Our Staff

A paddler for over 35 years, Al is also a backcountry skier and mountain biker.  We’re amazed he is still alive and in one piece… but boy, are we glad about it!  His ability to find the tiniest leaks in a drysuit is incomparable.

Al doesn’t have much sympathy for paddlers that get into the water at the beginning of the season, just to find themselves with a leaky suit.  “If that happens, it’s on you!” he says.  “There’s no excuse.  Mark your suit, and send it in before the season kicks off.”

After all, says Al, we have a bustling repair department with two highly skilled individuals ready to repair your drysuit…

Andrew Van Luik joined our head-office team to meet the unique needs of our business and our clients. Highly motivated and with an eye for the big picture, Andrew ensures that our numbers run like clockwork, seeking efficiencies and optimization wherever possible.  He’s expanded his role to include oversight of our IT needs.

Andrew loves a good meme or gif, so please deluge his inbox:

Email: Andrew @ ravenrsm. com

Ang Groen joined the Raven team as administrative assistant, helping to keep the office organized and aiding the private and public course coordinators in any way she can. She is a Smithers born and raised outdoor enthusiast with a passion for hiking, paddle boarding, archery, and hunting with her dad, except the winter time, where she is most often found next to her wood stove with a good book or her knitting.

Craig teaches rescue courses from the awareness to the technician level – from boat handling and confined space to technical rope and tower rescue. He has a strong background in whitewater, being an accomplished paddler and rafter. With Craig’s wealth of knowledge in emergency services he now acts as a specialized resource for Cowichan Search and Rescue and North Cowichan Fire Department.

We’re proud to have Craig as our Rescue Curriculum Director.  He also mentors our instructor team as one of our Instructor Trainers.  Craig is an organized, intuitive and patient instructor and gets great reviews from his students.

Email: craig@ravenrsm.com

Dan Kirvan runs Raven’s Ontario office, and ensures the smooth delivery of Raven Rescue, Raven Safety and Raven Medical courses in that province. He is a firefighter with the City of Ottawa and has strong river credentials as an international raft guide in Mexico, the US and Australia. In addition, he managed OWL Rafting and Madawaska Kanu Centre for more than 10 years. His combination of technical skill and customer service make him a valuable asset to the Raven team.

On course, Dan is an engaging instructor able to connect with a diverse clientele base from firefighters, industry, resource personnel and outdoor enthusiasts. 

Email: dan @ ravenrsm. com

As the Medical Director here at Raven Medical, Christal keeps our curriculum on the cutting edge. We’re proud to add her diverse background to our team.  Here’s just a snapshot of her extensive qualifications:

• Full time ER physician at the Hull trauma center since 2009
• Locum physician in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and Kuujjuaq, Quebec
• Assistant Professor at Ottawa University Faculty of Medicine
• Lecturer and student/resident supervisor at McGill University Faculty of Medicine
• Independent practitioner in emergency medicine ultrasound, trained in ATLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, and ACES
• ER physician in Haita after earthquake with International Medical Corps, 2010
• Responsible for midwife training in Tanguiéta, Benin 2012

Christal’s outdoor resume gives her invaluable insight into the application of medicine in the backcountry.  Christal was a canoe guide for Black Feather from 2003-2004, and a raft guide at Esprit Rafting from 1999-2002.  Today, she’s a passionate skier, mountain biker, hiker, canoeist, and mother of three little monsters.

A killer cook who loves his coffee more than anything (other than, perhaps, his evening Scotch), Ian joined the Raven team after years in the paddle guiding industry.  Ian is an openboater, which makes us concerned for his mental wellbeing.  Also, “he couldn’t stay in a raft if his life depended on it,” laments fellow MKC guide and Raven Instructor, Kirstin Thompson. With a sense of humour that can both curl your toes and make you feel like you’ve known him for years, Ian excels at spotting what clients need in their equipment caches, and getting it for them at a killer price.

Known in the paddling community as Cronos, The Master Of Time, “he also claims that he has the world record of Most Consecutive Days Eating Mac & Cheese,” says fellow MKC guide and Raven Instructor, Lalo Ruiz, “but I really doubt that.”

In his role as Retail Sales Coordinator, Ian is a welcome addition to our admin team (for more than his baking and jokes, we swear…)

Email: Ian @ ravenrsm. com

Jason Wolsky began as a volunteer with the Whitehorse Fire Department in 1996, and moved through the ranks to serve as Deputy Fire Chief. Before becoming a full time firefighter, Jason worked with the Whitehorse international airport fire department.  He also holds a certificate in emergency and disaster management through Ryerson University, and holds a commercial pilot’s license.

When Jason isn’t teaching a rope or tower course for Raven Rescue with his signature upbeat delivery, you’ll find him spending time with his wife and two kids, or taking his professional photography to the next level anywhere he can, from his backyard to safari trips in Africa.

