2018-2019 Board Members

Anne Stewart, a founding CaNOE director, continues to pull hard for CaNOE’s goals nationally and internationally. Currently Anne participates in several CaNOE committees including governance, strategic planning, communications, finance and international. Anne is ocean literacy co-chair on the Canadian Galway Marine Working Group and part of the International Advisor’s Group to the EU’s Horizon 2020, Blue Growth, Ocean Literacy project called Sea Change. That project involves 19 countries. Anne is also a coastal community member, based in Bamfield, BC and well known for hands-on work inspiring teachers and students.

Anne is an educator and communicator who believes science literacy requires ocean literacy. Anne promotes ocean literacy through active volunteerism and through her favourite endeavours: Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation, Bluewater Adventures and her own marine education and communication company.

Anne is committed to CaNOE and looks forward to the next leg of the journey. She brings experience, wisdom and contacts that will help chart a passage that is inclusive, collaborative, creative and dynamic.

Heather is a facilitator and project assistant with WildBC in Victoria, where she helps connect teachers and their students to the natural world through workshops and outdoor learning experiences. Heather grew up playing in the red mud of the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. She studied chemistry at Mt Allison and education at UNB, with a healthy dose of theatre on the side. Heather eventually found her way to Vancouver, where she helped introduce the Destination Conservation energy, water and waste program to BC schools and served on the Recycling Council of BC.

Having married into a sailing family, Heather looks forward to summers gunkholing around the spectacular south coast of BC and nurturing a love for the ocean and desire to understand and protect it. As a founding member of CaNOE, she has been thrilled to help launch a national ocean literacy initiative and looks forward to contributing her passion and practical experience over the next year as a co-chair.

Holly Neate was born and raised on the west coast of BC and has always had a strong passion for the ocean and all of its mystery and diversity. Her academic and professional career has taken her across the country with a focus on outreach education in the ocean conservation field. Her work with the non-profit organizations World Fisheries Trust and Ocean Wise Conservation Association have highlighted the importance of including ocean literacy in classroom and outdoor learning and she is keen to continue this journey with CaNOE. Holly has been a member of CaNOE since 2016 and has been involved in two annual symposiums as well as local member recruitment in BC. She is looking forward to connecting with Canadians from coast to coast to coast about ocean literacy!

With a catalyzing personality matched by a passion for intentional networking, Kelly thrives in that blue-drinks creative arena. Always curious about the big picture, many grade school hours were spent fascinated next to her fish tank and outdoors observing nature. Strengths include holding space for the unknown and promoting leading edge dialogue, while always looking to expand on previous ideas. Today she can be found along southern Atlantic shorelines building inspiration for stewardship, based on learning and understanding. She also frequents soulful, live folk music venues and community hub spaces to continually connect art with science.

Magali Grégoire is a science educator and museologist who discovered her passion for ocean life when she moved to Newfoundland in 2013. After working as the Educational Programs Coordinator at the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium, she felt inspired to open a similar aquarium in Nova Scotia. In 2016 she founded the Back to the Sea Society, a non-profit dedicated to opening a seasonal, catch-and-release aquarium in greater Halifax. Magali is the Chair of Communications for the Fishermen and Scientists Research Society and a Board member of the Eastern Passage and Area Business Association. Having worked at the Montreal Insectarium and the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, she has a strong experience with environmental education and conservation. Magali would like to contribute her knowledge of science communication and experience in the non-profit sector to the CaNOE Board. She is also willing to put to work some of her newly acquired fundraising skills!

Kayla Hamelin became actively involved with CaNOE after participating in the 2016 Ocean Literacy conference and is currently a member of the Communications Working Group, contributing regularly to the SPLASHmail newsletter. Originally from the shores of Georgian Bay, Kayla’s passion for the ocean was sparked at a young age after a family trip to the Maritimes. Post-secondary studies led her back to the Atlantic coast, where she completed a B.Sc.Hons. in Marine Biology and Oceanography at Dalhousie, and then on to the Redpath Museum in Montreal, where Kayla earned a M.Sc. in Biology from McGill. During her studies, she taught undergraduate biology labs and worked as Chapter Coordinator for the science outreach organization Let’s Talk Science. Now, Kayla works as the Coordinator of Conservation and Educational Outreach for the Canadian Sea Turtle Network in Halifax. She is keen to apply her skills in teaching, communication, and non-profit management to her work with the CaNOE board.

