I first learned about ShoreZone during a field school at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre while completing a degree in Biology and Oceanography at the University of British Columbia. My enthusiasm was sparked by the scale and ambition of the project, so when the opportunity to contribute to ShoreZone emerged, I grabbed it. After taking to the skies on my first survey in Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park, I was hooked. I have since participated in two other surveys along British Columbia’s beautiful coastline.

I am thrilled to be part of the SeaChange team, as they provide an invaluable opportunity to work on projects that will help restore and preserve marine life. I look forward to learning from the diverse perspectives of my colleagues and contributing meaningful work that will positively impact local ecosystems.

When I’m not mapping shorelines, I am enjoying the outdoors—from a hike in the woods to relaxing on the beach with a good book—making Victoria a perfect place to call home.

Growing up with the interior of British Columbia as my backyard, I developed a deep appreciation for the natural world from an early age. Much of my childhood was spent exploring BC’s diverse landscapes, which sparked both my love for the outdoors and my interest in environmental stewardship. After visiting Vancouver Island many times as a kid, I, like many, fell in love with the ocean and eventually moved to Victoria to pursue my university education. My passion for protecting BC’s incredible biodiversity led me to complete a BSc in Geography and Geomatics, where I discovered how powerful geospatial technologies can be in addressing real-world conservation challenges.

Before joining SeaChange, I worked in several GIS roles supporting conservation and environmental monitoring across both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. I’m honoured to now be part of the SeaChange team and contribute to an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the landscapes I love.

When I’m not working, you can usually find me hiking local trails, cooking, or snorkelling around Vancouver Island.

I was born and raised on Vancouver Island, and have been living here my whole life. I completed a BSc. in Geography at the University of Victoria, and have worked the years since then with the provincial government in various roles including water management, contaminated site remediation, and GIS.

I’m happy to be a part of SeaChange and the ShoreZone Coastal Habitat Mapping program and I appreciate the opportunity to have a positive impact on coastal ecosystems through the work we carry out.

In my free time I enjoy cycling around the trails and roads of Vancouver Island, camping, and playing music with friends. I’m also passionate about food, and have been in the kitchen from a young age learning from my Italian grandparents. I love to travel and have had the privilege of visiting 14 countries (so far).

As a recent graduate from the University of Victoria, I am eager to learn how to better manage water systems in Canada. Growing up in Chile, some of my fondest memories are of the beach, where I loved to spend a warm day splashing around in the cold water or walking on the pier at sundown.

Since childhood, I knew I wanted to help manage pollution and help keep our environment cleaner. Being so grateful for nature, it seemed a perfect fit for me to become an environmentalist. At SeaChange, where maintaining a healthy ecosystem for future generations is a main goal, I’m very excited to learn more about mapping software and how it can be used to strategically maintain our ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems are very complex and always changing, so my objective is to make use of technology to better track and study water systems.

Besides being an environmental activist, I enjoy watching movies at the cinema and rock climbing. I am also an avid collector, so my own movie collection is always growing!

Having grown up in BC, I developed a fondness for the ocean at a young age and fell in love with the diversity of life found along the shore. When I was younger, all I wanted was to do was learn more about marine life and help conserve the beautiful place that I consider home. Through a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Geography from the University of Victoria, I nurtured that interest and developed a passion for community-oriented conservation and restoration, coastal ecology, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In my last semester of my degree, I took two field courses where I got to learn about Heiltsuk resource management in the Koeye River Estuary, and restorative design on Galiano Island. Since graduating, I’ve worked for The Land Conservancy of BC, and volunteered much of my time with Peninsula Streams and Shorelines.

I’m incredibly excited to work alongside and learn from the knowledgeable team at SeaChange that do meaningful work to help conserve and restore ecologically important habitats.

When I’m not working, you can find me rock climbing (both indoors and outdoors), spending time at the beach, hiking, camping, biking, birding, taking photos, or reading

I was introduced to Sea Change through my love of estuaries and community-led research and restoration work. I am a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria’s School of Environmental Studies, where I study the importance of estuaries in coastal British Columbia within Indigenous food systems. I consider restoration to be a natural next step to caring for these complex systems and the communities that have stewarded them since time immemorial, and I am grateful to be able to apply the teachings that have been shared with me towards helping heal these places. In the past years, concurrent with my doctoral research, I have worked as a consultant archaeologists, university educator, and cultural heritage coordinator for a First Nation government. I have a MA from the University of Toronto in critical gender, race and sexualities studies and a BA from the University of British Columbia in Anthropology.

