Honouring our best.

Roger Holdstock

Retired Employee | Film Studies Pioneer

Roger was an English Instructor and Chair of the Langara English department. He made significant contributions to Langara’s Theatre Arts, Interdisciplinary, and Continuing Studies departments, introducing Film Studies as a discipline at Langara. Roger also developed the College’s first screenwriting course in collaboration with Studio 58–a project that would go on to become the Langara Film Arts program. He was an active faculty member serving on the Board of the Langara Faculty Association and founded the Langara Gala, an annual event that raised funds for student success. Roger continues to be a strong supporter of the College, funding The Roger Holdstock Scholarship that supports students in a film-related English course. Roger served as the Provincial Articulation Chair of Creative Writing and in 1992, he received the ACCC National Teaching Excellence Award, and in 2005, the Langara Teaching Excellence award. Roger currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of the DOXA Documentary Film Festival and Secretary on the Board of Directors of the 110 Arts Co-operative. He is a member of the folk band Fraser Union.

Haisla Collins

Langara Alum | Indigenous Arts Advocate

Haisla is an artist, musician, teacher, and community leader. She is an Indigenous expressionist artist working out of Raven’s Eye Studio. She also serves as the Community Leader for Indigenous Women Artists, a collective that brings together female Indigenous artists for collaborative works, art shows, workshops, and community projects. This year, the collective won the Creative City Strategy Grant from the City of Vancouver to do a residency at the Roundhouse Community Centre and had shows at Gallery Gachet and Britannia Library Art Gallery. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Emily Carr University of Art and Design, spent six years training with performance coach and renowned jazz singer Ron Small, and for the last 13 years has been the lead singer and harmonica player for the blues and roots band “Haisla with Nasty, Brutish and Short”. A champion of the community and the arts, Haisla has been a Project Manager at The Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts, Coordinator of the Aboriginal Artisan Program at Carnegie Community Centre, and Director of Raven’s Eye Mentorship Program. She is best known for her work on mural Spirits of the Realms and Through the Eye of the Raven and this year she won the City of Vancouver Indigenous mural contest to produce Sisters, Daughters, Clan Mothers - Honouring Indigenous Women which will be displayed at the central Vancouver Public Library in fall 2019.

Glen Coulthard

Langara Alum | Academic Writer

Glen is an Associate Professor in the First Nations and Indigenous Studies and Political Science departments at the University of British Columbia. He has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Victoria and is an accomplished writer in Indigenous and contemporary political theory. His book Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics of Recognition has won multiple awards, including the Caribbean Philosophical Association’s Frantz Fanon Award for Outstanding Book, the Canadian Political Science Association’s CB Macpherson Award for Best Book in Political Theory, and the Rik Davidson Studies in Political Economy Award for Best Book. Glen is also a co-founder of Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, a decolonial, Indigenous land-based post-secondary program operating on his traditional territories in Denendeh (Northwest Territories).

Andy Chou

Langara Alum | Serial Entrepreneur

Andy is the Founder and CEO of Drinkfill, a zero-waste beverage tech company. As a student, he founded the Langara Competition Club, leading the College to a first-place finish at Van4Acument Case Competition; top five finish at the Royal Roads University International Undergraduate Case Competition; and top three finish at the Western Canadian Business Competition. Since graduating, Andy has started a meet-up group for social impact entrepreneurs and facilitated the development of the BC Impact Forum. He has started several businesses, including a charity technology venture to make corporate giving more effective and Soapstand, the world’s first zero-waste soap refilling company. He has also lent his support to causes such as affordable housing, alleviating poverty in Africa, entrepreneurship incubation and acceleration, and sustainable agriculture. He was selected as one of the Canadian delegates to the G20 Young Entrepreneur Alliance Summit.

KC Emerson

Current Employee | Educator, Athlete, Coach

Kathleen “KC” is an instructor in the Kinesiology department and has spent over 25 years as a faculty member at Langara. She is an advocate for and a generous contributor to the College’s Support Our Students (SOS) fundraising campaign, an initiative that celebrates Langara’s spirit of giving and helps students succeed. As an instructor, KC has provided a steady hand through two major curriculum reorganizations. When she is not in the classroom, KC spends many hours as a swim and triathlon coach. She was a top triathlon competitor in her age group in Canada, and successfully coached and managed several provincial and national teams, including Team Canada at the 1999 Pan American Games. She also served as the Vice-President of Triathlon BC from 1993 to 2007 and as a Board Member of Triathlon Canada from 1993-1997. KC has received many awards for her work and dedication, including the Daryl Thompson Award by Sports BC in 2010. She was also named Triathlon Canada’s age-group Athlete of the Year in 1997. KC cycles to work daily and continues to compete in open water swim races!

Avram Agov

Current Employee | Scholar & Humanitarian

Avram is an instructor in the Asian Studies department at Langara College and part of the Langara Asia Field School program. He received a BA in philosophy and history at Sofia University and was a visiting scholar at Columbia University on a Fulbright Fellowship. Avram worked at Samsung Electronics in Korea for six years and is the author of several academic papers on North Korea. He worked with the Eugene Bell Foundation on humanitarian programs to assist those from North Korea, especially in the area of tuberculosis. He has an MA in Regional Studies East Asia from Harvard University and a PhD in History from UBC. He did his specialization at Jiatong University in Shanghai and completed his postdoctoral programs at Harvard and UBC.

