Karen McAllister
Executive Director
Natasha Wehn
Project Director
Laurie McConnell
Dir. of Community & Systems
Sydney Dixon
Marine Specialist
Rob Hackney
Finance Director
Roan Bohonos
Content Designer
Lars Isaac
Videographer & Video Editor
Laurie Hamelin
Communications Lead
Email: info@pacificwild.org
Phone: 250-380-0547
Main Office
1529 Amelia Street, Victoria, BC
Lək̓ʷəŋən Territory
V8W 2K1
Field Office
P.O. Box 26
Denny Island, BC
Haíɫzaqv Territory
V0T 1B0
Indigenous peoples live on the frontlines of both resource extraction and climate change—and they are standing strong for their lands, rights, and future generations.
In late May, we travelled to Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan territories in northwest B.C. to document the province’s controversial fossil fuel ambitions—from the recently completed Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline to the rising opposition against the newly approved Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline.
Our hosts shared powerful stories: of ancestors and traditional governance, first hunts and teachings passed down through generations, and what it truly means to care for their lands.
We also witnessed the strength of a new generation rising—the Lax’Yip Firekeepers, a youth-led group dedicated to protecting their homelands on Gitxsan Lax’yip (traditional territory).
Gwii Lok’im Gibuu / Jesse Stoeppler, a member of the Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan Nations, spoke to us about the true impacts of LNG (liquefied natural gas)—and how it’s been sold to the public as a so-called climate solution.
And we heard firsthand from Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chief Na’Moks about the calculated violence that follows when you say “No” to a pipeline.
🔥Read our new feature blog article at the link in bio.
From Oil To LNG: The Fight for a Livable Future
Indigenous Resistance to Fossil Fuel Expansion in Northwest B.C.
@laxyipyouth
@jessestoeppler
@tsayu2
#LNG #PRGT #PRGTpipeline #CGL #CGLpipeline #FossilFuels #MethaneGas #ClimateCrisis #Indigenous #IndigenousRights #DRIPA #UNDRIP #EnvironmentalRacism #BCpolitics #PacificWild
🚣🏼♀️The Passage Paddle crew had the experience of a lifetime on their journey past Bella Bella, a surprising and breathtaking encounter with a pod of Northern Resident killer whales.
While all vessels, including kayaks, are required to maintain at least 200 metres of distance from killer whales, sometimes the wildlife has other plans. The paddlers did exactly what you`re supposed to do in such a rare moment: they stayed calm, stopped paddling, and allowed the whales to pass peacefully on their own terms.
🖤The group they encountered was the A42 matriline, a well-known family of Northern Resident killer whales. Among them was A79 “Current” and A135, who passed alongside the group.
For several paddlers, it was their first time seeing killer whales in the wild. And what a first encounter: a moment of awe, humility, and connection with the coast they’re traveling through. An experience they’ll never forget.
📸 1: @sychdi, the A42s in 2019
📸 2: @thepassagepaddle A79 "Current" and A135
#PassagePaddle #MarineConservation #KillerWhale #Orca #GreatBearSea
🌊 Last week, Pacific Wild`s Marine Researcher attended the UN Ocean Conference to stand up for one of the most mysterious and vital parts of our planet, the deep sea.
Starting at 200m and plunging to 11,000m, the deep sea makes up 90% of the ocean’s volume. It’s home to glowing shrimp, sponge gardens, and worms that thrive off hydrothermal vents, biodiversity most people will never see, but that all of us depend on.
These ecosystems are crucial for regulating our climate, yet they’re under growing threat from destructive industries like deep-sea mining and bottom trawling.
The truth is: once the deep sea is damaged, recovery isn’t possible in our lifetime. It’s time to say enough is enough. Let’s ban bottom trawling, expand strong marine protected areas, and defend the deep sea for generations to come. 🌍💙
#UNOceanConference #UNOC2025 #InDeepTrouble #MarineProtection
🌊 This weird and wild animal is a basket star.
The basket star is a close relative of the sea star, but classified in its own category. They can be found in both cold and warm water, up to depths exceeding 6,000 ft.
When on a hunt, a basket star anchors itself and extends its five tangled, branching and barbed arms into a water current. This forms a basket, secreting a sticky mucus, that is designed to trap critters that drift in the water column - like jellies, krill, and crab larvae.
🌀 When threatened, basket stars coil and wrap their arms around their body to form a tight ball - however, this is no defense against one of the biggest threats to marine ecosystems: bottom trawling.
