KPU extends thanks to the members of the Program Advisory Committee. This committee meets twice a year, to assist with curriculum and program information.
Program Advisory Committee
Alex DeForge
Programs Manager, Qmunity
Bruce Passmore
Consultant, Training Resources for the Environmental Community
Currently, an Consultant at TREC (Training Resources for the Environmental Community), Bruce grew up as a settler on the Unceded territory of the Tsartlip Nation on southern Vancouver Island. He was raised exploring the lands and waters of the Salish Sea. TREC provides tools for working effectively for environmental protection, conservation, and sustainability in Western North America. This work follows from Bruce's time as the Executive Director, CPAWS-BC (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, British Columbia) and expands the reach of this work in bringing together leaders, organizations and coalitions in support of the environment. In addition to a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology, working as a biologist on numerous initiatives, including the Eastern Slopes Grizzly Project and the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park, Bruce has also completed a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. He has worked in senior roles for over 20 years in the NGO sector both in Canada and internationally, including also as the Executive Director for Leave Out Violence Society (LOVE) BC, which supports youth affected by violence. His global work continues with Bruce's additional current role with homeD, an organization with a stated mission to eradicate homelessness, through transitional housing technologies and innovative solutions. Bruce sits on the Telus Vancouver Community Board and is an advisor for the Vancouver Foundation's Systems Change grants. He has also been a frequent election observer for the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), CANADEM, and regional NGOs, roles which have taken him to Ukraine and various countries in East Africa. Bruce is thrilled to link his many passions and experiences with these current initiatives, continuing a life-long love of nature and a recognition of dedicated people who are protecting people and planet.
Chad Leaman
Director of Innovation, Neil Squire Society
Chad Leaman is the Director of Innovation for the Neil Squire Society and co-founder of Makers Making Change. The Neil Squire Society uses technology, knowledge and passion to empower people with disabilities. Chad is also a volunteer organizer of NetSquared Vancouver, which holds free workshops and an annual conference for nonprofits to better use technology to further their mission. He is the former Chair for BC Technology for Learning Society, which refurbishes over 8,000 computers a year for schools, nonprofits and other at-need populations in BC. Chad holds a BA in English and Computer Science from Simon Fraser University, as well as certificates in Instructional Technology in Adult Education, Project Management, and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). He’s a father of school-aged twins, which is the source of much joy, sleeplessness and scraped knees.
De Whalen
Chair, Richmond Poverty Reduction Coalition
Deirdre Whalen (“De”) has a BSc in Bio Sciences with a Minor in Psychology along with a certificate in Health Care Management and a diploma in Immunology (Virology). She worked for 15 years with the BC Centre for Disease Control where she conducted R&D on new virus testing techniques and 15 years with the BC Government & Service Employees Union where she negotiated collective agreements and joint pay equity plans with the BC government, municipal governments and various crown corporations and community colleges.
Retired with a good pension at age 53, since 2005 De has pursued a variety of volunteer activities in Richmond including President of the Richmond Women’s Resource Centre, Chair of the Richmond Poverty Response Committee, board member of the Richmond Art Gallery Association and Cinevolution New Media Society, and founding member of the Garden City Lands Society, Richmond Homeless Connect, Richmond Food Aid Delivery Coalition, Richmond Farmwatch and Fraser Voices. She also sits on the Boards of O.W.L. (Orphaned Wildlife) and Builders Without Borders Foundation.
De’s brings leadership skills and knowledge of governance and policy development to the table. She believes creating a healthy community starts with dedicated, compassionate and engaged citizens volunteering in nonprofit organizations with a collective vision that making the community better for our most vulnerable makes it better for all.
Feezah Jaffer
Executive Director, Sanford Housing Society
Feezah Jaffer joined the Sanford Housing Society (SHS) team as Executive Director in January 2022. She brings over 12 years of nonprofit management experience with a focus on client services, financial management, community relations, and program development. She is passionate about helping those facing life's greatest challenges and developing relationships and strategies to facilitate solutions for SHS and fostering change in the lives of their tenants.
Larissa Petrillo – Former Coordinator
KPU Faculty, Anthropology
Larissa Petrillo received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia (2001). She has worked extensively with interdisciplinary teaching teams at UBC, and is now a long-term faculty member of the Anthropology Department at KPU. After her engagement with the Learning Exchange at UBC, in its initial years, she has continued to develop service learning practices in her own classes and in the learning community, more generally. She is passionate about training undergraduate students to work in the nonprofit sector and sees this work as part of a much greater effort at affecting social change. Her central research interests are in social and cultural change, cross-cultural communication, research ethics, indigenous knowledge, and community-based conservation. She has worked with Native communities in both Canada and the United States, and has collaborated with Melda and Lupe Trejo, in publishing Being Lakota: Identity and Tradition on Pine Ridge Reservation (2007).