Barrie Brill

Retired Employee | Langara Pioneer

Barrie was one of the original instructors at the Langara campus when it first opened in 1970. He taught history at the institution for over 38 years and was actively involved in the expansion of the course offerings in the History department. He played an integral part in College affairs throughout his time at Langara, serving as the Chair of History department; Division Chair of Social Sciences on three separate occasions; as well as being the President of the Langara Faculty Association between 1977 and 1978. In addition to his contributions as a faculty member, he was a supporter and regular presenter at the Langara Community Lecture series, a foundational College community outreach event first held at Robson Square and later at the Vancouver Public Library. In 2015, Barrie inspired his colleagues to start a fresh series of public lectures in collaboration with the Dunbar Community Centre.

Stephen Huddart

Former Board Chair | Langara Pioneer

Stephen was the first Chair of the Langara Board of Governors and was instrumental in the College’s transition into an independent public post-secondary institution. He served on several other post-secondary institutional boards, including the BC Centre for International Education, and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges. Stephen is currently the President and CEO of the McConnell Foundation, a national private foundation based in Montreal, with additional staff in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. The Foundation has played a leading role in developing social innovation and impact investing in Canada. Its priority areas are: transition to an equitable, low-carbon economy; social inclusion and advancing Indigenous reconciliation; community well-being and civic engagement; and increasing society’s capacity for systemic change. Stephen also serves on the Boards of Pearson College UWC and The Transition Accelerator. He is a former member of the Government of Canada’s Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy Co-Creation Steering Group. Stephen has worked as a social innovator and entrepreneur in the private, public and community sectors.

Judy Boxler

Retired Employee | Problem Solver

Judy is the founder and developer of the Langara Computer Technology Diploma program. She was the original computer science coordinator in Langara’s Math, Statistics and Computer Science department, and became the first Department Chair of the Computer Science when it became its own independent department. She also served in various academic leadership capacities, including Division Chair of Math and Sciences and as a member of the Langara Faculty Association Board for several years. Outside of Langara, she has volunteered with agencies such as the BC Cancer Agency, One to One Literacy, and St. John Hospice at UBC. Judy now lives on Pender Island where she volunteers as Duty Officer in the emergency program, serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at the Pender Post, and serves as Librarian on the Board of Directors of the Pender Island Choir.

Patricia Woods

Current Employee | Nurse Educator

Patricia has been teaching nursing for over 20 years with strong focus on health equity, advocacy, and nursing globalism. She was formerly the Assistant Chair of the Langara Nursing department. Patricia was part of the initiative that created the first-ever Post-Graduate Certificate in Nursing Leadership and Management for international nurses in Western Canada. She was also the Coordinator of the Continuing Studies Health Care Assistant program, which was the first educational partnership between Musqueam First Nation and Langara College. The program prepared Indigenous students to provide elder care in their community and to pursue a career in health care. Additionally, Patricia led Langara’s smoke-free campus initiative as Co-Chair of the Smoke-free Committee. She has received many awards including Langara’s Leadership Excellence Award in 2014; the Award for Excellence in Nursing Education (non-tenured) in 2015 from the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing; and the Nursing Advocacy Award from the Association of Registered Nurses of BC in 2015. As the epitome of a lifelong learner, Patricia is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing at the University of Victoria.

Duncan McCallum

Retired Employee | Athletics Program Founder

Duncan was Langara’s first Athletics Director and Coach of the men’s basketball team. Duncan coached the Falcons from 1971–1991 and served as the Athletic Director from 1971–1994. He established a men’s basketball program that won 10 BC Provincial College Championships, five National College Championship silver medals, and amassed nearly 400 league wins during his college career. He developed community leaders and coaches during his time at Langara College and was named the CCAA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year in 1986. Several years later, the men’s basketball fair play award was renamed in his honour. In 2009, he was inducted into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame and was inducted in the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association Hall of Fame in 2017 in recognition of the indelible legacy he left at Langara and in the basketball community.

Gail Bremer

Retired Employee | Professional Development Advocate

Gail worked in a number of roles during her time at Langara, including Nursing Instructor, coordinator for the Langara Employee Development Centre, Administrator of the Nursing program, and Manager of Nursing’s professional development funds. A program pioneer, she was part of the College’s first International Nursing program and First Nations Continuing Studies pilot project. An alumna of Langara and a former Falcons volleyball player, she continues to be an ardent supporter of the College and the Falcons. She is an active member of the Langara Retirees Steering Committee, and volunteers more than 900 hours annually to organizations such as the Vancouver Aquarium, Easter Seal, Operation Red Nose, and Soccer Canada. In recognition of her work, she has received the 2012 Langara Leadership Award, Andre Tse Service Award, and multiple Richmond Mayor’s Sustainability and Environmental Awards.

