Hello! I lead the Arctic Salmon and Arctic Coast team. Together, and with people from communities across the Canadian Arctic, we research fish biodiversity change and coastal ecosystems using community-led approaches. Originally from Winnipeg, I completed my BSc at Queen's University, my MSc at the University of Waterloo, my PhD at the University of Manitoba, and was a Liber Ero postdoctoral fellow at the University of Victoria. I have lived in the North and have researched fish, and especially salmon, in Norway, in the US (Washington, Oregon, and Alaska), and in northern Canada. I am currently a Research Scientist supporting the Arctic Region at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria, Carleton University, and the University of Manitoba.
Find Karen on Research Gate or Google Scholar
DFO Staff:
Hi! I’m Darcy, a biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg, MB. I began working with Arctic fishes in 2013 as a component of my master’s thesis, and have continued to study coastal change among communities across the Canadian Arctic ever since. I specialize in investigating food web dynamics of co-occurring fishes, and using stable isotopes to determine the potential for competition among native and non-native species. The information collected by our programs allows for decisions to be made by Indigenous leaders and management in order to protect biological and culturally significant parts of the Canadian Arctic. Before becoming a biologist I worked with high Arctic plants, Namibian elephants, large cats in South Africa, and am a Students on Ice alumni for 2006/2007.
Ullukkut! My name is Laurissa and I live in Winnipeg, but I grew up on a farm in Ontario. I have been a biologist with Arctic Coast/ Arctic Salmon since February 2020 where I coordinate coastal monitoring and local knowledge documentation programs in Hudson Bay and the western Canadian Arctic using community-led approaches. I am especially interested in understanding food web dynamics and energy flow within the Arctic marine environment using a variety of approaches including: tracer analysis, local knowledge documentation, and ecosystem monitoring. I also created the Arctic Salmon cookbook. I love that my position combines two of my passions Arctic science and working with communities! It is a dream come true.
Kevin Gully
Hi! My name is Kevin Gully and I am from Sachs Harbour, NWT. I am the team technician, and I sample fish, lead the organization of our lab and freezer space, assist with logistics for all the projects, and do field work. I am also interested in sea ice change and am analyzing imagery and data about sea ice and making a tool for other people from the north to be able to do this too. I am also a student at the University of Manitoba, pursuing a BSc degree.
Allison Drake
Hello! My name is Allison Drake. I started as a Biologist with Arctic Coast in October 2022 with a focus on connecting Indigenous and scientific knowledges. I completed my MSc with the Arctic Coast team, co-supervised by Vivian Nguyen, where I studied the weaving of Inuit and Western scientific knowledge of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Canadian Arctic. I am passionate about my work because I care deeply about conserving the diversity of northern species and habitats, and about the wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples in the context of climate change and development. I am a settler ally committed to learning and unlearning about Indigenous realities, and recognize that this is a lifelong journey.
Jessica Andrews
Hi! My name is Jessica, and I’m an aquatic science technician at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg. I began working with the Arctic Salmon team in 2022 as a co-op student while completing my Bachelor of Science in ecology and environmental biology at the University of Manitoba. I returned to Fisheries and Oceans in 2024 to work with the Arctic Salmon team. I lead sample coordination, manage the database, sample fish, and support field work activities. My research focuses include population distribution, how migration influences salmon morphology, phenological shifts in salmon migration, and how climate change impacts salmon movement. Before this, I studied the effects of climate change on polar bears, worked with endangered birds in northern Manitoba, conducted behavioural research on Cape ground squirrels in South Africa, and volunteered at a sea turtle conservation center in Indonesia. I’m passionate about conservation biology and understanding how climate change affects vulnerable species. I’m especially excited to be part of a project that emphasizes community-led research and integrates Indigenous knowledge.
William Kozakewich
Howdy! I’m William, and I’m a term employee with Arctic Coast and a student at the University of Manitoba. I did my first term with Arctic Coast in January through April of 2024 as a co-op student, and now that my co-op is finished, I’m back for a second term! I’m pursuing a BSc degree focusing on ecology, with a minor in physics. As part of my fascination with ecosystem interactions, I’ve been examining nearshore ROV footage off the west coast of Nunavut, looking mostly at macroalgae and different invertebrate species.
Miranda Bilous
Hi, my name is Miranda and I'm from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I started working with the Arctic Salmon team as a Co-op student, and I am now pursuing a MSc at the University of Manitoba, co-supervised by Margaret Docker. My thesis is focused on the range expansion of pink salmon through the circumpolar Arctic and their potential for spawning and establishing in eastern Canadian Arctic rivers. I have authored several papers, primarily focusing on the impacts of anthropogenic climate warming on Arctic biodiversity. I've been part of the Arctic Salmon team in some capacity since 2019, and am proud to continue addressing important ecological questions about Arctic ecosystems!
Caitlyn Friesen
Hi! I’m Caitlyn and I’m from Winnipeg, MB. I started working with DFO in 2023, but have recently joined the Arctic Salmon team as a master’s student in 2025, co-supervised by Dr. Gail Davoren with the University of Manitoba. My master’s thesis is focused on determining potential environmental cues that influence the migratory pathways of Pacific salmon travelling through the Inuvialuit Settlement Region using dietary and sea ice metrics. I will also determine if there is an overlap in diet and/or sea ice association between sockeye salmon and Arctic char from Ulukhaktok. By answering these questions, we can get a better understanding of how other migrating sub-Arctic species could navigate the Arctic and how they could impact northern species as the climate changes.
Justin Link
Hey! My name is Justin and I’m from Winnipeg, Manitoba. I’m a student at the University of Manitoba majoring in Biological Sciences with a concentration on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology! I started working with the Arctic Salmon team as an FSWEP student in fall 2024 and I’ve been working on dissecting and sampling fish for stable isotope analysis, stomach content analysis, liver HBI and DNA testing as well as helping with any organizational or other miscellaneous tasks that might be needed. I have a huge interest in all areas of ecology and food-web dynamics.
Jacob Mamchur
Hello, my name is Jacob. I joined the Arctic Salmon team as an FSWEP student in May 2025. I am studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, where I currently reside. I am primarily interested in invasive species, particularly during early establishment phases, and developing detection methods—including citizen science and eDNA-based approaches—to identify and monitor invasive populations. My work with the Arctic Salmon team focuses on the range expansion of pink salmon throughout the circumpolar Arctic and evaluating their potential for natural spawning in Canadian Arctic rivers. At this time, I am synthesizing environmental data from past pink salmon introductions to better understand habitat conditions that facilitate pink salmon range expansions.