She is originally from British Columbia where her passion for oceans developed from watching Pacific salmon runs and volunteering at a local salmon hatchery when she was younger. She has a B.Sc. in Marine Biology and International Development Studies from Dalhousie University, and is interested in how ocean literacy can help with food security issues around the world.

This is her second year on the Board of Directors. In 2015-2016, she co-chaired the Conference Organizing Working Group to organize the 2nd CaNOE Ocean Literacy Conference in Halifax. This year, she hopes to use her experience in hands-on education to help steer an Education Working Group for CaNOE.

Kiley Best is involved in education and outreach through her full-time work with the Center for Fisheries Ecosystems Research and OceanNET at Marine Institute, aquatic invasive species research and the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium board of directors Vice Chair. Fisheries research through family events and graduate student recruitment, Invasive species education in high school curriculum field labs, and encouraging ocean investment and conservation through action at the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium. Kiley is involved in all aspects of coordinating, designing, fundraising and executing these initiatives. She looks forward to being involved with CaNOE to help achieve its goals.

Captain Jan Negrijn is an ocean educator, leader in marine ecotourism, small business owner, and a committed advocate for ocean literacy. Jan enjoyed a 30 year career as a ship master and marine educator with the Marine Institute of Memorial University, where he developed and taught many courses related to ocean literacy. Since 2004 he has operated ‘Coastal Connections’, a specialty tour company, focussed on providing high quality educational cruises on board the M/V Coastal Explorer He has worked in collaboration with science teachers and curriculum specialists with the NL English School District and the provincial Department of Education, and developed and field-tested a ‘floating classroom’ model for K-12 students, linked directly to the school curriculum. His award winning skills, experience and passion for ocean education has made him a key player in Newfoundland, and he is interested in becoming part of a national effort through CaNOE.

My current position in Ottawa with the Museum of Science and Technology and Fisheries and Oceans Canada has involved working on the ocean literacy framework for Canada. I believe now is a turning point for ocean literacy in Canada and I see CaNOE playing a very important role in this new stream and I would love the opportunity to help steer us. I have been involved with CaNOE since the 2016 Ocean Literacy Conference and am a member of both the Communications and the Education Working Groups. I believe background in Marine Biology and Science Communication and my past experience working from Croatia to Florida and all across Canada will be a valuable asset to the CaNOE board.

Carol Amaratunga, PhD, is an independent writer/researcher and lives in Oak Bay, British Columbia. She specializes in public health and disaster resilience, gender analysis, and community based research. She is Principal of Cartis Research Inc. As Dean of Applied Research, Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC), Carol served as a research leader, mentor, and Principal Investigator. She directed multi-million dollar research initiatives and enabled the JIBC to build substantial institutional research capacity. Carol has a PhD in Educational Theory (Toronto) and was Director of the global education division of the International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD). She was an original founder of World Ocean Day in 1992 at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro. Carol is a committed supporter of ocean literacy as a tool to raise critical consciousness of the need for sustainable economic development to counter the effects of global warming.

Dr. Maia Hoeberechts is the Associate Director, Learning and Community Engagement at Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). She and her team lead ONC’s organizational commitment to meaningful, ongoing engagement of Indigenous communities; develop formal and informal ocean learning opportunities for youth and adults; and conduct community-based research, citizen science, and community-based monitoring programs. Her work brings her to small coastal communities in British Columbia, Nunavut, and other regions of Canada. Maia is passionate about science outreach and has been involved in programs targeted to researchers, students, children, members of the general public, and increasing involvement of underrepresented groups in science and engineering. She is currently the Women in Engineering Chair for the IEEE Victoria Section. Maia holds a PhD in Computer Science in the area of computability theory and a BSc in Philosophy and Computer Science from Western University. In her spare time, she enjoys scuba diving, travel, reading, organic gardening, and any activity which allows her to play with robots.

Jonathan Kellogg, PhD, is a science communications coordinator with the Hakai Institute. With a degree in oceanography from the University of Washington investigating the heat from hydrothermal vents, he has transitioned to telling the amazing marine science stories from estuarine health to Fukushima radiation arriving on BC shores. While he enjoys all forms of online communication he is passionate about volunteering in schools and has been developing custom marine lesson plans for Vancouver schools as part of the Scientist in Residence Program. Jonathan looks forward to becoming more connected with the CaNOE community and contributing to improving Canada’s ocean literacy.

