out over aquariums, scuba diving, and enjoying canoe and camping trips.  

Praise from Nat Hab Travelers:

L. Hayton
"Sarah absolutely made the trip! Her knowledge and passion for the polar bears and the people of Churchill was infectious and made every part of the trip more more fun, exciting and interesting. In addition, Sarah did a wonderful job bonding with and be-friending all of the guests on the expedition. We all felt that Sarah was genuinely happy to have us on the trip and cared about our well-being and enjoyment!"

M. Peeler
"Sarah is a perfect Polar Bear Expedition Leader! Her knowledge is as exceptional as her thoughtful temperament."

L. Austin
"We loved having Sarah as our guide! She is extremely knowledgeable, her love for the polar bears and the Churchill people is evident, and her enthusiasm is contagious."

S. Burkat
"Sarah did an excellent job. She is an informative, easy-going, patient and very personable leader. We felt comfortable with her from the very beginning of the trip. Thank you, Sarah!"

C. Lucier
"Sarah was outstanding! She brought great enthusiasm and knowledge of polar bears. She genuinely cared about the quality of our experience, and her passion and enthusiasm toward polar bears was infectious."

P. Armstrong
"Sarah brought our family closer together with her cheerful, sensitive, knowledgeable and approachable guiding. She was also extremely attentive to my mobility needs, which I appreciated!"

S. Fiekowsky
"Sarah went out of her way to make sure everyone felt included and spent time with each of us to get to know us as people, not just participants. She's extremely knowledgeable about polar bears and the tundra and was very good at engaging us in learning more about them. She helped make it a wonderful trip!"

H. Saxton
"Sarah was an excellent guide who went above and beyond for our family! She was extremely knowledgeable about Churchill and its wildlife. She was able to tailor the trip well for our group of all ages, and when we needed something she was on top of it immediately."