WDCS Staff - Policy and Science

Meet some of the WDCS team from around the world.

Mark Simmonds, International Director of Science
Before coming to WDCS, Mark Simmonds was a university lecturer and still regularly contributes to various UK university courses. He is the chair of the UK’s Marine Animal Rescue Coalition, a post held since 1994, and has authored and co-authored almost 200 reports, articles, letters and papers about marine conservation and cetaceans. He is also the author of Whales and Dolphins of the World, first published in 2004 and now available in several languages. Mark is joint editor of The Conservation of Whales and Dolphins – Science and Practice, published in 1996 and an editor and author of Oceans of Noise, published in 2003. Mark has been a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission since 1994 and has been a member of the delegations of the UK and Luxembourg to recent Commission meetings. Mark is based in WDCS’s UK Office, in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Regina Asmutis-Silvia, Senior Biologist (as in Status, not Age), Vessel Strike Program Lead
Regina has worked with the Whale Adoption Project since 1990 and moved to WDCS in 2005. Working primarily on large whale issues such as risks from fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes she also dabbles in education and other stuff. Regina has a conservation seat on the federally appointed Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team, Atlantic Trawl Gear Take Reduction Team and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council where she advocates for whales, gets migraines, and nurses them with tequila. She is most thankful for her family (Dave, DJ and Evan), friends, indoor plumbing and would rather be captaining the boat.

Karsten Brensing, Conservation Manager Germany
Karsten is WDCS Germany’s scientist. Before joining WDCS in 2005, he worked at the Free University of Berlin for his doctoral degree in behavioural biology, concerning the interaction between humans and dolphins and dolphin assisted therapy. His current role at WDCS is focused on pollution, especially noise pollution, captivity issues and bycatch. Karsten studied marine biology at the University of Kiel and conducted several research projects in Florida and Israel. He worked as a lecturer in behavioural biology at the Free University of Berlin and guided several masters projects. In his spare time he worked as a marine mammal observer in the North Sea and the Pacific and as a lecturer onboard the German cruise ship Astor. Karsten loves the sea; he is an ambitious sailor and a diving instructor.

Vicki Brown, Science Assistant
Vicki has both volunteered and worked in conservation since graduating from University. She has worked for the Wildlife Trusts since 1999 and has volunteered on various overseas research projects including bird ringing in Canada. In 2002 Vicki joined WDCS as a volunteer for the Science and Policy teams working on a wide range of projects including helping to develop areas of the website, campaigning on a number of issues, writing scientific articles, admin work and volunteering at the Scotland office to name a few. Her skills in field research also saw her use her holiday time each year to volunteer on WDCS cetacean research projects in Wales and Scotland. In 2008 Vicki joined WDCS as a member of staff.

Sarah Dolman, Head of Scottish Policy
Sarah Dolman has an Honours degree in Electrical and Communications Engineering and a Masters in Marine Fisheries Science. Starting as a volunteer for WDCS back in 1996, Sarah has been lucky enough to contribute to marine science in such far flung places as Antarctica, Hawaii, the Canary islands, as well as closer to home now in Scotland, where she is based. Sarah now leads WDCS’s Scottish policy work and is Noise Pollution Campaign Manager. 

Pine Eisfeld, Conservation officer
Pine has Master degrees in marine biology and marine mammal science. From 2004 to 2006 she worked in Germany on an EU Conservation Plan for North Sea harbour porpoises under ASCOBANS (Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans in the Baltic and North Seas).

Pine joined WDCS as a consultant in the summer of 2007 to carry out a behavioural study on a solitary dolphin in Kent, and subsequently as a policy and science assistant before taking on her role as conservation officer. Pine’s main work areas are UK legislation (e.g. Marine Bill, UK BAPs, EU Habitats Directive) and science fieldwork (e.g. outer Moray Firth surveys). In her free time, she is a keen sportswoman, enjoying activities such as running, kickboxing, cycling, trampolining, tai chi, yoga, squash and salsa dancing. She is also an accomplished violinist, having been playing since age 4.

Sue Fisher, US Policy Director
Sue has worked on issues relating to the exploitation of endangered species for 15 years. She has worked for WDCS for over ten years, running its programs against whaling and trade. Sue is a UK-trained attorney, but hated commercial practice and left to volunteer at a cat shelter. Sue emigrated to the USA in 2002 and is based in Portland, Oregon. She spends most of her free time endeavoring to keep up with, and feed, her two small boys and trying not to think about the emails piling up on her computer.

