Staff
Tim Sellars
Position:
Director, Yukon Land Use Planning Council
Biography:
Tim Sellars is a long time Yukoner, having lived in the territory since 1989, when he arrived in Whitehorse to work for the Yukon Land Use Planning Commission on the Greater Kluane Land Use Plan. Tim went on to work as a mapping technician, land disposition manager, land use planner, fish & wildlife planner, and director with various departments within Government of Yukon.
Tim worked as the Senior Planner for the Dawson Regional Planning Commission, leading the team that completed the Dawson Region Recommended Plan. Tim has a Bachelor of Science in Geography and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, specializing in integrated resource management.
Tim is an active participant in many Yukon pursuits, including mountain biking, lake swimming, berry picking, volunteering with the ski patrol and playing music. Tim’s wife and daughter are both born and raised in Yukon and are members of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation.
Sam Skinner
Position:
Senior Planner, Yukon Land Use Planning Council
Biography:
Sam Skinner worked as a land use planner in the Yukon first for the Peel Watershed Planning Commission, then for the Yukon Land Use Planning Council where he contributed to the North Yukon, Peel Watershed and Dawson regional planning processes. His professional interests include landscape ecology, spatial analysis, cumulative effects, how to inform decisions, and communicating across cultures and interests. He has an MSc in mycology (the study of fungi), and enjoys picking mushrooms and berries, getting out on the land, travelling, and creating art.
Michelle Christensen
Position:
Administrative Assistant, Yukon Land Use Planning Council
Biography:
Michelle has managed to carve out a very broad career path since obtaining her degree in Environmental and Conservation Sciences from the University of Alberta back in 2000. She loves living in the North and is excited to be supporting land use planning in the Yukon. Outside of work she is busy with her family, creative and outdoor pursuits, and her ever-expanding garden.
Julia Benn
Position:
Manager of Finance, Yukon Land Use Planning Council
Biography:
Julia, a born and raised Yukoner, acquired her accounting clerk certification through Yukon University, and proceeded to gain more financial knowledge through a career in bookkeeping and administration within local businesses. Julia loves learning new things and is especially eager to learn more about the beautiful land she calls home.
Outside of work, she and her family have many interests including travelling, camping, berry picking, arts and crafts, and watering their never-ending collection of indoor and outdoor plants.
Micheal Jim
Position: Land Relationship Planner
Micheal has worked for BC Parks and the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations where he has acquired his working knowledge and experience in lands, parks, recreation, conservation and renewable resource management. He is a citizen of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. Since completing the Renewable Resources Management program at Yukon College, he continued to develop his professional career while applying his traditional values and First Nation vision for protecting the land and resources. He has worked for the inclusion of ecological integrity, traditional knowledge and cultural values of Dän K’e (our way) into land-based initiatives and programs.
His personal interests are family time, playing hockey, baseball and curling. He enjoys being active out on his traditional lands by hiking, biking, camping, canoeing, and rafting, as well as hunting and fishing.
Kirsten Reid
Position:
Senior Planner, Dawson Regional Planning Commission
Biography:
Kirsten Reid is an ecologist whose past work has focused on the changing ecosystems in central and northern Yukon. Kirsten has a PhD in Geography from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MSc in Integrative Biology from Wilfrid Laurier University. In her professional career, Kirsten has successfully collaborated with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, Indigenous communities, industry representatives, and environmental organizations. She is dedicated to promoting collaboration and inclusivity in the decision-making process, ensuring that all voices are heard and respected. Kirsten aims to contribute to a prosperous and resilient future for the Yukon. Outside of work, Kirsten enjoys exploring the outdoors via hiking, skiing, and biking.
Toshibaa Govindaraj
Position:
Land Use Planner, Dawson Regional Planning Commission
Biography:
Toshibaa was raised in the Yukon after spending her early childhood in Oman and Toronto. She recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Victoria, where her research focused on the landscape genetics of Black and Grizzly bears in the Yukon. With experience working across environmental organizations, the private sector, and government, she brings a well-rounded perspective to this role. Toshibaa is passionate about contributing to the land-use planning process to ensure sustainable development for generations to come. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her friends and being outside running, biking, climbing, or skiing.
Kim Melton
Position:
Land Use Planner, Dawson Regional Planning Commission
Biography:
Kim (she/her) is a biologist and writer who is grateful to live on the Traditional Territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. She has worked with Yukon First Nation governments and ENGOs since 2006, supporting environmental stewardship in a variety of ways, from fieldwork to policy and advocacy. She is dedicated to her garden and to promoting food security and sovereignty, with a particular interest in northern fruit research. She is a passionate naturalist and enjoys hiking, skiing and artful collaborations.
