Janessa Dornstauder reflects on her community leadership journey

Janessa Dornstauder is a settler who is grateful to call Ucluelet her home. Through her work with the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT), Janessa builds partnerships between the diverse groups and communities in the region to achieve common biodiversity conservation goals. Her passion to protect ecosystems is rooted in time spent on the ocean as a technician and researcher, and time living in rural and remote communities that depend on these ecosystems. In her spare time, Janessa loves surfing, woodworking, and writing poetry.

What does it mean to you that LVI is a place-based, locally offered learning opportunity?

Participating in LVI within Nuu-chah-nulth territory has reminded me how much we can learn from the land and the communities around us when we stay rooted in place. It was an incredible experience to be able to travel throughout the region to learn, while still being able to remain close to home. Having the chance to participate in a program like this without having to leave the region made it possible to engage fully while continuing to work full time. I’m so grateful to my mentor, the amazing community leader Michelle Hall, for generously sharing her time and wisdom to help me deepen my learning and guide my personal leadership journey. LVI allowed me to learn directly from leaders in each of the West Coast communities and to begin seeing regional challenges and opportunities through their perspectives. I gained a much greater appreciation for the good work happening in the region, often beyond my own area of practice, and started to understand how my unique leadership style and values fit within our broader community fabric.

What were the biggest personal developments LVI facilitated for you on your leadership journey?

LVI helped me realize that leadership isn’t a destination, it’s something we are and grow into through every experience. The program encouraged me to be more intentional about my own growth, both personally and professionally, and to learn from the incredible people that I have the opportunity to work and live alongside. Through LVI, I’ve come to better understand my own strengths and also where I can reach out and lean on the diverse wisdom and experience that surrounds me in this place.

Can you speak about the relationships formed through LVI?

One of the greatest gifts of LVI has been the relationships. I built meaningful new connections with people I might not have otherwise crossed paths with and deepened relationships with others I’ve known for years. Our group was diverse, and there was so much learning that came from hearing each other’s stories, perspectives, and worldviews. The friendships and connections we built through LVI will stay with me for years to come, and I am so inspired by the leadership journeys of everyone I shared the program with.

How has LVI impacted your life and work within and beyond our communities since graduation?

Since completing LVI, I feel more grounded in my core values and more confident in stepping into leadership roles that align with them. The program has given me the tools and encouragement to do more and give back in a way that feels true to who I am. Traveling to each of the west coast communities, learning from local leaders, and hearing their stories has made me feel more a part of the community than before. I’m so thankful to the LVI coordinators for creating such an intentional, thoughtful, and place-based experience—it’s one I’ll carry with me into the future.