Fiona is a settler marine ecologist, conservationist, and community leader who attributes her life’s direction to growing up in Howe Sound/Átl’ḵa7tsem. Having spent her childhood flipping rocks to search for crabs on Bowen/Nex̱wlélex̱wem’s beaches, Fiona was thrilled to serve as the Guide’s Project Director from 2018-2021. She is now delighted to participate on the project’s Steering Committee. Fiona is currently a PhD candidate in the Zoology department at the UBC, where she studies how climate change is affecting marine life and communities in the Salish Sea. She also coordinates nearshore restoration in Átl’ḵa7tsem with SeaChange Marine Conservation and sits as an advisory for various other regional marine conservation non-profit organizations. Fiona lives in Gibsons, Ch’ḵw’elhp. 

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John is the Fisheries Science and Policy Analyst at David Suzuki Foundation, and is an adjunct professor at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. He has over 20 years of experience in fisheries and marine conservation. John’s areas of expertise include marine habitat conservation, sustainable fisheries assessment, and evaluating fisheries for their capacity to produce food and nutrition for people. John lives with his wife and two kids in Vancouver, and raises his kids outdoors as much as possible.

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Ellika has lived, studied, and recreated in/around Átl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound her entire life. She grew up in North Vancouver, spending much of her childhood exploring local forests and coastlines. This connection to our local landscapes led her to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. She has worked for several environmental non-profits, often leading projects with a marine conservation focus. Her roles in these organizations have allowed her to develop valuable skills in community organizing, scientific communications, volunteer management, and program leadership.

Currently residing in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh/Squamish, Ellika is excited to bring her passion and experience to the Átl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound Marine Stewardship Initiative. When she’s not at her desk, you’re likely to find Ellika trail running, backcountry skiing, or foraging in the mountains surrounding Átl’ḵa7tsem/Howe Sound.

Coming soon!

Erica is a marine ethnoecologist, who has been working with Indigenous nations and coastal communities in British Columbia for the last decade. Her curiosity and love for coastal and marine ecosystems began in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where she would visit her grandparents and spend every day exploring the intertidal zone. Graduate studies brought her to BC, and she is currently a PhD student at the University of Victoria, where her research is aimed at exploring how multiple ways of knowing are brought together to form conceptualizations of complex social-ecological systems and how those inform marine planning decisions. Erica is pleased to be supporting the Marine Stewardship Initiative’s marine planning as well as monitoring and research endeavors. Erica lives with her family on Nex̱wlélex̱wem/Bowen Island, where they love swimming and paddling in Atl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound, and getting to more deeply know this place where they live.