FSA
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Teresa Place
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President
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I've been fortunate enough to have spent most of my career working in two fields that have done so much enhance the quality of our lives: education and healthcare. If I've learned one thing from my ten years in healthcare and my fifteen years at BCIT, it's that you have to keep fighting for what's important. Despite the efforts of the provincial government to hinder bargaining, we need to be able to negotiate with our employer about the issues that matter: the inability of some programs to recruit and retain experienced staff due to financial constraints, ongoing workload issues, and the lack of support and benefits for part-time faculty and staff. Our success in resolving these issues will help our students succeed, and their successes in turn will contribute to the social and economic health of BC.
We need to bring the FSA community together and show a united front. We want members to see that the FSA is a strong representation of who they are, that the FSA is an effective vehicle for advocating for themselves and their students and that the FSA gives them an important role in negotiating the future of post-secondary education in BC. Our story needs to be shared with all key stakeholders inside and outside of BCIT. Together we can make a difference.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Helping students! In my opinion there isn’t a better way to make a difference in someone’s life than through education. It is a gift that gives for a lifetime and it supports not just the person being educated, but their family and society. I feel very privileged to work at BCIT and to contribute to the success of many students. In my current role as FSA President I love meeting members, hearing all the great and innovative work they do and finding ways to make their career at BCIT even better.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Write songs that would move people. Move them to take action, to reach out, to look at life in a different way or to give someone hope. Time traveling would be interesting as well.
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Kenzie Woodbridge
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Vice President
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Kenzie Woodbridge has been working at BCIT since she started as a BCGEU Auxiliary in July, 2000. Since 2004, Kenzie has been a member of the Web Services team in IT Services (and therefore the FSA), and she is currently wearing many hats there as the Knowledge Base Administrator, Web Content Community Coordinator, and Loop Community Manager. Within the FSA, Kenzie started as a Tech Rep for IT Services, served on the Collective Agreement and Bargaining Committees for the 2014 round of bargaining with BCIT, and has served on the FSA’s Board of Directors since 2014.
Outside of work hours Kenzie has delicious adventures with her great kid, is an occasional modern quilter, plays tuba in the Vancouver Rainbow Concert Band, and studies late into the night in pursuit of her MA in Professional Communications through Royal Roads University.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
The feeling of community: BCIT is my village, full of great people all working towards a common worthwhile goal.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I’d love to learn to play music improvisationally.
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Terry Gordon
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Treasurer
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Terry has been an instructor in the Financial Management Department of BCIT’s School of Business since 1998. He is currently the Program Head of the BTech in Accounting and teaches various accounting and finance related courses. Terry’s involvement with the FSA dates back to 2006 when he was first elected to the FSA Board of Directors. After serving as FSA Treasurer for two years, Terry was elected as Vice President and was Acting President for 10 months while Amy Fell was on maternity leave. Terry has served on the FSA Collective Agreement and Bargaining Committees for the past several rounds of collective bargaining. He has a BA in Political Science from the University of Florida and a Diploma of Technology in Financial Management from BCIT. Terry has just celebrated his 25th anniversary of becoming a Chartered Accountant. He is also a Chartered Business Valuator.
What is your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
My students! They keep me focused on what matters most at BCIT – helping young people launch meaningful and rewarding careers.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Take my guitar playing to the next level so that I can fulfill my destiny of rock stardom.
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Ted Rutledge
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Director, Associate Members
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A true east-Vancouverite, Ted has a BA in English Literature from when Shakespeare was considered Contemporary Lit. He has worked a tractor-trailer operator, soldier and as a writer in various capacities, including: television, journalism, publishing, corporate communications and technical writing. Ted also has a Certificate in Journalism and a Masters in Business Administration. Ted's writing prowess has taken him around the world to exotic places like Watts, Baku and Kuala Lumpur. As a young university student, Ted served as an Executive Director of the Brotherhood of Steam Clerks (back when being in a brotherhood was a cool thing).
Ted has also been a Teamster and a mouthpiece for a healthcare union. He is currently a consultant in health informatics and teaches tech writing and business communications at BCIT (nine years). His hobbies are motorcycles and annoying the hell out of anyone who will listen about the treatment of part-time faculty.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Telling people I’m a professor, because it used to be my nickname when I was a kid.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Stay focused during…. wait, is that a McLaren?
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Karl Hildebrandt
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Director
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After graduating from BCIT in 1986 I’ve enjoyed a 20+ year career in the Telecommunications and IT industry before coming back to BCIT seven years ago. During that time I have worked in small startups and large multinational companies. I am now using that experience in the IT department here at BCIT Outside of work I’ve helped start a non-profit from the ground up to bring food to the homeless in Vancouver and later transitioned it to full charity status.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Helping to build BCIT to be ready to meet that future and help our student to excel.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I’d love to learn to do a spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
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Zaa Joseph
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Director
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Zaa has been an advisor in the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Aboriginal Services department since 2008. He is also a committee member of BCIT's Aboriginal Advisory Committee responsible for the Aboriginal Strategic Plan (2010-present). Alongside his role as Director-at-large with the FSA, he volunteers on the Royal Roads University-Indigenous Education Steering Committee board. He holds a BA from Capilano University and recently completed his Master of Arts in Professional Communication from Royal Roads University. His thesis discusses how First Nations students succeeded and graduated from BCIT technology programs. Zaa attended general meetings with the FSA regularly and was excited to have the opportunity to join the board and bring forward ideas on culture, diversity and student perspectives.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Working within an environment where I can present ideas and receive feedback.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Continue to enhance my professional life at BCIT by collaborating and implementing an innovative indigenous framework which creates positive change.