When I’m not working on one of my many projects, you’ll find me taking long walks with my dog, knitting, backpacking, and otherwise scheming on how to get myself outdoors and into the woods (and looking at plants in an estuary).

As a professionally trained commercial diver specializing in scientific diving, I have worked with SeaChange for over 10 years as an eelgrass transplant specialist and commercial boat operator. I am also professionally trained as a photographer through the Western Academy of Photography, and the owner/operator of Coastal Photography Studio. In this capacity, I capture underwater footage during transplants and marine debris removals, as well as above water as an aerial drone photography technician.

From diving to great depths in the emerald sea to flying high in the mountains with an aerial ROV, I continue to push the boundaries of creativity.

I grew up in Victoria where I was lucky to be surrounded by beautiful rocky beaches where I could jump in the waves and explore tide pools. In grade 11, I joined my high school scuba diving club and that experience opened my eyes to the magic of the underwater world. I completed my BSc in Biology (Specialization in Marine Biology) at the University of Victoria and began working with OceanWise Conservation Association, engaging children and youth in ocean literacy initiatives across Canada. In 2019, I was honoured to join Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s Treaty, Lands, and Resources department, supporting environmental assessment and natural resource planning. In 2023, I returned to school to complete my Master’s in Coastal and Marine Management where I worked with the Labrador Inuit to explore how visual art can bring together Western scientific and Inuit knowledge systems in environmental research projects in Nunatsiavut. Outside of work, I love hiking, camping, birding, singing, playing piano, and spending time with family and friends. I am excited to be supporting SeaChange’s marine restoration initiatives!

I am proud to have joined the SeaChange team and am especially keen to explore how multidisciplinary sciences and cultural knowledge can collaboratively benefit coastal and ocean ecosystem management.

I have worked extensively in the marine public aquarium industry where I received my Nerd certification for Pacific Northwest marine species identification and specialization in equipment and logistics management.  This diverse work included taxonomic surveys by scuba diving in frigid Arctic waters, rearing of undescribed larval fish species, and creation of complex simulated habitat displays; During this time, I learned to appreciate the indispensable value of being part of a team of passionate dependable people.

I can often be found with my head under a bush, examining a cryptic leafhopper; or lost in the forest, flinging pointy sticks with my bow.  I am highly food motivated, and I would argue that Marine biology is the most delicious of the sciences.

Since I was a little kid, I was enamored by killer whales and the ocean. I wanted to study marine science in order to work with marine ecosystems and understand them better. Ocean conservation became my passion as I pursued my BSc in biology at Brigham Young University Hawai’i. I worked as a teaching assistant and lab assistant, spending my extra time organizing beach cleanups and diving. Upon graduation, I began working with environmental nonprofits, incorporating my science background into effective communications strategies. I am particularly focused on killer whales, salmon, and the coastal nearshore.

When I am not working you can find me out watching whales, reading, or diving.

I grew up both being obsessed with the sea, and learning my passion for conservation through watching Steve Irwin. No surprise that I graduated in 2020 from Uvic with a double major in Biology and Environmental Science. Since then I have worked in Mozambique as research diver observing Manta Rays, worked as a scuba instructor and captain, and now I work as a Biomapper for SeaChange. Through my working years I have learned how much I love (and need) a combination of hands on, education, and outreach work. I am always happy to answer nerdy questions, or go tide pooling to look at the creatures.

When I’m not at work you can find me out exploring, reading, elbow deep in various art projects, horseback riding, scuba diving, or petting a random dog.

I have always been interested in the natural environment, and my enthusiasm towards marine ecosystems grew while completing my Bachelor of Science at the University of Victoria, where I double majored in Biology and Anthropology. Since graduating, I have been excited to learn and take on new challenges and opportunities as they arise.

My diverse background includes many years as a research assistant in labs at UVic applying molecular biology techniques on various alpine plants and marine organisms to learn more about species diversity. One of my favourite experiences over the years was teaching the field component of an adult education class where I introduced people to the wonders of the intertidal zone.

