Our Team
The Downtown Vancouver office of the Pacific Salmon Commission is headquarters to the 26 permanent Secretariat staff who perform a variety of duties to support the Commission and its subsidiary bodies in implementing the Treaty. Members include administrative and scientific professionals who facilitate meetings, provide scientific assessments, run field programs, and maintain extensive archives dating back to the early 20th Century. These employees are international civil servants, working for both countries simultaneously.
If you need to get in touch with someone specifically via e-mail, please contact us at info@psc.org and we will connect you.
Angela Phung
Angela has a B.Sc. in Environmental Science (U.B.C) and an M.Sc. in Ecology (U. of Alberta). During two salmon seasons in 2017 and 2018, Angela worked with the Stock Assessment group and the Test Fishing group. She helped run salmon run size assessments, worked as a test fishing observer, and further developed her programming skills in R and VBA. Angela has been able to apply her knowledge of relational databases, Excel and GIS in her work. In 2019, she officially joined the PSC as a Salmon Data Technician and currently fulfills the role of Stock ID Biologist. During the active salmon season, she works with the Stock ID manager and scale lab to analyze DNA stock composition data and scale pattern data. During the rest of the year, she works on different projects involving data processing, statistical analyses, or reducing uncertainty in data sets related to stock composition. Outside of work, she loves travelling, trying new foods and spending time outdoors!
Caroline Graham
Caroline joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat as the Chinook Technical Committee Coordinator during the summer of 2022. Caroline holds a BA in Biology from Grinnell College and a MSc in Oceans and Fisheries from the University of British Columbia. Prior to joining the PSC, Caroline worked for the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission to develop and implement the International Year of the Salmon initiative. Caroline also has had a variety of biological research experiences ranging from studying seaweed in Mexico to conducting salmon habitat surveys in Alaska. In her spare time, Caroline enjoys getting outside as much as possible and particularly enjoys hiking, cycling and swimming.
Catherine Ball
Catherine joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat in 2010. She brings with her 25 years of experience working in the private sector for an environmental consulting firm. That experience included work on a multitude of projects, including the Mark Recovery Program as a field and data technician. She is currently working in the Scale Lab preparing samples, aging otoliths and scales.
Catherine Michielsens
Catherine joined the Pacific Salmon Commission in 2007 and currently serves as Chief of Fisheries Management Science. She co-leads the Fisheries Management Division with the Chief of Fisheries Management Programs.
Catherine has a PhD in Fisheries Science from Imperial College, University of London (UK). Her main area of expertise is in the application of Bayesian methods for fisheries stock assessment. She worked 7 years in Europe on the assessment of Atlantic salmon stocks in the Baltic Sea before joining the PSC. At the PSC, her initial role was to integrate the various pieces of information and data on Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon within the in-season assessment framework while accounting for risk and uncertainty when providing management advice. Since 2019, her role focusses on providing scientific supervision and leadership to Fisheries Management Division staff.
Chris Dailey
Christopher joined the PSC in early 2021 to work as the Assistant Quantitative Biologist. He holds a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Whitman College and an MMA from the University of Washington. Originally from Seattle, WA, he worked in salmon management and conservation all along the Pacific coast, from Bristol Bay in Alaska to the upper Sacramento River in northern California before coming to the PSC. Outside of the office, his interests include backcountry skiing, fly-fishing, and exploring the mountains, rivers, and forests of the West Coast.
Christina Langlois
Christina joined the Secretariat in the summer of 2015 as a seasonal hydroacoustics technician and continued her employment with the PSC in the scale lab. Today, in addition to working in the scale lab, Christina is the Administrative Assistant to the Restoration and Enhancement funds. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecological Restoration and Diploma in Fish, Wildlife and Recreation from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Dejan Brkic
Dejan has been working with the PSC since 2012, starting out as a port sampler and taking over sampling coordination duties in 2018. He is currently working with the Stock ID team as the Salmon Data Technician and is responsible for running in-season sampling programs and developing Excel and R applications to improve the stock identification process. Dejan has a B.Sc. in Marine Biology from UBC and two diplomas from BCIT: Fish, Wildlife and Recreation, and Computer Systems Technology.
