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.