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WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR OCEAN
OUR TEAM
AHOI's staff work closely with local businesses, volunteers, cooperative students and interns, to create meaningful programs that help the Gros Morne region reduce its waste, carbon footprint and look after the marine environment.
STAFF
Rebecca Brushett
Founder
Rebecca holds a Master of Arts in Environmental Policy and a B.Ed. from Memorial University. She has a B.Sc. in Marine Biology from Dalhousie University. Rebecca's almost 20-year career began studying Gray whales, zooplankton and redfish off British Columbia. She moved into teaching in 2011 and then into marine spatial planning with coastal communities in 2015. In 2018, she also began working at the national and international levels to reduce plastic pollution in Atlantic Canada. She created AHOI in 2019 to continue research and education on the marine environment throughout western NL and to help look after our coastal communities for generations to come.
Sydney Sullivan
Marine Programs Coordinator
Sydney has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Marine Biology from Memorial University and a Master of Marine Studies (Marine Spatial Planning and Management) from the Marine Institute. Growing up in Bay Bulls, she developed a passion for conservation and supporting local coastal communities. As the Marine Programs Coordinator at AHOI, she supports research and community engagement initiatives focused on marine protection and sustainable coastal communities in the Gros Morne region.
Jordy Thomson
Director of Marine Programs
Jordy is a marine scientist who works at the intersection of ecology and conservation in coastal ecosystems. He has spent the past twenty years studying topics ranging from the movement and feeding patterns of sea turtles, sharks and whales to the impacts of climate change on seagrass meadows. He holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Simon Fraser University and has worked around the world in academia, the non-profit sector and government. As Director of Marine Programs for AHOI, Jordy is responsible for leading our coastal research programs, including our work on eelgrass meadows and marine species at risk.
Jordan Woolfrey
Marine Programs Research Assistant
Jordan developed her love for ocean conservation through spending summers at her family cottage in Notre Dame Bay watching whales, fishing for cod, and wading in tide pools. She completed her B.Sc. in marine biology from Memorial University, spent time working on coral reef conservation in Central America, and is currently completing her M.Sc. at the Marine Institute. At AHOI, she conducts research on aquatic species at risk and their habitats in the Gros Morne region.
AHOI WASTE BUSTERS GREEN TEAM
Daniel Liang
Green Team Leader
Daniel is a second year environmental science student. Growing up in Gros Morne led Daniel to have a love for the ocean and passion for conservation. As the Green Team Leader, he conducts quadrant samples, audits beach cleanups, community outreach through community cleanups, and supports the research team in collecting and analyzing data. In his free time you'll find him swimming, fishing, kayaking and camping in beautiful Bonne Bay.
Matt Smith
Green Team Leader
Matt is a Fish and Wildlife Technician and Forest Resource Technician looking to make Natural Resources better for future generations. Working wih AHOI has allowed Matt to take a jumpstart in his career to try and reach that goal. Living next to the ocean all his life in a small town made him want to conserve what a beautiful place Bonne Bay really is. While balancing work life with past time, Matt can be found playing DiscGolf, fishing, hunting, or playing guitar! Without conserving all Natural Resources, activities we enjoy today won’t be sustainable for future generations to come!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lisa Smith
Lisa J. Smith is an Inuk woman who grew up on the Burin Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador. Lisa journeyed across unceded territory from coast to coast. She earned her law degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC) before returning to the east coast, where she worked as a criminal lawyer. Lisa has since shifted into policy work with a keen interest in protecting the world’s oceans and advancing progress in dealing with climate change in a good way. She brought her voice to several Conferences of the Parties (COPs) under the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She is currently a Senior Policy Analyst for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC). Lisa is also a community advocate with First Voice Urban Indigenous Coalition. When she isn't working or volunteering, you can find her writing, acting in community theatre or doing stand-up. Although she is not a doctor, Lisa believes laughter is the best medicine.
Cheryl Hodder
Cheryl has a Bachelors of Commerce from Mount Saint Vincent University and is a CPA and Treasurer for AHOI. With over 20 years of financial and administrative experience, Cheryl brings the knowledge AHOI needs to ensure we are sustainable and can continue to bring in the funding we need to run programs that will look after our oceans and coastal communities for generations to come.
Dylan Odd​
Dylan Odd is a policy advisor and Director of Parliamentary Affairs at the Senate of Canada, with over a decade of experience in politics and environmental policy. He has played a key role in advancing legislation focused on sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and natural resource management. Dylan’s background also includes experience in the nature-based tourism sector, front-line wildfire management and work at Natural Resources Canada on energy and climate resilience initiatives. Holding a Master’s in Environmental Policy from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dylan is a founding board member of the Atlantic Healthy Oceans Initiative, where he channels his expertise and passion for environmental conservation and community-driven solutions.