Mary has always been driven by a dedication to social justice and well-being, which led to her obtaining work experience and an undergraduate degree in law and public administration. But when she took a class in environmental law and justice, she began to see the environment, whether natural, built, social or organizational environments, as the centre of community oppression, enhancement, and systems change. This prompted Mary to pursue her Masters in environmental studies with a concentration in Perspectives on Aquaculture and Indigenous Resource Management. Throughout her Masters coursework and beyond, Mary has focused on the intersections of aquaculture and fisheries management, environmental justice, colonialism, and food security, sovereignty, and regenerative food systems.
In 2020, Mary started working on the Restorative Ocean Farming Project as the Project Coordinator, where she developed a passion and curiosity for how this method of multi-species aquaculture can nourish our oceans and our health. She is now incredibly grateful to be conducting research on Coast Ts’msyen Territory with Metlakatla Stewardship Society examining how restorative ocean farming can advance Metlakatla’s visions for food security, sovereignty, stewardship, and development.