Dr. David Welch, CEO
David holds a B.Sc. in Biology and Economics (University of Toronto) and a Ph.D. in Oceanography (Dalhousie University). He joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 1985 and was appointed head of the High Seas Salmon Program in 1990. During the next decade he was responsible for studying the ocean biology of Pacific salmon, and provided some of the first compelling evidence for a potentially profound impact of global warming on Pacific salmon in the ocean. He served as Chief Scientist for the Census of Marine Life’s project, POST, from 2000-2005. David developed the original concept of building large scale marine tracking arrays, particularly for application to Pacific salmon management. He founded Kintama in 2000 to bring the concept to reality. The resulting, growing infrastructure has true impact for scientific experiment, discovery and important policy decisions worldwide.
David is the author of over 300 primary scientific papers and technical reports. Amongst other awards, he received the 2007 Prix de Distinction and the 2008 Prix d’Excellence from DFO in recognition of his “…outstanding scientific contributions to both national and international climate change research, and the Government of Canada”. More recently he received the 2011 J.P. Tully Medal in Oceanography from the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and in 2012 the American Fisheries Society gave him the Award of Excellence—Fisheries Management; the latter awards are for his work on developing large-scale marine telemetry arrays and their application to fisheries issues. David speaks fluent Japanese and lives with his beloved family in Nanaimo, on British Columbia’s beautiful Vancouver Island.
email: David.Welch@kintama.com
Erin Rechisky, Ph.D., Research Manager
Erin became involved in the marine sciences field in 1993. She has earned a BSc in Marine Biology (University of North Carolina), a MSc in Fisheries and Aquaculture (University of Rhode Island) and a Ph.D. in Zoology (University of British Columbia). Erin has worked in several locations such as the Bald Head Island Conservancy (North Carolina), NOAA’s National Undersea Research Center in Key Largo (Florida), the Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, (California), and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, MA. Between 1998-99, she worked as a Graduate Research assistant at the NOAA/NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center, (Rhode Island). Following her master’s degree she was a Research Associate at the Perry Institute for Marine Science/Caribbean Marine Research Center on Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas (2002-2004) before moving to BC to begin her PhD research using the acoustic array under Dr Carl Walters’s supervision at UBC.
Erin initially started working with Kintama through UBC when she was a graduate student and joined Kintama Research as a staff member in 2010.
Erin currently lives in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island with her husband and two young sons. Although an avid scuba diver, she currently channels her excess energy into triathlon, backpacking, gardening and exercising her dog.
email: Erin.Rechisky@kintama.com
Aswea Porter, Senior Research Analyst
Aswea joined Kintama in 2006 and was promoted to Senior Analyst in 2009. She holds a BSc in Biology and Physical Geography (Simon Fraser University, 1998) and an MSc in Wildlife Biology (University of Alberta, 2002). She was Projects Manager for the Future of Marine Animal Populations (FMAP) project at Dalhousie University from 2003 to 2004 and Senior Analyst at an environmental consulting firm from 2004 to 2006.
Aswea enjoys long walks in all weather with her family.
email: Aswea.Porter@kintama.com
Paul Winchell, Array Deployment Manager
Paul is our prairie boy gone ocean side. After growing up in a farming community and completing his BSc in Biology and Physical Sciences in Alberta he moved to the west coast. Lured by the excitement of the sea, he started as a senior Research Technician with Freshwater Fish Habitat, DFO (1998-01) and later as a senior technician and biologist with various research labs and stock assessment divisions (2001-04). During this period he took part in everything from study design, executing and managing Field Programs to data analysis and cutting edge laboratory research with High Seas Salmon, groundfish, shellfish and pelagics projects.
Paul joined Kintama in 2005 and his primary duty is to ensure that the acoustic arrays are deployed, recovered and maintained as needed. Paul is intimately involved in the design phases of the arrays and is constantly improving methods and testing new equipment.
Paul lives on Vancouver Island with his wife and two young sons where he enjoys the outdoors and, of course, hockey.
email: Paul.Winchell@kintama.com