As part of OWC's Engaging Recreationists program, we hire seasonal Outreach Assistants (OAs) to engage backcountry users in conversations about recreation and watershed health. We'd like to introduce you to the first of our OAs for 2017, Nata de Leeuw.

**Nata ski touring on Mt. Proctor with the town of Fernie in the background**

Nata grew up in Calgary, in an active, outdoor-oriented family who spent much of their time camping, hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and skiing in Southern Alberta. She attended the University of British Columbia Okanagan, including a semester in Vancouver and a semester abroad in New Zealand, and graduated in 2015 with an Earth and Environmental Science degree. She has had a range of work experience, including supervising the Invasive Species Control crew in Waterton Lakes National Park, researching whitebark pines in Smithers BC, tutoring students, and working as a Geologist and GIS Contractor.

**Nata on top of Mt. Dungarvan in Waterton National Park**

Currently, Nata is employed as a Ski Patroller at Castle Mountain Resort, where she conducts first aid, avalanche control, and general ski hill maintenance and safety. She is an avid backcountry skier who loves to explore the local mountains, both in the winter and the summer. In the summer, she can be found scrambling peaks and mountain biking throughout Southern Alberta’s Front Range. She is looking forward to contributing in any way she can, and gaining valuable experience with the Oldman Watershed Council this summer.