Meet our Project Managers
Alex Henneberry - Alberta + BC
I started tree planting in 2015 and have been at it ever since. It's given me the financial freedom to travel, connected me to some lovely and inspiring people, and most recently, funded my diploma in acupuncture.
I've worked on several different contracts across Alberta and BC, running a crew for 6 years and eventually transitioning into managing projects. I've also branched into surveying work in the fall/ winter season.
One of the values I've come to cherish most is teamwork. Building a strong community out there feels essential to me. Tree planting is hard work, and at the end of the day, it's a community that keeps everyone safe, cared for and motivated. As a project manager, I also prioritize having a camp that is successful, and I do my best to make sure the season is worth it for everyone.
Christine Lepage - BC Interior
I was born in Montreal and moved to British Columbia in my early twenties and quickly became captivated by its lifestyle and breathtaking views. My journey began in Pemberton, where I helped establish two organic farms, and I focused on vegetable farming for nearly ten years. I started tree planting in 2000, and although I’ve worked primarily in British Columbia and Alberta, I also did stints in Ontario and Quebec. I have done everything from tree planting to project management, and have worked as a checker, crew lead, first aid, surveyor, brusher and even done beetle probing. Over time, my passion for planting grew, particularly in leadership roles that focus on people and logistics such as crew leading and project management.
I firmly believe in the value of respect, hard work, and effective communication. My approach is to stay connected to the field to understand the day-to-day realities my planters face, ensuring they feel safe, valued, and supported. One of my philosophies is : "Good plan, well executed."
Outside of planting, I’m an avid outdoors enthusiast, and enjoy running, biking, hiking, and mushroom picking. I also love traveling, culinary experiences, and dancing. I am a certified dog trainer, and my dream is to create a dog ranch where I can grow food and raise animals.
Dan Ebata - Manitoba + Ontario
Dan grew up in Toronto and has always felt a call for the wild. As a Canadian junior ranger in provincial parks during his youth, he nurtured this love for nature. In 2014, looking for a way to fund his education and travel, Dan followed his brother into tree planting. He worked as a planter for three seasons before returning to school to become a structural firefighter. Over the next four seasons, he worked as a crew lead, gaining valuable experience in leadership and team management.
During the off-seasons, Dan returned to the Greater Toronto Area, where he worked in silviculture and landscaping with Brinkman Living Infrastructure, advancing his skills in the field. His time teaching, supporting, and learning from others shaped his approach to leadership, a quality he continues to carry with him today.
Dan’s passion for firefighting and wilderness work led him to pursue SP100 wilderness firefighting training and engage in slash and burn work. In 2022, he took on his first project management role, overseeing the renowned Bison Crew in Manitoba and Northern Ontario, where he finds fulfillment in both the work and the challenges it brings.
Derek Pascoe - Ontario
I started my time with Brinkman as a tree planter in 2017. My inspiration for tree planting came from my uncle’s stories of extreme challenges and time in the bush. My hard work and determination to care for others soon got me a position in tree delivery. In this position my passion for the camp and everything that keeps our operations running smoothly was borne. I sharpened my logistic and communication skills while running trees and now I practice them as a Project Manager. Taking care of the camp and finding efficiencies is where my passion lies. Working as a group to achieve this brings me joy. I work in the Thunder Bay area (where I have planted most of my career) primarily managing projects for Resolute Forest Products. I have spent time out west, but it is this group in Ontario that brings me back every season.
I spend most of my life outside and tree planting is my favourite part of every year. Living in a tent is where I am my happiest. Between planting in the spring, biking in the summer and skiing in the winter I am passionate about being active under the sun.
Gabe Bonneau + Caitlin Spears - ON + NB
Gabe started planting in Ontario with PRT in 2008 while studying in Montreal. His is fully bilingual. Gabe finally committed to tree planting after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management in 2012. He started leading crews in 2013 but kept planting in the shoulder season until 2017. Gabe joined Brinkman through the acquisition of PRT Frontier in 2014. He became a Project Manager in 2017 and is our longest running PM in the east. He has planted over 1.7 million trees, burned countless slashpiles and has successfully managed planting and burning crews and projects throughout Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Scotland and Australia. In his off time, Gabe likes to do backcountry skiing with his dog, Rufus, play board games and spend time with his family.
Caitlin started working in the silviculture industry in 2013 as a tree planter in Northwestern Ontario. Being from the small Northern Ontario town of Kapuskasing, Cait grew up knowing about tree planting and it was an easy fit for her. Besides planting, Cait has been a Crew Lead, OH+S Rep, First Aid Attendant, and burned many slash piles. She has worked in three of Canada’s provinces - Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick, as well as travelling and working in Australia.
Currently, Caitlin runs a project with her partner Gabriel Bonneau and has been doing this since 2020. They recently welcomed a baby girl – Beatrice - into their lives and have been fortunate enough to have her join them in their bush camp giving this camp the ultimate family vibes.
In her downtime Cait enjoys getting lost in a good book, cuddling with their dog, Rufus, and experimenting in the kitchen.
Cait and Gabe run a tight, productive and fun camp with one of the longest seasons in Ontario and New Brunswick.
Liz Rhodes - BC Interior
Liz has dedicated 21 seasons to her roles as planter, checker, surveyor, crew lead, tree-runner, and project manager. She's worked in 4 provinces, from Ontario to the remote coast. Since 2017 Liz has overseen a 40+ person remote bush camp in BC. Her commitment to the success of large-scale projects and her ability to manage complex logistics have earned her a reputation as a trusted and skilled leader in the field. Tiller, 12yo bear-brawling border collie x, has joined her for 11 seasons, her cooks top all for kindness, character, Dj skills, food variety and flavour and she still finds time to set up the most fun night-off activities. Elle adore la langue française, peux parler et comprendre assez bien et pratique quand c'est possible
Santi Bessai - BC
Santiago (aka ‘santi’ or ‘yago’) is a project manager operating in BC. He started his planting career with Brinkman in 2017 in Kamloops. Becoming a supervisor in 2021, he’s worked projects all over the central/northern interior, Alberta, and Vancouver Island. Originally from Toronto, Santi studied at McGill University in Montreal, and University College London in the UK. Trained as a documentary filmmaker, he works in the film industry during the off-season and lives in Vancouver, BC.
For Santi, tree planting has always been a family affair. He began planting alongside his two cousins in what was initially a summer job during university. But a love for the physical work, the natural setting, and the community of a bush camp kept bringing him back with more brothers, cousins, and friends by his side. While many Bessais have since retired from planting, Santi continues to lead his camps with the sense of community, belonging, and kinship that comes with family.
Heath Plummer - BC Interior + Coastal
Heath began working with Brinkman in 2006 in Princeton, BC, as a tree planter. Since then, his career has taken him all over BC and Alberta, from the BC Coast to the East Kootenays, the Stikine Basin, and back. These days, he calls Chemainus on Vancouver Island home and can often be found exploring the area with his dog, Rosie, when not planting.
Heath transitioned to a Crew Lead position in 2013 and has since taken on many roles in the projects he’s been a part of. In 2017, Heath was recognized for planting approximately 1.2 million trees. He currently manages projects on Vancouver Island and in the South Chilcotins.
For Heath, Brinkman has always been about more than planting trees—it’s the people, the camaraderie, and the shared sense of purpose that make this work so rewarding.