North Coast Ecology Centre Society: Meet the Board
Karina
Dracott
Founding Member
Board Member
Karina is passionate about contributing to science-based decision-making in conservation biology. She sees great value in fostering diverse, engaged, and informed communities, and aims to work with people to help conserve and sustain coastal resources. Karina moved to Prince Rupert in 2017 after studying and conducting research in Iceland, Uruguay, Norway, and South Africa. Despite her tendency to move countries, she has grown very fond of calling Northern B.C. home. Karina holds a Masters in Coastal and Marine Management and a BA in geography from the University of Victoria. She has worked on a variety of marine conservation issues ranging from plastics to sustainable fisheries to marine mammal conservation and has experience leading community engagement initiatives. Karina also volunteers for the Prince Rupert Royal Marine Search and Rescue Society and the Prince Rupert Back Country Society. She is a founding member and current Vice-Chair of the North Coast Ecology Centre.
Darla
Farrington
Founding Member
Treasurer
Darla is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to adventure and explore everything this world has to offer. She was born and raised on Vancouver Island where she fell in love with the west coast. She has a Bachelor of Natural Resource Protection from Vancouver Island University and spent many of her early years working as a Park Ranger in both Manitoba and Northern BC. She moved to Prince Rupert in 2007 for employment with the Ministry of Forests and one of her primary roles was to assess impacts on Cultural Heritage Resources throughout the North Coast. Two years later she reached her final destination with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Prince Rupert where she spends countless hours on the ocean patrolling and protecting the uniqueness of the North Coast. She is mother of two young children who inspire her to make this world a better place and is very excited to bring the North Coast Ecology Centre to life.
Jason
Scherr
Founding Member
Board Member
Jason grew up on the west coast and has raised his family with his wife in Prince Rupert. He is an active member of the community working on the board of the NCECS and as a Club Executive with the Prince Rupert Rugby Club. Jason has a background in Fisheries Management and is the Manager of Environmental Sustainability for the Prince Rupert Port Authority. He started the world's first electronic monitoring system for a fishery, the Hecate Straight (Area A) crab. Jason provides a diverse perspective from his fisheries experience, role at PRPA, and passion for the environment. As a founding member, he looks forward to seeing the NCECS continue to grow in Prince Rupert.
Alaina
Pyde
Board Member
Alaina’s passion for the marine environment and coast began as a kid, she has fond memories of visiting family in Prince Rupert during the summers, which led her to pursue a career in marine biology. In 2020 Alaina received her B.Sc in Marine Biology from the University of New Brunswick where she completed research specifically within the lobster fishery. Alaina loves being out on the water soaking up all of the diversity and uniqueness that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. When not near the ocean Alaina can be found at the rugby pitch in the summers and on the ice in the winter coaching minor hockey goalies. Alaina is excited to join the North Coast Ecology Centre Society’s team and help with its continued growth in the place she calls home.
Luke
Sweet
Board Member
Luke Sweet is an Environmental Specialist and Project Manager with Hatfield Consultants. He was born in Kamloops but grew up in the Calgary area where he received an Environmental Science degree at Mount Royal University before relocating back to BC in 2018 to explore opportunities in the northwest and enjoy all of the benefits the region offers. Luke has since been involved with environmental studies and management associated with industrial and port operations primarily in the Skeena region while pursuing a Master's in Environmental Practice at Royal Roads University. Luke joined NCECS to support their mission to promote education and environmental initiatives in the northwest and ultimately enhance the ecological richness of the region we live in and love.
Brandie Loranger
Coordinator
Brandie grew up in the rural area surrounding Thunder Bay, Ontario. She obtained an undergraduate degree from Lakehead University in Environmental Management in 2018 and began her career in the bush in Ontario where she gained her true love and respect for our beautiful wild world. The pandemic brought her and her partner to Prince Rupert, BC in the summer of 2020 where she now works for the DFO as an Operations Manager at the Oldfield Creek Fish Hatchery from October to June. She is the Lead Community Scientist working on quantifying Microplastic Pollution around Prince Rupert with the NCECS; she is also the Coordinator of the North Coast Ecology Centre in Prince Rupert from May to October. She enjoys camping, hiking, and going for long walks along Kaien Island’s beautiful coastline.
Fleur Lagace
Environmental Educator
Fleur Lagace is enjoying her second summer season at the North Coast Ecology Centre and is delighted for the opportunity to share the beauty of the north coast with locals and tourists alike. Born and raised in Prince Rupert, Fleur has a strong passion for wildlife and everything outdoors. During the summer, she loves to go out hiking in the mountains or exploring the lakes and bays in the area on her paddle board. Currently she is studying at the University of Western Ontario and aims to attain a double degree in History and Environmental Geography to pursue her interest for nature education and conservation. She is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with such an amazing organization and become more connected with the land and community around her.
