Board of Directors

Ms. Christie has served as President & CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Banyan since 2016. She has over 25 years of experience in the exploration and mining business. Prior to that, Ms. Christie was President of privately owned Gimlex Gold Mines Ltd. (2006-2016), one of Yukon's largest placer mining operations and consulted in exploration, mining, environmental assessment, government, community and First Nation relations, including working with First Nation development corporations. She is currently a member of the board of Western Copper and Gold Corporation. She previously served as a board member of Osisko Green Acquisition Limited, Constantine Metal Resources Ltd., Klondike Gold Corp., PDAC, AMEBC and other industry associations and was a founding board member of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (2004-2016). Ms. Christie is active in non-profits and charities, including being President of “Every Student, Every Day”, a charity that works to improve attendance in Yukon schools. She has B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of British Columbia and is a registered professional engineer in British Columbia and Yukon.

Mr. Reid is a senior partner and Global Co-Chair of Mining with DLA Piper (Canada) LLP with over 30 years of experience in mining and securities law, including over $2 billion in corporate finance and M&A transactions since 2011. Mr. Reid is recognized by Lexpert as a Leading Canadian Lawyer in Global Mining, The Legal 500 Canada (Energy-Mining-Corporate-M&A), and Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of mining, natural resources law and securities law.  Mr. Reid led a team in connection with a transaction awarded Mining Deal of the Year by Canadian Dealmakers in 2012 and has served on the board of several TSX, NYSE and TSXV resource companies, including Far West Mining Ltd. (acquired in 2011 by Capstone Mining Corp. in a $1.1 billion M&A transaction).

Steve Burleton, CFA, MBA, is an experienced mining executive with significant experience in capital raising, corporate development and strategy. He is currently acting as Interim CEO of Angus Gold Inc. Prior to this, he was President & CEO of GT Gold Corp. between June 2018 and September 2019 and Vice President of Business Development at Richmont Mines Ltd. between February, 2015 and its’ acquisition in November 2017. Mr. Burleton has over 18 years of experience in the Canadian investment banking industry having dealt with companies in mining, fertilizers and industrial products. Mr. Burleton is a CFA Charterholder and has an MBA from York University.

Mr. Blythe is an independent mining consultant who provides diligence reviews and operational advice to mining companies and financiers.  His previous roles include Vice President of Corporate Development at Nevsun Resources Ltd. from 2017 until its acquisition by Zijin Mining Group Ltd. for $1.9 billion in 2018.  Mr. Blythe was President & CEO of Tarsis Resources Ltd. (now Silver North Resources Ltd.) (TSXV: ANZ) from 2007 until 2015 and concurrently served as Vice President, Mining of Almaden Minerals Ltd. (TSX: AMM, NYSE MKT: AAU) from 2006 to 2011. Mr. Blythe previously served as a Corporate Senior Mining Engineer for Placer Dome Inc. based in Vancouver from 2004 until 2006, where he completed internal and external mine evaluation, including advising on potential acquisitions and mining technology implementation. Mr. Blythe has also managed mines in Australia for Placer Dome Inc. and WMC Ltd. Mr. Blythe has a strong understanding of mine feasibility and led two feasibility studies which resulted in successful operating mines, Raleigh Mine and Bullant Mine, both located in Kalgoorlie, Australia. Mr. Blythe is a registered professional engineer in British Columbia. He has a Master of Business Administration from La Trobe University in Melbourne and a Bachelor of Mining Engineering degree from the Western Australian School of Mines.

A resourceful and innovative leader with over 20 years of experience, Hayley Halsall-Whitney comes to Banyan with significant expertise in the mining industry. She is recognized for her dedication to building the next generation of junior and mid-tier mining producers, with an unrelenting commitment to sustainable development, health and safety, social license and increasing shareholder value. 

On completion of BASc and MASc degrees in Chemical Engineering, Ms. Halsall-Whitney went on to work for Glencore, a globally diversified multinational mining company (formerly Xstrata, Noranda & Falconbridge), where she delivered on the goal of zero harm and operational performance excellence for 13 years. Following Glencore, she was the Processing Superintendent for Goldcorp's Project Century PFS, Mill Superintendent at North American Palladium and Mill Manager at Wesdome where she was promoted to General Manager in 2020. While General Manager of Wesdome's Eagle River Gold Mine, Ms. Halsall-Whitney led Eagle River to record production, development of their first block model and LOM in 2021, and was one of the QPs for their 43-101 (2021). Ms. Halsall-Whitney also holds an Executive MBA from Kellogg-Schulich and is heading to Wharton to complete the Advanced Executive Management Program.