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Our People

Executive Leadership Team

Lasse Gustavsson

President and CEO

Lasse has dedicated his career to conservation and sustainable development. His several decades of international executive leadership and management experience included roles at Greenpeace International, WWF Sweden, WWF International and Oceana. His expertise includes regional and global program strategy and management, corporate and government partnership, as well as policy and advocacy work at the highest political levels in the EU, UN and in countries across the globe. Lasse studied at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Carlos Drews

EVP, Conservation

Carlos is a recipient of the LiverdPress Award for his lifetime conservation achievement. He previously held the position of executive director of the Jane Goodall Institute, and previously served as director of the World Wildlife Fund’s Global Species Programme. Carlos developed a first-of-its-kind toolkit for marine turtle adaptations to climate change; co-authored Costa Rica's annual report on human sustainable development; and orchestrated an advocacy program to successfully influence the UN to establish wildlife crime as a global threat. He holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Cambridge University.

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Jennie Moushos

Chief Operating Officer

Jennie has over 25 years’ experience in the finance and insurance industry including as senior vice president, Western Division, for Intact Insurance Company. Jennie co-founded the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade BC Chapter, assisted on the task force that established a General Insurance and Risk Management Program at the BC Institute of Technology, and has been a regular presenter at the annual FCI-CWI Women in Leadership Conference. Jennie has also served on the board of SOS Children’s Villages Canada, Bridges to Community Canada, and The Western Investment Company of Canada.

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Nicole Straughan

VP, Youth & Education

Nicole is a strong believer in the power of experiential learning. Having dedicated her career to advancing ocean literacy she has led school programs, sleepover camps, and facilitated youth mentorship programming. Nicole has been a critical part of the successful Ocean Bridge, Ocean Pathways and Youth to Sea programs as well as playing a lead role in the creation of Ocean Wise’s social justice committee. She is passionate about creating pathways for youth from diverse and varied backgrounds to participate in ocean conservation.

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Dora Boylen-Pabst, CFRE

VP, Vice President of Philanthropy and Partnerships

Dora Boylen-Pabst is an intuitive and yet practical, data-driven fundraiser and leader who has over 27 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector. Over fifteen of those years were spent in the Healthcare sector, with positions that included Vice-President of Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation and North York General Hospital Foundation, and CEO of Headwaters Healthcare Foundation. Since 2021 she has held the role of Vice-President, Ontario and Senior Consultant with Global Philanthropic (Canada) Inc., and has supported organizations of all sizes, and in all sectors, across the country.

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Directors

Scott Bohachyk

Director, Seaforestation

Terry Burmas

Director, Finance

Charlie Cox

Director, Ocean Pollution and Plastics

Jackie Ellefsen, CFRE

Director, Philanthropy

Danielle Gibb, CFRE

Director, Corporate & Foundation Partnerships

Jessica Johnston

Director, HR (leave of absence)

Patrick Lamontagne

Director, Youth

Mike McDermid

Director, Fisheries and Seafood

Jasmine Peacock

Director, Education

Jordon Randall

Director, Information Technology

Chloe Robinson, PhD

Director, Whales

Nic Schulz

Director, Communications

Ocean Wise Youth Ambassadors

Ocean Wise's people includes the youth ambassadors and alumni from the Ocean Bridge, Ocean Pathways and Youth to Sea program. They are passionate about the environment, leaders in their community and inspiring ocean champions.

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