VOLT Volunteer Program Founders

Langara Alumni & Current Employee | Volunteer Advocates

Jade Arignon, Warren Springer, and Clayton Munro are the trio behind the creation of Langara’s remarkable VOLT Student Volunteer program. Started while Jade and Warren were still students at Langara and championed by Clayton, the Dean of Student Services, VOLT’s mandate was to create community engagement, social awareness, and student development through volunteerism. Proud VOLT volunteers are now a fixture at every Langara event, welcoming and helping fellow students onto campus; creating change by leading Langara neighbourhood clean ups; and supporting dozens of off-campus organizations, including the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and the Metro Vancouver Parks. Since its humble beginnings in 2010, the program has grown by leaps and bounds to include over 3,000 student volunteers, generate more than 73,000 volunteer hours, and engage an entire generation of students to learn new skills, gain experience, and give back to the community.

Linda Arnold

Retired Employee | Degree Program Champion

Linda was the Associate Vice-President, Academic at Langara. Starting as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics, Linda primarily taught outdoor recreation, park planning and management, leadership, and other curriculum. She later became the Department Chair, Division Chair, and the Dean of Instruction. During her time at the College, she played a critical role in establishing the College’s first baccalaureate degree program, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing; in the creation of the inter-institutional Bachelor of Performing Arts program; and supported the development of the Bachelor of Recreation Management program. She was also involved in the establishment of a number of non-degree certificate and diploma programs. Linda was a long-time contributing member of the Langara Council and Langara Education Council. She was part of the Langara Faculty Board of Directors and the Association’s bargaining team that established Langara as an independent public post-secondary institution.

Audrey Tolhurst

Retired Employee | Nurse Educator

Audrey began her career as a Nurse Instructor in the Langara Nursing department in 1972. Audrey graduated from the Montreal General Nursing program in 1966. She earned a Bachelor of Nursing in 1971 from McGill University, and a Masters of Education, Higher Education in 1995 from UBC. She was present for the first graduating cohort of the Nursing program, and later, was involved in the College offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Throughout her 35 years at Langara, she was responsible for many innovative curriculum changes and served as Curriculum Coordinator, Department Chair, and dedicated Instructor. She was also involved in Langara Nursing’s partnership with the University of Victoria. Audrey was an ambassador for the Nursing department on multiple provincial committees, and has served on several school committees. She was highly respected by faculty, many of whom she mentored, and was known as a nurturing, caring, and passionate instructor. Audrey’s incredible influence has touched hundreds of instructors and thousands of nurses.

Kathryn Shaw

Current Employee | Artistic Director

Kathryn has been the Artistic Director of Langara’s theatre arts program Studio 58 since 1985, a program she first joined as an instructor in 1974. For over 40 years, she has directed productions and taught acting across Canada. Under her leadership, Studio 58 has achieved a national reputation as one of the top professional theatre training programs in Canada. In 2010, Kathryn was listed by The Vancouver Sun as one of BC’s 100 Most Influential Women. The same year she received the Career Achievement Award from the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance and the ACCC Bronze Medal for Excellence in Teaching. In 2005, Kathryn was elected into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame and received a star on the sidewalk in front of the Vogue Theatre on Granville Street. She was the recipient of the 1996 Sam Payne Award given by UBCP/ACTRA in recognition of “humanity, integrity, and the encouragement of new talent.” Kathryn has served as the Festival Adjudicator for Theatre BC’s Mainstage on three occasions and has also adjudicated many zone festivals. She has been nominated for four Jessie Richardson Awards for her directing work and has received two for Direction and Best Production.

Kevin Loring

Langara Alum | Indigenous Theatre Pioneer

Kevin is the Artistic Director of Indigenous Theatre at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the first national Indigenous theatre department in the world. A member of the Nlaka’pamux Nation, he is an accomplished Canadian playwright, actor, and director. He has written several plays, including Where the Blood Mixes, exploring the intergenerational effects of the residential school system, for which he won the 2009 Governor General’s Award for English Language Drama as well as three Jessie Richardson awards. Previously, he served as co-curator of the Talking Stick Festival; Artist in Residence at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre; and Artistic Director of the Savage Society. Kevin also acted as Playwright in Residence at the National Arts Centre; Documentary Producer of Canyon Wars: The Untold Story; and Project Lead/Creator and Director of the Songs of the Land, a project in his home community of Lytton First Nation exploring the 100-year old audio recordings of songs and stories of the Nlaka’pamux people.

Reba Noel

Current Employee | Student Engagement Trailblazer

Reba is the Manager of Student Engagement at Langara College, a department she helped to create. She is a passionate champion of student engagement opportunities that occur beyond the classroom. Under her leadership, her campus-wide initiatives have grown exponentially and her engagement processes have become a model for other post-secondary institutions. She pioneered innovative new programs such as the C-Change Student Volunteer program and the Langara International Service Trip program. She has designed and led student leadership initiatives and revolutionized the new student orientation process. In addition to her work with the Office of Student Engagement, Reba has also been a strong advocate for employee rights as the Chief Shop Steward for CUPE Local 15 and an advocate for community inclusion as a Director at Community Living Society. She received the Langara Service Excellence Award in 2014 for her contributions to the Langara community.