Trawling is a non-selective fishing mechanism that scrapes and destroys seafloor habitats - crushing fragile animals like basket stars in the process. The indiscriminate nature of trawling compromises efforts to safeguard other fisheries and vulnerable species. It also disregards the hard-earned progress and sacrifices made by coastal communities to sustain marine biodiversity in British Columbia.
Say NO to industrial trawling and YES to sustainable, community-led fisheries.
Footage courtesy of @iantmcallister
#BasketStars #BanTrawling #PacificWild #OceanConservation #MarineProtection #InDeepTrouble #PacificNorthwest #PacificWild #BottomTrawling #OceanDocumentary #OceanWith DavidAttenborough
🌈 This Pride Month, we’re celebrating the vibrant spectrum of diversity in nature!
From fungi that have thousands of mating types, to same-sex goose pairs raising goslings, to banana slugs with both male and female reproductive organs, bighorn sheep bachelor herd dynamics, and (of course) dolphins who use same-sex bonding to strengthen social ties, the natural world is rich with examples of gender diversity and sexual fluidity.🍄 🦆🐌🐏🐬
Just like ecosystems thrive through biodiversity, our communities grow stronger through inclusion and acceptance. At Pacific Wild, we honour and uplift the 2SLGBTQIA+ members of our team and beyond, recognizing that diversity isn’t just beautiful, it’s fundamental to resilience, creativity, and collective strength.
💚Nature has never been binary, and neither are we.
🧠 Want to learn more? Check out Animal Pride, made for @cbcdocs The Nature of Things. This nature documentary explores the full spectrum of gender and sexuality in the animal kingdom, challenges outdated views, and celebrates nature’s diversity. Watch on CBC Gem or The Nature of Things YouTube channel.
⚠️ Note: contains mature language and content; viewer discretion advised.
❗️This is a space to celebrate and uplift science and our community. Discriminatory or harmful comments will be removed to ensure a safe and respectful environment for our staff and supporters.
#PrideInNature #QueerEcology #BiodiversityIsQueer #LoveIsNatural #PrideMonth #CelebrateDiversity #InclusionMatters #PrideAtWork
🐻 What type is your dad? 🐺A philosopher, a fisher or a joker? Tell us in the comments below and send this post to your dad, or to any father figure in your life, and let them know which photo reminds you of them! 🩵
📸 by @iantmcallister
#FathersDay #wildlifephotography
Karen McAllister
Executive Director
Karen McAllister has been involved in habitat and wildlife protection in British Columbia for over three decades. Initially, she worked on frontline campaigns to protect Vancouver Island’s endangered rainforest, moving north in the 1990s to begin efforts to protect the central and north coast of B.C. Karen has a Bachelor degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria and she is the co-author of The Great Bear Rainforest, a book that helped define the early campaign to protect the region. She is a co-founder and the Executive Director of Pacific Wild. Karen currently splits her time between the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island and Denny Island, in the Great Bear Rainforest, and is happiest when sailing to remote west coast beaches or getting her boots muddy in salmon rivers.
Natasha Wehn
Project Director
Natasha is a filmmaker and organizer who has worked in the film industry in Vancouver for 8 years. Growing up in Howe Sound, she was profoundly impacted by the power and beauty of the wilderness around her and has always sought to bring together her love of nature and storytelling.
Natasha has a BA in film from Simon Fraser University and studied Project Management at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. She has worked in a wide variety of departments in the film industry, from camera to casting, the production office to production design, and sound to Assistant Directing. This broad experience provided a solid foundation for transitioning into Producing. One of the most rewarding projects was Luk’Luk’I; a 2017 docudrama that collaborated with residents in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to tell their stories. Working on that project permanently changed Natasha’s perspective of life in the DTES. Natasha’s films have been screened in festivals internationally and won numerous awards.
Natasha believes that visual storytelling has an incredible capacity to build bridges and open people up to new perspectives. She is very excited to work at Pacific Wild and advocate for our precious planet, especially our incredibly unique coastal ecosystems.
In her spare time, Natasha enjoys breathing in the salty sea breeze, feeling the sun on her face, and learning about anything anyone is willing to teach her!
Laurie McConnell
Director of Community & Systems,
Donor Relations
Laurie spent her twenties exploring the BC coastline every summer aboard a 26′ wooden sloop sailboat and discovered a love for the wild marine environment and all the creatures within it.
