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Board Member Biographies
Appointed
Daniel Fontaine is the Chief Public Affairs Officer with MITACS. He has served as Chief of Staff for the Mayor of the City of Vancouver, as Director of Communications at 2010 Legacies Now, and as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Western Brewers Association. A former Youth Employment Counsellor and Settlement Officer for Citizen and Immigration Canada, Mr. Fontaine was involved in the 2010 Spirit of New Westminster Committee and has served on the Board of Directors for the BC College of Psychologists. Mr. Fontaine has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from the University of Manitoba and a Media Writing & Public Relations Communications Certificate from Langara College. He is the weekly civic affairs columnist for 24 Hours newspaper and is a regular political commentator on local radio.
Mary Hemmingsen has served in senior positions in the energy industry including her current position as Vice President - North America Business Development and Commercial Affairs at Brookfield Renewable Power, as well as in a number of financial management roles for the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Alberta Securities Commission and KPMG. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and a CA designation.
Peter Kendrick is a retired CIBC Vice President, Commercial Credit. He currently consults for the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and serves as Chair of the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Property Assessment Review Panel. Mr. Kendrick has also served as a Member and Governance Committee Chair with the Simon Fraser Health Region and as Treasurer and Financial Committee Chair with the Board of Science World. He was a member of the Risk Management Association and is the founder of that association's Vancouver Chapter. Mr. Kendrick holds his Master's in Business Administration from Dalhousie University.
Gerry Shinkewski is a principal and founding partner of the interior design firm of SSDG Interiors Inc. in Vancouver. He holds a Bachelor of Interior Design from the Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba and is a Registered Interior Designer in the province of British Columbia. Mr. Shinkewski is also a member of the Interior Design Institute of British Columbia and the Interior Designers of Canada. As a resident of Coquitlam, he has served on the civic Design Panel and as a member of the design community, has served on several trade delegations to China. Gerry’s considerable design experience is constantly and intentionally enhanced through travel, which has allowed him to explore the unique relationships between various cultures and their architecture and design. Gerry has travelled extensively through Asia, Europe, North and Central America, both for business and for pleasure.
Sydney Tomchenko of Coquitlam is the Director of Corporate Communications for the Provincial Health Services Authority. An accredited professional with the Canadian Public Relations Society, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of British Columbia and has worked in the healthcare field for over 30 years. She has experience in critical care nursing, teaching, philanthropic leadership, stakeholder relations and public affairs.
Jim Utley has been Vice President, Human Resources of Teck Resources Limited since 1998. He joined Cominco Limited in 1991 as Manager of Human Resources for Trail Operations. Prior to joining Teck, Mr. Utley held senior human resource and industrial relations positions in Alberta and Ontario, including roles as Director, Employee Relations at Telus and Industrial Relations Manager at Rio Tinto Alcan's Kingston plant. Mr. Utley holds a Bachelors of Arts in Commerce and Economics from Simon Fraser University and an Associate in Arts Diploma from Douglas College. He is currently a member of the Salvation Army Vancouver Advisory Board and the Belkin House Community Council. From 2003 to 2008 Mr. Utley served on the Board of the Industry Training Authority.
Shelley Williams is a chartered accountant, and is currently serving as an Independent Commissioner at the BC Securities Commission. She has previously held senior financial positions at several multi-national companies, including Vice President, Corporate Treasurer at Finning International and Corporate Treasurer at Fletcher Challenge Canada. Ms. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Victoria, as well as the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Paul Wates, a Certified General Accountant, is the Chief Financial Officer of Arrow Transportation Systems Inc. Prior to joining Arrow Transportation Systems, he was the Vice President, Finance and the Chief Financial Officer of Seaspan International Ltd. In the community, Mr. Wates has chaired numerous associations with Delta community sports groups. He is a former Board member of the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre and the former Chair and Treasurer of the Arthritis Society, BC and Yukon Division. Mr. Wates is a graduate of Simon Fraser University.
Elected
Bruce Clarke works as a Media Support Technician at Douglas College. He has served on the Alumni Board, and is co-Chair of the Joint Job Evaluation Committee. In 2000, Mr. Clarke was recognized for his extensive knowledge of AV media; he was awarded the BC Innovation Award in Educational Technology. He was also profiled by the online magazine, C2T2, as part of a series of articles highlighting best practices in the audio visual field. When not supporting the college community, Mr. Clarke enjoys working as an audio video consultant and amateur nature photographer.
Marina Kolar has been enrolled at Douglas College since 2007. She has completed an Associate Degree with a speciality in Sociology, and has been employed as a research assistant for two separate projects, one of which was awarded the President's award for Best in Show at the College's Student Research Days. In addition to Board service, Ms. Kolar is serving her second consecutive year on the College's Education Council. She is currently enrolled in the College's Psychiatric Nursing Degree program.
Jerin Mece - bio to follow
Don Valeri has taught at Douglas College since 1996, and has served on numerous College-wide committees. His educational background includes a Law degree, a Masters in Business Administration degree and a PhD in Leadership and Administration. He is a member of the Law Society of BC and, prior to joining Douglas College, worked as a lawyer in private practice, as corporate counsel in the pipeline industry and as a commercial officer for the Government of Canada.
Ex-officio
Elizabeth McCausland is an English instructor and Chair of Education Council at Douglas College. She holds a PhD in English from the University of California, Irvine. Her teaching interests include genre fiction, children's literature, and nineteenth-century literature.
Scott McAlpine - Please click here to read the College President's biography.
