Originally from Sudbury, Ont., Katie has also lived in Alberta for a time, and most notably, she has just defended her master's thesis at Simon Fraser University in Environmental and Resource Management. Katie began her career at the University of Windsor and came "out west" to continue her schooling and "check out the coast."

Katie's mom is Dorothy Klein, who is a nurse, and her dad William Beach is a lawyer. Katie's mom has a passion for the outdoors and in turn raised Katie to have an interest in the ecosystem around her.

Katie has joined the Uu-a-thluk team as the new central region biologist working with the communities of Ucluelet, Tla-o-qui-aht, Ahousaht, Hesquiaht and Toquaht. Some Nuu-chah-nulth from the northern region might already be familiar with Katie from the shellfish and water quality work that she conducted over the past two years with Len John and Danny Short.

Katie enjoyed her time in Kyuquot and her time working with Nuu-chah-nulth. She is especially happy working for community and First Nations groups.

In the past Katie started working on water quality issues in Costa Rica where she saw the importance of water and how the poor often don't have access. As the central region biologist this work has evolved into how water quality affects resources and fish, making sure that Nuu-chah-nulth fishermen, rather than corporations, have access to those important resources.

Katie is now spending a lot of her time getting out into the field meeting fisheries crews and the nations she will be working with. Katie is based out of the Tla-o-qui-aht Treaty Office in Tofino and can be reached at (250) 725-3899.

Welcome to the Uu-a-thluk team Katie!