About PSIA
Created for industry. By industry.
The Pacific Seaweed Industry Association (PSIA) is a non-profit, member-driven, industry association that works to develop awareness around the benefits and diverse uses for seaweed. The association will collaborate with stakeholders and rightsholders to develop educational material, new technology and promote innovation. The organization will also advocate to all levels of government for support of this emerging industry sector.
Team
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Mark Smith is currently a Director of Small Business BC and has served as a Director and Chair of the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance, where he still Chairs the VIEA Foreign Trade Zone Vancouver Island initiative and the Foreign Direct Investment committee. Outside the PSIA, Mark is the President and CEO of Query Fusion, a multidimensional company working in the areas of technology, customer experience and distribution. Mark is passionate about working with leaders throughout diverse organizations in building a sustainable Vancouver Island economy and community.
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Bruce Wallinger is a freelance business strategist and consultant working with natural and plant-based CPG brands to develop repeatable, scalable, and profitable growth models. Bruce is a former Executive Vice President and Director of Marketing and Sales with one of Canada’s leading value-added seafood companies. Prior to working in the seafood industry, Bruce worked directly and extensively with BC First Nations communities and tribal associations as an advisor assisting with environmental impact assessments, community-based planning, and funding. Bruce is passionate about bringing his experience within the plant-based food sector to the growing seaweed industry.
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Jordan Hawkswell brings her experience in coastal ecology, science communications and education to the PSIA. Jordan has a passion for seaweeds and exploring their potential to provide sustainable opportunities for coastal communities while supporting a thriving ocean. Jordan works as the Kelp Operations Manager for Naas Foods in Tofino, BC where she gets to work hands-on in a growing kelp business.
Jordan holds a B.Sc in Earth Science from Dalhousie University and an M.Sc in Planetary Science and Geology from Western University. She currently lives on Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territory where she loves to spend time in and around the ocean.
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Molly has spent much of her time on the East coast of Canada, growing up in Nova Scotia and receiving her diploma in Marine Environmental studies at the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Newfoundland where her interest in marine flora and fauna was sparked. She’s had the opportunity to work at the Ocean Sciences Centre in Newfoundland where she gained valuable field and lab experience working under PhD and Master’s students studying the nutrient cycle of phytoplankton. Alongside the Pacific Seaweed Industry Association, her aim is to encourage the conversation about seaweed and its unmistakable social, economic, and environmental value.
Board of Directors
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Jennifer Woodland is the CEO of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood LP: a sustainable seafood business with their own seafood brand – Gratitude Seafood and two shareholding Nations currently engaged in commercial kelp aquaculture.
Current Chair of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA), Jennifer has over 20 years’ experience in aquaculture assisting companies on both coasts of Canada to improve their environmental performance, regulatory compliance, achieve third party environmental certifications and develop positive relationships with First Nation and local communities. She was awarded the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association’s Aquaculturist of the Year Award in 2014 for her leadership in developing a sustainable industry that revitalized the economy of several rural communities on the south coast of Newfoundland.
A native Newfoundlander, Jennifer grew up in the commercial fishery and has a passion for seafood and rural economic development.
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As President & CEO of the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance, George oversees production of the annual ‘State of the Island’ Economic Summit, the annual ‘State of the Island’ Economic Report, the ‘Island Good’ brand and Foreign Trade Zone Vancouver Island (FTZVI). He has a reputation for getting things done and ‘making a difference’. He is also Chair of the Nanaimo Foundation and a 23-year resident of Vancouver Island.
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Bill Collin’s career spans almost 40 years and evolved from success in international science to success in business on the world stage. Bill was trained as a geologist and received a Master of Science degree from Memorial University. Since moving to the Victoria area in 1994 Bill has been responsible for bringing a locally invented sonar system to the world stage including sales to more than twenty navies and government institutions. As part of the ownership group of an award-winning high tech company, Bill has filled many corporate roles including M&A activities. Bill has a passion for creating and executing sound business plans and a strong belief in Vancouver Island business growth opportunities. He is currently the Chairman of Cascadia Seaweed on Vancouver Island.
Learn more about the
Pacific Seaweed Industry Association
PSIA Lunch & Listen: Growing The Industry
The PSIA recently participated in the Seaweed Days festival (May 2021) presented by one of our PSIA members, Cascadia Seaweed.
From our Lunch & Listen presentation, you will get to know the PSIA team who are actively working on building the seaweed industry to support a sustainable and profitable future. We explain what the association is about and how we can help you. We discuss the progress we have made as an industry association and what you can expect from the association in the upcoming year. We also dive into the topic of a blue economy and elaborate on ‘Canada’s Blue Economy Strategy 2040’.