Staff
Mark Dombowsky - Executive Director
Mark Dombowsky has spent more than two decades working in the non-profit world. For over fifteen years, Mark worked with Greenpeace in Canada and internationally (in London, Washington DC, and Hong Kong) as a logistics coordinator and resource manager. He has led large teams of staff and volunteers on campaign projects, frequently in challenging conditions and wilderness environments. He has managed departments, budgets, and marine and technical resources both in London and Washington and established a logistics unit for Greenpeace China. During his years at Greenpeace, Mark spent much time managing marine operations from land and on the water. He's coordinated logistics for, as well as worked from, large vessels as well as participated in countless marine trainings in Scotland, England, the US, and BC. In addition, Mark has worked as a logistics consultant for solar start-ups and as a technical director for a community-based arts & nature non-profit. Mark has years of maritime training and knowledge as well as administrative and management expertise that he brings to Cetus. In addition, he has direct experience of Cetus's on-the-ground operations, having been involved with the organization since 2012, as a Warden, Board Director, Board Chair, and now as Executive Director. He currently lives on the Sunshine Coast of BC.
Straitwatch South
Lindsay Kolb - Straitwatch South Coordinator
Lindsay joined Cetus in 2021 and works as the Straitwatch South Coordinator as well as a vessel operator and crew. Originally from Richmond BC, she moved to Vancouver Island in 2016; having always lived on the coast of the Salish Sea, Lindsay has been passionate about marine biology and conservation for as long as she can remember.
Lindsay holds a B.Sc. in Biology and Biological Anthropology from the University of Victoria, focusing primarily on Marine Biology. She is grateful to be able to spend her time working to protect local cetacean species from human impacts.
Neil Saxvik - Vessel Operator
Neil joined the Straitwatch team in 2021 as a vessel operator for Straitwatch South. Neil grew up sailing and boating through the coastal waters of BC, learning the ins and outs of the local seas. Through his explorations and post finishing his degree in biology, he has gained a huge appreciation and gratefulness to the sheer mass of diversity of life that the Salish Sea supports and the importance and power it holds in our everyday life. In contributing to Straitwatch’s work, Neil hopes to reduce the threats that our cetacean populations are facing and ensure that our local ocean ecosystem continues to thrive.
Natalie Rae - Data Crew
This is Natalie’s first year with Cetus as a crew member with the Straitwatch South team. She moved to Vancouver Island four years ago to study marine ecosystems firsthand and is currently completing her B.Sc. in Marine Biology. Natalie has a strong interest in all marine life, from invertebrates to marine mammals, and is dedicated to fostering public awareness about the importance of ocean conservation. She previously worked as a marine educator at the Whale Interpretive Centre, where she informed visitors on marine wildlife, conservation, and the North Pacific ecosystem. This role enhanced her science communication skills and sparked her passion for marine conservation work. She is excited to spend the season on the water with Cetus, working to protect local cetaceans from vessel impacts while contributing to the collection of valuable data to support conservation efforts across the Salish Sea. Natalie looks forward to supporting Cetus’s mission while gaining further experience in marine conservation work.
Jennifer Harvey - Data Crew
This is Jennifer's first year working for Cetus as a crew member with Straitwatch South. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria and has is a designated Biologist in Training through the College of Applied Biology.
Jennifer is passionate about environmental stewardship and has over three years of experience in fish and wildlife conservation in the remote regions of northern British Columbia. She is excited to support Cetus in safeguarding marine wildlife.
Straitwatch Quadra
Emma Shuparski - Straitwatch Quadra Coordinator
Emma, a resident of Quadra Island, has been dedicated to Straitwatch for five years, serving as a coordinator and vessel operator. She holds a B.Sc. in Geography with Honours from the University of Victoria, where she specialized in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to enhance the understanding of cetacean habitat use. Inspired by her upbringing along the shores of the Salish Sea, Emma pursued a degree aimed at protecting British Columbia's unique ecosystems. Her academic and professional aspirations are rooted in environmental justice and marine conservation, reflecting her commitment to safeguarding the natural world.
Megan Hockin-Bennett - Vessel Operator
Megan is an award winning filmmaker, podcast producer and conservationist. This is her second summer working for Straitwatch. She grew up near London, England and currently lives on Vancouver Island. After finishing her degree in film she traveled to Canada in search of a life lived amongst wildlife and to make films about the natural world. She has spent the last 13 years making short films and working with OrcaLab. These last 13 years have instilled an inherent passion for maintaining a respectful relationship with whales. Megan is dedicated to the belief that through education, creativity, positive energy and conversation we can inspire people to create long lasting change to help sustain a healthier planet.
Sophie Early - Data Crew
Sophie was raised around the coastal waters of Banks Peninsula, on the East Coast of New Zealand. This upbringing fostered a love for the unrestrained, natural beauty of the ocean, and the array of marine life it contains. Banks Peninsula is home to the endangered Hector’s Dolphin, a species by which through policy change and implementation of marine protected areas, has bolstered its numbers in recent years. It has shown Sophie that the change of human behaviour can impact the welfare of decimated wildlife for the better. After a few years of working as a medic, it is this drive that led her to change vocations and study a BSci in Conservation and Ecology at Lincoln University. Working for Cetus, an organization led by those same values, is a privilege that Sophie intends to use as an opportunity to learn, help, and lead by example.
