Instructors

2007 Winners Career Management Association Team Excellence Award

All instructors in the Career Development Practitioner Program have master's degrees, extensive teaching experience and are active in career development.

Eileen Cook, MA (Michigan State University, Rehabilitation Counselling), CRC. Eileen has worked both in public and private rehabilitation facilities serving a wide range of clients with a variety of disabling conditions. Currently, she acts as the Director of Vocational Services for Orion Health Group. She has experience in providing a variety of services including assessments, counselling and disability management. Eileen has been an instructor for Douglas College, Capilano College, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and the University of Calgary and has presented internationally on a variety of vocational topics. She has been accepted as an expert witness on vocational rehabilitation topics by the BC Supreme Court.

Donna Cottell, MA (Royal Roads University, Distributed Learning). Donna presently manages Canadian Career Moves (Newton branch) where she also facilitated employment groups for over 10 years. Having worked with over 100 groups, she has experience with a wide range of job seekers including professional and managerial, newcomers, over 45, and general occupations. She has a passion for group process and has observed many times the life-changing experience that group learning provides. Donna designed, implemented and coordinated a program for professional newcomers at ISS. Her strong background in education includes several years teaching in the public school system and a two-year EFL teaching assignment at a teacher's university in China. She is skilled in researching and developing teaching materials and evaluating effective adult training programs.

Susan Greffard, MEd (Simon Fraser University, Leadership/Curriculum and Design), TBDL (University of British Columbia), PID (Vancouver Community College). Susan is a facilitator of the Provincial Instructors Diploma at Douglas College. At Douglas College, she is a Distributed Learning Designer/Trainer and teaches online courses for the Province of BC. Susan has presented on educational technology at conferences in Canada and the United States, and guest-lectured on the integration of technology into instruction and learning.

Carol Hanson, MEd (Western Washington University, Student Personnel Administration). Carol has the dual role of program coordinator and career counsellor of a new career exploration program for immigrants. She has achieved True Colors Level I and Job Club Leadership certification and completion of the Instructional Skills course in the CDP program. More recently, she has combined her dual interests in educational advising and career/employment counselling as an academic program advisor. She is also an active member of ENET and has contributed to the development of the national guidelines and standards for career practitioners in Canada. For the past three years, Carol has been a member of the ENET Foreign Trained Immigrant Professional Focus Committee.

Anahita Kadkhoda, MSc (California State University Northridge, Career Counselling). Anahita has been in the field of Career Counselling for over 12 years. Her area of expertise is working with immigrants regarding their career transitions and corporations for team building purposes. She is currently a member of the Focus on Internationally Trained Professionals, which is sponsored by ENET Society. Anahita has assisted youth, women in transition, immigrants and professionals with their career development and job search process.

Allison Klundt, MA (Michigan State University, Rehabilitation Counselling), CRC. Allison currently works for Progressive Rehab (Orion Health) as the Clinical Coordinator of Vocational Services. She has worked both in public and private rehabilitation facilities serving a wide range of clients with a variety of disabling conditions. She has experience providing a full range of vocational services including assessments, career counselling, and job search skills development. She has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Professionals-BC Society, was the co-chair of the Professional Regulation Committee, and is currently on the Rehab Review Committee. Alison has presented at a number of conferences and has published on a variety of rehabilitation topics.

Audrey Pons, MEd (University of Calgary, Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies), RRP. Audrey is the Founding President of ENET since 1991. She is very connected with many community resources and has been a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant with WorkSafeBC for over 12 years. She was appointed Chairperson of the Advisory Board for the University of Calgary, Bachelor of Community Rehabilitation Degree program at Douglas College. As well, Audrey was active with Vancouver Community College Advisory Committees for the Counselling Skills and Substance Abuse programs and the Open Learning Agency Advisory Committee for students with disabilities. With over 26 years of experience in the counselling and career practitioner field, Audrey brings a wealth of experience and dedication to life-long learning to her students.

