OUR TEAM

BOARD MEMBERS

The SIMRES Board is an enthusiastic team of community volunteers. Each person brings a wide variety of life experience from healthcare, research, education, journalism, and business to the organization. More importantly, every board member cares deeply about our natural marine environment and, through continued research and learning, want to responsibly protect and preserve this special marine ecosystem and its biodiversity.

MAUREEN WELTON, MBA

President

MAUREEN WELTON, MBA

President

Maureen Welton is a founding board member of SIMRES committed to sharing knowledge about the biodiversity and interconnectedness of our marine environment. She co-founded and co-chaired the SeaTalks program since 2013. She has an MBA in Sustainable Innovation from the University of Victoria and is Research Manager — Business & Finance, at UVic Accelerating Community Energy Transition (ACET). Previously, she was the CEO and Creative Director of her own international company in furniture and home decor and was VP of Design for a digital retail company in Vancouver. Maureen is an avid whale sighter, photographer, and a native plant enthusiast.

MARY REID, PhD

Vice-President

MARY REID, PhD

Vice-President

From an early age Mary Reid loved nature and worried about the effects of humans on it. This ultimately led to an academic career in ecology and environmental science, mostly at the University of Calgary. Mary’s research focussed initially on birds, then bark beetles and trees, all from the perspective of individual strategies. She also taught an annual field course for many years. As a recent Saturna resident, Mary is now happily learning about coastal and marine plants and animals as well as thinking about solar energy.

JOHN KEAY

Interim Treasurer

JOHN KEAY

Interim Treasurer

John is a retired Architect, having studied at UBC and practiced in Victoria and the Yukon. He calls himself a generalist with a wide interest in environmental issues, in particular those that affect Saturna. Ever since his first visit to the lamb barbecue in 1966, this island has been an intriguing place, an oasis surrounded by several million people with their resulting pressures on the environment and ecology. Somewhere between a weekender and a seasonal resident, John is looking forward to assisting SIMRES in its role of scientific research and stewardship.

DR. BETH BELL

Secretary

DR. BETH BELL

Secretary

Beth P. Bell, MD, MPH, worked in vaccines and infectious diseases at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for almost 25 years. During her last 5 years at CDC, she served as the Director of the Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), where she provided leadership for the prevention and control of a broad spectrum of infectious diseases, including rare but deadly diseases like Ebola and anthrax, and more common conditions like foodborne diseases and healthcare-associated and antibiotic-resistant infections. Currently, she is a clinical professor in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington, and recently completed a 4-year term on the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Her true loves are the waters, trees, and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest, especially her beloved Saturna Island.

SUSIE WASHINGTON-SMYTH

Fundraising & SGI Whale Sighting Network Director

SUSIE WASHINGTON-SMYTH

Fundraising & SGI Whale Sighting Network Director

A long-time resident of Saturna Island, Susie Washington-Smyth has led and directed environmental and conservation projects professionally and as a volunteer. She was President of Western Environmental and Social Trends Inc. (W.E.S.T.) working with governmental organizations and resource companies. Susie designed and managed the national consultation and review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and co-chaired the multi-national stakeholder group which developed the enabling regulations for the Act. Since retirement, she has continued to be a strong environmental advocate serving on boards of conservation groups or committees with government organizations. Susie is the founder of the citizen-led Southern Gulf Islands Whale Sightings Network (SGIWSN). She’s an original Dead Head, a founder of Slide Ranch in Northern California and a dedicated gardener.

CHARLES CAMPBELL

Board Director

CHARLES CAMPBELL

Board Director

Charles Campbell is a veteran journalist and teacher. He edited the Georgia Straight for a decade, served as a department head and editorial board member at the Vancouver Sun, and has worked as an editor and freelance writer with The Tyee. He has taught courses about journalism at Capilano University, Langara College, and the University of Victoria. He has a seasonal residence on Saturna, and can safely say he’s been a visitor to the island since before he was born.

BROOKS KAISER, PhD

Board Director

BROOKS KAISER, PhD

Board Director

Brooks Kaiser is a Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. Her specializations are in Environmental and Resource Economics and Economic History. Her long run research agenda investigates connections between economic and ecological transformations of natural capital over the short, long, and very long runs. Current examples include marine invasive species in Arctic waters and long run transformations of socio-ecological systems in Hawaiian and Arctic communities. A love of scuba diving and being in, on, and around the ocean got her Into this research in the first place, and she continues to enjoy these activities while working to maintain their quality for everyone.

ADMINISTRATION

NOELE BIRD

Executive Assistant, SeaTalk & Memberhips Committees

NOELE BIRD

Executive Assistant, SeaTalk & Memberhips Committees

Noele Bird has been volunteering with SIMRES since she became a Saturna Island resident in 2018. Currently she is the Administrative Assistant for SIMRES. Noele is a Clinical Counselor in private practice and specializes in Music & Imagery Psychotherapy. Working with SIMRES fulfills her secret longing to be a marine biologist in her next life. Noele is actively involved in the local whale sighters network, the Saturna Island Broom Busters, the kayak club and in making music with Saturna friends.

RESEARCH

RUTH JOY, PhD

Simon Fraser University Professor & Student Supervisor

RUTH JOY, PhD

Simon Fraser University Professor & Student Supervisor

Ruth is the Graduate Program Chair and Assistant Professor at the Simon Fraser University School of Environmental Science. She is the supervisor of the master’s students who have been collecting data for their thesis work on Saturna Island. Her own research interests are in modelling aspects of the marine environment, working on developing statistical models that assess the relative impact of anthropogenic stressors on marine species-at-risk in oceans around the world. Ruth has recently been focusing her research on ways to reduce potential impact of underwater noise and commercial vessel traffic on the foraging habitat of the endangered Southern Resident killer whale.