Eric Taylor
Eric has worked at the PSC since the summer of 2017. He started out as the Sampling Coordination and Test Fishing Assistant before becoming the Test Fishing Operations Manager in early 2018. He managed the test fishing program for two years before moving to his current position as a Quantitative Biologist in early 2020. Prior to working at the PSC, Eric lived in Kingston, ON. He became interested in fisheries research while living and working at the Queen’s University Biological Station on Lake Opinicon. He completed his Master’s degree at Queen’s University where his graduate work focused on modelling littoral fish species occupancy in Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River. Eric works collaboratively with others within the Fisheries Management Division preforming quantitative analyses and helping to improve the availability and accessibility of the data managed by the PSC.
Fiona Martens
Fiona joined the Pacific Salmon Commission in 2001 and currently serves as Chief of Fisheries Management Programs. She co-leads the Fisheries Management Division with the Chief of Fisheries Management Science. Prior to this role, she managed the stock identification group and before that the hydroacoustics field program in Abbotsford, B.C. While earning her degree from the University of British Columbia, Fiona worked as a seasonal employee for the Province of B.C in fisheries research. This experience sparked her interest in fisheries which eventually led her to the Pacific Salmon Commission. During her time at the Commission, she has gained valuable experience in stock identification and riverine acoustics and now continues to challenge her knowledge and understanding by providing operational oversight and ensuring the successful implementation of strategic and workflow plans as well as oversee the regular communication of Fraser River Panel related information and reports. In her spare time, Fiona enjoys running, hiking in the coastal mountains and long walks with her dog.
Ilinca Manisali
As Director of Finance, Ilinca manages finance, administration, and human resources issues at the Secretariat. Prior to joining the staff in 2013, Ilinca held leadership finance roles in a variety of industries including investment management, healthcare, real estate, education, and mobile entertainment. Ilinca has over ten years’ experience building and leading finance teams. Ilinca is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a graduate of the Simon Fraser University (B.B.A. – Accounting, Finance). Ilinca enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, swimming, and playing ultimate frisbee.
Jacqueline Nelitz
Jacqueline received a Bachelor of Natural Resource Science from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. In 2001, she joined the Pacific Salmon Commission as a technician to support aging and stock identification with the Secretariat's scale lab. Currently, she serves as Senior Hydroacoustics Technician with the stock monitoring team. In this role, Ms. Nelitz is responsible for helping to manage the hydroacoustics field program in Abbotsford, BC. This unique position involves a combination of working in the field and the office. During the summer months, Jacqueline can be found at the hydroacoustics site where she supervises up to 10 seasonal staff, assists in the collection and processing of various sonar systems (ARIS, DIDSON, Biosonics DT-X, HTI), and uses multiple acoustic software (Echoview, Biosonics Visual Habitat and Visual Acquisition and in-house software) to produce in-season migration estimates of Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon passage. Jacqueline spends the remaining nine months working from the Secretariat office on Robson Street where she supports the Hydroacoustics Fisheries Biologist with hydroacoustics projects, and also puts her key organizational skills to use assisting with program planning and maintenance.
When not working, her two children keep her busy and active.
John Field
John has served as the Commission's Executive Secretary since 2012. He obtained his Master’s degree from the School of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary in 1991, then pursued most of his fisheries career in Washington, D.C. at different federal and interstate agencies. This culminated at the U.S. Department of State where he worked in a variety of forums, including the International Whaling Commission, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Pacific Halibut Commission, and the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission. He was introduced to the PSC and its important work when he served as an Alternate U.S. Commissioner from 2009-2012.
Serving as the Executive Secretary involves a number of roles to ensure the Secretariat runs smoothly and efficiently. These include ultimate responsibility for managing the staff, developing the PSC’s infrastructure, administering its budget, communicating with the public and more than 200 national delegates, and executing certain Commission decisions. He is immensely proud of the Secretariat’s work and its support for the Parties as they implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty within and across their borders.
Outside of work, John can be found fishing nearby lakes and streams, exploring local trails, or otherwise enjoying what this stunning part of the world has to offer.
John Son
John joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat in July of 2016. His primary responsibilities are the management and support of the PSC’s network, websites, hardware and software. He also recommends and implements new technology to improve communication within the organization. John completed his B.Sc. in Computer Science at the University of British Columbia in 2001. He enjoys spending time with his dog, wildlife photography, and trying out new restaurants.
