Meet Isobel Phoebus!

We are pleased to introduce CMI Director Isobel Phoebus!

Isobel is a Wildlife Biologist, Species-at-Risk Technician, and Science Instructor with a deep background in applied ecology.

Her work with Girls on Ice Canada perfectly combines her passions—building courage, confidence, and environmental stewardship in young women as they explore science and outdoor recreation.

🌿 Fieldwork with Impact:
Isobel takes pride in a recent field campaign mapping the endangered Williamson’s Sapsucker population across the East Kootenays. By locating previously unrecorded territories and nesting pairs, her work will directly contribute to establishing new Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) to safeguard the species.

Favourite part of working in applied ecology? “I appreciate hands-on work in the field that provides opportunities to connect with and learn from diverse landscapes and species.”

🏔️ Beyond the Field:
Isobel brings that same drive to extreme environments— summiting Mount Logan (5,959 m), completing a 600+ km ski-touring expedition through the Monashee Range, and just this summer establishing an all-female first ascent on an unclimbed face of Mariposa Mountain in Peru (5,842 m)!

💡 Advice for Early-Career Researchers:
“Make connections with those, both organizations and people, whose work inspires you. Ask them questions, volunteer with them, and see what you can learn along the way.”

While Isobel is new to our Board, she is a longtime supporter of CMI courses and forums.
📅 Connect with Isobel and the regional ecology community!

Registration is officially OPEN for the CMI Researchers’ Forum 2026 this October.
👉 Click here to reserve your spot: https://cmiae.org/event/researchers-forum-2026/