The Team

Kristen co-founded Satinflower Nurseries: Native Plants, Seeds & Consulting, a native plant nursery and consulting business in Victoria, British Columbia. The nursery inspires and empowers people to connect with nature through native plants. Kristen is a biologist passionate about native plants, ecology, ecosystem restoration, and native plant propagation. Her undergraduate work focused on grass taxonomy, and she completed her master’s in paleoecology at the University of Victoria, where she studied the preglacial flora of southern Vancouver Island. Over the past couple of decades, her work has focused on the Prairie-Oak ecosystems of Southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Kristen is a steering committee member of the Cascadia Prairie Oak Partnership and a sessional lecturer at the University of Victoria in Biology and the School of Environmental Studies. Kristen continues to provide ecological consultation to various agencies and groups and teaches courses and workshops on native plants, propagation, and local ecology regularly.

James Miskelly, Co-Owner 

James Miskelly is a biologist with expertise in Garry oak ecosystems, plants, insects, and restoration. James completed a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Victoria in 2004 focusing on butterflies and their habitat needs.  James has worked in various capacities specializing on rare plants and animals. He is a research associate at the Royal BC Museum in entomology with a particular interest in Canadian Orthoptera (crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids). Currently, James works full time with Natural Resources Canada, helping to conserve and restore habitats and rare species on federal DND lands. James helps continually with consulting aspects of the nursery and managing the native seed fields as well as developing specialized seed mixes for customers.  

Daniela Toriola-Lafuente, Senior Propagation & Seed Fulfillment Specialist

Daniela moved to Victoria in 2012 and has worked with Satinflower Nurseries since 2014. She obtained her BSc in Natural Sciences at the University of Lausanne and her PhD in Tropical Forest Ecology at University of Paris VI. She balances work life with volunteering at the Royal BC Museum herbarium, being a mother to two children, and enhancing her two-acre property in Metchosin with native plants. She loves propagating native plants and experiences great pleasure knowing these plants will thereafter thrive elsewhere, reassuring her that her work has a real and positive ecological impact. Daniela takes a lead role in propagating native plants at the nursery and coordinating seed orders and packaging.

Julia Daly, Senior Propagation & Restoration Specialist

With Satinflower Nurseries since 2018, Julia has experience in plant identification, species at risk management, ecological restoration, and native plant gardening. She has always been passionate about plants, wildlife, and geography and now shares these interests with her two young children. Julia completed BSc in geography from the University of Victoria in 2012 and a diploma in applied coastal ecology from Northwest Community College in 2008. Julia is one of the friendly faces you will see at the nursery, always offering much-needed advice and guidance. Be sure to check out our weekly blog with Julia!

    Michelle Schlafen-Brown, Supervisor (Saanich)

Michelle is a Certified Horticultural Technician and currently serves as the Site Supervisor at Satinflower Nurseries’ Saanich location. In this role, she oversees plant propagation and supports the team in day-to-day nursery operations. Michelle grew up in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, on q̓ic̓əy̓ (Katzie) Territory, where she developed a deep appreciation for the natural world. Her passion for ecology took root during her Biology studies at Simon Fraser University, and her love of growing plants developed through hands-on experience in small-scale organic food production. In pursuit of a more plant-focused career, Michelle moved to Southern Vancouver Island to study Horticulture at Camosun College. During her program, she completed her work experience at Satinflower Nurseries, where she discovered the ideal intersection of her interests in plant propagation and ecological restoration. She officially joined the team full-time in Spring 2021 and has since become a vital part of the nursery’s operations. Michelle is passionate about sharing her knowledge of local ecology and native plants with visitors. Whether chatting with customers, leading nursery tours, or connecting with fellow plant enthusiasts, she enjoys discussing the natural world, and the meaningful restoration work happening at Satinflower.

Jill Fraser, Supervisor (Metchosin)

Growing up in WSÁNEĆ Territory on Vancouver Island, Jill developed a deep appreciation for local ecology that continues to shape her passion for native plants. Much of her early life was spent on or beside the ocean, nurturing a strong connection to the natural world. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Anthropology at the University of Victoria, followed by several years working on an organic farm and with an environmental non-profit. In 2022, Jill returned to school to become a Certified Horticultural Technician and soon after joined Satinflower Nurseries, where she combines her knowledge and enthusiasm for native plants. As Site Supervisor at the Metchosin location, she supports customers, guides the nursery team, and coordinates community projects. She also helps manage the nursery's native seed field in Cobble Hill. Through her work, Jill hopes to foster meaningful relationships between people and place, support Indigenous-led restoration efforts, and enhance habitat for wildlife through native plants.

