Dr. Katrina Connors has over 19 years of experience in salmon science and conservation practice in BC having held positions at a variety of academic, public, and private organizations. Katrina has worked for PSF since 2008. Katrina‘s work focuses on bringing creative, science-based solutions to salmon conservation and management issues including leading the development of the first-ever online data visualization tool for Pacific salmon called the Pacific Salmon Explorer.

Katrina holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography, a Master’s of Resource and Environmental Management, and a doctorate in salmon social-ecological systems. Katrina currently serves as a Canadian Commissioner to the Pacific Salmon Commission and lives in Victoria on the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations.

Kathleen’s dedication to environmental advocacy was nurtured by her upbringing in BC. Through her work and volunteering Kathleen is focused on environmental conservation and changing the way people interact with the natural world. She finds inspiration in the tenacity of salmon which drives her work to protect this keystone species and ensure a healthy environment for all.

Prior to PSF, Kathleen worked for Environment and Climate Change Canada in the Protected Areas Unit of the Canadian Wildlife Service. Kathleen has a Bachelor of Environment in Global Environmental Systems and lives in Vancouver on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and, Tsleil-Waututh Nations. In her spare time you can find her cycling, hiking, crafting, and exploring BC’s wilderness.

Rheanna has a Master’s of Resource Management and a GIS Advanced Diploma. Her thesis work looked at the use of online web tools to support salmon management and conservation with stakeholder groups on the Westcoast of Vancouver Island.

Working with PSF allows her to help managers make informed choices for salmon, which are a critical species in the Pacific, and conserving them has cascading effects on biodiversity. Rheanna lives in Victoria on the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations where she spends her time hiking with her dogs, and planning her next dive vacation somewhere sunny.

Katy loves using maps to illuminate complex problems. She has a BSc in Natural Resources Conservation from UBC and a Master’s in GIS from the University of Washington. Before joining the Salmon Watersheds Program, Katy worked for nine years with ESSA Technologies as a Systems Analyst.

Outside of work, you’ll find Katy chasing after her four young kids, trying not to mix up their lunches, and herding them out the door to explore local parks and forests around Vancouver on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and, Tsleil-Waututh Nations. It’s the excitement and wonder on her kids’ faces when they spot spawning salmon in local streams that drives Katy in her work.

Eric has a BSc and PhD in Biology from UVic, and has worked on salmon ecology and management for over a decade. His PhD sought to better understand how information on early marine ecology could be used to improve management of Chinook salmon. He also was a postdoctoral fellow at SFU, where he worked closely with four central coast First Nations (the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk, and Wuikinuxv) to better understand the status and trends in salmon populations in their traditional territories.

Throughout his career, Eric has been driven to answer interesting scientific questions that influence resource management decisions. Eric lives on Pender Island on the traditional and unceded territories of the W̱SÁNEĆ people with his wife and two young kids. He spends his free time fishing, kayaking, camping, and hiking.

Stephanie has a background in population ecology, mathematical modelling, and statistics. She has a BSc in Biology and Earth & Ocean Sciences with a minor in Mathematics and Statistics and a PhD in Ecology. Her career has focused on using these quantitative skills to better understand the threats facing keystone species like salmon. Prior to joining the Salmon Watersheds Program, Stephanie was a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow working on bridging Western science and Indigenous Knowledges to understand threats facing caribou and muskox in Canada’s north. She enjoys working with diverse groups of people and believes strongly in open, transparent, and reproducible research to support conservation decisions.

Stephanie works remotely from Whitehorse, in the Traditional Territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, where she lives with her partner and two young kids. She enjoys getting outside in her canoe or on skis as much as she can!

Marc holds a BSc in Wildlife Biology and a MSc in Zoology. Marc has over 30 years experience working as an ecologist with different government environmental agencies and as a consultant, and has a particular focus on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) for integrating biological and physical information. Marc has served as an analyst and technical facilitator for a range of projects addressing vulnerabilities of fish habitats across BC and the western US.