Sandra Penner
Chair
Sandra grew up down the road in Terrace exploring the bush and the creatures of the north coast that live here. After a few years away obtaining her Professional Engineer designation, she returned to the area, moving to Prince Rupert in 2016. Sandra still enjoys spending time exploring the world around her with her Newfie dog, Jake, and seeing children light up when learning about sun dews and sea stars and bears. She hopes her work with the North Coast Ecology Centre Society will help to bring more opportunities for people to interact with the living things and systems unique to the north coast.
Colin Masson
Board Member
Colin retired from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, where he had worked as the North Coast Area Director. Much of his career focused on championing collaborative processes and fostering positive relationships with Indigenous communities throughout BC. As a resident of Prince Rupert for the past decade, Colin and his partner spend a great deal of time enjoying and appreciating the outdoors. They can be found in remote coastal anchorage’s in their sailboat or possibly hiking or camping somewhere between the Yukon and Baja.
Elizabeth Herbert
Secretary
Elizabeth completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2013, and received a Master’s of Zoology in 2019 from the University of British Columbia. Her thesis research investigated the potential relationship between marine protists and the Sea Star Wasting Disease in Ochre Sea Stars on the Northwest Coast. She has a background primarily focused in the marine intertidal zone, and is employed at Ecofish Research as a Project Manager.
Jessica Griffeth
Board Member
Jessica grew up and completed her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology in Saskatchewan, before moving west and settling down in Port Edward. She is currently employed as a biologist at McElhanney, working on projects with marine and freshwater impacts. Currently, she is working on her masters degree in Fisheries Resource Management. Jessica loves to work and play outdoors in the PNW with her partner and GSP. She enjoys salt and freshwater fishing, hiking, camping, hunting, and snowboarding. She is very excited to grow with the NCECS and share her passion for PNW ecosystems with local communities.
Farley Stewart
Board Member
Born and raised in Port Edward / Prince Rupert, his parents are the late James and Simone Stewart of Kincolith, Nisga’a Nation. He has two daughters, Grace recently graduated with a degree in Biology and a Minor in Chemistry and Molecular Science, and she just completed a Marine Internship in Greece. Hannah is close to obtaining a degree from Emily Carr University and is a certified kayak guide, employed last summer giving tours around Salt Spring Islands. Farley is completing his certification at SFU in Community Economic Development and enjoys practicing his guitar and learning about his culture. He is constantly looking for advice on how to have a better relationship with his two cats Sisko and Scout.
Anita
Bhatt
Board Member
Anita hails from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. The sun, sand, and sea have always been an innate part of her being. She is passionate about nature and water. She loves exploring the outdoors and going on new adventures to discover all nature offers. Anita has a master’s in Environmental Engineering and another in Sustainable Environmental Management. She has participated in and organized several beach cleanup, turtle conservation, and coastal protection initiatives, during her time in Trinidad, Mumbai, and Los Angeles. Her master’s research publication was on the “Persistence of fecal indicator bacteria in Santa Monica Bay beach sediments,” which combined her interest in environmental and coastal protection. Becoming a PADI-certified open-water diver in 2017 opened a new beautiful underwater world to discover and explore. The ecological impacts of anthropogenic activity on the aquatic ecosystems, coral reefs, and the invasion of lionfish in the Caribbean regions are some of the areas of interest to her. She moved to Prince Rupert in 2020 and is excited to be involved in the community. She looks forward to exploring the local north coast ecology and working with the NCECS to promote and educate others about their initiatives.
Piper McWilliams
Environmental Educator
Piper moved to Prince Rupert in 2014 and became an active member in the Prince Rupert Amateur Swim Club. Her swimming career introduced her to the water and ultimately nurtured her love of the ocean and aquatic environments. Piper is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in marine biology at the University of Victoria. In her next years at university, she looks forward to learning more about animal behaviour, marine invertebrates and the ocean-atmosphere relationship among other topics. She is passionate about ocean conservation and has been grateful this summer to have the opportunity to participate in the microplastics sampling project alongside coordinator Brandie Loranger. When she is home in Prince Rupert, Piper enjoys going for walks at low tide and is always excited to learn more about the ecology of the north coast!
Caterina Cociani
Environmental Educator
Caterina grew up in Prince Rupert and is currently studying classical music in Vancouver. She is passionate about marine life and conservation and spends her summers back home monitoring salmon fisheries. She’s excited to be back and loves educating people of all ages about local ecology. When she’s not at the Ecology Centre or on a fishing boat, she enjoys gardening and practicing music. She loves spending time by the ocean and is excited for the opportunity to learn more about the intertidal zone and share her knowledge with the community.