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Shannon Kelly
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Director
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Shannon joined BCIT in 2002 as an instructor in Communication and became a Program Head for PTS in 2004. Shannon has experience working in industry as well as a doctorate from the University of Waterloo, specializing in technical communication.
Shannon's first love is teaching and she specifically chose BCIT due to its polytechnic nature. Her passion for teaching is matched by her interest in research. Shannon's areas of research include teaching excellence, technology in the classroom, Humanities in the professions, and Sustainability.
Shannon is an FSA Co-Tech Rep for her department and has been informally involved with the FSA on many issues over the years. Shannon's focus is for the FSA to keep the priorities and wellbeing of all our members in the forefront at all times and to support our members as effectively and strategically as possible.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
BCIT students are amazing: their passion and work ethic and intelligence never cease to inspire me (my fellow faculty and colleagues at BCIT are great too).
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I speak “ok” Italian, but I would love to be more fluent – ah, for some more time to practice, preferably in Roma.
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Joe Newton
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Director
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Joe Newton has served on the FSA board of directors since 2011. In Joe’s role as Research Head, Automation and Electronics on the Product and Process Applied Research Team he oversees and conducts a wide range of research projects with companies, inventors and entrepreneurs involving the development of mechanical and electronic prototypes and devices, and automated production systems. As well as industry-sponsored applied research projects, Joe supports faculty and students on a wide variety of projects from atom cooling control circuits, green roof technology, medical device development to robotic control systems.
Joe's experience includes ten years working in the marine industry and more than 15 years conducting applied research and development for industry clients. His credentials include a Bachelor in Technology Management from BCIT, a Robotics and Automation Diploma from BCIT, ASTTBC certification, Red Seal Certification as an electrician, and an internationally-endorsed marine engineering 2nd Class Ticket from Transport Canada. He is a Depot Leader for the BCIT Emergency Response Team.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
The “MacGyver factor”: solving real world problems with the available and appropriate technology…and the great team of people I work with.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I would like to learn to fly a plane.
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Silvia Raschke
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Director
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Silvia Raschke is past Vice President of the BCIT FSA, after having served two terms, prior to which she sat on the FSA executive for three years. She is a founding member of CARAS – the FSA Caucus for Applied Research and Applied Studies and was a member of the past two bargaining teams. She has had a varied career at BCIT, starting as an Assistant Instructor in the Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) Department, where a part of her work included carrying out research in CAD/CAM applications for Orthotics. Taking a PD Leave from BCIT in the mid-1990s she earned her PhD from the University of Strathclyde before returning to BCIT. She subsequently served as a Teaching Faculty Member and as Program Head for the Prosthetics and Orthotics program, while continuing to do research in the field of Rehabilitation Engineering. She is currently a Non-teaching Faculty member at the Technology Centre, where she is the Principle Investigator for the Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology that Enables (CREATE), collaborating with the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department and the Forensics Department.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
The flexibility to be able to make a meaningful contribution and have a great career; having been able to take on new opportunities and grow without having to jump from one institution to another.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
How to fall asleep instantly on an airplane.
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Paul Reniers
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Executive Director
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Paul has represented unionized professionals since 1992. In 1994 he became the FSA's first grievance officer. Before rejoining the FSA as Executive Director, Paul represented professional employees in the federal government and developed innovative strategies to achieve gains for members in a very challenging labour relations environment. Paul has also worked as a mediator and facilitator in the co-op housing sector since 1997. Paul works closely with the FSA Executive Committee on policy matters, oversees the union's labour relations work, leads collective bargaining, and is the manager of the FSA office.
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604.432.8696
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preniers@bcit.ca
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Heather Neun
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Union Counsel
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Heather joined the FSA in January 2010. She was called to the B.C. bar in 1998 after graduating with her law degree from UBC and articling at a large Vancouver firm. After practicing with a complex litigation firm from 1998 to 2001, she joined one of Vancouver's premier labour-side law firms where she practiced labour, employment and human rights law until mid-2008. She continued to conduct labour law research for the firm until 2010. Heather is a practicing member of the Law Society of B.C. and a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers. She is also currently working on her Masters of Law at UBC.