Erich Hoyt, Marine Protected Areas Programme Leader
Erich Hoyt is a cetacean researcher, marine conservationist and author. He leads WDCS’s Global Marine Protected Areas programme and is Co-Director of the Far East Russia Orca Project (FEROP/ WDCS).

In 2006, he was appointed to the Cetacean Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (5-year term). He is also Director of Marine Mammals for the non-profit educational resource www.MarineBio.org, has served on the nominating committee of the Pew Fellowships in Marine Conservation and is an expert advisor on marine protected areas for ACCOBAMS, the whale and dolphin agreement in the Mediterranean and Black seas.

Erich has written 15 books and more than 400 scientific and popular articles; he investigates and writes about cetaceans, as well as other environmental topics.

Dr. Cara Miller, Pacific Islands Programme Lead
Cara has been involved in cetacean research for the last decade including: documenting humpback whales on their calving grounds in Tonga, some of the first spinner and spotted dolphin surveys in Papua New Guinean waters, and observations of fin whales in the Bering Sea.  Her undergraduate studies focused on animal behaviour and marine biology, whereas her Master’s degree in Applied Statistics examined population models and field survey design for marine species.  A four-year project investigating habitat and abundance of a small resident population of bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico served as her PhD research. 

Cara joined WDCS Australasia in 2004 and then at the start of the 2006 began working on the Pacific Islands Programme.  Within this programme she has had the exciting opportunity to work with many researchers and staff across this region in building local capacity, conducting research surveys, and progressing cetacean conservation under the Convention of Migratory Species Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region.  In addition, she has served on the Australian Government’s science delegation at the International Whaling Commission for the last three years.

Cara is currently a Visiting Fellow at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji and in addition has a research appointment at Flinders University in South Australia. 

Kate O’Connell, Specialist Researcher
Kate has been involved with WDCS for nearly twenty years. With a combined background in international relations and biology, she has helped to draft more than a half dozen treaties related to the protection of the marine environment. An Associate Member of the American Translators Association, she speaks several languages and honed her Spanish when she studied right whales in Argentina and by watching Spanish soap operas on television.

An expert on whale and dolphin issues, Kate spends each morning scouring the internet in one of the many languages she speaks gathering information to help WDCS campaigns. Kate lives in Connecticut with her family (LOTS of teenagers, hence a first-hand experience in wildlife management) and tries to maintain a somewhat sane house and a grueling work schedule. In her free time (about ten minutes a day) she plays the bodhran, a traditional Irish drum, and practices, to the dismay of all -- especially her dog Lila -- the Irish tin whistle.

Alice Pope, Scottish Conservation Officer
Alice Pope joined WDCS in 2007 as a research associate, a post managed in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen and funded through Knowledge Transfer Partnership.  Based at our Scottish wildlife centers, she explored the potential of using research techniques and technology to bring specialised scientific expertise to a wider audience and to encourage visitors to become stewards of the marine environment. In early 2009, Alice fully took on the WDCS role of Scottish Conservation Officer and is now managing the expansion of shore-based cetacean watching along the NE Scottish coast through the Shorewatch Project as well as managing other research initiatives carried out through the Wildlife Centers.

Sue Rocca, Biologist and Intern Coordinator
Sue has been involved in whale research, conservation and advocacy for more than 10 years. A queen multi-tasker, Sue manages the sightings and humpback databases, oversees the WDCS NA Intern Program, manages fundraising events, heads up the Turks and Caicos research project and then spends time in Baja with grey whales and tequila each winter- all while conditioning her hair, plucking, surfing, skyping and answering the phone.

