Our CREW
Our crew is made up of a diverse group of individuals who all believe in the same idea: Experience, Inspire, Protect. We aim to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience on every tour - you never know what our whales will be doing from day to day, plus our seals, sea lions, and birds are always exciting to visit as well. We hope to inspire all on board with knowledge regarding not only the animals you may see but also the area and its rich history. Finally, we hope to encourage all of our guests to be educated on the importance of protecting all of our species along the coastline - from the tiniest microorganisms to our giant whales and our beautiful coastal rainforest ecosystems.
The Founders
Mike Campbell - Co-founder
Mike graduated from the University of Victoria with an Environmental studies and Political Science degree. He campaigned for Greenpeace before he began guiding whale watching tours from Vancouver. Mike quickly realized he wanted to spend his time on the water, so he acquired his captain's ticket and has been happily bringing people and whales together ever since. Mike and Jilann are co-founders of Vancouver Island Whale Watch and their goal is to offer BC's most sustainable whale watching. That's why VIWW's tours focus on the growing populations of transient orca and humpback whales, rather than the endangered southern resident orca.
Jilann Lechner Campbell - Co-founder
Jilann has an interdisciplinary background with a degree in biology and fine arts from Simon Fraser Univeristy. She has worked in the Salish Sea whale-watching industry for many years. Jilann has worked on Humpback Whale research projects with the Alaska Whale Foundation and Cetacealab. As well, she has worked on research projects on the effect of fish farming on wild salmon populations. She is also a researcher with Keta Coastal Conservation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to researching humpback whales in the Salish Sea. Jilann and her husband Mike are the owners of Vancouver Island Whale Watch and when they aren't working they enjoy spending time together at their home on Gabriola Island.
The Managers
Val Watson - Office Manager
Growing up in Nanoose Bay, Val spent most of her younger years in the intertidal zone or on a fishing boat. This curiosity quickly grew into a deep love and fascination with the ocean and all the amazing wildlife that it contained. Following this passion, Val attended the University of Victoria and obtained her Marine Biology Degree! Throughout her time there she learned more about conservation and decided she wanted to work on the water. Soon after graduating Val joined the Canadian Coast Guard and moved out to the East Coast, where she trained on both large and small vessels in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Winter proved to be too much for this island girl, so when she found herself back on Vancouver Island and the opportunity to work for Vancouver Island Whale Watch arose, Val jumped at it as the mix of education, conservation, and boats was exactly what she was looking for. No matter if it’s as a Naturalist introducing our guests to the Salish Sea, as a Captain guiding the tour safely through the waters surrounding Nanaimo, or as Office Manager connecting with guests in the office, Val is always thrilled to share her knowledge and passion for the ocean!
Rodrigo Menezes - Operations Manager
Rodrigo Menezes is an Oceanographer with a Master’s Degree in Conservation Biology and a deep love for the marine environment, especially marine mammals and seabirds. He worked on marine conservation projects for more than 16 years in Brazil, monitoring the population of Southern Sea Lions and Fur Seals in two Wildlife Refuges and along the shoreline. He also has more than 6,000 hours onboard experience in the industrial fishery fleet monitoring the accidental capture of seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals. Now he has been studying the amazing marine life of the Salish Sea. When he is not on the water looking for whales, he likes to go hiking, paddling, and birdwatching.
Cheyenne Brewster - Web & Media Manager
Cheyenne was born and raised here in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Her family runs a small hobby farm and as a child, she quickly learned the importance of animal welfare. She helped her mother care for various injured creatures including mice, birds, rabbits, cats, and horses. Cheyenne is currently studying Biology and Natural Resource Management. She has been with VIWW since 2019 - you may see her leading tours as a Naturalist or working in the office as the Web & Media Manager. Cheyenne has many family connections to the coast and marine life of British Columbia and loves to now be a part of it herself. In her spare time, she likes to adventure and focuses on her personal wildlife and landscape photography. She hopes to continue spreading awareness to the general public about the importance of all species on the planet, from the smallest bacterium to the largest animals.
The Naturalists
Vanessa Vereschahen - Marine Naturalist
Vanessa was born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Despite it being so far away from the ocean her passion for the marine environment burned bright even through the blizzards the prairies threw at her! Her fondness for the environment was fueled by her obsession with nature documentaries from a young age - she could not get enough of them. This sparked her drive for wildlife film and photography as well. She wanted to be just like her heroes David Attenborough and Steve the Crocodile hunter! It definitely helped growing up with a family that enjoys nature and the outdoors too. All those camping and hiking trips just reinforced her love for nature. She always knew she wanted to work on and around the water, so with that, she moved to the coast! After attending courses through the Marine Education and Research Society and Safer Ocean Systems she now enjoys being able to showcase the beauty she sees in nature to others as well. With protection for our environment at the top of her list. Vanessa hopes to one day be able to volunteer for the whale entanglement team.
Aly Kohlman - Marine Naturalist
Aly is currently working through her Biology degree at VIU. She was born and raised in Alberta but couldn't ignore the constant tug of the ocean calling her closer. This prompted her to move her family away from the long prairie winters and out to Nanaimo. She has a passion for wildlife photography and hiking.
Desarae (Des) Poier - Marine Naturalist
Des began her career with VIWW in 2023. She loves educating guests about all the unique animals and environments you can find along our coastline.
The Captains
Tino Pollock - Captain
Tino started his career with VIWW as a part-time captain back in 2019. He loves cruising down the strait and enjoying all the wildlife we can find on our trips. When he isn’t out on the boats, he enjoys surfing, fishing, hiking, snowboarding, and biking.
Sylvain (Seal) Brunetto - Captain
Sylvain started with VIWW in 2020. He was born and grew up in Nice, France. When Sylvain was 8, his dream was to become a Canadian - he moved to British Columbia in 2015 and the rest is history! Sylvain loves spending his time talking to guests onboard and seeing all the wonderful wildlife along the coast. Besides working as a Captain, you may also spot him out on the water with Search and Rescue (SAR) or BC Ferries.