LAUREN LATURNUS, BSc

LAUREN LATURNUS, BSc

Lauren Laturnus graduated with a BSc in Environmental Science from Simon Fraser University (SFU) in April 2022. She has since worked as a research assistant conductng field research on Saturna, annotating whale acoustic signals, and assessing management strategies to reduce vessel impact on whales. Lauren started her MSc in Biology at SFU in May 2024 and is spending the next two summers on Saturna working with SIMRES collecing and reporing data on marine mammal and vessel presence in Boundary Pass as well as in the Interim Sanctuary Zone. She is also an avid birdwatcher and amateur wildlife photographer.

RACHEL FAIRFIELD CHECKO, MSc

Rachel Fairfield Checko has always been interested in marine ecosystem rehabilitation and protecton. She obtained a BSc. in marine and freshwater biology at the University of Guelph. Post graduaton, Rachel worked with the Stress Neuroendocrinology Lab and Biodiversity Institute of Ontario at UoG. In April 2024, she completed a M.Sc. in Ecological Restoraton through Simon Fraser University. In 2023, Rachel worked with SIMRES to research how altered trophic interactions are impacting kelp populations in the Saturna Island Interim Sanctuary Zone and, vessel and whale interactions and movement surrounding Saturna Island. In 2024, Rachel continues to work with SIMRES studying whale movement in the Salish Sea.

MIKAYLA YOUNG, MSc

MIKAYLA YOUNG, MSc

Mikayla Young spent the summer of 2023 conducting research in partnership with SIMRES for her MSc. in Ecological Restoration at Simon Fraser University. Her thesis focused on methods for monitoring whales and vessels that illegally traverse the Interim Sanctuary Zone. Prior to moving to British Columbia, she earned her BSc. in Biology & Environmental Science from Trent University. As a wildlife enthusiast, and after several years of working with terrestrial animals, Mikayla was grateful for a new opportunity to experience the world of marine mammals in the Salish Sea.

OLIVIA MURPHY, MSc

Olivia Murphy first partnered with SIMRES in 2022 for her MSc research with Simon Fraser University. Her research focused on documenting how Southern Resident killer whales change their calls during instances of loud vs quiet vessel noise in Boundary Pass. Since then, she has contributed to the data collection and reporting of both vessels in the Interim Sanctuary Zone and whale presence in the waters surrounding Saturna. After working for SFU and researching the effectiveness of several management strategies in reducing vessel impacts on whales, Olivia now works for Straitwatch, protecting whales and educating boaters about distance regulations. She has also worked on projects identifying and annotating whale calls from underwater recordings with the end goal of providing further protections to whales.

KAITLIN BARIL, MSc

KAITLIN BARIL, MSc

Kaitlin Baril has a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Biology from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Ecological Restoration from Simon Fraser University. She has worked within both marine and terrestrial ecosystems including sea turtles conservation, wildlife rehabilitation, as well as prairie grassland and invasive species management. Kaitlin’s thesis research with SIMRES focused on evaluating the efficacy of marine restoration strategies in the Salish Sea. These strategies included interim sanctuary zones and the ECHO voluntary commercial vessel slowdown, which both aim to assist in the recovery of SRKWs. Kaitlin now works for the Nature Conservancy of Canada in Saskatchewan.

AZIDEH GHEIBI, MSc

AZIDEH GHEIBI, MSc

Azi Gheibi is a Marine Biologist with experience studying Drivers of Humpback Whale Movement in Boundary Pass, British Columbia. In the summer of 2021, she collaborated with SIMRES, conducting fieldwork and employing advanced statistical models to analyze humpback whale activity in the Salish Sea. Azi's passion for conservation extends beyond whales; she has also worked as a habitat monitoring researcher in coral reef habitats in south of Iran. Additionally, she has contributed to marine biology research by collecting data on molecular analysis of coral reefs in laboratory settings. Azi's commitment to biology and nature conservation has led her to join Keystone Environmental, where she continues to contribute to the protection and understanding of marine ecosystems.

LUCY QUAYLE, MSc

Lucy Quayle completed her MSc research in 2021 at Simon Fraser University and BCIT. Her research documented the presence of, and interactions between whales and vessels in the Saturna Island Interim Sanctuary Zone and nearby shipping lanes in Boundary Pass. She has worked with SIMRES to support the continuing whale monitoring project, the remote monitoring of local Rockfish Conservation Areas project and is also one of the creators of Spyhopper, the data management and visualisation web application that SIMRES uses for their whale project. She is now working on a whale detection project with Fisheries and Oceans, Canada.

OUR TEAM

BOARD MEMBERS

MAUREEN WELTON, MBA

MARY REID, PhD

JOHN KEAY

DR. BETH BELL

SUSIE WASHINGTON-SMYTH

CHARLES CAMPBELL

BROOKS KAISER, PhD

ADMINISTRATION

NOELE BIRD

RESEARCH

RUTH JOY, PhD

LAUREN LATURNUS, BSc

RACHEL FAIRFIELD CHECKO, MSc

MIKAYLA YOUNG, MSc

OLIVIA MURPHY, MSc

KAITLIN BARIL, MSc

AZIDEH GHEIBI, MSc

LUCY QUAYLE, MSc

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