Jesse Franssen-Blight

Jesse Franssen-Blight first found her way into wilderness hospitality at Capella Lodge, where she worked from 2019 to 2022 before crossing the Pacific to Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge in 2023. What began as a brief stint as a server quickly became something more. Jesse returned as Food and Beverage Manager for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and now serves as Assistant Lodge Manager, a dynamic role that keeps her moving throughout the property. What she enjoys most, however, is simple: people. She loves hearing about a guest’s day, learning what they spotted on the water or which guide took them exploring, and helping her team create the experiences those stories are built around. Her background in food and beverage remains part of the fun, whether she’s recommending a Vancouver Island wine or dipping into the international Cellarmaster collection to find the right pairing for dinner.

Clayoquot’s wilderness has become part of Jesse’s everyday life, but she tries not to let its extraordinary moments become ordinary. Bears might appear on the way to work, bald eagles outside her office, and salmon in the river during spawning season. Sometimes all it takes is hearing a newly arrived guest marvel at the view from the Ivanhoe to remind her what surrounds them. For Jesse, no experience captures that feeling better than Sip to Sky. She first tried it within weeks of arriving in 2023, taking a helicopter into the mountains for sweeping views, a swim in a glacial lake, and cheese, charcuterie, and wine at elevation. It became her own “wow” moment, the experience that revealed just how much was possible here. Now she gets to watch guests have those moments for themselves.