Our presenters are curated for their quality, depth, integrity, and alignment with our educational purpose. Since 1982, a distinguished faculty of authors, educators, activists, artists, performers, and practitioners have shared their work at our Cortes Island campus and in Vancouver.
Bill Ophoff
Bill Ophoff has a background in geography and biology, is a naturalist world traveler, and has been Hollyhock’s resident naturalist for 25 years.
Hollyhock guests often rave about our naturalist excursions, and more often than not, they are talking about Bill and his quirky sense of humour. Bill landed on Cortes Island on “May 3, 1993 on the 3:05pm ferry” and jokes that he just never left. He has seen the evolution of Hollyhock over 25 years, holding down a lighthearted and no BS foundation, filling our bellies with beachside oyster barbeques, and beguiling our hearts with stories of the land. Bill inspires many with his endless knowledge. A 2018 participant shares, “I would have participated in a row every morning had it been offered. We went once and loved it. We especially appreciated Bill’s knowledge about the biology, geology, oceanography, anything we asked him about. He made the outing much more valuable.”