Karen McAllister
Executive Director
Natasha Wehn
Project Director
Sydney Dixon
Marine Specialist
Rob Hackney
Finance Director
Roan Bohonos
Content Designer
Lars Isaac
Videographer & Video Editor
Kristen Weiss
Wildlife & Forest Campaigner
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!
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
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, hiking, photography, cinema, photo-collaging, chess, and travel.
Lars Isaac
Videographer & Video Editor
Kristen Weiss
Wildlife & Forest Campaigner
Kristen hails from the scrub oak woodlands of Southern California, where she grew up hearing coyote families howling at night, and caught glimpses of bobcats and mountain lions along hiking trails. From a young age, she became aware of the many anthropogenic threats to wildlife, including habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, and vowed to dedicate her life to environmental conservation.
Kristen has a BS in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and a PhD in wildlife management from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia. She has studied insect invasions in French Polynesia, manatee population dynamics in Florida, and sea turtle and dugong conservation in Northern Australia. As a science communicator, Kristen harnesses the power of visual and written storytelling to inspire awe in nature, and to promote conservation and sustainability.
A recent B.C. transplant, Kristen is honored to work alongside her Pacific Wild colleagues to advocate for protecting the region’s spectacular wildlife and wild spaces. She looks forward to getting to know the ecosystems and cultures of Vancouver Island, and enjoys hiking with her rescue chihuahua, finding cozy coffee shops, and adding to her ever-growing list of books to read!