Prior to joining the FSA, Heather spent 1.5 years in Costa Rica, studying international human rights law and Spanish, and working at the Centre for Justice and International Law in San José, where she did legal advocacy as a member of the Mexico litigation team. In particular, she worked on the submissions of victims of human rights violations in cases before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
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604.432.8349
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hneun@bcit.ca
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Christine Nagy
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Labour Relations Representative
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Christine joined the FSA in October 2008. Previously she worked for the New Westminster School District, where she spent five and one-half years serving the management team as a Human Resource Officer. Among other things in New West, her responsibilities included recruitment, grievance management, job evaluation, managing the HRIS, and collective bargaining for support staff.
Christine's involvement in the labour movement first began in 1979, when she organized a small outfit into the United Food and Commercial Worker's Union, and she subsequently became the chief shop steward. Following that, Christine spent seven years at the Langley School District where she became involved on the executive team of her CUPE local. In addition to serving two terms as president, she sat on union committees at the district, provincial and national level..
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604.431.4964
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cnagy@bcit.ca
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Adrienne Smith
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Labour Relations Representative
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Adrienne Smith is a trade union activist and lawyer. Their early union experience was with the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 23. They were then elected president of the UBC teaching Assistant’s union, CUPE 2278 during a tense labour dispute in 2003 which, after a 3 and a half week strike, which Adrienne organized, resulted in an 11.5% wage increase for the union’s 2000 members at a time of public sector wage freeze.
As staff at the UBC Student union the Alma Mater Society, Adrienne supported the lobbying efforts of student union at BC public colleges and the Canadian Federation of Students, to expand the U-Pass transit program beyond SFU and UBC, to make it available to all public sector college students in the province.
Adrienne studied law at the University of British Columbia. Their articles were in worker-side Workers Compensation law at a Vancouver labour law firm. They went on to work at a Vancouver not-for profit firm where they intervened in constitutional challenges to mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes because of the disproportionally negative impact such sentences have on women, on indigenous people, and on drug users. Adrienne continues to provide pro bono legal services to drug users, sex workers, and transgender people in the Downtown Eastside.
Adrienne comes to the BCIT FSA from the Canadian Labour Congress. They are a practicing member of the Law Society of B.C. and a member of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, the Canadian Bar Association, The Trial Lawyer Association of BC and the Advocates Society.
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604-451-7161
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asmith285@bcit.ca
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George Talbott
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Labour Relations Representative
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Joining the FSA in May of 2017, George is on contract until the Spring of 2018. George earned a law degree from the University of Alberta, receiving the Alberta Labour Relations Board prize, and was called to the bar of Ontario. Previously, he earned a B.Sc. (Hons.) in physics from the same university.
While articling for a boutique labour and employment law firm, George was an activist with the Council of Canadian’s Ottawa chapter, and later became the Council’s head of human resources. In the past, George has written freelance articles, mostly in the area of labour law and labour relations, for publishers such as Canada Law Book, Lancaster House, and Workforce magazine. As a result of his experiences, he became a founding member of the C.E.P.’s Canadian Freelance Union, now part of Unifor.
Advising organizations in the non-profit, private, and public sectors, George’s repertoire includes collective agreement interpretation, conflict resolution, training, collective bargaining, legal drafting and research. He is a member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources, BC & Yukon and of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
George is also interested in post-secondary instruction and is currently enrolled in the Provincial Instructor Diploma program at Vancouver Community College.
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604-432-8568
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gtalbott@bcit.ca
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Kyla Epstein
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Member Engagement Officer
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Kyla joined the FSA in 2013 in the newly created position of Member Engagement Officer. Building on her degree in Political Science and International Development Kyla has worked for social justice in both Canada and Guatemala. With almost two decades of experience in non-profit administration, governance, fundraising, engagement and communications, Kyla is an active volunteer having served on many boards including Check Your Head, PEDAL, Kiwassa St. David's Preschool, Rising Star Co-op, and Next Up. She currently sits on the executive for the PAC at her son's school, is a Director with the BC Library Trustees Association (BCLTA), and is serving as the Chair of Vancouver Public Library. In 2017 Kyla was selected to attend the Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference.
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604-432-8569
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kepstein@bcit.ca
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Maria Angerilli
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Executive Assistant
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Maria joined the FSA in October 2011. She works closely with the FSA Board of Directors, the President and Executive Director assisting them with the overall operations of the FSA office.
Maria has over 12 years of experience supporting senior level executives in both the commercial real estate and retail industries -
604.432.8356
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mangerilli@bcit.ca
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Tess Rebbitt
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Labour Relations Representative (On leave until Spring 2018)
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Tess joined the FSA in April 2011. Tess holds a CHRP and is a member of BCHRMA. She holds the Business Management and Human Resources Management Certificates with Distinction from BCIT and continues to pursue both the Senior Human Resources Management Certificate and the Associate Certificate in Leadership.
Previously she worked on the Human Resources team at HandyDART during the transition from a small Vancouver non-profit society to a Lower Mainland for-profit company. In addition to being part of the bargaining team that negotiated the first Collective Agreement and working through a three-month strike, her responsibilities included recruitment and selection, HRIS management, employee engagement and benefits administration.
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604.451.7161
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trebbitt@bcit.ca
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