Founders

Under the Distinguished Patronage of:
Her Honour
The Honourable Janet Austin, OBC
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia

Ocean Ambassadors connects people with the ocean, and engages them on the issue of plastic pollution.

We offer teachers a short curriculum for use in their classroom, which culminates in a group paddleboarding experience and an interactive, on-the-beach workshop.

Students in grades 2 and 5 through 8 as well summer camp participants get their minds challenged, their feet wet, and their hearts inspired.

Jenn Wesanko

Jenn’s lifelong passion for nature – including the ocean, forest and mountains – led her to partner with Alison to create Ocean Ambassadors Canada.

As a leader in the environmental community for the past ten years, Jenn provides hands-on guidance for groups such as Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, the National Film Board of Canada, the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education, the GLOBE Series, Equiterre, and Smart Prosperity Institute. She is co-founder of the Circular Economy Partnership, an international organization that supports circular economy initiatives globally.

Jenn’s experience working with federal cabinet ministers, private sector CEOs, Indigenous communities and leaders in the charitable sector provides her with a unique, real-world understanding of how to work with diverse stakeholders to make amazing things happen. Her enduring passion for nature – including the sea, forests. Jenn is principal of Jenn Wesanko Communications, a boutique communications company with a reputation for creatively taking big ideas from the boardroom to the street.

Alison Wood

A former competitive sailor and triathlete, her lifelong love of the oceans also includes kayaking, and prone and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) racing— which has taken her to the Maui2Molokai (M2M) channel crossing race and to the ISA’s World SUP championships in Fiji.

A lifelong educator, her experience includes developing and teaching continuing education courses for BC paramedics, developing curriculum and courses for Sail Canada, and developing ski instructor programs for Mt. Seymour.

“The inspiration for Ocean Ambassadors came while on my SUP board in Deep Cove. The incredible beauty of the ocean was regularly contrasted with garbage floating in the water. We need to inspire people to protect our oceans, and to do that we need to get people to the beach and onto the water to experience its magic.”