Meet our team!
Aquatic Conservation Initiative is made up of a team of staff and a volunteer Board of Directors. Both staff and board members commit their time to better conserve aquatic and coastal ecosystems across the island of Newfoundland. Volunteer board members are elected for a two-year term at an annual general meeting or are government-appointed, non-voting directors who represent their respective jurisdictions. Read our by-laws here.
Jennifer joined Aquatic Conservation Initiative after graduating in the spring of 2021, from Memorial University’s B.Sc. program with a major in Ecology and Conservation Biology Co-op and a minor in Geography. She is eager to apply the knowledge she has acquired thus far to field operations, conservation research, and environmental education. She has previous experience volunteering with the Fluvarium in St. John’s, where she learned about the watersheds that flow through the Northeast Avalon. She also completed a work term with the Ecological Sciences Section with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, where she monitored habitats and species in Terra Nova’s Newman Sound. Outside work, she enjoys spending time outdoors gardening, hiking, and camping with her family.
Gabby joined Aquatic Conservation Initiative in October 2023 as a field technician working on invasive European green crab removal from St. Mary’s Bay area and has sense taken on the role as Environmental Technician and Project Coordinator. She graduated from Memorial University in 2020 with a major in ecology and conservation biology and a minor in geography. She also completed a GIS applications specialist program at Fleming College in 2022. Gabby would like to bring her spatial analysis skills and interest in coastal environments to the forefront of her role with ACI. When not working, she enjoys running, backpacking, and getting out to watch the ocean.
Brianna joined Aquatic Conservation Initiative in September 2025. She graduated from Lakehead University with an honours Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, with a concentration in animal sciences in 2024. Brianna moved to St. John’s following her dreams of working with and studying marine life. Brianna is looking forward to transferring what she learned growing up and working in Ontario’s freshwater systems to her work in salt water conservation. Outside of work, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and whale watching.
Board of Directors
Alex is a researcher at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador specializing in spatial ecology, river ecology, and ecological forecasting. He is Chair of ACI and leads the organization with the Executive Director and board of directors to ensure success.
As Past Chair, Heather ensures past legacy of the organization and mandates are continued to current board of director and staff activities.
Danielle assists in chairing and leading the board of directors.
Takes care of project expense tracking, payroll, and year-end expense reporting.
Other Voting Members
Chris is a specialist in aquatic biology with SEM Ltd. Chris acts as a specialist for aquatic fish research projects, in particular projects related to American Eel.
Jill Conway is a past project coordinator with ACI and is now filling out her role with Marine Institute looking into technologies to make fisheries more sustainable.
Emma is a specialist in aquatic biology at SEM Ltd. She is our acting secretary and keeps notes and keeps us organized during our meetings.
Sarik is a specialist in oceanography and is a researcher at Memorial University. He has a knack for nature photography and videography and provides us with great media!
Adam is an ecosystem ecologist finishing up a PhD with Memorial University’s Ecosystem Ecology Lab. Adam provides strategic and research support.
MSc Candidate in Fisheries Science and Technology student at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, researching Greenland sharks.
PhD Candidate in Environmental Science in the Reader Lab at Memorial University.
My work focuses on characterising and understanding the interactions between DOM and Fe as they travel from freshwater into the marine environment. Specifically, my work looks at how seasonal effects, differences in land cover, and extreme weather events affect the formation of the DOM-Fe complexes.
PhD student working with Dr. Ziegler, is studying how forest catchment hydrology and carbon and nutrient export varies with climate in this region.
The role of the community events officer is to help staff plan and execute public enagement and outreach events.
The role of the community events officer is to help staff plan and execute public enagement and outreach events.
Government Appointees
(Vacant) – City of St. John’s, Councillor-at-Large
(Vacant) – Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada
(Vacant) – Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Government of Canada
(Vacant) – Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Staff From the Past
Meet Rachael Brown, our dedicated Project Coordinator at Aquatic Conservation Initiative since June 2023. Rachael earned her Bachelor of Science in Ocean Sciences and Marine Biology from Memorial University in 2020. With a strong background in marine research and a track record of contributing to numerous projects, Rachael brings valuable expertise to our team. Her role extends beyond research as she has developed impactful educational programs as part of her work in public education outreach coordination. Rachael’s passion for coastal environments shines through in her commitment to ACI’s mission. Outside of work, she finds joy in traveling and exploring new destinations.
Hey there! I’m Emily, a second-year Marine Environmental Technology student at the Marine Institute. This summer, I’m excited to be working with ACI on the American Eel Stewardship Program, which focuses on American eel recruitment in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. When I’m not studying or working, you’ll find me outdoors. I enjoy hiking, fishing, reading, traveling, or hanging out with my horse and my dog, Navi. I’m super excited to be apart of this project and look forward to learning more about conservation and recruitment throughout the summer!
My name is Jack Lindstrom, and this summer I will be working with the Aquatic Conservation Initiative through the Newfoundland and Labrador Conservation Corps Green Team. I graduated with a diploma in Marine Environmental Technology from the Marine Institute in 2024, and now I am completing my Bachelor of Technology at MUN. I have always been interested in conservation and ecological protection, and I am very glad to have been selected to participate in this project.
Drew is a third-year Marine Environmental Technology student at the Marine Institute with a passion for scientific outreach. As our intern for the summer of 2024, Drew will help with fieldwork and curate ACI’s website and social media. Outside of work, Drew enjoys wildlife identification and making art.
