BMSC Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre

Dr. Sean Rogers, Executive Director

Sean Rogers is the Executive Director of the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC). He also serves as Corporate Secretary of the Pacific Marine Science Alliance, a registered Canadian charity and university partnership involving the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Victoria that oversee the BMSC marine station. Through these roles, he works with the team to help advance collaborative ocean research, education, training and outreach across Canada’s Pacific region.

Sean is also a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary and leads an internationally recognized research program in ecological genomics and evolutionary biology focused on how species adapt and persist in the face of rapid environmental change. His lab integrates molecular ecology, population genomics, and innovative field-based experimental approaches to investigate the genetic basis of adaptation, population divergence, and resilience to environmental stressors. Using marine and freshwater fishes as model systems, his research examines how natural populations respond to pressures such as climate change, invasive species, and habitat alteration. His work has contributed to the integration of genomic tools into conservation science and fisheries management and policy, supporting evidence-based decision-making and biodiversity stewardship.

He currently serves as Senior Editor for Molecular Ecology and Associate Editor for Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

Sean earned his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Université Laval, studying the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptation and reproductive isolation in lake whitefish, and holds Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton.

Email: director(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Kwan Son, Head of Finance and Administration

Kwan oversees finances, administration, and IT at BMSC, keeping the Centre running smoothly behind the scenes. He holds a CPA designation with a background in public practice audit and senior industry roles. Kwan has been part of the BMSC team since 2024.

Email: kson(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Betty Bodaly, Accounting Assistant 

Betty has been at BMSC since January 2017. She is the one that ensures all the numbers make sense at the end of the day. She handles our payroll, accounts payable, benefits, purchasing, onboarding new employees, and more. She loves being on the ocean, though she admittedly prefers slightly warmer waters. 

Email: Bbodaly(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Ken Hawkins, IT Systems 

Ken Hawkins joined the BMSC team in 2008, coming from over 10 years of Systems Administration at Northwest Community College, based in Terrace, BC. 

Ken managed the evolution of the BMSC IT systems from the low-bandwidth hardwired technologies, to a campus wide roll-out of Wi-Fi services, as well as ongoing support a full-stack IT system, including Email, BMSC website, user accounts, printers, phone systems and radio programming. As these services are migrated to 3rd party vendors and support, Ken has shifted his role into planning for future system development and managing IT projects at a higher level. 

He lives in Port Alberni with his wife and mother and has other close family who all migrated to Vancouver Island to enjoy the west coast life.

Email: Khawkins(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Kynat Bhinder, Front Desk Administrator 

Kynat works across several areas at BMSC doing day-to-day administration operations, accounts receivable and overseeing the gift shop. She helps keep things running smoothly behind the scenes while also assisting visitors and staff. Kynat has been part of the BMSC team since February 2024. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in media arts from the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), which helps inform the visual presentation and merchandising of the gift shop. Her experience working in hotels strengthened her guest service skills, while her work with non-profits gave her valuable experience with administrative and accounting processes that support her role at BMSC.

Email: Kbhinder(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Sophie Dufresne, Administrative Assistant 

Sophie has been an Administrative Assistant at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre since June 2025, helping keep programs and operations running smoothly. She holds a degree in English Literature and brings a love of storytelling and communication to her work. Beyond the desk, she is a certified marine mammal naturalist with a deep passion for whales, the station’s yoga teacher, occasional poet and co-captain of a trusty (and slightly gnarly) 12-foot aluminum Cope – despite maintaining a somewhat irrational fear of fish.

Email: Sdufresne(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Mike Williams, Manager of Human Resources 

Mike provides confidential support, guidance, and leadership to all employees of BMSC as they interact with the HR function. He started with BMSC in March in this newly created role. Mike provides strategic management to the entire scope of HR, including recruitment, employee relations and leadership development. Mike has an undergrad degree from UBC and has held the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation since 2006. Mike brings a wide and diverse background to BMSC and enjoys coaching young football athletes and experienced business leaders alike.

Email: MWilliams(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Kirstynn Joseph, Communications and Social Media Coordinator 

Kirstynn works on all things BMSC communications, internally and externally. She writes and creates the majority of our content and also manages the website and our social media channels, so she is the one responding to your Instagram comments! She has been at BMSC since October of 2025. She has an Honours BSc in Ecology from The University of Calgary and is a BMSC summer course alum as well! After graduating she worked both in research in Ecuador and on a wide variety of communications projects around the world (mostly remotely) before finding her way back to BMSC to share content about this amazing place! 