Wawmeesh Hamilton

Langara Alum | Journalist

Wawmeesh is an Associate Producer with CBC Radio Vancouver. He is a contributing writer for CBC Indigenous, CBC Radio, The Tyee, and the National Observer. Wawmeesh was also a reporter and photographer at The Discourse, where he wrote about reconciliation and urban Indigenous people and issues. A graduate of the Langara Journalism program and the UBC Graduate School of Journalism, Wawmeesh is an advocate for increased deeper journalism in Canada about Indigenous people, communities and issues. He has worked with Journalists for Human Rights to cover Indigenous youth projects across Canada and he lectures nationally to journalism students about deepening their knowledge about Indigenous people and communities and about creating relationships with them. He was the architect of and contributor to the 2018 Jack Webster Award-nominated The Discourse — CBC Indigenous Series Reconciliation in small towns: Is it happening? He has also won multiple awards for both his writing and photography from the BC-Yukon Community Newspaper Association and the Canadian Community Newspaper Association.

Kelley Lee

Langara Alum | Global Health Researcher

Dr. Kelley Lee is an internationally renowned expert in global health, named among the world’s 50 key thinkers on globalization, 100 Women Leaders in Global Health, and top Canadian Women in Global Health List in 2018. She joined the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University in 2011 as Associate Dean, Research and Director of Global Health. She is currently a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Health Governance. Her research focuses on the need to strengthen collective action to address global health challenges including tobacco control, communicable disease outbreaks, and antimicrobial resistance. She is presently co-leading a project, in partnership with the First Nations Health Authority, to study commercial tobacco use in five BC First Nations communities. Prior to SFU, she was a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK where she spent over 20 years. She was a core member of two major studies at the World Health Organization, co-establishing the WHO Collaborating Centre on Global Change and Health, and chairing the WHO Resource Group on Globalization, Trade, and Health. She has authored over 120 peer reviewed papers, 60 book chapters, and 14 books. She is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, Royal College of Physicians and Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Jai Goyal

Langara Alum | Financial Literacy Advocate

As a driven leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, Jai is no stranger to the world of B2B sales. After attaining a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Langara, Jai proceeded to graduate from the esteemed Queen’s University Master of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship program, specializing in corporate innovation. His unwavering commitment to achieving excellence and exceeding objectives did not stop with his experience at Fortune 500 companies. He is currently serving as a Commercial Client Manager for Western Canada at IBM. After being the VP Corporate Relations of the Young Investor Program Canada for the past five years—a not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching financial literacy skills to youth—Jai now sits on the Board as a Senior Advisor helping to strategically grow the program. Jai strives to make the conversation surrounding financial literacy and investing in one’s future a priority amongst youth across the nation. He now channels his passion for giving back to the business community, that awarded him “Mentee of the Year” during his undergraduate studies, by mentoring students as a Vancouver Board of Trade Leaders of Tomorrow mentor.

Heather Prost

Langara Alum | Accessible Arts Advocate

Heather is a Community Inclusion Supervisor at the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion, the Arts Programmer for Steel & Oak Brewing, and an Auxiliary Workshop Facilitator at Artists Helping Artists. An advocate for accessible art and mental health, she worked to create The Spoon Project, which uses art as a starting point for discussion on mental health. She is the co-founder of ARTThrive, an arts workshop program started at SFU, which is designed to create safer spaces for survivors of sexual abuse and queer youth through meditative practice. She is also one of the conceptual leads behind Steel & Oak’s Women’s Brew, a beer conceptualized and brewed annually by female-identifying members of the company. The proceeds from beer sales go towards select charities. Heather is presently studying with Langara Continuing Studies to become an Expressive Arts Therapist and recently became a certified End of Life Care doula.

Guy Robertson

Current Employee | Instructor & Emergency Management Consultant

Guy is a Director of the Alcuin Society, which is dedicated to the world of fine printing and rare books. He is a multidisciplinary instructor at Langara and has taught courses on rare books and bibliography, archives, museum studies, records management, reference services, and readers’ advisory, Indigenous references, disaster planning, and information security. He has published several books and dozens of articles on different aspects of disaster response, business continuity, corporate security, risk management, fraud and forgery detection, and post-disaster recovery. He is an internationally experienced emergency management consultant and planner. Guy has managed the library at Thurber Engineering Ltd in Vancouver since 1982 in addition to teaching at Langara. In 2011, he became an instructor in information management and security in the School of Public Safety at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. In 2016, he joined TMC IT & Telecom Consulting Ltd. to provide information security, records management, and disaster planning services to a broad range of clients.

Kevin Lanthier

Langara Alum | Visual Artist

Kevin is a visual artist, commercial photographer and retoucher, and educator. With his company Cake Imagery, he works with top creative agencies and advertising photographers in Vancouver and around the world. He mixes his technical foundation from the commercial world into his fine art pieces creating visually compelling photo composites. His current work focuses on distilling and amplifying narratives found in urban spaces via highly controlled, concept-driven compositions, exploring the experience of the wildlife living amongst us in our cities. His recent exhibition series The Special examined Vancouver’s history and culture by combining separately photographed structures into hyper-real, imaginary streetscapes. The series was widely exhibited in both group and solo shows throughout the city. An addendum to this series, wherein the same process was applied to imagery he shot in Istanbul, was selected as a finalist for the Saltspring National Art Prize. Kevin also teaches photography with Langara College Continuing Studies.

