Steve Leckman

Steve finds hope and meaning in a deep connection with nature within a community. Trained at the Tracker School, Past Skills, McGill University, and as an apprentice at the Wilderness Awareness School, he is a seasoned tracker with a passion for wilderness survival skills. He has led canoe expeditions and wilderness outings for many years, and has also coordinated mentoring activities in the Montreal area since 2011.

You might find him in his garden watching birds, gardening, tending bees, or chipping stone to make tools. Sometimes he creates bows and arrows in his garage, beatboxes, or imitates a raccoon. Steve brings a calm presence, a quiet sense of humor, and a passion for ancestral knowledge to Coyote Programs.

Kawisente McGregor

Kanien'kehá:ka, "the people of the spark," Kawisente's name means "an icicle melting" She supports our nature connection programs in Kahnawake—"near the rapids"—the community she considers home. A mother of two, she is committed to social issues and Indigenous justice and always finds time to lend her voice where it is needed.
As the director of our Kahnawake site, she regularly participates in our programs for youth and adults. Kawisente readily shares stories, cultural knowledge, and perspectives, while also welcoming those of others with curiosity. Her unique humor and profound sincerity create warm spaces where everyone feels heard and supported.

Julia Monkman

Originally from the traditional territory of Michi Saagiig, Julia grew up searching for tree frogs and salamanders, observing birds in winter with her father, and savoring the smell of water in summer. After studying biology at the University of Guelph, she always knew that the forest would remain essential to her well-being.
A mother of three, she plans camping and cross-country skiing trips, works as a postpartum doula, and has a passion for sewing, knitting, and cooking. Nature Mentor Training and the discovery of the 8 Shields model have profoundly enriched her understanding of the nature-community connection. Julia enjoys sharing this knowledge and her joy of being outdoors with the families and young people she works with.

Jérémie Vienneau

Originally from Halifax, Jérémie has been calling Montreal home since 2013. His path into the more-than-human world grew gradually through studies in environment and sustainability, urban agriculture, community projects, farming, and a transformative Nature Mentor Training with Coyote Programs in 2018, followed by Art of Mentoring in Vermont in 2019.
Jérémie brings kindness, curiosity, music, and a touch of silliness to his work as a nature-connection guide. A dedicated naturalist, he continually hones his tracking skills and holds a Track & Sign Level 3 certification. Since 2019, he has worn many hats within Coyote Programs and now helps guide and coordinate youth programs with enthusiasm and care.

David McComber

David has been teaching at the Kahnawake Survival School for over 30 years and loves learning from people as much as he loves teaching. Passionate about nature, survival skills, and passing on knowledge, he finds great satisfaction in seeing young people grow, understand, and succeed.
With over half a century of experience and a sense of humor as sharp as his chainsaw, he brings a solid, caring, and authentic presence to the programs.

Sophie Scott

A lifelong nature lover, Sophie spent her childhood searching for salamanders and exploring the forests of Ontario, Québec, and Saskatchewan. Her journey through various ecosystems fostered her deep appreciation for the various plants, animals, and landscapes of the country.
With a bachelor's degree in geography, she worked at a nature school near Ottawa. While being there she strengthened her connection to her homeland. Sophie enjoys observing plants and animals in the city, inventing stories, and settling down under a tree. She brings to Coyote Programs a gentle, creative presence, deeply connected to the natural world.

Muriel Bontemps

Muriel loves finding nature in an urban setting. A mother and teacher, she grew up surrounded by cycling, hiking, and day camps. After studying education at McGill, she further developed her practice with Coyote Programs and the Lion and Mouse's approach.
She firmly believes that nature should be accessible to everyone and finds joy in singing, skating and reading with her three sons. She can often be found creating Land Art in a local park, nurturing a simple and direct connection with the natural world.

Eliane Delisle

From childhood, Eliane nurtured a curiosity for nature and a desire to help those around her. A special education teacher since 2014, she worked in schools before meeting Martin Lominy, an archaeologist and craftsman, who introduced her to the transformation of earth materials.
She then discovered Coyote Programs and completed several key trainings: North Star, Nature Mentor Training, Apprenticeship, and Forest Feast. These experiences strengthened her skills in nature and community building.
A passionate craftswoman, Eliane loves to share her skills and techniques. Always immersed in a project, she takes great pleasure in explaining what she is currently working on.
Follow her at: Tisseuse de Nature.

Hubert Gonthier-Blouin

Hubert oversees the behind-the-scenes operations to ensure that activities on the ground run smoothly. A musician, philosopher, translator, and traveler, his background has shaped a thoughtful and nuanced personality.
A visit to the Victor Wooten's Center for Music and Nature rekindled his connection with nature and led him to the Coyote Programs. His passion for music permeates his way of being: he sees himself as the team's bas player; holding the rhythm so that others can shine.

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Bryanna Pilkington

Since high school, Bry has been fascinated by environmentalism and was already looking for ways to reduce her ecological impact. Holding a BSc in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Concordia, she has held several positions related to conservation, including technician at the Morgan Arboretum where she oversaw 245 hectares of forest.
She also worked in geomorphological research, exploring the Californian mountains and the Austrian Alps, and later at the Flying Deer Nature Center in New York State, where she fell in love with the art of mentoring. Bryanna loves learning, being outdoors, and sharing her passion for nature with younger generations.

Vanessa Weibel

Having grown up in a village in the Swiss Jura, Vanessa spent her childhood outdoors, where nature was her playground. She homeschooled her children and other young people for two years, influenced by the mentors who accompanied the groups in the forest.
Today, she facilitates workshops on connecting with nature, forest bathing, and rituals inspired by "Le Travail Qui Relie". Passionate about wild edible and medicinal plants, she is pursuing training in naturopathy and herbalism.

Vanessa brings to Coyote Programs a gentle, grounded presence, and a deep gratitude for the connections that are born in nature.

Ansona Ching

Fascinated by changing colors and the wonders of life, Ansona is a committed nature artist who wants to have a positive impact on children and adults. Growing up in the city, she rediscovered her connection with nature when she and her toddler encountered a group of children from a forest school playing outside during the pandemic – a moment that gave her renewed hope.

Since then, she has trained (Nature Mentor Training in 2024) and volunteered with Coyote Programs. She  now accompanies children outdoors, growing with them on every day spent in the forest.

Saulo Olmedo Evans

Saulo is a storyteller and musician from Panama. His roots have allowed him to explore the many legends of other Latin American countries. Accompanied by instruments he has collected on his travels around the world, he tells circular stories so that this world doesn't make us square and so that his hat stays firmly in place.

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These tales for adults and children highlight the beauty of being different, revisit stories about disappearance, let the soul of his grandmother speak, and bring together legends from all Latin American territories.

For the past 10 years, his shows and numerous stories have taken him all over Quebec and Canada, as well as internationally.

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Saulo also offers storytelling workshops for French language classes, newcomers at Maison Théâtre, and through the projet Contes philo in Pierrefond.