Jordan Maguire
Jordan joined the PSC in the summer of 2017 as a seasonal Test Fishing Observer. Following the completion of his BSc in Biology from Simon Fraser University in late 2020, he became the seasonal Test Fishing Assistant and later the Fisheries Technician in December 2021. Jordan’s interest in fisheries began through various volunteer opportunities during his undergraduate degree and has grown throughout his time with the PSC. He works with both the Hydroacoustics and Test Fishing groups supporting in-season operations, as well as various other projects out-of-season. Outside of work, Jordan spends the majority of his time fly fishing many of the rivers and lakes throughout BC.
Julie Ehrmantraut
Julie joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat in September 2016 to cover administrative tasks, and assist staff wherever needed. She has several years of varied office experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia. She has lived on the West Coast for most of her life and enjoys outdoor activities including camping, biking, hiking, and spending time at the beach. Julie is also an artist in her spare time.
Julie Sellars
Julie started in the scale lab at the PSC in the spring of 2000. She has many years’ experience analyzing scales and otoliths in support of the Fraser River management program. She holds a diploma of technology from British Columbia Institute of Technology in Fish, Wildlife and Recreation.
Kimberly Bartlett
Kimberly joined the PSC Secretariat as the Receptionist/Secretary in June 2004. Previously, she had completed a General Arts diploma at Sheridan College and after working in the corporate sector, went back to school to train as a Medical Office Assistant. Coming to the PSC was a major change in direction, but one that has been interesting and challenging. Now, after 10 years, Kimberly has been given the opportunity to face a new challenge as the PSC’s Meeting Planner. She is responsible for securing meeting space and guest rooms for the various Panel and Committee meetings as well as for the three large Commission meetings during the year. Kimberly is also responsible for supervising the Secretariat’s Administrative Assistant.
Koey Lu
Koey joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat as the Accounting Assistant in March, 2017. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a bachelor's degree in Finance. After graduation, she worked as a customer service representative at the Bank of Montreal. Her accounting background includes working as an internal auditor/Accountant in a textile manufacturing company located in Guangzhou, China, and as an Accounts Receivable Analyst in a collection agency. She obtained her accounting diploma from the University of British Columbia in 2016. She is currently working towards her Chartered Professional Accountant designation. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, trying out new recipes, watching TV shows, and singing with her friends.
Kristen Hayward
Kristen began working with the PSC as an Assistant Fisheries Biologist in the spring of 2022. She completed her BSc (Hons.) in Psychology and Biology at Queen's University in 2019, where she became passionate about outdoors-based research through a Mexico-based field course and by helping out around Queen's University Biological Station at Lake Opinicon. She completed her MSc in Biology in early 2022 at Queen's University as part of a large, multidisciplinary project called BEARWATCH. Her work focused on development and application of an assay to enable non-invasive genetic monitoring of polar bears based on faecal samples. Through this work, she developed an interest in the importance of management, and the intersection between science, policy, and community partnership. In her free time, she enjoys climbing, knitting, hiking, and trying out all the lattes at the local coffee shop!
Mark McMillan
Mark joined the secretariat in May of 2018 with 30 years experience working with Databases, Data Systems, and Software Development. His broad experience includes (but is not limited to): starting and co-owning a software development house, leading development teams, acting as CTO with a data warehouse firm, and building data management systems for environmental engineering and waste remediation industries. In his role at the secretariat he oversees the maintenance and development of in house systems for Fraser River salmon management and helps the CTC with their systems and database management.
Maxine Forrest
Maxine joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat in the summer of 1996. Moving from test fishing boats and fish plants to the Pacific Salmon Commission scale lab, she started her career as a scale analyst. Maxine currently manages the scale lab and works on Fraser sockeye management adjustments. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Biology from the University of British Columbia and a Master’s Degree in Environment and Management from Royal Roads University.
Merran Hague
Ms. Hague joined the Secretariat in 2011 as their Quantitative Fisheries Biologist following five years with Fisheries and Oceans Canada as a Habitat Biologist. She completed her Master’s degree in Resource and Environmental Management, specialising in fisheries stock assessment, at Simon Fraser University. Her previous research specialised in the use of simulation models to better understand the relationship between Fraser River environmental conditions and the survival and spawning success of Pacific salmon. At the Secretariat, Ms. Hague is responsible for developing simulation models for fisheries planning for Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon as well as run size and marine timing estimation for these populations during the fishing season.
