NATURED
TIMOTHY STRAKA
BA BEd CertEd MEd MSc OCT
An experienced pragmatic and creative educator, designer, program manager, analyst, evaluator, and advisor, Timothy Straka co-creates learning experiences with people of all ages. Committed to environmental, intercultural, place-based, and community-connected education, he has taught primary, secondary, and post-secondary learners experientially across North America and in Central Europe, the Arctic, and Antarctica. Seeing beyond categories and silos, Tim works with clients to understand and enact change and apply creative solutions to social problems. His research and professional practice are focused on education for sustainability.
Tim designs effective curricula and facilitates transformative learning experiences with diverse learners and their communities of practice. He interacts effectively with diverse education partners and develops strong working relationships within organizations and with external stakeholders locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally in order to facilitate learning, improve programs, build capacity, increase profile, and accelerate the sustainability movement.
Tim has extensive experience designing, developing, leading, evaluating, and reporting on professional learning programs oriented to lifelong education for all and learning that supports sustainable community development, social justice, civic engagement, and nature-connection. He understands how to negotiate agreement, build effective teams, deal with ambiguity and competing priorities, and manage multiple priorities with lean resources while delivering high quality results.
Some of the people and organizations Tim has worked with include Outward Bound Canada, the Students on Ice Foundation, Camp Kawartha and the Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre, the City of Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, the YMCA of Greater Vancouver, (S)MOVE, school districts and universities in British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec, Ontario's Ministry of Education, several Canadian Parliamentarians and Government of Canada departments and agencies, and Canada C3, a Canada 150 Signature Project.
Tim is a member of the Association for Experiential Education, the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication, the Classrooms to Communities Education Network Society, and l'Association québécoise pour la promotion de l'éducation relative à l'environnement. He is certified to teach in British Columbia and Ontario.
Tim earned graduate degrees in science (Lesley University) and education (UBC), and undergraduate degrees in politics (Bishop's University) and education (Queen's University). Most recently at UBC, he was a University Sustainability Scholar, Education for Sustainability programs Design Team member, and EfS graduate program cohort Instructor.
Tim enjoys time with family and friends, trail running, skiing, paddling, swimming, biking, hucking Frisbees, and back-country travel. He co-designed and built the first Passive House residence in Canada certified to the PHIUS standard, which is also CaGBC LEED for Homes Platinum certified.