Nina Krieger
Executive Director, Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre
Nina Krieger is the Executive Director, and formerly the Education Director and Curator, of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. Before joining the VHEC, Krieger developed educational initiatives at the Contemporary Art Gallery (Vancouver), the London Consortium Summer School at Tate Modern (London) and Artangel (London). She holds an honours degree in history from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Research degree in humanities & cultural studies from the London Consortium, a multi-disciplinary graduate program of the University of London, the Architectural Association, the Institute of Contemporary Arts and Tate. Nina is a member of the Canadian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, past chair of the Memorials and Museums Working Group and current deputy chair of an IHRA project to develop recommended teaching guidelines on the persecution and genocide of the Roma.
Njeri Kontulahti
Manager Community Investment, Vancity
Njeri (Jeri) Kontulahti is a Community Investment Portfolio Manager with Vancity, Canada's largest credit union, where she has worked since 1996. Her job involves developing and deepening connections with community groups and businesses to build their capacity and create impact. She has developed and managed financial products, services and policies that support people with low incomes and newcomers to build assets, including home ownership and access to credit. Njeri has a deep commitment to the cooperative movement in Canada and has served as a volunteer facilitator for the Canadian Cooperative Association's Women's Mentorship Program in Ottawa for several years. This program brings women from credit unions all over the developing world to learn about credit union operations in Canada. Njeri is also Vice President of the Abbotsford Community Services board, one of the largest community services organisations in British Columbia. She is a founding Director of a nonprofit known as Daughters of Hope, whose main aim is to raise funds for an education fund for children living at an orphanage in rural Kenya. Njeri is also very involved in volunteer work in her community and church.
Roslyn Henderson
Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley
Roslyn Henderson recently became Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley. She has spent most of her professional career working for Big Brothers Big Sisters, first joining Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton in 2007 where she coordinated an innovative program that provided wrap-around services to City Centre Schools. After moving to BC in 2012 with her husband and daughter, Roslyn was fortunate to be able to join the Big Brothers Big Sisters team in Langley. She believes in the power of mentorship and has a passion for developing stronger communities and supporting children and youth.
Prior to joining Big Brothers Big Sisters, Roslyn worked for the University of Alberta’s Community University Partnership, on a research project investigating how best to coordinate services for low-income families. She also attended the University of Alberta, completing her Masters in Special Education in 2008.
Roxanne Wiseman
Director of Quality and Innovation, Community Living Society
Roxanne Wiseman has been working supporting families with a variety of individualized needs for over 20 years. She has worked across Canada and as far away as South America with organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society, Trillium Childhood Cancer Foundation, YMCA, CUSO, and locally within the community living sector. Roxanne values all her work experiences, especially those that pertain to her role with the CLS. She has worked as frontline community support staff both residentially, in vocational day centers and communities, and as a manager of residential homes and vocational centers. These experiences have given Roxanne a great appreciation of the work involved in supporting people to live meaningful lives and have valuable experiences as full citizens in their community. Roxanne is a strong advocate for Person Centered Active Supports (PCAS) and is a CLS PCAS trainer.
In her role as Director of Quality and Innovation, Roxanne is responsible for the continued successful accreditation of the CLS, and oversees and ensures excellent services are provided to all of the supported individuals.
Nida Valiani
KPU Alumni
Nida Valiani is a recent graduate, passionate about environmental sustainability & social justice, with an interest in social services. She has completed a major in Policy Studies and minor in Sociology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), in addition to the Certificate in NGO and Nonprofit Studies. At KPU, she was a member of the Kwantlen Students for Sustainability and also took part in the Kwantlen Model United Nations as a delegate from Egypt. Additionally, she was selected by the Dean of Arts to deliver the commencement speech at the university’s Convocation ceremony.
KPU would like to thank the following members for their previous service on the Program Advisory Committee:
- Andrea Seale, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society
- Angie Vickaryous, HR Manager, Tides Canada
- Arthur Paul, Director of Health Programs, Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC
- Cristina Catargiu, KPU Alumni
- Denzil Muncherji, NGO and Nonprofit Studies alumni; Life Without Limits Programs
- Ed GavsiePresident & CEO, Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives
- Elizabeth Specht, Executive Director, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC
- Jacques Bérubé, National Director, Membership Accountability, United Way Canada
- Karen Young, Executive Director, Surrey Cares Community Foundation
- Jeska Slater, Indigenous Social Enterprise Coordinator, Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association (FRAFCA); Indigenous Social Innovation Coordinator, Skookum Lab
- Kirst Kober, alumni member
- Marilyn Herrmann, former Executive Director, Surrey Food Bank
- Mary Reeves, former Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Langley
- Neda Shadbakht, Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, The Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of British Columbia (Crisis Centre)
- Neelam Sahota, Chief Executive Officer, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society