Rachael Hornsby
Rachael joined the PSC in 2020 as a Fisheries Biologist, splitting her time between the Hydroacoustic and Stock Assessment programs. She graduated from Queen’s University in 2016 with a Master of Science focusing on freshwater fisheries ecology. Rachael’s main area of research is the population and movement ecology of sport fish in large lake systems. She brought this experience to various biologist positions with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the BC Conservation Foundation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. She is always searching for opportunities to expand her knowledge and understanding of fisheries management. Outside of work, Rachael can be found out on the water or enjoying hiking and camping in the mountains.
Sascha Bendt
Sascha joined the PSC team in July 2022 as the Grant Program Manager and is responsible for overall administration of three major grant programs. Hailing originally from Sydney, Australia, she moved to BC in 2007. Sascha has worked in various areas of the province in the ski industry, at attractions and adventure tourism businesses, and moved to Vancouver for an opportunity with the 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games. After almost a decade working for the provincial government in tourism management and marketing, she made the switch to the PSC and is passionate about making an impact in the salmon world. In her spare time, you’ll find her out with her dog, travelling, or staying local and sampling anything food and drink related.
Serena Wong
Serena joined the PSC as the Stock Assessment Assistant at the beginning of 2021. She completed her BSc in Biology at Queen’s University where she grew fascinated by the intersection between science and policy that fisheries management provides. At Queen’s, she studied the timing of bass nest development in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River and its implications for the management of the recreational bass fishery. Serena went on to complete a MSc in Biology at Simon Fraser University in 2020 where her graduate research focused on the relationships between physiology and life histories in fishes, particularly elasmobranchs. Throughout her research, Serena developed her statistical skills as well as her knowledge of fish biology. In her free time, Serena enjoys spending time outdoors through hiking, camping, skiing, and snorkelling.
Stephen Latham
Steve joined the Secretariat in 2002 after completing his M.Sc. in Zoology at the University of British Columbia. His Master’s research used DNA markers to investigate bull trout biogeography, population structure, and management strategies in southeast BC. That experience has been valuable in continuing development and integration of sockeye and pink salmon genetic stock identification programs and data sets at the PSC. He continues to work on improving stock composition information, particularly with respect to integration of scale-based information and other data, and on developing methods to apply that information to management questions. His duties include determination and communication of stock identification objectives, requirements, and results, and he shares responsibility for oversight of biological sampling programs. His interests away from work include physical education and climate change policy.
Teri Tarita
Teri is the Pacific Salmon Commission’s Librarian, Archivist, and Records Manager, a position she has held since 1991. She is also responsible for taking minutes at the Commission’s meetings and for providing general administrative support as required. Teri received a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Political Science and History from the University of Regina in 1985. She went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Library Science from the University of British Columbia in 1987. Before beginning her employment with the Pacific Salmon Commission, Teri held positions in several law libraries and at the Metropolitan Separate School Board (Toronto) Professional Library. Throughout her years with the Commission, Teri has learned more about the biology, management, and politics of Pacific Salmon than she ever thought possible. Teri lives in Vancouver with her husband John and with Katie, their Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, painting, reading, and entertaining friends and family.
Tosh Sutherland
Tosh joined the PSC Secretariat office as the Test Fishing Operations Manager in Spring 2022. Prior to working with the PSC, he worked on monitoring habitat restoration efforts in the Lower Fraser River by capturing, identifying, and measuring juvenile salmonids. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecological Restoration as well as a Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation Diploma from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Tosh is an avid recreational fisher and can be found fly fishing, spin casting, or drifting the beautiful rivers and lakes throughout the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Victor Keong
Since 2006, Victor has been a Program Assistant with the PSC Endowment Funds. He holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and a Diploma in Fish, Wildlife and Recreation Management and Administration from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Prior to his Endowment Fund work, Victor was an accountant and administrator with the BC Provincial Government and in private industry. A career change led to work as a fisheries technician with Fisheries & Oceans Canada and the PSC. Today Victor combines his past work experience by assisting in the day-to-day operations of the Northern, Southern, and Yukon River Panel Funds. Victor enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, hiking, and fishing.
Witty Lam
Witty joined the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat in June 2013. She started as the Accounting Assistant and transitioned into the role of Senior Accountant in 2017. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her accounting background includes working in public practice and the international freight forwarding industry. At the Secretariat, she manages all accounting functions and also provides human resources and administrative support. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, watching movies, travelling and gardening.