Team
Double Bay Sanctuary Foundation (British Columbia)
MICHAEL REPPY, Chairman of the Board
Stanford University, BA History, 1967. University of Southern California, MS Physical Therapy, 1979. Physical therapy practice 1980-2017, including private practice Santa Monica, CA, home care specialty with Marin Home Care and Sutter Care at Home, Marin County, CA. Now retired, and lives in Mill Valley, California.
Michael has spent over 30 years volunteering with Earth Island Institute, focusing on using ocean sailing and racing to support Earth Island campaigns, beginning with Dolphin Safe Tuna in early 1990’s, and then Save Japan Dolphins to stop the capturing and slaughter of Dolphins in Taiji, Japan. Michael made three attempts to break the solo sailing record from San Francisco to Tokyo in support of this campaign. In 2018, Michael purchased the former sport fishing lodge, Pacific Outback Resort, Double Bay, Hanson Island, BC, Canada. For the past four years, Michael has been directing the rebuilding of the facility to create the infrastructure for DOUBLE BAY SANCTUARY to be the retirement home for Corky.
As Director of Strategic Partnerships for Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue, Deb is responsible for strategic planning and forming new alliance relationships to generate cooperative programs and projects to increase ocean conservation. Deb joined Mission Blue in 2010 and served as Director of Communications for six years, developing communication strategies to broaden the impact of Mission Blue’s programs and partnerships, after which she served as Chief Operating Officer. She has also served as Board secretary for five years
Deb’s life and professional career have centered on the ocean, from teaching scuba diving to working in the yachting industry. She has been a marketing consultant for world-class sailing races and has sailed her own yacht in Europe, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. When not immersed in Mission Blue business and ocean advocacy, Deb tends her organic vegetable garden and plans where her next scuba diving vacation will take her.
Deb lives in Pt Richmond, California
DAVID MALYSHEFF, Treasurer
David Malysheff has over 35 years of extensive television production experience in film and broadcast television. Over this time, David has acted as both a Director of Photography and Director on literally hundreds of projects for both broadcast, and non-broadcast. Last summer, David was honored with a Leo Award for Best Cinematography for the documentary “Listening to Orcas” for CBC.
David has been working with First Nations People and telling their story for over 25 years, when he first acted as Director Of Photography on the award-winning film “Kuper Island; Return To the Healing Circle” for CBC National. A 25 year follow up film, “Penelakut; Return To the Healing Circle” is now complete, and is about to be released.
David lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
Friends of Double Bay Sanctuary (USA)
MICHAEL REPPY, Chairman of the Board
Stanford University, BA History, 1967. University of Southern California, MS Physical Therapy, 1979. Physical therapy practice 1980-2017, including private practice Santa Monica, CA, home care specialty with Marin Home Care and Sutter Care at Home, Marin County, CA. Now retired, and lives in Mill Valley, California.
Michael has spent over 30 years volunteering with Earth Island Institute, focusing on using ocean sailing and racing to support Earth Island campaigns, beginning with Dolphin Safe Tuna in early 1990’s, and then Save Japan Dolphins to stop the capturing and slaughter of Dolphins in Taiji, Japan. Michael made three attempts to break the solo sailing record from San Francisco to Tokyo in support of this campaign. In 2018, Michael purchased the former sport fishing lodge, Pacific Outback Resort, Double Bay, Hanson Island, BC, Canada. For the past four years, Michael has been directing the rebuilding of the facility to create the infrastructure for DOUBLE BAY SANCTUARY to be the retirement home for Corky.
BFA California College of Arts, Oakland, CA, 1985. Studied Marine Biology at College of Marin and SFSU, San Francisco, 2007-09. Education docent and crew at Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, 2009-2012. Commercial and Fine Artist, 1985-2011. President American Cetacean Society, San Francisco Bay Chapter, 2011-2016.
As president of ACS, Lynette developed monthly presentations, curriculum classes, citizen science projects, gave yearly student research grants, and created cetacean trips for members to locations such as with humpback whales in Silver Banks, Dominican Republic, with Bottlenose dolphins in Bimini, Bahamas, and whale monitoring in Antarctica.
Lynette lives in Fair Oaks, California
Alison Loomis
Alison Loomis is an ocean sustainability consultant, naturalist, and systems change storyteller. She works with diverse organizations such as Social Capital Markets, Blue Frontier, and the US National Parks Conservancy to scale environmental, economic, and social solutions. Her motto is to make waves for a force of good.
Sebastian Nicholls
Sebastian Nicholls works at an international non profit on the global campaign to protect at least 30% of the ocean’s area in marine protected areas by 2030, through engagement at United Nations negotiations on Biodiversity and on a new governance framework for the high seas- two thirds of the global ocean or 40% of the planet that is currently unprotected. His ocean conservation journey began with a fascination with the ocean since he can remember, falling in love with coral reefs and marine biodiversity as he began snorkeling and scuba diving. In university he helped plan several conferences to inform young people about ocean sustainability, including leaders like John Kerry and Heads of State of several countries. He has a Bachelor’s degree in international politics with a focus on energy environment issues from Georgetown University.
On-Site Team (British Columbia)
Lisa Larsson
Lisa Larsson has been involved in whale research in British Columbia for thirty years now and knows Corky’s family and their unique dialect by heart after decades of listening to them chat and socialize on the vast array of hydrophones at the neighboring research station OrcaLab.
She has worked as a caretaker, handy woman and artist at the Sanctuary since 2021 to get it ready for Corky.
The most beautiful and heart warming vision she can imagine is to see Corky back in her home waters hearing the sounds of the ocean once again. It will also be a milestone in the study and comprehension of orca whales.
Lisa is a professional illustrator, dual citizen and speaks four languages.