Andrea Simmonds, Senior Propagation & Customer Care Specialist

Andrea has been part of the nursery team since 2017 and brings her attentive and thoughtful approach to every nursery project. She has wide-ranging interests from art, travel, culture to biology, farming, and plants and holds her BA in Liberal Arts with Honours in Visual Art.  Andrea brings so much to our nursery team with her caring and hard-working nature and her artful eye and love for garden design. When not at the nursery she will be found painting nature scenes.

Dominique James, Native Plant Propagation Technician & SENĆOŦEN Language and Cultural Educator

Dominique has been part of the nursery team since the winter of 2020. Dominique is a member of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation, currently residing on the W̱JOȽEȽP Nation of her maternal family home of the Sampson family and also tied to the BOḰEĆEN Nation on her paternal side. Dominique brings many skills to the nursery, from plant propagation to cultural knowledge and plant uses, and is always a friendly face greeting visitors. Dominique is a passionate SENĆOŦEN speaker, having worked at the LÁU,WEL,ṈEW̱ Tribal School in the SENĆOŦEN immersion program, then receiving education through UVic for Language Revitalization. 

Alina Hanneson, Propagation Technician

Alina has been with the nursery since fall 2022. Growing up on Vancouver Island with parents who fostered a love for natural spaces, Alina has been admiring local flora and fauna since a young age. This love led her to work as a wilderness guide in an attempt to facilitate a connection in others. In recent years with the increase in population and development she was inspired to pursue a more hands on approach, becoming a Certified Horticulture Technician through the Horticulture Center of the Pacific. Alina feels passionate about bridging the gap between wilderness and backyards by reintroducing native plants into our urban landscape. In her free time Alina can be found meandering in the forest, guide books in hand, searching for mushrooms, looking closely at lichen appreciating the beauty of moss covered rocks, or learning to sew her own clothes.

Larissa Bron, Propagation Technician

After joining the nursery team in spring of 2023, Larissa is likely to be found enjoying the many tasks involved in native plant care and propagation while balancing being the number one cheerleader for your plant projects. Larissa’s love of native plants began when she evaluated the phytoremediation potential of wild strawberries on the other side of the Rocky Mountains. This study was the capstone project for her training as an Environmental Technologist (SAIT, 2018), which she is currently building upon while undertaking a BSc in Biology at UVic to help her better document, conserve, and restore the incredible biodiversity of the islands of the Salish Sea. Much of Larissa's time is spent involved in supporting ecological restoration projects and research, though you can also find her co-hosting a radio program on CFUV or searching for new disc golf courses.

Dylan Simpson, Native Seed Field and Processing Technician

Dylan is a long-time friend of the nursery who began working as a native seed technician in July 2024. He's been fascinated and enamoured by the natural world for as long as he can remember and has been especially in love with native plants since he was a kid. He's taken a mixed-style approach to education, learning from restoration events, talking with local experts, personal observation, and his studies in Environmental Studies and Geography at UVic. In his free time, Dylan is equally likely to be wandering deep into a forest or sinking deep into his couch watching tv.  At Satinflower, Dylan helps care for the seed fields in Cobble Hill and works hard to prepare seed for sale: collecting, threshing, sieving, and winnowing.

Sarah Kronner, Native Plant Propagation Technician

Growing up in the Rocky Mountains, Sarah developed a deep appreciation for the natural world at an early age. After relocating to southern Vancouver Island, her passion for the region's unique ecosystem flourished, leading her to earn a BSc in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria. Sarah joined Satinflower Nurseries in the summer of 2024, caring for a diverse array of native plants as a Propagation Technician at the Saanich location. Known for her warm smile and kind energy, Sarah loves helping customers and is excited to support ecosystem health while nurturing relationships between people and nature.

Sara Newman, Native Plant Propagation Technician

Sara joined Satinflower Nurseries in the summer of 2024, bringing a strong background in ecological restoration and gardening practices. A recent graduate with a BSc in Geography from the University of Victoria, Sara has accumulated diverse experience in the environmental field. Inspired by her youth spent exploring the woods, prairies, and Rocky Mountains, she developed a deep passion for conserving nature. Beyond her work with plants, Sara finds joy in outdoor adventures like caving and snorkelling while also nurturing her creative side through dancing, painting, and graphic design. At the nursery, she applies her knowledge and love for plants to her role in native plant propagation, contributing to the restoration and preservation of local ecosystems. 

Eve Ruth, Native Plant Propagation Technician

After a life long fascination with plants Eve became passionate about restoring local ecosystems in her first year of university as part of Uvics Ecological Restoration Club. This passion has led to several summer jobs allowing her to build her skills in plant identification and ecological monitoring. Eve is so happy to be working part time at Satinflower as a propagation technician while she finishes her bachelors degree. When not digging around in the dirt Eve can be found hiking local trails and baking.