Lawrence Warren

Retired Employee | Langara Pioneer

Lawrence played an instrumental role in Langara becoming an independent College in 1994. Larry was President of the Langara Faculty Association (LFA) through almost all of the 1990s, including during the strike of Nov/Dec 1992. It was Larry’s political acumen and leadership that led the LFA to decide that this was the time to persuade the VCC Board and President to support the independence of Langara. They joined efforts to convince the provincial government to agree to the change, and Langara College was born. Larry also continued the LFA tradition of positive collaboration with management and established an excellent relationship with the new Langara College leadership and Board of Governors going forward.

Stephen Lee

Langara Alum | Business Leader

Stephen is currently the CEO of Musqueam Capital Corporation, where he has been a key part of Musqueam’s successful economic ventures. Previously, he was Musqueam’s Chief Financial Officer and has also held senior leadership roles in various public and private companies. He received his CPA, CMA designation in 1995 and was awarded Fellow of CPA and CMA Canada (FCPA, FCMA) in 2009. He currently serves on the Board of the Langara College Foundation and has held past roles on other boards including Chair and Treasurer of the Certified Management Accountants of British Columbia. Stephen is also a part-time instructor in UBC’s Master of Health Administration program. He has been a past moderator in both the CMA and Executive CMA Strategic Leadership programs.

Scott Bellis

Langara Alum | Actor & Director

Scott is a Vancouver-based actor, director, and theatre instructor. He is a Founding Member and Artistic Associate of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival and has worked with a variety of theatre companies, including Arts Club Theatre, Touchstone Theatre, and Carousel Theatre. Scott has also been involved with over 150 theatre, TV, and film productions across Canada. Elected to the National Council of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association in 2012, he served as Secretary/Treasurer from 2015 to 2017 and was appointed as Council President in November 2017. He has been nominated for 20 Jessie Richardson Awards and received awards for his performances in Midsummers Night’s Dream (2007), All’s Well That Ends Well (2010), Avenue Q (2014), and Après Moi (2016). Scott also mentors and teaches young people through the Arts Club Actors’ Intensive and often returns to Studio 58 to teach or direct.

Joseph Abercrombie

Langara Alum | Sustainability Innovator

Joe is the founder of Humane Solutions Inc., a sustainable, innovative wildlife management company. He has evolved from a student with a vision to a trailblazer in his industry in less than four years. Through his dedication and passion to make positive, sustainable impact, he has successfully grown his business from a part-time venture into a full-time cutting-edge business, offering a full suite of wildlife control solutions across Western Canada with a team of internationally qualified human-wildlife conflict specialists and wildlife technicians. His dedication to environmental sustainability and advocacy work on the discontinuation of poison as a method of pest control has earned Humane Solutions positive reviews in the Lower Mainland and in multiple publications, strategic partnerships with sustainable businesses and organizations across BC, and exploratory research collaborations involving various academic institutions and NGOs. Joe is a budding serial social entrepreneur. Using Humane Solutions as a catalyst, he intends to capitalize on his unique skills and privilege to drive as much social and environmental change as possible.

Deborah Williams

Langara Alum | Playwright, Director, Actor

Deborah is a graduate of Studio 58, Theatre Arts program and an award-winning writer, actress, director, and theatrical event organizer. She has worked on numerous productions over the last three decades, including Lowest Common Denominator, After Jerusalem, Clybourne Park, Importance of Being Earnest, MatchMaker, 5@50, Becky’s New Car, Hir, and many more. She also curates, hosts and produces The Flame, a sold out monthly storytelling series she co-founded 11 years ago. She facilitates storytelling intensives to empower participants of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to craft and share their own true stories. Deborah is probably best known for her award-winning play Mom’s the Word. The story surrounding the joys and challenges of motherhood resonated so strongly with audiences that it not only toured Canada four times but has also broken box office records around the world in 14 languages and 19 countries. Mom’s the Word received the 1995 Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Original Play or Musical. The show also birthed two sequels that have toured across Canada: Mom’s the Word 2: Unhinged, and Mom’s the Word 3: Nest ½ Empty. Deborah has been nominated for ten Jessie awards and won three.

Mary Kemmis

Langara Alum | Community Publisher

Mary is the President of Prairie Division of Black Press Media. A champion for community journalism, she started her career as a reporter in her hometown paper, The Smithers Interior News, and then the Cranbrook Daily Townsman. She then moved into newspaper sales and sales management, and spent several years in radio in Alberta and BC. An advocate for women in media, she has mentored many women to achieve leadership positions. She believes that community leaders have a responsibility to drive positive change in their communities. Over the course of her career, Mary has served on many volunteer and organizing boards, including the Red Deer Health Foundation; Volunteer Richmond; Tourism Richmond; the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association; and Banff Canada Day and First Night boards. She is a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship and Inspirational Women of Richmond Award.

