Staff
Cetus Team 2011
Back row L-R: Linda McGrew, Robyn Hutchings, Marie Fournier, Bo Garrett, Nic Dedeluk, Leah Thorpe, Doug Gow, Ernest Alfred
Front row L-R: Nicole Koshure, Christie McMillan, Doug Sandilands, Elke Van Breeman, Megan Baker, Cara Lachmuth
Board of Directors
Chair
Nic Dedeluk
Nic Dedeluk (B.Sc.) is one of the founders of Cetus and worked as the General Manager for Cetus for 7 years. She is a marine biologist and has been working on marine mammal outreach and education programs since September 2000 with the establishment and coordination of both the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network at the Vancouver Aquarium and the Straitwatch Programs. In addition to her work with Straitwatch, she has taught a marine mammal course for naturalists in Victoria and run courses on marine mammal identification and natural history for staff at the Department of National Defense. Currently Nic works as a researcher for the Department of Fisheries, and is serving her 6th year as the Chair for Cetus’s board.
Vice Chair
Doug Sandilands
After completing a degree in Physics, Doug Sandilands worked on a master’s degree in snow science at the UBC Department of Geography and completed a teaching degree in high school physics and math. In 2000, Doug began nine years of work with the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network (BCCSN), and acted as coordinator of the network for six years. Over the past eight years, Doug has been involved with every aspect of Cetus’ marine education programs including the Robson Bight Warden Program, Straitwatch (based out of Alert Bay, Campbell River, Barkley & Clayoquot Sound, and Victoria B.C.), and the Straitwatch kayak program. Through his work, Doug has gained experience in data analysis, database development/management, spatial analysis, and has contributed maps/GIS support to variety of studies and publications. Doug has helped to develop the BC Marine Mammal Response Network (BCMMRN) and has been trained to disentangle whales from fishing gear by the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. He is currently serving his 5th year as the vice-chair of Cetus’ Board of Directors and now works for the Provincetown Centre for Coastal Studies.
Secretary
Scott Rogers
Scott worked with Straitwatch, based in Johnstone Strait, for the first 5 years of the program and subsequently joined as a Director on the board. Concurrently, and afterward, she coordinated graduate and post-graduate field research on wild juvenile salmon and the sea lice parasite in the Broughton Archipelago. From 2006 to 2011 she coordinated the Salmon Coast Field Station and associated research out of Echo Bay. She has been involved with conservation efforts in the Broughton with her local salmon enhancement society. She is currently serving her 5th year as a Director with Cetus’s Board and is now working and living in the Broughton Archipelago.
Treasurer
Sarah King
Sarah is a finance manager, directing and overseeing the daily operations of finance and accounting for Dobin in Chicago. She works frequently with project managers and practice area leaders to improve the firm’s efficiency and internal processes. She served for many years on the management team of VIA International, a market strategies firm, where she managed all aspects of global operations, building and maintaining the international finance systems of this successful company. She holds a BS degree in marketing and accounting from Arizona State University. Sarah has volunteered with Cetus every summer for the last 8 years, and has been acting treasurer for 4 years. Sarah also serves on the board of the Chicago Lost and Found – a non-profit that works with schools and the community to transform recycled goods into art that is then sold and the profits go back to the project. And she is also a Wish Granter for the Make a Wish Foundation.
Director
Caitlin Birdsall
Caitlin is the coordinator of the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network, a project that collects opportunistic sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and sea turtles from the coast of British Columbia. She holds a BSc in Wildlife Biology from the University of Northern B.C. and is a certified Heritage Interpreter. She has worked previously as a field assistant, naturalist and educator in both Australia and throughout British Columbia. She serves on the board of a variety of conservation organizations, including the Whale Interpretive Center, the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS) and has been an active member of the Cetus Research and Conservation Society Board of Directors for over 3 years.
Director
Jake Etzkorn
Jake graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology from Vancouver Island University, where he specialized in ecology and environmental chemistry. Since then, he has worked as an aquatic technician at the Pacific Biological Station and a research assistant at the Applied Environmental Research Laboratories. He spent three summers working for CETUS Research and Conservation as park warden at Robson Bight Ecological Reserve and a marine educator with Straitwatch North. He is currently the Local Marine Planner for the Living Ocean Society in Sointula, working on marine conservation issues in the Northern Vancouver Island area.
Director
Jennifer Sutherst