She relocated to the Sunshine Coast and has spent 39 years involved in the community across a variety of organizations and initiatives. She has a journalism degree and a background in communications, and studied art and creative writing as tools to transform the way we communicate around charged topics. Donor relations, stewardship, Friends of Pacific Wild and Artists for the Great Bear Rainforest are paired with digital systems management for a never-a-dull-moment role.
She is delighted to be working in her great love of BC’s unique coastal geography and culture. This is her dream job, helping protect such a critical piece of British Columbia and engaging in outreach and development to further Pacific Wild’s goals in the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea.
If you need any assistance regarding a gift, contact Laurie directly at: 1-778-401-5222.
Sydney Dixon
Marine Specialist
Sydney grew up on the coast of British Columbia, where her fascination with tide pools sparked a lifelong passion for the ocean. This enthusiasm deepened throughout her adolescence and guided her into adulthood. She earned an undergraduate degree in marine science and geography, launching her career in the marine field through roles in environmental monitoring and as a vessel captain leading wildlife tours.
After relocating to the west coast of Vancouver Island, she transitioned into the nonprofit sector, focusing on marine research and education. Sydney’s early research positions focused on studying the movement patterns and behaviour of killer whales, as well as monitoring sea star wasting disease and population dynamics in the intertidal zone.
In 2022, Sydney joined the team at Pacific Wild. Thrilled to collaborate with a talented group of colleagues, she now shares her extensive knowledge and passion for the marine environment with diverse audiences. Sydney is also completing a Master of Science degree at Royal Roads University and is excited to share her findings with Pacific Wild’s audience.
Rob Hackney, CPA, CGA
Director of Finance
Rob has admired the natural world from a young age. Enamoured by tales of the fabled Pacific Northwest, he drove westbound across Canada in his early twenties. Captivated by the sheer beauty of the rainforests, coastal climate, mountainous regions, and plethora of wildlife, he made Victoria, BC, his home in 2007.
Rob pursued studies on Vancouver Island, completing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with majors in accounting and finance. He further pursued a professional accounting designation, and received his letters (CPA, Chartered Professional Accountant) in 2015. He has worked in financial and tax accounting for private sector accounting firms, in legislation administration for the federal government, and in management information systems technology for an international organization.
Rob enjoys a wide range of outdoor activities including snowboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and learning about mycology and mycorrhizal fungi and plants.
With Pacific Wild, Rob has an outlet for his financial prowess and passion for protecting the environment. He is grateful to be working with a team of talented professionals in the fight to protect biodiversity and species at risk in our coastal ecosystems.
Roan Bohonos
Digital Content Designer
Roan was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, and has always had a curiosity and appreciation of the natural world. His love for the coastal environment of B.C. and passion for wildlife protection ignited even further through having spent many summers on Vancouver Island whilst growing up.
Roan graduated in 2020 from the Alberta University of the Arts with a Bachelor’s of Design. After graduating, he spent a few years in the stock video/photography as well as freelancing space, honing his creative skills in the areas of graphic design, motion graphics, and video editing.
After moving to Victoria B.C. in 2021, Roan joined the Pacific Wild crew near the beginning of 2023. His personal interests and hobbies include basketball, snowboarding, hiking, photography, watching movies, photo-collaging, chess, and travel.
Lars Isaac
Videographer & Video Editor
Laurie Hamelin
Communications Lead
Laurie is a videographer and storyteller with a deep passion for conservation and the natural world. Born in Ottawa and raised in small towns along Lake Huron, a cheap second-hand camera changed her life—it was like magic, and it still is. Looking through that lens made her mind dance, inspiring her to create images and tell stories of all kinds.
Laurie earned diplomas and certificates in Television Broadcasting, Independent Film & Television, Photography, and Freelance Writing in Ottawa and Toronto. Her career has taken her all across Canada, working on television productions and for news stations, capturing stories that matter.
In 2015, Laurie followed her passion for nature and wildlife to British Columbia, where she hit the ground running as a video journalist covering Indigenous news. Her work has taken her deep into the province, exploring critical issues such as oil and gas development, open-pen salmon farms, the protection of lands and waters, and the climate crisis.
When she’s not shooting or writing, Laurie finds peace in nature—seeking out the quiet hum of the forest and mountains. She is thrilled to be part of the team with Pacific Wild, helping safeguard biodiversity in one of the most incredible places on Earth—the Great Bear Rainforest and Pacific Northwest.