Laura Van Acoleyen - Data Crew
Laura's passion for the marine mammal world started in her childhood and was reinforced by studying Animal Care and Wildlife management at the University College in Ghent, Belgium. Working as a research assistant, animal caretaker and trainer for applied acoustic research in conservation of California sea lions, harbour seals and harbour porpoises increased her admiration for their unique way of living. While joining the Robson Bight Warden Program two years ago, working with OrcaLab and being a teacher in Belgium, she noticed how important and valuable education, research and direct intervention is to protect the abundant wildlife in Canada.
North Island Operations:
Straitwatch North & Robson Bight Warden Program
Stefani Cruickshank - North Island Operations Coordinator
Stefani began her time at Cetus in 2022 and is returning for her fifth field season this year. She has a very strong connection to the oceans, forests, and biota of the Pacific Northwest and hails from the unceded, traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. She feels very privileged to be working on and learning from the ancestral lands of the Kwakwaka’wakw nations again this summer. She holds a BSc in Applied Animal Biology with Honours having focussed primarily on animal welfare and conservation. Stefani has worked with and advocated for the rights of a wide array of animals ranging from harbour seals and amphibians to research rodents and is enamoured by most everything in the marine world. Her strongest traits lie in her passions for environmental advocacy, and decreasing anthropogenic impacts on wildlife throughout BC.
Cavanaugh Wolski - Coordinator & Vessel Operator
Cavanaugh joined Cetus in 2022 with a great admiration for the natural world and an eagerness to explore the dynamics of Cetaceans. He is in constant awe of these magnificent creatures and continues to learn from their emotional complexities, knowledge sharing, and resilience. He promises to advocate for those who are unable to communicate (with humans) and those who are often misunderstood. Through Cetus he participates in significant data collection, community engagement and supporting whales in their natural habitat. With a BSc in Earth and Ocean Sciences and a passion for marine ecosystems, he finds a strong connection to the landscape of the Johnstone Strait. He holds a deep appreciation for the ability to work within the territories of the Mamalilikulla and ʼNa̱mgis peoples, and for their teachings on cohabitation and natural partnership.
Jordan Luck - Vessel Operator
Growing up in British Columbia’s interior, Jordan grew up wishing he lived closer to the ocean. Despite that, he developed a lifelong fascination with cetaceans and the coastal ecosystems they call home. Graduating from the University of British Columbia Okanagan with a B.Sc. in Biology, he later went on to work for Fisheries and Oceans Canada on stock assessment and habitat restoration projects throughout the north coast of BC. Jordan joined Cetus to pursue his lifelong interest in cetaceans by way of meaningful conservation work along the coast of his home province. Over the years he has developed a firsthand appreciation for the connection between healthy salmon populations and the Northern Resident Killer Whales, making the opportunity to contribute to their protection through education, stewardship, and research in the Johnstone Strait especially meaningful.
Rose Ursem - Vessel Operator
Originally from the Waitakere Ranges, on the West Coast of Aotearoa New Zealand, Rose has a huge appreciation for all marine life. She has worked on various cetacean monitoring programmes around New Zealand’s remote coastlines, including Sperm whales, Pilot whales, Bottlenose dolphins and Hector’s dolphins. Rose holds a BSc in Ecology and MSc in Marine Biology from the University of Otago, where she studied the impacts of vessel traffic on endangered and endemic Hector’s dolphins. It is this passion for marine conservation that brought her to Cetus this year, and she is excited to work in a team that works directly to reduce human impacts on local cetacean populations.
Nadia Langford - Volunteer
Nadia grew up on the south coast of England in East Sussex, the UK’s sunshine coast. With the ocean and the South Downs National Park on her doorstep, she has always enjoyed spending time in nature and looking at wildlife. With a keen interest in cetaceans, she has completed various marine mammal research internships and her master’s research focused on photo ID of Risso’s dolphins at Bangor University in North Wales. Most recently, she has been working as an Environmental Reporting Scientist for marine surveys in the North Sea. This summer, Nadia is looking forward to discovering the biodiversity of BC and contributing to meaningful research at Cetus.
MacKenzie Maxwell - Volunteer
MacKenzie’s passion for marine science began in her early childhood. She grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, a land-locked state. However, MacKenzie spent many memorable summers exploring the biota of the east coast, sparking her lasting curiosity for marine science. Currently, she is pursuing a BSc in Biology: Ecology and Biodiversity at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Additionally, MacKenzie works as a Research Assistant in Sewanee’s Ocean Lab, focusing on data-driven projects pertaining to whales and seabirds in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Her infatuation with marine mammals led her to volunteer for the Robson Bight Warden Program. As a volunteer, MacKenzie is eager to explore the unique biota of the Johnstone Strait, while actively contributing to the conservation of marine mammals.
Sofia Scuotto - Volunteer
Sofia grew up in Lugano, in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, where an early fascination with the natural world inspired her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and develop a strong interest in marine ecology and marine mammals. To complement her academic background, she gained field experience through internships and volunteer projects in South Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Canada and the Canary Islands, focusing on marine mammal research, monitoring, and conservation.
Now in her second season with Cetus, Sofia is excited to spend another summer camping on a remote island while monitoring cetaceans, with a particular interest in orcas. She values the opportunity to be immersed in nature, contribute to conservation, and continue learning from the wildlife and people around her.
Shelby Rosten - Volunteer
Shelby grew up in rural Vermont, a landlocked state, but fell in love with the ocean during summers spent camping at the beach and whale watching on the coast of New England. Alongside a passion for research, this led her to earn a BA in Zoology from the University of Vermont. After graduating she spent time studying humpback whales off the Pacific coast of Panama and completing acoustic analysis of their songs. She also has experience in bioinformatics, animal husbandry, and microbiology. As a volunteer with Cetus, she is excited to learn more about the marine mammals that call British Columbia home and contribute to their conservation.