The non-profit board of directors is lead by WOWs founder, Susan MacKay.
Susan’s passion for recording the lives of whales and dolphins began many years ago. She and her husband, Grant, travelled the waters of B.C. from the lower Georgia Strait to Alaska capturing sounds and images of the coast and its wildlife. After Grant’s passing, Susan relocated to Powell River from Savary Island and founded the website Whales and Dolphins BC to continue to record the wildlife she saw as a way to engage the public and share her love of these amazing animals. This evolved into a collaborative sightings network with local whale watching boats and other interested parties. Throughout this time, the work was 100% funded by Susan. Her goal in establishing WOWs in 2013 was to create a non-profit platform through which the work could be funded sustainably, with the future goal of employing a coordinator to continue to lead this important work.
Judy Brant, has lived in the Powell River area for many years, yet had barely noticed the whales in her front yard until her new neighbour, Susan MacKay pointed them out. Once out on the water with Susan and seeing these magnificent whales and dolphins, Judy was hooked for good. She is a valuable asset to WOWs, coordinating many fundraising events and local personnel to staff outreach information tables and booths and dealing with many other aspects of WOWs general functioning.
Ian Brant, is a retired Chartered Accountant and acts as our Treasurer. Ian is a true number cruncher.
Sherri Wretham, our Secretary, has a love of nature and wildlife. She spends part of her time away from the ocean, but close to water, at her retreat on Powell Lake. Sherri is always ready to make herself available to the society as the need arises. Stepping up to the plate, she is a great asset.
Michelle Pennell, is an avid photographer, as evidenced by her submissions in WOWs Sightings reports. Michelle is ready to go with her camera at the first sign of a whale, dolphin or porpoise that needs to be photographed. Her photos help us with identification of species as well as individual animals. Michelle’s enthusiasm to help with any and all of WOWs events, programs and workings is a great benefit to the society and helps bolster overworked volunteers’ spirits.