Management Team

Tara Macdonald, PhD, RPBio
Tara became president of Biologica in 2012. Tara has been identifying and thinking about marine invertebrates her whole life, having performed her first microscope work…

Sarah Steinerstauch, BSc
Sarah joined Biologica in 2009 after completing a BSc in Biology at the University of Victoria. She uses her amazing organizational skills to oversee all…

Agnes Zoldowski, BSc
Agnes joined Biologica in 2022. She earned her BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Toronto and spent over 15 years developing…

Natalia Filip, MSc, RPBio
Certifications: Kindrogan Field Centre Freshwater Algae Certificate, North American Chironomidae (SFS), Biology and Taxonomy of Tunicates (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute), Riparian Area Regulation. Natalia completed…

Tara Macdonald, PhD, RPBio

Sarah Steinerstauch, BSc

Agnes Zoldowski, BSc

Natalia Filip, MSc, RPBio
Laboratory Staff

Philip Hoover, BSc
Phil joined Biologica in 1994. Although he specializes in crustacean taxonomy, he happily tackles whatever phylum crosses his path. He grew up on Vancouver Island,…

Anne Fearon-Wood, BSc
Anne joined Biologica in 1999 as a lab technician. She graduated from Lakehead University, Ontario in 1990 with a degree in Bachelor of Science and…

Hiroki Tomoe, AScT
Certifications: North American Oligochaeta (SFS) Hiroki is originally from Osaka, Japan. As a child, he enjoyed collecting stag beetles, praying mantises, and other insects. He…

Robynn Holma, BSc
Society of Freshwater Science Certifications: North American Chironomidae, Western Chironomidae, Western EPT, Eastern EPT, Western General Arthropoda, and Eastern General Arthropoda. Robynn joined the Biologica…

Paige Hayhurst, AScT
Paige joined Biologica in 2011 as a co-op student. Since then, she graduated from Camosun College in 2012 with a Diploma in Environmental Technology and…

Karen Cram, BSc
Karen graduated in 2012 with a BSc in Biology and Oceanography from the University of Victoria. She has worked at Biologica since 2012 as a…

Karen Hoban, BSc
Society of Freshwater Science Certifications: Western EPT, Eastern EPT, Western General Arthropoda, and Eastern General Arthropoda. Karen joined Biologica in 2013 after spending over 10…

Breanna Bomback, BSc
Society of Freshwater Science Certifications: North American Chironomidae. Breanna received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Victoria where she majored in biology –…

Alice Pearson, BASc
Alice joined Biologica in the fall of 2020 shortly after graduating from Quest University Canada with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences. She enjoys learning…

Cassandra Palfrey, BSc
Cassandra joined Biologica in the summer of 2020 after studying at both the University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University with a degree in Geography…

Christina Nonis, BSc
Christina graduated from the University of Victoria in 2018 with a BSc in Biology (Marine Biology concentration). During her degree, Christina attended the Wildlands Studies…

Jesslynn Shaw, BSc
Jesslynn graduated from the University of Victoria in 2019 with a BSc in Biology and has completed courses from the UVIC Restoration of Natural Systems…

Maddie Beange, BSc
Maddie completed her BSc in Biology, with a concentration in neurobiology, at McGill University in 2010. After working as a research assistant in a couple neuro…

Suzy Christoffel, BSc
Suzy graduated from the University of Victoria with a BSc in Biology after obtaining a Diploma in Environmental Technology in 2012. She also had the…

Halle Dykeman, BSc
Halle Dykeman joined Biologica in 2022, shortly after graduating from the University of Victoria a BSc in Biologica with a Marine Concentration. In her free…

Sabine Rankin, BSc
Sabine Rankin completed her BSc at Simon Fraser University in 2021, with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in Resource and Environmental Management….

Sam Coe, BSc
Sam Coe graduated from the University of Victoria with a BSc in Physical Geography and a minor in Psychology in 2022. While at university she…

Vanessa Mundy, BSc
Vanessa Mundy graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) with a BSc in Geology (2017) and Advanced Diploma in Water Quality (2019). Her hobbies include…

Valerie Macdonald
Valerie founded Biologica in 1994. She has been a tireless advocate for improving the quality of taxonomic work since 1971. Valerie is well-known for both…

Philip Hoover, BSc

Anne Fearon-Wood, BSc

Hiroki Tomoe, AScT

Robynn Holma, BSc

Paige Hayhurst, AScT

Karen Cram, BSc

Karen Hoban, BSc

Breanna Bomback, BSc

Alice Pearson, BASc

Cassandra Palfrey, BSc

Christina Nonis, BSc

Jesslynn Shaw, BSc

Maddie Beange, BSc

Suzy Christoffel, BSc

Halle Dykeman, BSc

Sabine Rankin, BSc

Sam Coe, BSc

Vanessa Mundy, BSc

Valerie Macdonald
Consulting Staff

Jenny Thomson, BSc
Jenny received her BSc from the University of Northern BC in 2014 and joined Biologica in 2018 where she is involved in project management and…

Louise Benckhuysen, BSc
Louise joined Biologica in the fall of 2018 as a Sorting Technician, but has shown a big interest in Algae, and has been training in Algae Taxonomy…

Lu Guan, MSc, PhD
Lu is originally from Chengdu, China, and has been living in Canada since 2004. She did her Master’s degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland on…

Melissa Hennekes, AScT
Melissa has worked with Biologica as an algal taxonomist since 2013, and has been an algal taxonomist with the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans…

Jenny Thomson, BSc

Louise Benckhuysen, BSc

Lu Guan, MSc, PhD

Melissa Hennekes, AScT
Head of Security

Jasper Wildman
Jasper is a fluffy white dog (Canis floofiensis) and excels at disciplines including SuperDog exercises, barking at strangers, barking at familiars, and charming the masses….
