We are a non-profit organization with a board of directors.
Current Directors are:
Managing Director – Amber Dawn Walker-Bolton, PhD
Dr. Amber grew up in Goderich, Ontario Canada and splits her time between her home town and Ambovombe, Madagascar. She obtained a PhD at U of T in 2017 in biological anthropology. Her PhD work explored the relationship between male rank, male-male competition and mating success in four groups of wild ring-tailed lemurs. She works as a research consultant for those companies that wish to film at Berenty and has participated in the BBC show Monkey Planet, IMAX film Island of Lemurs, and True to Nature series Gangs of Lemur Island. She also runs the non-profit organization Red Book Challenge which brings conservation education to people living in Southern Madagascar.
Education Director – Ramanorintsoa Fiankina Milliasse, M1
Milliasse was born and raised in Androy region in Madagascar and is a teacher and lemur researcher. He works at Sampona Public Highschool and has obtained his Master one M1 in biodiversity at the Androy Regional University Center. His Master’s thesis focused on censusing of lemurs at Besakoa Ambany, Madgascar. He is also an avid singer and songwriter and enjoys films, chess, and playing foot-ball in his spare time. For the Red Book Challenge, Milliasse and Amber work together to run field trips for Malagasy youth to see lemurs in the wild.
Interim Director – Carol Casey
Carol is retired from nursing and now identifies as a poet with adult education skills. She has published a first book of poems, “What Can Happen: Family and Other Raptures of Imperfection”. She has two courses up on Udemy and Skillshare- Medications and the Elderly and Critical Reflection. For the Red Book Challenge, Carol has numerous insights, especially for bringing lemur conservation to Canadian school children.
We also mentor Co-op students from Goderich District Collegiate Institute as Research Assistants
Current Research Assistant – position open for 2025!
Past Research Assistants –
Becca McClinchey (Feb 2023 to June 2023)
My name is Becca McClinchey and I am a student at GDCI. I am a CO-OP student working with Amber on her Harassment Manuscript. I play Ringette, and I like to read, paint and play the guitar and piano.
Nicole Gilroy (2022)
My name is Nicole Gilroy and I am a fifth year student at GDCI. I worked with Amber as a co-op student in 2022 on her Harassment Manuscript. Next year, I am headed to the University of Guelph to pursue a Bachelor of One Health. Some of my hobbies include, playing the guitar and piano, playing various sports and I love running.
Grace Taylor (2021)
My name is Grace Taylor and I worked with Amber as a co-op student in 2021 on her Red Book Challenge Manuscript. I am now in my second year at the University of Waterloo for Earth Sciences with co-op. Some of my hobbies include playing various sports, watching films, and reading.