Technical Apparel Advisory Committee Members
Max Feldman, MBA
Principal
MDF Advising
Throughout his career, Max has helped a variety of organizations optimize their resources, increase efficiency and improve strategic decision making. Through his expertise in Sourcing, Product Development, Quality & Production, he has helped globally recognized brands such as Lululemon, Arc'teryx, Kit+Ace & Sugoi build resilient value chains and maximize opportunity. After 15 years of working at Top-tier organizations, Max now focus on emerging brands, social enterprises, educators & entrepreneurs driving positive impact for people, planet & profits. Max has an undergraduate degree from Ryerson and an MBA from the University of British Columbia. When he’s not 'working' he can be found riding his bike, devouring books or thinking up clever ways to re-write his bio.
Vanessa Fors, MBA
Key Account Manager
Helly Hansen
Vanessa blends her love for the outdoors with a passion for apparel design. With key roles in Design and Product Management for various sports brands, she has a track record of building successful global outdoor apparel brands. Vanessa excels in cost management, pricing negotiations, and inventory control, consistently exceeding expectations. She's a board member of the BC Apparel And Gear Association and the founder of ApparelCamp, Vancouver's first "un-conference" for the apparel industry. Vanessa is a sought-after speaker on Vancouver's Apparel Industry and sustainability in fashion
Charlotte Browning, MA
Creative Lead
Samsara Cycle
Charlotte’s experience meets at the intersection of sport, design and culture. She is a graduate of the technical apparel design program and has over 10 years of experience in sport, marketing and product creation. Through her previous experience, she has supported global brands Asics, New Balance, Hoka One One, Sweaty Betty and Arc’teryx Equipment. She now focuses on trend forecasting and design strategy in the sportswear and outdoor industry.
Joel Mertens, M.A.Sc.
Director
Higg Product Tools
Joel is an experienced professional with a background in environmental responsibility and sustainability. His experience includes leading MEC's Partner Assurance in Chemistry and the Environment (PACE) Program and contributing to external sustainability efforts. Joel also has academic expertise in materials engineering, particularly in electrospun nanofiber technologies for energy applications. He has also been involved in transforming the apparel industry through his contribution with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and the development of the Higg Index.
Program Advisory Committee
Our Advisory Committee plays an essential role in maintaining the relevance of our post baccalaureate program. Apparel industry leaders provide the perspective needed to ensure our graduates are well prepared to contribute to this creative, technical and innovative industry. In conjunction with faculty, administration, and students, the role of the Advisory Committee is to help enrich the Technical Apparel program. With an ongoing voice given to our local industry leaders through our Advisory Committee, our program is able to respond quickly to changes in the marketplace and continually adapt our programming to reflect current industry needs and standards. This philosophy also applies to the technology and resources we train our students to use. We have an outstanding reputation for providing state-of-the-art industry equipment, so that when students from our program graduate, they are skilled in using the most current technology, making them work-ready. This work-readiness brings our grads to the front of the line when applying for industry positions.
Innovative, boundary-pushing, collaborative and meaningful. This is how we often describe our industry partnerships. Our students delve into all aspects of real-world, human-centred design challenges, and our industry partners make it possible to tackle real issues. Whether through our Industry Advisory Committee or our project partners, we are grateful for those industry relationships that bring invaluable learning to our students' design education.
With numerous technical apparel global industry leaders in the Vancouver area, we are lucky to be situated in a design hub. Our program collaborates with apparel giants such as lululemon, Arc'teryx, Sugoi, MEC, Mustang and many more giving our students unparalleled access to world-class design companies.