Laura Torre-Williams

– Founding Director –

Laura is a conservation biologist, marine educator, and whale researcher.

She is a keen advocate for educating and inspiring young minds to care for the planet.

Laura’s experience includes freshwater ecology and restoration, having worked with low decile schools in urban Auckland to plant 25,000 native trees along streams and rivers.

Laura proudly serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for Conservation Biology.

She is now focused on ocean megafauna (cetaceans) and enjoys communicating science in a simple manner, so all ages can grow an appreciation for the ocean realm.

Laura believes every person can take small steps to create a ripple of positive actions to protect our planet.

Laura has worked with cetaceans in Alaska, Hawaii, California, New Zealand and Australia. Laura holds a Bsc in Environmental Biology and an MSc in Conservation Biology and her thesis was on mother and calf humpback whales.

Since 2013 she has been a Visiting Scholar at Griffith University documenting the occurrence of newborn humpback whale calves and their habitat use in an area not considered a calving ground.

Laura also leads the Gold Coast Newborn Calf study, which has a large team of research assistants supporting it. They are seeking better protection for newborn calves in this area.

Laura holds the following professional memberships:

Elected Board Member – Society for Conservation Biology (Oceania)

New Zealand Environmental Educators Association

American Cetacean Society

Society for Marine Mammalogy

Project Jonah

Janelle Bressow

–

Janelle is an Educator of Deaf/Hard of Hearing children for the Department of Education in Qld. She is a great communicator and advocate in her workplace and community. 

She is also very involved in sports, including serving as the past Head Coach of the Australian Deaf Women’s Basketball Team, recipient of State and National Coaching Awards and mentor to young Coaches.

Janelle is passionate about photography (mother nature at her best, capturing and identifying migrating whales), conservation and grassroot learning. Nellie serves as one of our lead wildlife photographers, supporting our study out at sea by capturing images of whales, dolphins, and other species. She also enjoys working at our Skypoint Community Outreach and Education project and speaking with children and their families about how to help our whales.

She is passionate about the conservation of marine life and our oceans. In particular, bridging the gaps between knowledge and understanding of the migration of our East Australian humpback whales. She is interested in increasing the understanding of the shifting areas for birthing and breeding along our East Coast waters. She is committed to our project goals of conserving and protecting these magnificent creatures on their migration through our coastal zones. So passionate is she, that she is embarking on a Marine Studies course.

She also hopes to see more community members, young and old, get excited at seeing the return of the whales each year with increased numbers. Nellie encourages everyone to get involved in helping the whales and join us in the continued collection of data that will assist in policy changes to make their migration safer and enable them to live out their full life spans.

Cath Atkin

–

Cath holds a BSc in Marine Biology and an Honours in Marine Ecology, both from James Cook University. She furthered her education and also holds a Master of Philosophy in Animal Science with her special research project focused on Australian Sea Lions from the University of Queensland.

She has a passion for all marine animals and has worked with Marine Mammals for 30 years in the tourism industry.

Cath joined the Gold Coast Newborn Study as a researcher in 2021. She hopes to help promote awareness and understanding for greater protection and conservation action for migrating Humpback whales in Gold Coast waters through my involvement in this study.

Sharyn Carnahan

Sharyn is a seasoned professional with a robust background in Health Science. She holds a PhD from the University of Southern Queensland, where she honed her expertise in Nutritional Physiology. Over the years, Sharyn has held various pivotal roles, including President of P & C committees and her local AFL football club. Her career is marked by significant achievements such as being Course Co-ordinator for the Diploma of Health Sciences at Torrens University and taking a group of students on a study tour to Nepal to develop their cultural awareness of the Health system in an international setting.

Beyond her professional endeavours, Sharyn is deeply committed to environmental advocacy, with a particular focus on marine life conservation. This passion is driven by a profound respect for marine ecosystems and a desire to protect them for future generations. Sharyn has been actively involved in the Gold Coast Newborn Calf Study, Turtlewatch and PlatypusWatch, demonstrating a consistent dedication to conservation causes.

As a member of the Board of Directors for the East Coast Whale Study, Sharyn combines her professional expertise with their advocacy efforts to guide strategic initiatives aimed at protecting whale populations and their habitats. Her approach is collaborative, fostering partnerships with scientists, policymakers, and local communities to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes. Sharyn’s role on the board is a testament to her unwavering commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for whales and the broader marine environment. She continues to inspire others through her advocacy work and active participation in the East Coast Whale Study and Watergum.

Tony Taylor

Tony has lived and worked in many countries in Operations and Project Management roles and holds a MBA. He is an extensive traveler and keen photographer of landscapes and wildlife, having travelled twice to East Africa. Tony is also an enthusiastic hiker and climber, having climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania as well as parts of Saudia Arabia and can frequently found hiking in Lamington National Park. Tony is a history buff, a science lover, and coffee addict.

He has just completed his sixth season working with the Gold Coast Newborn Calf Study photographing humpback whales. He is a keen amateur photographer for 55 years particularly enjoying photographing wildlife and water. Tony serves on the Board due to his interest in wildlife and whale research. He hopes to contribute his business acumen to our organisation and to create more knowledge and awareness of the humpback whales in our backyard.