I moved to Nelson in 1998 and began working at Selkirk College in 1999. At Selkirk, I had the good fortune to move from my original position as math tutor to a math instructor, a union treasurer and president, a school chair and finally a dean.
Along the way I was heavily involved in policy and governance. Throughout my career, I worked with students, high school teachers, counsellors, and administrators, so I really got to know the workings and issues of the K-12 system. I also am an experienced manager having managed a total budget of nearly 10 million dollars and a staff of over 60. I served for a number of years on the Osprey Community Foundation Board of Directors. I have dedicated most of my career to education, value it and would happily bring my experience and knowledge to the service of the school district.
My daughter went through K-12 in SD8 and I have many friends who are either parents, teachers, or otherwise involved in the K-12 system. I believe I have something to offer and I would like to offer my experience and background to the students and families of the district.
I am an experienced academic leader. I’m very familiar with the university transfer system as well as the trades apprenticeship pathways. I have a great deal of human resource experience and have been involved in contract negotiations at the local and provincial level. Most importantly, I have a vision of great education in the Kootenay, a vision which has motivated me for over twenty years.
If elected, I would focus on providing great education for the students of SD8. My background in post-secondary puts me in a unique position to provide governance that focuses on making sure that the students of SD8 are ready for the opportunities which may follow K-12. Second, I would focus on employee relations. When I worked at Selkirk College under the leadership of Angus Graeme, I got to see what it meant to be an employer of choice: an employer who values its employees and what they can bring to the institution and the community. We are living in a time when recruitment of talented employees is becoming increasingly challenging. We will be competing for great teachers with SD20 and other districts. We need to be an employer that teachers and other staff want to work for if we are to provide quality education to our students.
I believe that I can bring a level of professionalism, collaborative leadership, and fiscal accountability to the board table. My background as an instructor, a union leader, and as a manager in the post-secondary system gives me a unique set of skills to serve the communities of SD8 by providing responsible, compassionate leadership with a focus on the value of education. A vote for me on Oct. 15 will mean a vote for positive change in our school district.