Email: Kjoseph(at)bamfieldmsc.

Tao Eastham, Head of Programs 

Tao leads the research services, education, and outreach teams at BMSC. Over the past two decades, he has worked in and alongside marine academic research in roles ranging from technical and teaching positions to senior administrative leadership. In his current role, he supports strategic research collaborations, oversees education and research services, and guides long-term program development that advances BMSC’s mission.  Tao is particularly passionate about supporting undergraduate research and mentorship. He believes that early research experiences – especially opportunities for students to publish their work – can be transformative in shaping the next generation of marine scientists. Tao holds a Biology degree with distinction from the University of Victoria and a Master’s degree from Simon Fraser University, where he studied the bioaccumulation of contaminants in aquatic food webs. 

Email: Teastham(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Luke Andersson, Research Operations Manager 

Luke manages research operations at BMSC, supporting visiting scientists and internal programs to help projects run smoothly from planning through to execution. He oversees research logistics, equipment, and facilities, and works closely across departments to keep things running efficiently on station. Luke has been part of the BMSC community since 2014, when he first attended a course as a graduate student, and has since TA’d multiple university-level field courses at BMSC.  Since starting officially at BMSC in 2018, he has supported university programs, animal care, and cross-departmental operations.  

Luke brings a background in marketing, conference/event management and laboratory management to BMSC from past roles. He holds an MSc from Simon Fraser University, where he studied salmon and bear interactions on the central coast, and brings a strong background in both field and lab-based research. While his academic work focused on vertebrate ecology, his time at BMSC has sparked a deep appreciation/love for marine invertebrates. 

Luke is known for his hands-on approach and love of solving tricky problems, whether that’s troubleshooting equipment, improving systems, or helping researchers make the most of their time on station. He brings a practical, solutions-focused approach and is always glad to lend a hand when challenges come up. 

Email: Landersson(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Alex Low, University Programs Coordinator 

Alex coordinates the university courses that run throughout the summer and fall here at the BMSC, in subjects ranging from science communication and data analysis to marine invertebrate zoology and forest conservation. Alongside co-coordinator Keith Johnstone, Alex works with other BMSC departments, course instructors, teaching assistants, and students to ensure courses run as smoothly as possible. She started working at the BMSC as a Marine Science Educator in 2023 and transitioned to University Programs Coordinator in 2024, but first came to the BMSC as a high school student and then a university student! She has a BSc in Biology from the University of British Columbia (Okanagan) specializing in ecology. 

Email: university(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Keith Johnstone, University Program Coordinator  

Keith works to ensure that university courses hosted at the BMSC run as smoothly as possible. Alongside their co-coordinator Alex Low, Keith works with other BMSC departments, course instructors, teaching assistants and students to make each course at the BMSC an amazing experience. Keith holds a BSc in Zoology from the University of Calgary and a Master’s in Museum Studies from the University of Toronto. They first came to the BMSC for a summer field course in 2016 and have been working at the BMSC since 2022. 

Email: university(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Caitlin Bergman, Field Trips Coordinator  

Caitlin coordinates the field trip program at BMSC, organizing marine science trips for high school classes, university courses, and others! She has a BSc in Biology and minor in oceanography from the University of Victoria and has worked at BMSC since 2023.

Email: Fieldtrips(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Carrie Weekes, Ocean Technologist 

Carrie has been working at BMSC since November of 2025 and works with various oceanographic sensors and analyzers that measure continuous flow-through seawater or can be used in the field and labs. She is also involved with the Research Program and helping ensure that operations run smoothly when visiting researchers are at the station. She has a BSc in Marine Biology from Oregon State University and was able to participate in some amazing research cruises doing undergraduate research on the West Coast and in the Arctic Ocean! After graduating, she took a position at the Hakai Institute as an Ocean Acidification Research Technician where she was able to come to BMSC for the first time to install and service the Burke-o-Lator CO2 analyzer in partnership with Nova Harvest.