Seanna Quressette, MEd (Counselling, University of Victoria), has developed and delivered training programs since 1985 and has provided Career Practitioner Certificate training in BC since 1999. Seanna was the Instructional Coordinator for the Career Practitioner Institute, in Duncan, BC, prior to her ownership of the Institute in 2004. She also assisted with the original design of and instructed practitioners in the Employment Counsellor Diploma program at Cornerstone International Education. She has delivered workshops at conferences in BC, Alberta, Australia and the US and has taught career development theories and ethical standards both through Diploma and Certificate programs and in-house for organizations. Currently a contract faculty member with the Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies at Douglas College, Seanna is also a Board Member with BCCMA and is the Chair of the Certification Committee. Seanna regularly receives extremely positive feedback on the level of value and enjoyment participants experience in her courses.

John Saremba, MRM (Simon Fraser University). John has considerable experience as an instructor, facilitator, and curriculum developer in the field of adult education and career development. This experience includes numerous local projects and assignments, as well as those conducted overseas in Nepal, Thailand, Laos, and Ghana. His passion and skills include the design and delivery of engaging workshops, the preparation of publications and technical reports, and the effective use of technology applications in the workplace. John's academic credentials include a Master's Degree (specializing in public involvement and community development), a Provincial Instructor's Diploma and a Job Club Leadership Training Certificate. Moreover, he has also completed the Career Development Practitioner Program at Douglas College and is currently completing an Online Training and Facilitation Certificate Program through Capilano College and KnowPlace.ca. Through his company, The Information Guy Consulting Inc., John provides a wide range of business, career, marketing, and communication consulting services to individual clients and organizations.

Bob Shebib, MSW (University of Calgary), MBA (Simon Fraser University). Bob is a faculty member at Douglas College in the Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies where he teaches in the Community Social Service Worker program. As part of that program, he teaches courses in employment counselling. He is also a private consultant who specializes in offering sessions in communication, counselling, supervision and management training. His relaxed style, sense of humour and enthusiasm make for very interesting classes and wonderful learning experiences. Bob is also a published writer, having written several books on counselling. At present we use one of his textbooks Choices in the Career Development Practitioner Program.

Sharon Smith, MA (Royal Roads University, Leadership and Training). Sharon has many years of career development experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds. She had a successful career as a Social Worker before specializing in career development work. She has worked at various levels in the career development field including actively working towards achieving national guidelines and standards for career practitioners in Canada. She has managed, as well as been an instructor, in career related programs both in government funded agencies and community colleges such as BCIT, Langara College and Douglas College. At the same time she also ran a successful consulting company for over ten years specializing in human resource management, career counselling, coaching and organizational development. She is a Master trainer (Level 111) for the True Colors program and is also certified in EQi (Emotional Intelligence). Sharon was previously the Coordinator for the Career Development Practitioner Program at Douglas College for three years. She continues to work in human services and is very active in volunteer work in her community.

Sandi Strate, MEd (University of Calgary, Counselling Psychology). Sandi has an extensive background working with people in various capacities, including counselling, teaching in Canada and abroad, social work, and private practice. Since 1988, she has been a faculty member in Student Development at Douglas College where she counsels current and prospective students and teaches various Human Development courses. She is involved in the training of peer support workers and regularly supervises Masters level students in practicum placements at the college. Sandi is a believer in lifelong learning and actively engages in professional activities and courses to further develop her knowledge and skills. She is past president of the Post-Secondary Counsellors' Association of BC.

Gisela Theurer, MA (University of British Columbia, Counselling Psychology), CRC. Gisela has over 25 years of experience in mental health, community services, entrepreneurial development and non-profit management. She works independently as a coach, facilitator, trainer, and rehabilitation specialist. For more information, check her website: www.gmt-consultants.com. She is very active in the career development community and is often a presenter at ENET meetings. She developed Introduction to Vocational Rehabilitation for the Career Development Practitioner Program at Douglas College. Her passion is to help people gain clarity, learn new skills, reach their dreams and achieve success in their lives.