Electric Company Theatre

Langara Alumni | Theatrical Creators

The internationally renowned Electric Company Theatre was originally formed as a collective in 1996 by Langara alumni David Hudgins, Jonathan Young, Kevin Kerr, and Langara Outstanding Alumni recipient Kim Collier. The company is one of Canada’s leading creators of live theatre. Their projects reach across cultures, backgrounds, economics, and ideology to find the universal elements that connect all members of the community. The company has toured throughout Canada, the US, and the UK and created 22 original productions, including Betroffenheit (co-produced with Kidd Pivot), Tear the Curtain!, No Exit (co-produced with The Virtual Stage), Studies in Motion, Brilliant!, and the feature film The Score.

Dave Lidstone

Retired Employee | Maths & Stats Advocate

Dave was an Instructor for the Mathematics and Statistics department at Langara for 34 years. He served many roles in the department, including Assistant Department Chair from 1988–1989, Coordinator from 1994-1997, and Department Chair from 1997–2001. He pioneered the use of computers to enhance calculus instruction and developed Calculus I and II with computer explorations to aid students in using computers for studying and practicing mathematics. He also developed the Math for Elementary Teachers course, introducing a capstone project, the Math Fair, making the strategies for teaching mathematics come alive for students. He expanded the services of the Math and Stat Activity Centre by integrating peer tutors with the existing practice of faculty tutors. Dave is a long-standing member of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG), a national organization for the promotion of mathematics education. He sat on the executive committee between 1995-96 and 2012-2014 and co-led study groups in 2005, 2011, and 2014.

Brian McGibney

Retired Employee | Fine Arts Champion

Brian was a Fine Arts institution at Langara. Over his 35-year career, he worked as a workshop coordinator, instructional assistant, and instructor. He guided an entire generation of students on how to use the equipment in the workshop safely and effectively, helping them to gain the confidence and skills they needed to achieve their artistic vision. An active supporter of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), he worked tirelessly as a shop steward to advocate for his members. Outside of Langara, Brian is a talented keyboardist, singer, and sailor. He and his partner Jo have three grown children. His son James is a graduate of Langara’s Criminal Justice program.

Rana Vig

Langara Alum | Business Leader & Publisher

Rana is the President and CEO of Blue Lagoon Resources Inc., a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of properties for the mining of gold and other minerals. He is the Founder of the 100 Year Journey, a community project committed to preserving the stories of the South Asian pioneers that helped build Canada. In 1993, he founded and published Mehfil Magazine, the first full-colour Canadian South Asian lifestyle magazine. Rana is the former Chair of the BC Open Learning Agency and was the Executive Vice President at RTN Stealth Software. He was the President and CEO of Musgrove Minerals Corp and Chairman of the Board and CEO of Continental Precious Minerals.

Gordon Hoekstra

Langara Alum | Investigative Journalist

Gordon is a reporter at The Vancouver Sun. He graduated from the Journalism program at Langara College in 1992. He worked at the Prince George Citizen for 19 years before joining The Sun. His investigations have delved into everything from workplace deaths and air pollution to securities fraud and money laundering. He has won seven Jack Webster awards. In 2009, he won the McGillivray Award for Investigative Journalism by the Canadian Association of Journalists. In 2007, he won a National Newspaper Award, and was a finalist for the same award on four other occasions. Gordon won the Michener Award for Public Service Journalism in 2006 and was a finalist in 2012 and 2017.

Jim Goard

Retired Employee | Langara Pioneer

Jim was Langara’s first Director of Information and Educational Technology, a position he held until he retired after 37 years of service. During his tenure, the department grew from a team of three people to an organization of over 50 who supported both administrative and instructional systems and resources. An active supporter of Langara’s Co-op Program, Jim hired many Langara students to work in the department. Jim was heavily involved in the ongoing implementation and support of the College’s many administrative systems, including those developed and acquired to support the operation of Langara when it separated from Vancouver Community College. Jim was also responsible for acquiring, implementing, and managing instructional computer resources and technology including computer labs, networks, and instructional software applications. A passionate advocate for cooperation and knowledge sharing, Jim was a founding member of the Higher Education Information Technology BC organization and was actively involved with its annual IT4BC conferences, BC’s premier conference for post-secondary education. For many years, Jim was also the Chair of the Langara College Administrators Association.

Lynn Carter

Retired Employee | Faculty Leader & Social Advocate

Lynn was a Social Services instructor at Langara for 35 years. While at Langara, Lynn served as Department Chair, was Langara’s first Education Council Chair, and the President of the Langara Faculty Association from 2007 until her retirement in 2018. Her influence on the College can still be felt in the policies and processes she helped to guide and develop, including her work to bring the University of Northern British Columbia Bachelor of Social Work program to the Langara campus. An advocate for children and families she was a leader within the social services community through her work with various government organizations and commissions, including the Ministry of Children and Families, the Gove of Inquiry into Child Protection Commission, the Board of Registration for Social Workers, Open Learning Agency, and Family Services of Vancouver. A passionate volunteer, Lynn has chaired BC Benefit Tribunals; as a Chairperson for Vocation, Rehabilitation, and Disabled Persons Appeals; and as a member of the Panel Roster of the Complaints Division, of the Children’s Commission. In addition, she served as Chair of the Board of the Greater Vancouver Community Services Society. She currently serves on the Board as Vice Chair of the RainCity Housing and Support Society.

