CPAWS-BC relies on a core staff of respected campaigners and experienced researchers to develop and carry out its initiatives, with the support of the Board of Directors and dedicated volunteers.
Chloe O'Loughlin, Executive Director
Sabine Jessen, Conservation Director
Carrie West, Communications Manager
Veronica Lo, Marine Conservation Planning Coordinator
Taina Uitto, National SeaChoice Manager
Neil Radix, SeaChoice Corporate Relations Coordinator
Emilia Hurd, Northern Campaign Assistant
Gloria P. Diaz, Bookkeeper
Pamela Allen, Marine Conservation Intern
Patrick Thompson, Terrestrial Conservation Intern
Staff Biographies
Chloe O'Loughlin, Executive Director
Chloe brings her excellent leadership and fund raising skills to CPAWS-BC. She has been an Executive Director of provincial organizations in British Columbia for 14 years and has worked in the nonprofit sector for 27 years.
For the past 18 years, she has taught nonprofit management and lobbying for community groups at Vancouver colleges. She is passionate and committed to the wilderness in British Columbia as an avid hiker and scuba diver.
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Sabine Jessen, Conservation Director, National Director of Oceans and Freshwater Lakes
Sabine is the Conservation Director for the BC Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, where she focuses on directing the Marine Spaces and Baja to Bering Sea programs. Since her involvement with CPAWS began in 1991, Sabine has served in a number of staff and volunteer capacities, including Executive Director from 1995 to 2000, President of the Board of Directors from 1993 to 1995, and Secretary. Sabine steered the chapter into three new campaign areas - the Marine Protected Areas Campaign, the Parks Stewardship Program, and the Grasslands Conservation Campaign. Under her guidance, the chapter budget and staff increased fivefold. She also previously coordinated the marine spaces campaign for World Wildlife Fund Canada in British Columbia as part of the Endangered Spaces Campaign.
Sabine holds a Masters Degree in Geography, specializing in coastal zone management and environmental regulation. She has considerable academic and work experience on land-use planning issues, particularly in Canada's North. She has served as an Advisor to the BC Parks Department, the former BC Commission on Resources and Environment, and the Economic Council of Canada. She was appointed to the Minister's Advisory Council on Oceans, and was previously a member of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Science Advisory Council.
Sabine is also the national manager of the CPAWS Oceans and Great Freshwater Lakes Program.
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Carrie West, Communications Manager
A writer and journalist, Carrie West has worked for several print and broadcast media outlets in British Columbia, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and CHEK television. She also recently authored a long-running environment column for the Victoria Times Colonist called "Endangered Species". Raised in Victoria, Carrie earned bachelor degrees in creative writing and English literature at the University of Victoria. She also holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Western Ontario. Carrie joined CPAWS-BC in the fall of 2007.
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Veronica Lo, Marine Conservation Planning Coordinator
Veronica has been active in aquatic and terrestrial conservation efforts ever since she took her first ecology course during the completion of her B.Sc. from the University of Toronto. She moved to the West coast to complete a M.Sc. degree at the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. Her research on aquatic invasive species introduced from commercial shipping activities sparked her interest to pursue a career in protecting our oceans. The beautiful and rugged land and seascapes of British Columbia provide continued inspiration for Veronica's role in marine conservation planning at CPAWS-BC.
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Taina Uitto, National SeaChoice Manager
Taina completed her education in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her undergraduate degree in Natural Resources Conservation gave her a strong grounding in the natural and social sciences, while her master’s thesis research in water conservation policy impressed on her the barriers to and drivers of sustainable practice under real-world constraints.
Taina has been involved with a wide assortment of sustainability initiatives, ranging from working with small communities in the Peruvian Andes, to enforcing local water sprinkling restrictions. However, her recent introduction to scuba diving confirmed a persistently-mounting desire to focus on fisheries and marine conservation. She is excited to be working with CPAWS and Sustainable Seafood Canada on the SeaChoice Campaign.
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Neil Radix, SeaChoice Corporate Relations Coordinator
Prior to joining SeaChoice, Neil Radix not only worked as a purchasing and supply chain specialist, but also as a Chef in BC and Alberta. With his expertise spanning nearly two decades, Neil brings a unique perspective to the SeaChoice team. Equipped with in-depth knowledge of all types of fresh food products as well as dealing with wholesale supply sources, Neil is our ideal partner in developing programs that will not only benefit our oceans, but all levels of the supply chain. As a professional buyer of seafood products for wholesale distribution, Neil has also had exposure to the hot button issues surrounding aquaculture and seafood industries. From dockside to dinner table, Neil is working to ensure that consumers are offered sustainable seafood choices now and in the future.
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Emilia Hurd, Northern Campaign Assistant
Emilia completed her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences at UBC and joins CPAWS excited and inspired to be a part of their efforts. With a penchant for outdoor exploration, adventure and wild places, Emilia is enthusiastic about working on protecting BC’s wilderness and wildlife. Emilia has participated in various conservation and development projects, from field research studying the effects of habitat fragmentation of populations of small mammals in the Black Forest in Germany to developing and implementing a composting pilot project. After having completed a cycling tour of Ontario, Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes, Emilia studied Biological Oceanography and Marine Mammalogy at Dalhousie for the summer months. These adventures have further fuelled her keen interest in conservation efforts in British Columbia and Canada.
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Gloria has been involved in the non-profit sector for more than fifteen years, and remains actively engaged in environmental and social justice work. She is committed to improving the life people, wilderness and Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). Gloria received a post-secondary education with certificates in Accounting and Office Administration at Vancouver Community College. Previous academic pursuits include Biology studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and conducting ichtyological lexicon research for the UN Food and Agriculture organization. Working with CPAWS represents a compilation of her work in the non-profit sector and with her interest in nature, and preservation of life.
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Pamela Allen, Marine Conservation Intern
Pam has loved the ocean from a young age and moved from Toronto to Vancouver, where she completed her BSc in Marine Biology from the University of British Columbia (UBC). She recently received her MSc from UBC where she explored the seasonal patterns in growth and food intake of Steller sea lions. Pam realized her passion for conservation during her time as a CPAWS volunteer, and is excited to join the marine program to help protect the sensitive marine areas of our beautiful BC coast.
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Patrick Thompson, Terrestrial Conservation Intern
Patrick joins CPAWS-BC after completing his Masters in Ecology at the University of British Columbia. He is eager to put his experience in studying how climate change impacts freshwater ecosystems to use in protecting nature in BC. An avid paddler, skier, and hiker, Patrick has always had a passion for exploring Canada’s wilderness. He is thrilled to be working with CPAWS-BC towards conserving the natural areas that have inspired him personally and scientifically.
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CPAWS - British Columbia Chapter