Seaweed Festival 2026
Learn about our speakers!
Jordan Hawkswell is a marine scientist, communicator, and seafood enthusiast working in seaweed and shellfish aquaculture sector development. She contributes to various projects across the sector in British Columbia and Alaska that support everything from biology and cultivation to product development and marketing. Jordan's vision is for thriving coastal communities and economies that are rooted in sustainable marine initiatives. Jordan also works with the Pacific Seaweed Association as the Director of Development to directly support the development of the seaweed sector in B.C. While her work has brought her around the PNW, Jordan lives in Ucluelet, on Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territory where she enjoys living as close to the ocean as she can.
Jennifer Yakimishyn is a Marine Ecologist with Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, leading the park reserve’s marine monitoring program. Over her 20-year career with Parks Canada she has worked both above and below the ocean’s surface to study everything from kelp to abalone, and rockfish to grey whales. She is excited to focus her energy on the Pacific Rim’s marine science program, while working collaboratively with First Nation partners and other scientists, to conserve, protect and restore coastal marine ecosystems.
Emily Fulton is the Marine Program Manager at Redd Fish Restoration Society. She studied marine biology and environmental science at the University of Victoria and has since worked for various non-profit organizations focused on environmental restoration, science communication, and conservation initiatives. With Redd Fish, she has established long-term kelp habitat monitoring programs in Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds, and helped develop innovative kelp restoration projects in collaboration with the Toquaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations, and West Coast Kelp. She is excited to continue working with local partners to conserve and restore these valuable ecosystems.
Aline Carrier is an oceanographer, currently working as a Marine Stewardship Specialist for Toquaht Nation. She’s a freediver, underwater harvester, and surfer. She is also an active volunteer for Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue (RCMSAR) and frequent public speaker on the topic of sustainable harvesting. She believes that it’s important to take care of the ocean and the people using it.
Tom Campbell is the President and Founder of West Coast Kelp Ltd., a Vancouver Island–based company focused on kelp cultivation and marine ecosystem restoration. He operates a commercial kelp nursery that supplies seed to farmers and restoration partners across British Columbia, helping scale the province’s emerging kelp sector. Tom works with First Nations, researchers, non profits, and industry to design and implement kelp cultivation systems and large scale restoration projects. His mission is to regenerate coastal biodiversity while demonstrating that environmental restoration and economic opportunity can grow together.