Meet The ECEBC Board Of Directors

Christina is the Program Administrator with the Alberni Valley Childcare Society and has worked in the early learning and care field for 15 years. She holds and ECE, SN and It License to Practice, and her passion lies in infant and toddler care. Christina sits on the Alberni Valley Children and Youth Network table. As an active member of ECEBC, Christina has been Co-Chair of the Port Alberni Branch for many years and was part of the Branch Restructuring Advisory Committee.

Angela is an Infant Toddler Educator with UBC Child Care Services. While participating in the volunteer program, Katimavik, after high school she found her passion working with toddlers while at a centre in Quebec. Angela is an active union member and has advocated for her fellow Early Childhood Educators both at her workplace and throughout the province as a whole.

Aryanna is a seasonal Instructor at Capilano University, teaching courses in the Department of Education and Childhood Studies. She holds a master’s degree in International Education Policy Analysis from Stanford University. Her research engages with the positioning of Indigenous knowledge and pedagogies in ECE policy in British Columbia and Manitoba.

As a trained lobbyist, policy analyst, and consultant, Aryanna provides support to a number of ECE-related organizations in the province. Notably, she collaborates with the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society, the Early Childhood Pedagogy Network, and sits on the board of directors with the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.

Cindy is a past program chair and is an instructor at Northern Lights College, in the ECEC Diploma program. An Early Childhood Educator, Cindy has worked as a licensing officer, CCRR consultant and in licensed family and group child care settings. She holds a master’s degree in Learning and Technology from Royal Roads University, sits on the Learning Outside Together Steering Committee and is intensely interested in seeking opportunities to deliver ECEC through a Work Integrated Learning model. Cindy has been a member of ECEBC since 2000 and was the recipient of the Gayle Davies award  in 2019. She is grateful to join ECEBC Board at such an exciting time in the history of child care in our province and country.

Dawn has worked for over a decade as the coordinator of Eagles Nest Aboriginal Head Start Preschool with the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society. She is a passionate educator who strives to support others through her work on national advisory councils, by nurturing students and staff at Eagles Nest and in her previous work as an Instructor at Native Education College. Dawn is deeply committed to working on the frontline with children and families in the East Vancouver neighborhood where she grew up and uses her strong voice to strengthen the work of ECEs supporting vulnerable communities. Dawn is inspired by the teachings of the Indigenous Knowledge Keepers she has worked with throughout her career and is grateful for the opportunities she has to work alongside them.

Hayley has over 15 years of experience as an Early Childhood Educator, with a focus on the West Kootenay Boundary region of British Columbia. Her practice is informed by a profound respect for the child as a whole being, deserving of both voice and agency within their communities and the broader world. As a passionate advocate for the rights of Early Childhood Educators, Hayley is committed to fostering equitable, supportive working environments, which she currently upholds in her role as Coordinator of Silverking Childcare Centre in Nelson, B.C. Her approach to early childhood education is influenced by a Common Worlds framework, which foregrounds the interconnectedness of human and non-human relationships. Additionally, Hayley draws inspiration from poetry and literature, embracing the transformative power of awe and wonder as essential elements in learning and development.

Julie has been the Executive Director of a non-profit childcare organization in the Alberni Valley for the past 30 years. As a graduate from the Selkirk College ECE Program (1987) she holds her basic ECE, Special Needs and Infant and Toddler Diploma. Bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience, Julie is a passionate and active advocate at community, regional and provincial levels. Believing all children and families have a right to access affordable quality childcare she knows that together we create a strong and vibrant voice for the many families who access and need programs and services for their children. Julie serves as past chair for her local ECEBC Branch, is a past participant with ECEBC Leadership Initiative, is a member of the Kiwanis Hilton Children’s Centre Board of Directors and is Chair of the PacificCare Family Enrichment Society Board of Directors.

Katherine is the Director of Student Spaces for the Capilano Students' Union. Over the past decade, she has supported the student executives and board of directors to ensure post-secondary student voices and needs are heard on campus by university representatives and at all levels of government.

Katherine holds a bachelor’s degree of Early Childhood Care and Education and endeavors to be a staunch advocate for ECE’s, children, and families by working towards removing barriers to education for new student educators and continuing conversations supporting educators during the transition to the new affordable childcare plan.

Katherine has assisted in the rewrite in the ECEBC Let's Talk about Touching program and Best Choices: The Ethical Journey.

Kathleen is a co-director of the ECPN and an instructor in the School of Education and Childhood Studies at Capilano University, located on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, shíshálh, Lil’Wat, and Musqueam Nations. As a researcher, early childhood educator, and instructor, Kathleen endeavors to reimagine and revitalize early childhood leadership as an ongoing practice of disruption to make space for alternative narratives of early childhood education.

With a background in both Early Childhood education and clinical psychology, Nadia currently serves as the regional childcare manager at MOSAIC, focusing on supporting newcomer Canadian families. She is dedicated to creating inclusive environments for children, especially those facing developmental challenges or cultural barriers. Beyond managing childcare, Nadia actively engages in community initiatives and has participated in various advisory committees related to early childhood education and childcare. With over two decades of experience, she is committed to transforming childcare into a necessity for the next generation.

Sera is a manager at a non-profit licensed childcare program and a faculty member at the School of Education and Childhood Studies at Capilano University. With over twenty years of experience in early childhood education, working in various roles and capacities, she has become a passionate advocate for inclusive and accessible education. Her work with diverse professionals including inspiring pedagogists has led her to embrace thinking with pedagogy to decolonize practice, foster sense of belonging, and facilitate meaningful and ethical learning experiences for children, educators, and families. Sera aspires to lead a childcare institution where everybody has voice, feels valued and included, while also challenging to deconstruct traditional discourse in childcare operations with alternative narratives. She believes that the ongoing dialogues will enable more stories of possibilities and make us accountable as early childhood care and learning professionals to put children at the heart of our ethical decision-making.

Veronica is a Professor of Early Childhood Education in the Faculty of Education and Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Research in Curriculum at Western University. Previously, a Professor at the School of Child & Youth Care at the University of Victoria, Veronica now serves as Adjunct Professor. She is also Senior Fellow of NORRAG, co-director of the Pedagogist Network of Ontario, and co-director of the BC Early Childhood Pedagogies Network.

Her writing and research contribute to the Common Worlds Research Collective and the Early Childhood Pedagogies Collaboratory. Veronica’s SSHRC-funded research explores climate change pedagogies with children, and children’s relations with waste and materials in the global North and global South.

Ward is a dedicated and passionate early childhood educator with a deep love for working with young children and a commitment in providing them with nurturing and stimulating learning environments. With over 35 years of experience in the field, Ward has had the opportunity to work with children of various ages and backgrounds. He has worked in a diverse range of settings, including public and private early learning centers, preschools, and the school system. This exposure has given him valuable insights into the unique needs and challenges of children in their formative years. As an advocate for early childhood education, Ward actively participates and facilitates professional development workshops, conferences, and training programs to stay updated with the latest research/best practices and to give back to the Early Childhood field. He believes in the power of continuous learning and strives to enhance his skills and knowledge to better serve this sector. Ward's passion for early childhood education continues to drive him to make a positive impact on the lives of children, families, and Educators in helping them all build a solid foundation for lifelong success.