Renee Samels was raised in Vancouver, BC, and has lived in various locations throughout BC as a thirteenth-generation Canadian. Taking time from her studies, Renee moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in 2012 where she worked at an Arctic Charr processing facility — her first taste of fisheries work.
Shortly after completing her BA in Geography at Simon Fraser University, Renee moved to Prince Rupert, BC, where she acquired a myriad of experiences within the three pillars of fisheries: surveying and sampling recreational fishers, managing the North Coast’s commercial trawl, geoduck, hook and line, dockside and electronic monitoring programs, and managing the local wild Pacific salmon enhancement aquaculture facility.
Renee’s love of the coast and desire for exploration recently merged when she moved to Victoria, BC, and purchased a sailboat in which she lives. Her passion for food security, resource management, and economic diversity are a lock and key fit for Ecotrust Canada’s initiatives. When not working, Renee can be found hiking with her dog, knitting, painting, or doing pottery. Renee will be bringing her hands-on experience, education, and sense of humour to the Community Fisheries team.