Theresa Hanson

Former Employee | Athletic Director

Theresa was the Director of Athletics and Intramurals at Langara College from 1994–2004 and is now the Senior Director of Athletics and Recreation at Simon Fraser University, overseeing Canada’s only NCAA varsity program. After her time at Langara, she worked at UBC for over ten years, as the Associate Director of Athletics, managing the operations of 29 varsity sports programs. Theresa acted in several leadership roles in intercollegiate athletics both at Langara and UBC, including CCAA Vice-President, Finance and Administration; Chair, Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Finance; Canadian Interuniversity Sport Vice-President, International; Canada West Universities Athletic Association Vice-President, Sport; and member of Canada West Board of Directors. In 2013, Theresa was named Canada’s Chef de Mission for the 27th Summer Universiade in Russia. Her work ethic earned her the admiration of her colleagues at provincial and national levels. She has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Order of the Falcon Award from Langara. She was inducted into the Greater Trail Home of Champions Registry in 2014 to celebrate her career in sports administration and was also inducted into the CCAA Hall of Fame in 2017.

Bob Matthews

Community Member | Langara Pioneer

Bob was a Board Member on Langara Board of Governors and Chair of the Administration and Finance Committee. He played an instrumental role during the transition of the College from a campus of Vancouver Community College to Langara College. He worked tirelessly to convince the provincial Ministry of Education to consider making Langara an independent post-secondary institution. Bob is a retired businessman and currently serves as a director of a number of listed-companies and maintains an active interest in the junior resource sector. He is a long-time supporter of high performance sailing in Canada and was the Commodore of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club in 2004, served as President of BC Sailing, and was on the Board of Classic Yacht Association. Bob continues to be an active sailor and racer.

Gerda Krause

Current Employee | Science Educator

Gerda is the Dean of Science at Langara. She started at the College in 1977 as a Biology Instructor and has gone on to take on roles of ever increasing responsibility, including Biology Department Chair, Math & Sciences Division Chair; Education Council Chair. From her contributions to the Langara Academic Plan process; one of the founders of the 49 Women in Science giving circle; a champion for the creation of the Langara Retirees group; and her committee work as a member of the BC Council on Admissions and Transfer, as well as countless other committees, Gerda has left an indelible mark on Langara. Outside of the College, she is an active community volunteer for education and social justice causes; volunteering her time to run girls’ clubs for local Mennonite Churches; assist transition house residents to access post-secondary education; and do committee work on the bi-national (US & Canada) Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary Board. Gerda holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Botany from UBC.

Ruth Bancroft

Retired Employee | Childcare Advocate

For 41 years Ruth was the Head Teacher of the Langara Child Development Centre. She led the Centre from 1978 to 2019, creating a high quality, play-based, inclusive childcare program that celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of its children and families and values the amazing contributions of its staff. Ruth and her staff have worked tirelessly with other community organizations to support the children attending daycare at Langara and help families navigate the, at times, complex system of child care funding and services. A long-time advocate for universal and affordable public childcare, Ruth was thrilled when the Langara Child Development Centre was selected as one of the prototype centres to pilot BC’s $10 per day childcare plan. A valued member of provincial and national advocacy organizations, Ruth was a member of the Vancouver Local Supported Child Development Advisory Committee; served as Board Member of SpecialLink, the National Centre for Child Care Inclusion; and continues to be active as a Board Member of the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and Child Care Now. Ruth recently received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education in recognition of her contributions.

Christa Belle Walley

Langara Alum | Music Specialist

Christa Belle is a DJ, producer, and Artist Relations specialist with the music software company Ableton. In her current role at Ableton, she creates initiatives to grow and engage with electronic music economies throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa while offering one-on-one support to some of the most influential artists in the world. In a previous role, Christa Belle was the resident DJ and Program Director at Vancouver’s Fox Cabaret, where she was a champion of the growth of the local music scene through her support of emerging artists. Throughout her career, she has supported artists in Canada and around the world by providing access to opportunities, equipment, and learning resources. In 2017, she was chosen to be one of the jurists for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize, which honours, celebrates, and rewards creativity and diversity in Canadian recorded music. Christa graduated from Langara Continuing Studies Digital Music Production Program.

Stephanie Ovsenek

Langara Alum | Nutrition Management Leader

Stephanie is currently the BC Representative of the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management and a past President of the Pacific Society of Nutrition Management. She completed the Nutrition & Food Service Management program at Langara. Between summer semesters, Stephanie gained valuable experience and insight as a Sales Representative for Charles Masson Inc., allowing her to better understand the needs of food service providers across the healthcare sector. The dedication she showed during her practicum at Vancouver General Hospital led to a supervisor position upon graduation, where she managed a team of twenty people. In 2006, Stephanie spearheaded a program at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, training at-risk women for careers in the food service industry. This experience steered her to a position with Marquise Hospitality as a Quality Assurance Manager and finally on to the WestCana Services/Proadmin team, where she performed various operational roles leading to her current position as Director of Compliance & Quality Assurance. She is a strong advocate for volunteerism and believes that grassroot participation makes a real difference. In the past she was the Board President for both Ray-Cam Cooperative Community Centre in Vancouver and Sunset Heights Cooperative Housing.