Email: cweekes(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Elisa Jahreis, Research Coordinator  

Elisa supports visiting researchers at BMSC with logistics, lab coordination, and field work. She works closely with research teams to help ensure their projects run smoothly from start to finish. Originally from Germany, she joined the team in January 2026, fulfilling a long-time dream of coming to Canada and working at a remote coastal research station. She holds an MSc in Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Sciences from the University of Hamburg and brings experience in research logistics, fieldwork, and scientific sampling from coral reef research in Fiji, as well as oceanographic and biological studies in the North and Baltic Seas. She enjoys being part of BMSC’s international research community and is always happy to help make your time at the station productive, collaborative, and enjoyable.

Email: ejahreis(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Connie Crocker, First Nations Liaison, Kelp Rescue Initiative

Connie Crocker (Xqulsiim) is an elder from the Pune’luxutth Tribe and brings a love for the culture and traditions of all first peoples. With more than 20 years of commercial fishing she has a true love for coastal communities and restoring a healthy ocean.  Connie currently works for the Kelp Rescue Initiative and  strongly believes that Kelp is  foundational for a healthy ocean and integral for mitigating climate change.

Email: Firstpeoples(at)kelprescue.org

Duncan Jackson, Kelp Rescue Initiative Technician  

Duncan brings several years of kelp culturing, scientific diving and marine operations experience to Kelp Rescue Initiative. When he’s not managing the day-to-day operations of our Bamfield kelp nursery, Duncan also assists in the field, conducting kelp growth and biodiversity monitoring scuba surveys. He has been with the KRI program since September 2025.  

Email: Djackson(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Dr. Lisa Hoogenboom, Head of Animal Care & Interim Animal Care Coordinator 

As Head of Animal Care, Lisa oversees the vertebrate and invertebrate program at BMSC. She manages the BMSC Animal Care team and Animal Care Committee to ensure the animal-use program upholds the standards and regulations set forth by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and BMSC. Lisa began in this position in June 2025. 

Lisa has a BSc with Honours in the Marine Biology Co-op program from Dalhousie University, and a PhD from the University of Manitoba. Her PhD research in shark physiology was conducted at BMSC (2016-2019) on Pacific spiny dogfish collected in Barkley Sound. During her PhD she was the grad student representative on the UofM Animal Care Committee for four years. She also did a Postdoctoral Fellowship on lake whitefish at the University of Toronto Scarborough, in collaboration with the University of Guelph and the Ontario Aquaculture Research Centre.

Email: Lhoogenboom(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Jessica Collier, Animal Care Technician 

Jessica supports the daily care, health, and husbandry of a diverse range of marine organisms in her role as Animal Care Technician. Her work focuses on maintaining high standards of animal welfare, supporting research and education programs, and ensuring the effective operation of aquatic research systems on site. She completed her BSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology at the University of Guelph where she worked in several different roles supporting aquatic research at the Hagen Aqualab. Jessica has been working at BMSC since November 2025. 

Dave Porter, Site Operations Manager 

Dave Porter is a seasoned marine professional, and operations leader at the BMSC, bringing over three decades of experience across research, education, aquaculture, and commercial marine environments. As Manager of Foreshore, Diving, and Operations at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, he leads diverse teams, oversees vessel and diving operations, and coordinates more than 1,300 trips annually in support of world-class coastal research and education. 

A certified Master 60 Ton and Red Seal Automotive Service Technician, Dave blends technical expertise with practical, hands-on leadership. He is recognized for fostering a strong safety culture, building collaborative teams, and delivering operational excellence in our dynamic, remote setting. 

With a lifelong connection to British Columbia’s rugged coastline, Dave is deeply committed to environmental stewardship and takes pride in supporting initiatives that protect and sustain the marine ecosystems he has spent his career working in. 

Email: Dporter(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Phil Lavoie, Skipper and Foreshore Assistant 

Captain Phil has been a part of BMSC since 2001 and on the foreshore since 2021! He helps everything run smoothly and safely on and around the boats that are at the core of BMSC activities.

Before moving to the foreshore, Phil had been working in Field trips for two decades, 8 of them as a Field Trips Coordinator. During this time he was instrumental in providing learning experiences to thousands of Field Trip visitors, including establishing the BMSC live program that ran during the pandemic. He now supports all programs through his masterful boat driving!

