Cameron Jansen Van Vuuren
Treasurer
EXECUTIVE TEAMDirector, Finance & Operations
“If you have two hands and a heart, a problem can be solved; the only thing you can do is act!
—Cameron
Meet Cameron
Pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration and a minor in Environment and Society, Cameron has spent a large portion of her life growing up and spending time around animals and nature, developing a deep love, dedication and passion for sustainable action to better manage the environment and finite planet that we share with wildlife.
Growing up on a game farm in Botswana and being exposed to a wide variety of direct threats wildlife faces, her mission today is to assist the development of businesses’ environmental sustainability departments, encouraging the concepts of circular economies in contrast to the current, neoclassical, wasteful one.
Originating from Botswana, Cameron spent a lot of her time around wildlife and out in nature. Initially doing some of her studies in South Africa, and eventually moving to Canada out of interest in travelling to new places, she grew up on a game farm in Botswana, where many of her holidays were spent exploring places such as the Okavango Delta or the Makgadikgadi Pans, which allowed her to develop a deep appreciation for nature.
The farm would also expose her to many of the direct threats to wildlife, as common practice often included removing many of the artificially-planted snares affecting many of the animals she grew up next to, including many critical species to Africa's ecosystems. Learning in these natural spaces allowed her to gain a greater understanding for many of the anthropological threats wildlife faces.
Today, she focuses on growing businesses’ participation in environmental sustainability. As she observes a variety of corporate practices, one question stands out in her motives: "How can our businesses grow exponentially, on a finite planet?" She believes strongly that if someone has two hands and a heart, a problem can be solved; the only thing you can do is act!
Her mission today is to develop businesses to strengthen their departments in environmental sustainability, empowering them to make true, meaningful change, and not to greenwash their products. At the helm of the Wildlife Conservation & Ecology Society’s finance & records department, she intertwines her mission to pioneer organizational strategies in circular economics with public advocacy to incentivize other organizations, clubs, and individuals to follow these practices.
In her spare time, Cameron can be found backcountry hiking and camping, and adapting well to the Canadian practices of snow sports… which may include acquiring the occasional concussion on Whistler on her snowboard!
She also used to study music, and loves playing guitar. She's a fan at large of musicians who find the power to protest through song, and you can find her listening to Bob Dylan, or her personal all-time recommendation to anyone reading this; Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi."
Contact Cameron
Organizational Email: Cameron.Jansenvanvuuren@wcesociety.org
Please allow up to 1-2 business days for turnaround time. In busier semesters, such as Fall (September-December) and Spring (January-April), team members may be occupied, so please allow for up to 4 business days within these dates. As always, please contact us at info@wcesociety.org regarding any questions or concerns.
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