In the summers she resides on Gotland, Sweden
Nicolette Audy
Nicolette Audy Is an environmentalist with a background in Adventure Tourism and Wilderness Education. She thrives on the natural elements and loves inspiring people to step outside their comfort zone.
Originally from Alberta, she has lived in BC for 8 years.
You can normally find her sailing on the coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest.
GRANT MCCORMICK
Grant McCormick was born and raised on the west coast of Vancouver island , now dwelling on Malcolm Island. A surfer, horticulturist, carpenter, artist and lover of the ocean and all of its abundant of beauty and food and fun it has to offer. Carpentry close to the waters edge is where I am in my element. I am happy to be a part of this project on many levels.
Peter Galitzine
In respect, I would like to begin by acknowledging that the Double Bay Sanctuary’s project is on traditional Kwakwaka’wakw territory.
Peter Galitzine acts as a consultant for the Double Bay Sanctuary project as a Registered Onsite Wastewater Practitioner, planner, installer, and maintenance provider. In this capacity, Peter has ensured that the project meets or exceeds all related regulatory requirements as prescribed by the provincial and federal governments.
Peter is also a red seal carpenter, holds a bachelor of fine arts in painting and drawing, and has contributed 32 years with the Canadian Rangers specializing in ground search and survival techniques.
Peter is passionate about conservation and is excited to be able to contribute his expertise to the Double Bay Sanctuary project. His goal is to ensure proper standards in creating and designing an eco-friendly facility that will better help protect our ocean and marine life.
World-wide Campaign Coordinators
Vanessa Prigollini, Latin America Coordinator
Vanessa is a Psychologist, Speaker, Underwater and Nature Photographer, Marine Educator and Naturalist.
As a Psychologist specialized in Social Emotional Intelligence, Vanessa has always shown a particular interest in understanding orca behaviour due to their complex social structure. But mainly cause they have the most elaborated insular cortex in the world which involves emotions, compassion, empathy, perception, self-awareness, amongst others.
For over 10 years she has used her photography to raise awareness about captivity of cetaceans by giving talks, mainly to schools.
Vanessa created her own Marine Education Program (Kindergarten – Grade 7) which she has taught in schools in Canada and Mexico.
She is the director of MAREA, an NGO focused in marine education.
She works as a Marine Educator and Naturalist with cetaceans in the winter in Mexico and in the summer on the west coast of Canada.
She has collaborated in the protection of marine wildlife with several international organizations.
During the pandemic she wrote, directed and produced her first documentary on orcas, other dolphins and belugas in the wild and in captivity entitled “Contrasts”. This film has won several awards in many International Film Festivals including best short film and has been translated to the languages of the 5 countries with more cetaceans in captivity: Spanish, English, Russian, Japanese and Chinese.
Tom Zynski, Brazil Coordinator
Tom is a Music Teacher, Singer-Songwriter and Vocal Coach. On the same day he graduated in Music Education in Brazil, Tom flew to Canada to visit the Double Bay Sanctuary and shoot a music video for his first solo single “Seven”. The Folk/Rock song had the video directed by Celso Zanini (Portugal) and included a documentary featuring Michael Reppy explaining the purposes of the Sanctuary to Tom’s fanbase.
Tom was invited by Christine Caruso, the director of the documentary film “Corky”, to arrange and record Vic Sadot’s “Corky’s Song”, the original movie theme song. The ukulele-driven piece was later recorded in Porto Alegre, Brazil and had the production of Renato Osorio (Hibria, Paul Di’Anno) at Dry House studios. In Southern Brazil, Tom teaches contemporary singing at RR44, a multi-cultural place of which he’s a founding associate. As a frontman for the Alternative Metal band “It’s All Red”, the artist played festivals in Brazil and Argentina sharing the stage with bands like Megadeth, Cavalera Conspiracy and Hibria.
During the pandemic, Tom worked as a voice actor and co-writer for the bilingual course of Music Theory, English and Singing “Look Sonata”. He has also been a frequent visitor of the Tamar Project in the island of Florianópolis, an NGO working to protect sea turtles rescued from by-catch which was his first contact with sea animal activism as a kid.
Tom lives in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Lisa Larsson, SWEDEN Coordinator
Lisa is an art teacher, naturalist, forest educator, and freediver.
She has co-worked for many years with several nature organizations in Sweden to promote and preserve intact ecosystems both on land and in the sea.
In the summers she has creative workshops with kids where she explains about whales and play their songs.
Lisa started off as a naturalist in a gray whale lagoon in Mexico. In the 1990’s she joined the research station OrcaLab in BC, as well as the more northern research station BC Whales.
Lisa studied and recorded the calls of the lost orca calf Luna, L-98, in Nootka sound for many months and observed in him the astonishing perseverance, intelligence and mental stamina of even such a young orca like him.
Her goal is to share her insights into the extraordinary world of whales with the world.
Bert Klangpremchitt, Thailand Coordinator
A Professional PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with a solid passion for the underwater world during his 20 past years of experience. Formerly, A Basic Offshore Safety Induction & Emergency Trainer (BOSIET Training). A nature Lover with a specific interest in Thailand’s Underwater Travel, Tropical Marine Life Observations, Thai Marine Education & Eco-Tourism. A contributor to Thailand Marine Life Conservation Projects to support the preservation of Thailand Coral Reefs and Aquatic Reef Lives. An Award-winning underwater photographer regarding of “Environment and Conservations”: Return of Life (Petroleum Authority of Thailand Group), Sea You Tomorrow (Singha Estate), Sustainable Thai Maritime Tourism (Central Group), Best of Thailand “Whale Sharks” Observer (California Academy of Sciences / National Geographic / iNaturalist), Best of LAMAVE “Manta Rays Observer” (Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute, Philippines)