Email: Pclavoie(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Kelly Clement, Skipper and Foreshore Assistant 

Kelly grew up in Nova Scotia and attended St. Francis Xavier University, earning a BSc.Hon.  in Biology. She first visited BMSC in 2008, when she was employed on a four-month contract as a research assistant doing fish surveys in kelp forests. Four months morphed into much longer, and since then, Kelly’s worked in almost every department at BMSC. Most notably, she spent 11 years as a Marine Science Educator and eventually became the Field Trips Coordinator. In 2025, Kelly obtained her Master Limited Under 60 GT certification; a license that allows her to captain the larger vessels Alta and Barkley Star at BMSC. Kelly now supports Foreshore Operations by helping to crew and maintain the fleet, and you’ll often find her out on the water wearing a lot of wool sweaters, rubber rain gear, and a big smile. 

Email: Kclement(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Hannah Schriber, Acting Diving Safety Officer 

Hannah works on all things related to BMSC scientific diving and snorkelling, safety matters on campus, and leads the first aid team. Her day-to-day takes her across the entire campus and the surrounding Barkley Sound. From collecting subtidal organisms, conducting underwater surveys, and operating vessels for researchers and students alike to ensuring safety equipment in the labs and buildings on campus are kept up-to date and fostering a safe environment for all our clients.  

She has been at BMSC since May 2023, first as a summer diving intern and the official Diving Safety Officer since April 2025. She has a BSc in Biology and a Graduate Diploma in the Restoration of Natural Systems from the University of Victoria and is a certified PADI Instructor, Scientific CAUS Diver, and Occupational SCUBA Diver. Her favourite thing about working at BMSC is the amazing people and variety of projects she works on.

Email: Hschriber(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Ben Holland, Assistant Dive Safety Officer 

Ben Holland joined BMSC in October 2025 and can be found on the foreshore, supporting diving operations and assisting with boat trips. He brings a marine background as a recreational dive instructor and boat captain, with extensive experience working in Canada and throughout the Caribbean. Having dived in both cold and tropical waters, Ben enjoys exploring all marine environments. Around Vancouver Island, his favourite species to encounter is the pacific spiny lumpsucker. 

Veronica Zurita, Guest Services Manager 

Veronica joined BMSC in July 2025 as the Guest Services & Event Planning Manager, supporting the guest experience through coordinating accommodations, events, and campus hospitality. Before landing on the West Coast, she held leadership roles in Housekeeping and Facilities Management at resorts across BC’s Interior, where she developed the art of keeping operations running smoothly (and guests smiling). However, this is not possible without a dedicated Housekeeping team! 

Email: Vzurita(at)bamfieldmsc.com

The Housekeeping Team 

Sarah, Russell, Richard, and Ange are our incredible housekeeping staff. Together, they maintain high standards of care across all accommodations and shared spaces, helping create a clean and enjoyable environment throughout campus!

Vezir Sultanov, Executive Chef and Food Services Manager 

Vezir Sultanov oversees food service operations at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC), delivering high-quality dining experiences for students, researchers, and guests. 

With over 20 years of international culinary and leadership experience, Vezir has worked across Europe and Asia in hotels, restaurants, and large-scale institutional food service. He spent more than a decade with Compass Group, where he oversaw operations within the educational sector, supporting some of the largest international schools in China. During this time, he progressed through roles including Head Chef, Regional Executive Chef, and General  Manager, managing multi-site operations, large teams, and complex food service programs. 

Vezir holds a diploma in Food Science and Technology and further refined his culinary skills in France, training at Le Cordon Bleu and École Ritz Escoffier. His approach combines classical European techniques with modern, efficient food service systems, with a strong focus on quality, consistency, and operational excellence. 

At BMSC, Vezir is responsible for menu development, kitchen operations, staff leadership, and supporting major events and field programs. He is passionate about creating a welcoming food environment and continuously improving systems to better serve the BMSC community.

Email: Vsultanov(at)bamfieldmsc.com

JP Giasson, Head Chef 

JP is BMSC’s head chef, normally working breakfast through lunch, always cooking with a smile and some great tunes on in the background. He has worked multiple seasons at BMSC. When he is not helping to feed everyone on station he enjoys hiking and fishing outdoors, and crib and chess indoors. Next up? He wants to learn how to surf! 

Keith MacKay, Chef de Partie

Keith is in charge of preparing meals for visiting and resident students, staff and scientists. He studied physics at the University of Victoria has decades of kitchen experience. Keith was the bar and grill manager at Shearwater Resort for four years, head chef at Daphne’s Mediterranean Grill, and has 20 some years of industry experience. When he isn’t at work his interests include music, and outdoor activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, and exploring in general.

