FSA
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Peter Fenrich
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President
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After starting my career with teaching in Nigeria for two years and then returning to find that the provincial government had laid off all teachers with less than five years of experience, I could not find a job and enrolled as a student in BCIT’s Computer Systems Technology program. This started my commitment to BCIT. Following graduation in 1985, I was hired by BCIT to work in the newly-created Computer Based Training department. When the department joined the Technology Centre, I worked in Applied Research as an Intermediate Systems Analyst and later as a Project Leader. In 2008, I joined the Learning and Teaching Centre (LTC) where I now work as an Instructional Development Consultant (IDC). During these years at BCIT, I have authored and published three textbooks on instructional design, written numerous papers and presented them at conferences, won awards for my work, wrote an exercise workbook for a math class that I have been teaching in Part-time Studies since 1986, completed a Master of Science degree, and recently earned my PhD in Education.
In my IDC role, I worked on a variety of projects that ranged from supporting the design and development of course materials, curriculum reviews, program proposals, and program reviews, as well as facilitating faculty and staff professional development through Instructional Skills Workshops and other PD initiatives.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Working with so many people who genuinely care about the work they do, which ultimately helps our students.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
When I started in post-secondary, I thought that it would be great to have a career of being a professional student in that I could continuously learn about anything of interest. However, I did know that it would be a financial disaster and one needs to contribute to society. So, when I retire, I would take courses on or research topics of interest, such as anthropology, cultural differences, and astronomy.
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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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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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Nancy Knaggs
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Director
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Nancy has worked in Applied Research at BCIT since 2005 and is currently the Program Head for the MAKE+ department as well as the department’s Quality Systems Coordinator. Nancy has been involved with the FSA since 2011 when she became her department’s Tech Rep. She was elected to the FSA Board of Directors in 2017. Nancy received her diploma in Robotics and Automation from BCIT in 2005 and her diploma in Applied Project Management from SFU in 2013. Nancy divides her time between research projects originating outside BCIT as well as supporting BCIT faculty and schools with their research projects. She is also a member of the BCIT Emergency Response Team.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Working with my colleagues to materialize our client’s ideas. And the fitness classes!
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I would love to play the piano effortlessly.
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Paul Mills
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Director, Associate Members
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Paul holds a Masters degree and a teaching degree. He has worked at BCIT since January 2001 dedicating the bulk of his time creating and teaching Part-Time courses for the School of Computing and Academic Studies as well the HTP specialty programs. He maintains a very busy schedule teaching throughout the week at both the Burnaby and Vancouver campuses. This exposure has afforded Paul the opportunity to meet many fellow PTS instructors, and he continually seeks to form new relationships among them. He is proud to be counted among the growing number of PTS instructors who consider their work at BCIT their primary source of income.
Paul's time at BCIT has made him aware of the the many positive things about working for the college. First among these is meeting the wonderful group of people who dedicate so much of the time to share their knowledge and experience with their students. His main focus as an FSA Board Member is to promote fair compensation for hours worked, greater support from both BCIT and the FSA, and real job security for PTS members. He continues to call upon all PTS members to come together in a united voice in order to foster change for the better.
What’s your favourite thing about working at BCIT?
Coming soon!
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Coming soon!
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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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Jude Morrison
- Jude Morrison joined the FSA in March 2018. She has been active in the union movement since the mid-eighties. Her formal work experience with unions commenced over 25 years ago in the post-secondary sector. Since then, she has worked for a variety of unions representing members in private and public sectors; predominantly in healthcare and post-secondary. She has also worked as a director within the healthcare sector.
Jude is passionate about human rights and education. Her current volunteer work represents a fusion of these two interests: she is currently a founding board member of Dignity Seniors’ Society and volunteer with Rainbow Refugee Society.
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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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Tess Rebbitt
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Labour Relations Representative
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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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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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Debbie Kinequon
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Operations Assistant
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Debbie joined the FSA in October 2017. Debbie has 13 years of experience working in high level administrative roles from which she acquired a very diverse set of office skills. Debbie’s past experience and knowledge will be an asset as she assists with the day to day operations in the FSA office.
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604.412.7408
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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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Meet The Team
bcitfsaRT @zaagammel: Amazing #Indigenous grads, mentors and alumni! Thx Celeste and students! Congratulations! t.co/56zPmSiCyrFri Jun 15 14:37:29 +0000 2018
- bcitfsa
.@bcit @Korywilson thanks the amazing staff @bcit_indigenous - they truly are fantastic! #bcpse #cdnpse t.co/slsDpXfzSOFri Jun 15 03:34:27 +0000 2018
- bcitfsa
#FSA member Jonathan Smyth honoured by @bcit_indigenous grad for his work supporting students and staff! #bcpse… t.co/p4elRebRjwFri Jun 15 02:41:45 +0000 2018