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…

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

Natalia Filip, MSc, RPBio
Taxonomists and Ecologists

Louise Benckhuysen, BSc
Louise joined Biologica in the fall of 2018 as a sorter and has since begun training in Algae Taxonomy. She received a Bachelor’s in Plant…

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,…

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…

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…

Robynn Holma, BSc
Certifications: North American Chironomidae (SFS), Western Chironomidae (SFS), Western EPT (SFS), Eastern EPT (SFS), Western General Arthropoda (SFS) Robynn joined the Biologica team in 2011….

Karen Hoban, BSc
Certifications: Western EPT (SFS), Western General Arthropoda (SFS) Karen joined Biologica in 2013 after spending over 10 years working for a forest biotechnology company in…

Kate Ruegg, AScT
Kate graduated from the Environmental Technology program at Camosun College in 2012, and has an Associate of Science Degree from Camosun College. She started as…

Paige Dawson, 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…

Breanna Bomback, BSc
Breanna received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Victoria where she majored in biology – marine sciences, and minored in statistics. She started in…

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…

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…

Louise Benckhuysen, BSc

Philip Hoover, BSc

Hiroki Tomoe, AScT
Hiroki is originally from Osaka, Japan. As a child, he enjoyed collecting stag beetles, praying mantises, and other insects. He joined Biologica in 1999. For the past 15 years, he has specialized in the identification of marine annelids and the miscellaneous phyla from British Columbia and around the world. He is also certified in oligochaete taxonomy by the Society of Freshwater Science. Hiroki, his wife and four children enjoy spending time exploring the marvelous ocean, forests, and mountains around Victoria.

Lu Guan, MSc, PhD

Robynn Holma, BSc

Karen Hoban, BSc

Kate Ruegg, AScT

Paige Dawson, AScT

Karen Cram, BSc

Breanna Bomback, BSc

Melissa Hennekes, AScT

Valerie Macdonald
Technicians

Holly Solloway, BA
Holly joined Biologica in 2018 and is an adventurer at heart. She has aquatic and marine study experience through conducting fieldwork in Thailand and Malaysia…

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…

Holly Solloway, BA

Anne Fearon-Wood, BSc
Administration

Kayla Hartemink, BA
Kayla joined the Biologica team as Administrative Assistant in 2019 after graduating from the University of Victoria with a BA in Environmental Studies and Anthropology,…

Kayla Hartemink, BA
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….