Laura Stansfield, International Captivity and Rescue Officer
Laura joined WDCS in 1999, straight from university, apart from a short stint as a Countryside Warden in her home town of Christchurch. She has undertaken several roles during her time at WDCS, including working in the Supporter Relations Department and coordinating WDCS’s Out of the Blue travel wing.  She likes escaping from the office when she can and has taken part on surveys around Wales, the Moray Firth, the Azores and Monterey Bay. She was also part of the joint team on the Rainbow Warrior and Esperanza surveys. These days, Laura spends most of her time at her desk working on all anti-captivity issues. She also deals with cetacean stranding coordination and solitary dolphin issues. She hopes to see the day when cetacean captivity is no longer tolerated…

Courtney Vail, US Policy Officer/Caribbean Programme Manager
Courtney has worked within the wildlife conservation and animal welfare field for nearly 20 years, and has been with WDCS almost ten of them. With a diverse background in biology, law and environmental policy, Courtney focuses her time across the spectrum of issues for WDCS, providing leadership for its Caribbean program and a variety of domestic and international educational and outreach initiatives. Courtney is currently based in Arizona and spends her free time hiking, playing sand volleyball and loving her daughter, Sierra.

Vanessa Williams-Grey, Responsible Whale Watch Programme Manager
Vanessa joined WDCS as Office Manager in 1990 and remembers the organisation when it employed just a handful of people, housed in a basement office in Bath! She took on the role of Publications Manager in 1992 before leaving in order to travel around the globe, working as a volunteer on various cetacean projects, including orca research off British Columbia, Canada, and a whale stranding team in Eastern Australia. She then worked as a freelance for WDCS, including writing a report on captive orcas, before rejoining WDCS in 1997. Vanessa has developed WDCS’s Responsible Whale Watching programme and now oversees colleagues working across our global network of offices to promote best practice. Initiatives have included offering training workshops to whale watch operators and naturalist guides; funding impact research; working with official agencies to produce regulations and codes of conduct, and educating the public about responsible viewing practices.

Cathy Williamson, Captivity Programme Manager
Cathy runs WDCS’s international programme of work against the capture, trade and keeping of cetaceans in captivity and has done so since January 1999. She has a Masters degree in Environmental Science, Policy and Planning. Cathy is directly responsible for the work that is undertaken by WDCS’s Captivity Programme, representing it in international governmental fora and producing comprehensive information resources, aimed at a wide range of stakeholders, including detailed reports, meeting briefings, scientific papers, articles, press releases and internet-based materials. Cathy works with a huge number of stakeholders from members of the public, grassroots activists around the world, other NGOs, civil servants, scientists and representatives of the tourism industry to bring about an end to captures and trade and improve the conditions of cetaceans already held in captivity.

Alison Wood, Policy Manager
Ali has worked with the WDCS policy team for almost 20 years on various programmes but, its river dolphins that have always been her passion. River dolphins are also amongst the most endangered of all whales and dolphins and need our help. WDCS has recently launched a new river dolphin programme and Ali considers herself lucky enough to be heading it up. Ali also works with the WDCS team focused on the Convention for Migratory Species (CMS). When Ali is not working……… she has four young daughters at home to keep her on her toes. Life is a bit of a juggle run at a frantic pace to look after them. Ali’s dream is to take them all to the Amazon to see a river dolphin!

Nicola Hodgins – International Projects Manager
As WDCS’s International Projects Manager, Nicola oversees a portfolio of research projects around the world. A marine biologist by trade, and a conservationist at heart, prior to joining WDCS Nicola was working to reduce the unfortunately, ever-growing illegal trade in wildlife. With research experience (and much travelling) from around the world, including Hong Kong, India, Italy and Borneo, Nicola has a fondness for Asia, Africa, the Indian Ocean and generally just the warmer parts of the world! Although spending a large proportion of her time focusing on issues outside of the UK and working with researchers from developing countries, Nicola maintains her involvement in fieldwork at home in Scotland, both in the Moray Firth and on the West coast. (You can take a girl out of Scotland, but never Scotland out of a girl!). Any spare time is spent ensuring WDCS’s canine research assistant doesn’t study the sheep too avidly, travelling, spending time with family and friends and generally loving life!

Kila - WDCS’s Canine Research Assistant
Specialising in UK cetaceans, Kila has extensive field experience from time spent in the Outer Hebrides, West coast of Scotland, the Moray Firth, Cornwall and Wales. An advocate of land-based watching, Kila believes in keeping her carbon footprint to a minimum. In her spare time Kila has a passion for sticks, balls, rabbits, sheep – basically anything that moves and looks as if it would be fun to chase. Good observational skills are a must and the secret to her success is eating well, sleeping lots and playing as much as possible.