Beth Gilhespy
Beth Gilhespy has been a conservation professional for over 30 years. In March 2024 she joined the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, a growing Ontario-based land trust, as its CEO. Between June 2019 and March 2014 was Executive Director of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy, which secures funds for Toronto Zoo endangered species conservation programs. Between 2004 and 2018 Beth was Chief Executive Officer of the Bruce Trail Conservancy, where she oversaw the preservation of more than 6,500 acres of land along the Niagara Escarpment. Beth also served on the Niagara Escarpment Commission from 2017 to 2019. Prior to her work at the Bruce Trail Conservancy, Beth worked for 15 years as a consultant specializing in the environmental impact of toxic chemicals. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in physical geography and geology from the University of Guelph. She is an avid hiker, traveler, fossil collector and self-professed landscape fanatic, and when not out exploring the land, is currently writing her second book on the geology of the Niagara Escarpment along the Bruce Trail.