Meet Meaghen McCord: CCIRA’s New Executive Director
On behalf of the Board of Directors, the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance (CCIRA) is pleased to announce that Meaghen McCord (Meag) has been appointed its new Executive Director!
In her new role, Meag will provide oversight for the day-to-day development and management of CCIRA programs, projects and teams, ensuring all of our work effectively serves the interests, objectives and aspirations of Central Coast Nations.
A seasoned conservation leader with over 20 years of experience in ocean and terrestrial conservation in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa, Meag was most recently the Executive Director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC). Prior roles include policy advisor, marine ecologist and conservation manager with Parks Canada, where she advanced Canada’s ocean conservation targets through close collaboration with First Nations and federal and provincial agencies.
Previously, Meag founded and directed the South African Shark Conservancy where she developed strategies to protect threatened marine species and ecosystems in the southwestern Indian Ocean. A champion of gender equity and inclusion, Meag also served as Vice Chair of the African Network for Women in Marine Science. In this role and others, she has trained and mentored more than 500 emerging scientists and conservationists—the next generation of leaders in marine conservation.
As the new Executive Director of CCIRA, Meag is eager to continue her conservation journey, fueled by a profound love for the natural world and a deep sense of responsibility to future generations. Her passion for people, oceans and interconnected wild spaces will be a great complement to CCIRA’s mandate—supporting its member Nations in upholding their rights through self-determination and the management of marine resources in their territories.
Meag envisions a world where conservation knows no boundaries, driven by a global movement that prioritizes Indigenous leadership. Her mission is to inspire and mobilize people across the globe to protect our planet, ensuring its health and resilience for generations to come.
Please join us in welcoming Meag to the CCIRA family! She officially steps into her new role on September 24, 2024.