Linda Hudson

Langara Alum | Business Owner

Linda is the President and Owner of Kerrisdale Cameras, a family-owned chain of camera stores, and a long-time supporter of Langara College. Originally opened in 1961 by her father Bob Hudson and grandmother, Mary Hudson, Kerrisdale Cameras is a photographic retailer of new, used, digital, and film photo equipment. The company has seven stores in Metro Vancouver and Victoria. Linda works hard to maintain and grow the family legacy. She has been with Kerrisdale Cameras for over 35 years and learned the secret to running a successful business from her father: treat your employees, customers and suppliers honestly and with respect.  Today, over 40% of Kerrisdale employees have been with the company for ten or more years and over 15% are Langara alumni or current students. The company is now the Canada’s second largest independent photo retailer. 

Linda has a diploma from Langara College (1981) and a BBA from SFU (1989) and held the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation (1999-2013). She was the first retailer in BC to sign the BC Safety Charter. Linda also volunteered for nine years as Treasurer at the BC Retail Safety Society, has been a Strata Council Member in Whistler for 17 years, and is on the Board of Directors of the Kerrisdale Business Association. She also volunteers with the new Kerrisdale Earthquake & Emergency Preparedness (KEEP) working group to help local businesses work together to become disaster resilient.

David Turpin

Langara Alum | Academic Leader & Scientist

Dr. David Turpin is the 13th President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta. One of Canada’s most admired and respected post-secondary leaders, he has held several leadership roles including President of the University of Victoria, Vice-Principal (Academic) at Queen’s University, and head of the Department of Botany at the University of British Columbia. He is past Chair of the World University Service of Canada, Vice-Chair of the U15 Executive Heads, and serves as a Member of both the Universities Canada Board of Directors and Research Advisory Committee. A distinguished scholar and highly cited researcher in plant biochemistry and physiology, he has earned many honours and distinctions for his research, teaching, and service. He is a member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, as well as a recipient of the Steacie Memorial Fellowship (1989), the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal (2002), the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal (2012).

Gavin Jones

Langara Alum | Social Advocate & Business Leader

Gavin is the Director of Operations at EMBERS, the Eastside Movement for Business and Economic Renewal Society. He graduated from Langara College with a BBA in Business Management in 2017 and took on his role at EMBERS in 2018. EMBERS is a Vancouver-based charity and the only not-for-profit temporary staffing agency in Canada. Their mission is to create economic and employment opportunities for people living on low incomes. Through his work, Gavin helps thousands of people facing barriers to work by offering economic and employment opportunities including job placements, training, and support. Gavin is also on the Advisory Committee of the Company of Young Professionals for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

Gail Sparrow

Langara Alum | Indigenous Leader

Gail Sparrow is a former Chief of the Musqueam First Nation. An alumna of Langara, she returned to the College as an Elder-in-Residence, helping to provide a supportive environment for Indigenous students. She played a key role in strengthening the connection between the Musqueam and the College, educating the Langara community on the history, culture, and teachings of the Musqueam and the land on which the College is located. Gail was also instrumental in Langara receiving its Musqueam name, snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓, which means house of teachings. Outside of Langara, she has been a passionate community advocate as a Native Employment Specialist with Canada Employment and Immigration Centre, Project Manager with Tribal America Consulting Los Angeles California, Community Development Director with the Musqueam Indian Band, Owner with LIFT Computer Institute, and as the President and Owner of Native Personnel Services.

Valerie Dunsterville

Retired Employee | Langara Pioneer

An “original Langaran,” who was part of the 1970 trek from Vancouver Community College’s old King Edward Campus, Valerie was the Dean of Student and Education Support Services for Langara College and had previously been the Registrar for the VCC Langara campus. Her impact on the College has been immeasurable. As the Registrar, she set up Langara’s student records systems and processes, many of which are still in use today. As Dean, she was responsible for all student and educational support services on campus which included the Library, Bookstore, the Registrar’s Office, Counselling, Health Services, Athletics, Daycare, Food Services, Disability Services, and First Nations Services. She was also a passionate champion for Langara outside of her work. In 1999, Valerie was awarded the Order of the Falcon for her support of the Langara Athletics department. She continues to support student success through her endowed award with the Langara College Foundation.

Barbara Binns

Retired Employee | Interdisciplinary Educator

Barbara was an instructor and coordinator in the Langara Interdisciplinary Studies department and taught in Canadian Studies and Women’s Studies. She was an exemplar of engaged pedagogy and inspired students and colleagues through her extensive work in anti-racism, community development, human rights, and international development. A recent manifestation of this long-term work was Langara’s dynamic celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, 2019. Barbara holds degrees in nursing, education, and social work, and has received many awards and accolades for her work in the community, including the Rosemary Brown Award for Women in 2005 and the Development Education Award in 1994. She was also an Election Observer at the First National South African Elections in 1994. She has maintained close ties to Langara and is a beloved elder and mentor to many.