Marc’s work with PSF seeks to link quantitative analyses with the management decisions that can help protect fish habitat and conserve threatened salmon populations. Marc lives in Courtenay on the traditional and unceded territory of the K’ómoks First Nation. He spends as much time as he can in the outdoors with his wife and their two children, usually intersecting with water in some context, either liquid (swimming, canoeing, scuba diving) or solid (snowshoeing), depending on the season.

François-Nicolas is a geographer by training, with interests in spatial hydrology, forest ecology, and geomatics. He arrived in Canada (from France) in 2013 to start his PhD in forest management at the University of Alberta. His PhD thesis focused on wildfire risks to water security at a global scale, a topic that he kept working on during his post-doc with Global Water Futures, although with a greater focus on Canadian issues. Prior to joining the PSF, François spent two years with the Canadian Forest Service where he worked as a wildfire research scientist analyzing post-fire risks to drinking water supply.

François lives with his wife and his two young boys in Edmonton on Treaty 6 Territory and within the Métis homelands and Métis Nation of Alberta Region 4. He enjoys gardening, boxing, heroic-fantasy books, and baking.

Bruno holds a BSc in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry from the University of Avignon, a MSc of Engineering in Water and Environmental Management from the Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Limoges, a MSc in Marine Biology from the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in Marseille, and a PhD in Biology from the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO). He then completed a postdoc at UBCO and worked as a data analyst for Clear Viz Aquatic Consulting.

By joining PSF, Bruno can effectively pursue his career objective of generating scientific knowledge and developing simulation tools to support the conservation of wild populations and natural ecosystems.

Bruno lives in Kelowna on the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan People. In his leisure time, he finds great joy in outdoor activities such as climbing, mountain biking, camping, and skiing.

Leah is currently leading engagement with First Nations, federal, and provincial governments on the expansion of the Pacific Salmon Explorer to salmon-bearing watersheds in northwest BC and the Yukon. With over ten years of experience working in the marine conservation and non-profit sectors, Leah has a strong interest in supporting evidence-based decision-making for salmon and their ecosystems. Prior to joining PSF in 2015, Leah completed a Master’s in Resource and Environmental Management where she researched sea otter foraging behavior in collaboration with the Heiltsuk First Nation and Hakai Institute.  

Leah now lives in Victoria on the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. When Leah is not engaging with people about salmon, you will find her playing outside with her husband and two young kids – whether it is hiking, camping, skiing, or tending their home garden!

A sense of wonder and love for the natural world (particularly its salmon-y parts) propel Clare in her work. Before joining the Salmon Watersheds Program, she worked on various research projects investigating Pacific salmon ecology, human genomics, and seagrass meadows. Clare has a BSc from UBC in Biology and lives in Vancouver on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and, Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She spends her free time enjoying the outdoors, reading, and goldsmithing in a workshop on Granville Island.

Eileen is a broadly-trained ecologist with over 15 years of experience in the environmental and non-profit sectors. Since joining PSF in 2013, Eileen has been working to bring together people and data in pursuit of shared goals related to evidence-based decision-making and resilient salmon social-ecological systems.

Eileen has strong interests in both conservation and community development, and has worked with organizations in four Canadian provinces and four West African countries. Prior to her current role, Eileen spent eight years as the Program Manager for the Salmon Watersheds Program. Eileen holds an MSc in Geography and a BSc in Biology and is a Registered Professional Biologist.

Eileen lives in North Vancouver on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and, Tsleil-Waututh Nations. When Eileen’s not at work, you can find her chasing after her squirmy toddler, stewarding her backyard creek, or swing dancing.

Jessie is a Full Stack Developer with a BSc in Computer Science and over 10 years of experience developing web applications to solve unique problems. He has extensive experience in data visualization tooling and looks forward to working on technical solutions for the Salmon Watersheds Program.

He currently resides in Courtenay on the traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation. When not tackling programming problems behind a computer, he enjoys spending time hiking, camping, surfing, and snowboarding.