Email: Jason @ ravenrsm. com

Joanne’s upbeat tenacity makes her invaluable to our administrative team – it is also what made her such a successful canoe and kayak sprint racing coach for over 18 years. She’s served as the Greater Edmonton Canoe and Kayak Club head coach and Alberta Provincial coach assisted on National and Junior National Team Training camps, and is herself an accomplished athlete.  

In our office, Joanne splits her time between masterminding our public courses, and working with Ian Erskine to meet your rescue equipment needs. Joanne is the mom of two active teenagers.

Email: joanne @ ravenrsm. com

With over twenty years of experience in exclusive event management, Kam brings efficiency and professionalism to each of our private clients.  Kam’s ability to deliver the training you need in a cost-effective and time-saving manner has made her indispensable to our private course clients across Canada.

When she’s not delivering precision service here in our office, you’ll find Kam relaxing at her lakefront property… and when we say relaxing, we mean renovating and landscaping…

Email: kam @ ravenrsm. com

Since 1979, Len has worked in diverse pre-hospital related professions.  For the past 15 years, he has worked as an Operations Supervisor with Hamilton Paramedic Service.  In this position, Len has held various portfolios including paramedic professional development, planning, and special operations.  Currently, he certified as an Advanced Care Paramedic and maintains his clinical skills on the road in Hamilton, and through providing medical services to large music and athletic events. Len is a recipient of the Governor General’s Exemplary Service Medal –Canada’s highest paramedic honour.

Being raised on a hunting/fishing lodge northern Ontario, Len has the Canadian shield etched in his heart.  Len has a Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Education both specializing in outdoor education.  He has worked for Outward Bound Canada, adjudicated youth, and high school outdoor programs. Len remains connected with Outward Bound by sitting on its National Safety Committee for the past 20 years. 

Len has been teaching wilderness medical programs since the mid 1980’s. Len has taught course in 10 countries around the world.  From “north of 60” and South America, to teaching the first wilderness medical program in China, he enjoys adopting medical training programs to meet the needs of diverse students.

Email: len @ ravenrsm. com

After some time behind a desk at Raven Safety, it became evident that Regan’s knowledge deserved to get delivered in person.  Clients requiring site visits benefit immediately from Regan’s thorough understanding of standards and legislations.  His ability to cut through the confusion of red tape to deliver actionable safe work procedures and safety programs has gained him respect in the industry, and documents produced by him dovetail seamlessly into existing OH&S programs.

We’re proud to bring Regan to our safety clients.

Rob has been guiding and instructing outdoor skills for over 10 years. He has guided paddling expeditions in the Canadian North, Alberta and Ontario. Rob holds a BA in geography, Bachelor of Physical Health and Education and most recently a Bachelor of Education with a specialty in Outdoor Education.  Rob has been a fulltime firefighter with Calgary Fire since 2014, and is an Aquatic Surface Rescue Team Member.

Rob has the most amazing wife and cutest little daughter – they call Canmore home, and they love to mountain bike, ski, hike and paddle.  Rob is also the co-founder of Connected in Motion – an organization whose mission is to unite people with type one diabetes who want to live healthy outdoor lifestyles through outdoor experiential learning opportunities.

Email: rob @ ravenrsm. com

As Executive Director of Raven Rescue, Ron has accumulated over a decade of delivering rescue, medical, leadership and adventure skills for first response agencies, government, industry and universities.

Most recently, Ron has spearheaded the launch of Raven Medical – a division of our company dedicated to the development and provision of leading wilderness medical training. For 15 years prior to the launch of our new program, Ron served on the Faculty Steering Committee for Wilderness Medical Associates and is currently on the Curriculum Advisory Committee for Rescue 3 International. Ron has authored several of Rescue 3’s standards for technical rescue disciplines, is an NFPA expert and a world expert in the field of technical ice rescue. Ron’s swiftwater credentials are equally impeccable as he comes from years as an expedition paddler and raft guide, has served as Education Chair for Paddle Alberta; and is an examiner for the BC Raft Outfitters Association. Ron is a graduate of Lakehead University’s Outdoor Recreation Program and has also served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Email: ron @ ravenrsm. com

Scott has been pursing his passion for self propelled adventures in the outdoors as a guide and outdoor educator for over 17 years.  He has worked as a raft guide, taught rafting and white water kayaking courses, and has paddled recreationally all over Alberta, BC, western USA, Educador and Peru. 

During the winter when he’s not in the office or teaching Ice rescue courses you can find Scott ski patrolling at Hudson Mountain and teaching avalanche courses.  Scott is also a member of Bulkley Valley Search and Rescue where he is on the Swiftwater, Rope, Mountain and Avalanche teams.

Travis has been professionally teaching and guiding a wide variety of outdoor skills for over 10 years. He has led a number of river expeditions across Northern Canada, he is a certified paddling instructor, avalanche safety instructor, ski/snowboard instructor and instructor for the Canadian Safety Council. He is a Raven Medical instructor, and an instructor trainer for Raven Rescue’s swiftwater, jetboat, and ice programs.  Travis is a dynamic and experienced instructor and we are proud to have him as part of our team. 

Email: travis@ravenrsm.com