Lyne Morissette, PhD, is a conservation biologist and marine mammal researcher with a long record of accomplishments and research collaboration all around the world. She has a world-renown expertise in marine mammal ecology, conservation, and biodiversity and has published her work in the most prestigious journals such as Science. She has traveled the world to pursue her research and she’s actively involved in Canada but also in the Caribbean, Africa, Scandinavia, and beyond. She is also the host of different TV shows, radio shows, podcasts and education and ocean literacy programs in schools in Québec and other countries. In 2017, she was one of the chief scientist of Canada C3 expedition and was involved in ocean education and scientific popularization. She is an advocate for processes and projects where research, conservation, and education can serve to protect the oceans for future generations.

As a fisher, guide, and teacher of over 25 years, I represent a wide variety of perspectives about our oceans. I have a significant amount formal and informal instruction experience focused on activity-based learning in aquatic habitats. I have a genuine concern for our changing ocean and have a strong desire to improve citizen ocean literacy. I am interested in the study of ocean literacy, and as part of a local research project, I am encouraging teachers to adopt a “sustainability stance” towards our oceans. In the context of the literacy groups of NMEA and CaNOE, I have developed a keen interest in measuring ocean literacy. It is my personal goal to find or develop teacher resources that enable teachers to increase the ocean literacy of their students and grow a grassroots movement within teacher associations towards the 7 principles of Ocean Literacy. I would like to work for CaNOE as a director at large and expand my support for the education and outreach committee. Thank you, Pat (Ph.D. Student, Science Department Head – Holy Spirit High School, Fishing Guide, CBS, NL, Canada).

Kerri McPherson is a high school math and science teacher with the Halifax Regional Education Center. Her academic background has been centered around the ocean obtaining an honours Bachelor of Science in marine biology from the University of Guelph. She completed her Bachelor of Education at Acadia University and has a keen interest in improving ocean education in the formal school system. Most recently Kerri has completed a Master of Environmental Studies (MES) degree from Dalhousie University where her thesis investigated the inclusion of the internationally established Ocean Literacy Principles within Nova Scotia high school science curriculum. Currently she has two papers in review for publication titled “Examining the Nova Scotia science curriculum for international Ocean Literacy Principle inclusion” and “Challenges and barriers to the implementation of ocean education into high school science courses in Nova Scotia”. Kerri and her family make their home in Dartmouth Nova Scotia.

Cateline is a marine science educator and marine biologist whose passion for conserving the ocean and its wild inhabitants has led her to be actively involved in marine scientific research and environmental education in many capacities both in Canada, as well as internationally. Through extensive involvement with non-profit organizations (i.e. Whale Release and Strandings, Sea Watch Foundation, Huntsman Marine Science Centre, Let’s Talk Science, Odyssea Marine Research and Awareness), Cateline has gained diverse teaching experience with both children and adults, developing marine educational materials and delivering field biology and outreach education experiences. Cateline brings her experience as a marine field biology Teaching Assistant, Research and Education Intern and years of teaching children and adults with special needs. Cateline hopes to join CaNOE’s board because she recognizes the profound need for effective ocean literacy education programs and appreciates the critical role they play in connecting people to real-world issues, achieving conservation goals and in securing a more sustainable future.

Karen E. Smith (PhD, Associate Professor of Language and Literacy, University of Manitoba) teaches language and literacy across the content areas in the Faculty of Education undergraduate and graduate programs, following many years of experience in schools as an administrator, consultant, and K-12 teacher.

Karen started her career in the publishing and music industry. From there she became a teacher (K-12), divisional music coordinator, and later an administrator for over 20 years. Her next career move was to take her doctorate in literacy and become a researcher/professor. Lately, she has been writing children’s books and songs informed by literacy research and her interest in nature deficit disorder/literacy connections. Steve the Urban Rabbit & Earl the Great Gray Owl are 2 of her children’s books. For the past 20 years she has been a digital literacies researcher, storyteller, musician, and children’s book author. She is an elected board member of Nature Manitoba and is fully dedicated to connecting literacy and nature.

Nathan Bird has been working in the tourism industry in Victoria for the past 30 years. For the past two years, he has been in adventure tourism with one of Canada’s leading tour operators, Eagle Wing Tours as Director of Operations. Prior to this, Nathan spent over six years working in hotel industry, with Fairmont Empress as his last property. Nathan has worked in several departments within hotels, but mainly in operations. Prior to this, Nathan spent 20+ years in a street vending operation at Ship Point Pier, Victoria, BC. Nathan has studied locally at Camosun College and Royal Roads University in their Tourism Management Programs. Nathan’s passion is developing processes, people, business, driving business results, and employee engagement. He believes strongly in training people and leading by example for each company to be the best we can; in addition to providing a superior experience to all visitors to the destination.