Kitchen Team 

The rest of our super kitchen team that helps everyone stay full and happy is made up by Jeremy Messer.

The backbone of everything that happens here (if people are hungry they can’t work or learn!) you will see the team working hard to prepare, cook, and serve food as well as keep the dining hall sparkling clean!

The Maintenance Team 

The friendly fellows normally found wearing orange reflective jackets preforming various tasks around the BMSC properties. The team consists of Shawn, the team Manager, and three workers: Hugh, Joel and Luke. Together the team has a range of expertise to keep the station running smoothly and safely. 

They will be the ones driving the work trucks with the orange caution lights and if you happen to come across them working, they are often preforming hazardous tasks and request that any caution tape or coned off areas are respected to ensure your safety while on the BMSC property. 

The team strives to be helpful when needed and hopes that you enjoy your stay with us here! 

Email: Maintenance(at)bamfieldmsc.com

Anna Brailey, Marine Research and Development Science Intern  

Anna moves around the BMSC campus, teaching labs and activities to field trip students, helping with animal care and providing an extra set of hands for research needs. She obtained her Honours BSc. in Biology from Dalhousie University and has worked in different realms, including bird research and eco-tourism. She began working at BMSC in September 2025! 

Amy Yuschyshyn, Marine Science Educator and Development Science Intern

Amy first came to BMSC during a high school field trip, where she became infatuated with marine biology.  This passion has brought her back to BMSC, where she hopes to spark the same passion in visiting students while leading them on hands-on learning experiences. You can also find Amy behind the scenes assisting the visiting researchers during their field season, practicing her boat driving, and helping to look after the variety of amazing critters housed on site! She got her BSc. (Honours) in Ecology from the University of Calgary and has a research background in conservation genetics and pacific salmon biology. Amy’s happy place is the sea; she spends her spare time hiking, kayaking, climbing, and exploring the beautiful sights of Barkley Sound!

Grace Nelles, Marine Science Educator 

Grace instructs visiting students in the Field Trips Program through hands-on, experiential, and place-based learning activities at BMSC. She leads field trips, workshops, labs, boat trips, and other fun learning experiences. She has worked with BMSC since September 2025. She holds a Master in Conservation Biology from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) and B.A. in Environmental Studies from North Central College (United States). Grace’s areas of research include kelp forest ecology and educational pedagogy. 

Anna Parsons, Marine Science Educator 

Anna Parsons is one of our Marine Educators here at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) as part of our Field Trips Program. Anna originally came to BMSC from the University of Otago in New Zealand (her home) in 2023 and attended the full semester Fall Program – so she already knows a lot of our species here on the West Coast. She is our seaweed guru on station and completed her honours last year comparing native and invasive kelp species thermal tolerance in their early life stages. You’ll often find Anna on the boats having started work and her boat training in the fall of 2025, and coming into her second season this full spring season! 

Eden Perry, Marine Science Educator  

Eden joined the Field Trip Program as a Marine Science Educator in February of 2026. After dreaming of visiting BMSC since high school, this position has been a full circle moment where she gets to share her love for kelp, whales, and nudibranchs while learning from an incredible team. Eden graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems where she specialized in environmental studies and marine conservation. Since finishing her degree, she has worked in remote communities and research stations across the Yukon, northern Vancouver Island, the Broughton Archipelago, and the Southern Gulf Islands. When not working, Eden can be found volunteering in community gardens, swimming in the ocean, or looking for lichens in the forest. She even obtained her scuba diving certifications in 2024 so that she could spend more time surrounded by all her favorite marine creatures. Eden looks forward to a career full of time spent in and on the water, while fostering strong community connections through ecological stewardship. 

Emmy Mahon, Marine Science Educator   

Emmy facilitates school field trips and public education as a member of BMSC’s Marine Science Education team, which she has been a part of since February 2026. Originally from Edmonton, AB, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Alberta. She loves hiking, reading, playing banjo, and learning about the incredible ecology on Vancouver Island’s West Coast! 

Holly Partridge, Marine Science Educator   

Holly joined the Field Trips team in February. She graduated in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria, with a focus on marine ecology and taxonomy. She has loved working alongside the Marine Science Educators to share her passion for the ocean with students and visitors. In her spare time, she enjoys tidepooling, crocheting, raising arachnids, and hiking.