I was first introduced to ShoreZone when I worked at Archipelago Marine Research, Ltd. and was excited years later to have the opportunity to join Coastal and Ocean Resources, Inc. as a bio mapper and be able to learn and work with ShoreZone again. It is with much enthusiasm that I am now part of SeaChange and all the new experiences that come along with it.

When not working, I enjoy playing ice hockey, wandering local beaches, and spending time with my family.

Phil is a registered professional planner with six years of experience working for non-profit organizations on community resilience, conservation, and climate initiatives. As the North Salish Sea Coordinator for the Resilient Estuaries of the Salish Sea project, he works with First Nations and local conservation groups to protect and restore estuarine habitats. 

In addition to his work with SeaChange, he works as a Program Manager for the Comox Valley Conservation Partnership and as an advisor with Ecotrust Canada on energy affordability and housing retrofits in Coastal Indigenous communities.

Outside of work, Phil spends his time with friends and family, exploring every type of aquatic ecosystem to be found on Vancouver Island.

With a BSc in Geography from the University of Victoria, I have over twenty years of experience working in the coastal environment in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Alaska, Florida, South Carolina, Washington, and the Canadian Arctic. I have been involved in and led many marine projects and programs including the ShoreZone Coastal Habitat Mapping program, Seabed Imagery surveys, Oil Spill Response programs, aerial surveys, and Arctic Oceanography programs. I have experience in database management, project management and geographic information systems.

I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, and have lived in Victoria, British Columbia for the last twenty-five years. I enjoy being a part of a team that helps preserve, protect, and understand the health of our coastal ecosystems.

I graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science in Geography, where I studied whales and their spatial behaviour—igniting a passion for marine conservation and spatial data. This led to my work as a naturalist for a whale-watching company for several years where I gained valuable experience in the field and expanded my understanding of marine ecosystems.

Now, in my current role as a mapping technician, I continue to build upon my mapping skills and utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to support my work and to help protect the coastal environments I love.

When I’m not working, I can often be found outside, hiking, camping and playing disc golf (terribly), enjoying a sunny patio drink, or getting The Longest Road in Catan.

I started my career in science education at the age of 13! Since then, I’ve coordinated learning and education opportunities at museums, science centres, and non-profits in Canada and the United States. I have my Master’s in Museum Education and am a Certified Volunteer Manager.

My goal as an educator is to help people discover their curiosity and joy in the outdoors, find community, and understand their role as stewards for the natural environment. In my spare time, you’ll likely find me wandering around the intertidal zone looking for wiggly creatures, digging in my community garden,  or at the sewing machine making sustainable goodies.

I am originally from the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations (“Vancouver”) and has been fortunate to call the traditional territories of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples her home for the past three years.

I am a passionate and curious scientist, natural historian, and conservationist. I have a BSc from the University of Victoria in Biology with a minor in Ocean Sciences. I studied at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre for my final year and then went straight into an MSc at BMSC through the University of Alberta where I studied the ecology of sea slugs. I then took a sharp turn research-wise, and studied thermal physiology in Northern arachnids, gaining an understanding of the less visible effects of climate change on ectotherms. Now, I am truly fortunate to be able to use my experiences and knowledge for SeaChange.

Aside from my work, I love doing outdoor things with my family (dog included) like beach combing, biking, camping, and gardening. But I am not opposed to a bit of hygge: hammocks, books, and art.

Bio still to come…

I am a third-year Geography student pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Victoria. I am enjoying mapping in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), learning about landscapes and how they change over time, and learning about ecology. In my professional career, I hope to continue to work in the field of conservation and restoration.
Outside of work, I enjoy cycling, camping, hiking, skiing, and bird watching. When at home I like to read and play board games with friends and family.

I am currently studying Marine Biology at the University of Victoria. Growing up on the California Coast, I developed a deep respect for marine environments through scuba diving, surfing, and maintaining aquariums.

I’ve joined SeaChange as a co-op student working as a Junior Mapping Technician and Research Assistant. In this role, I support the Resilient Estuaries of the Salish Sea (RESS) project through GIS-based habitat mapping with ArcGIS Pro. My other duties include data management and general research assistance. My academic background includes research on the impacts of climate change and human activities on marine ecosystems, and I value the opportunity to further develop my skills while applying them to the study and preservation of estuarine environments.