Rohene Bouajram, Program Director, Global Campus Initiatives, University of British Columbia

Rohene Bouajram is the Program Director, Global Campus Initiatives at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver where she provides strategic leadership and direction for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program as well as the Simon K.Y. Lee Global Lounge and Resource Centre, a hub for globally focused student organizations on campus. She has an MA in Intercultural Communication, BA in Psychology and is certified as a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). Rohene has worked in areas related to equity and inclusion, intercultural dialogue, international recruitment, project management, ethical engagement, crisis intervention, policy evaluation and teaches courses related to Canadian immigration legislation. With over sixteen years of experience in post-secondary and international education, Rohene has coached and advised international students as an International Student Advisor and RCIC as well as led many teams at multiple Canadian educational institutions. Her excitement for holding space for courageous conversations often leads her to dive headfirst into opportunities to engage ethically and authentically in intercultural settings.

Abraham Asrat, Manager, Employer and Alumni Engagement, University of British Columbia

Abraham Asrat is the Manager, Employer and Alumni Engagement at the University of British Columbia where he supports students in their career and professional development through employer connections, career education and mentorship at the Centre for Student Involvement and Careers. He is responsible for researching, initiating, developing, and managing local, national, and international employer relationships to enhance the career development for UBC Vancouver students and the on-campus recruitment activity of employers.  Prior to UBC, Abraham led Employer Relations and Employment Programs at MOSAIC, a Vancouver non-profit organization dedicated to addressing issues that affect immigrants and refugees in the course of their settlement and integration into Canadian society, and also worked in the different leadership roles in the private sector for companies such as Nikon, Clariant and the Georgia Gulf Corporation  Abraham has a B.Sc. in Management Science and a MSc in Human Resources Management from US based universities, where he attended as an international student prior to immigrating to Canada.

Dr. Rob Shea, Associate Vice-President (Academic & Student Affairs) Fisheries & Marine Institute Memorial University of Newfoundland

Dr. Robert Shea is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education a Memorial University. His research and teaching has embraced career development, experiential learning, higher education leadership and adult education. His most recent publication is entitled – Supporting Students Globally in Higher Education (2016). His most recent research project was a five year study of Career Integrated Learning which investigates the importance of reflecting on student competencies through curriculum reform which has been identified in the publication Reclaiming the Value of the Liberal Arts for the 21st Century as a most promising practices in North America by the Education Advisory Board in Washington. He is a prolific presenter nationally and internationally. His university service
includes leadership roles as president of national and international associations – some include - The Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC), The Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education (CSSHE), the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) and the International Association of Student Affairs and Services Association (IASAS) representing over 52 countries around the world. Dr. Shea has held multiple senior leadership roles as Director, Dean, Deputy Provost and currently Associate Vice-President Academic and Student Services at the Marine Institute campus of Memorial University. He is currently the co-lead of the historic singular generational partnership with Nunavut Arctic College.

Lindsay Kearns, Red Seal Electrician & Outreach Coordinator for the BC Centre for Women in the Trades (BCCWITT)

Lindsay Kearns is a coordinator with the BC Centre for Women in the Trades, where her work focuses on outreach and mentorship for the growing network of tradeswomen across the province. She is a Red Seal journey electrician and has a background in community organizing, urban geography, and food security issues. Prior to embarking on her electrical career, she worked at the University of Victoria as the knowledge mobilization coordinator for a five-year research project into the social economy. Lindsay grew up in Toronto and since 2001 has made her home in Victoria, where she and her spouse are now busy raising their two young children.

Ian Bolton, Talent Acquisition Recruiter, Arc’teryx Equipment

Ian grew up in the Lower Mainland with a passion for sports and adventure. Eager to stay involved in athletics, he moved to Kamloops and enrolled in Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Sport Event Management Diploma. He gained tangible work experience in the world of event management with Spartan Race Canada, Rockstar Energy, and the local Kamloops community. He went on to complete a Bachelor’s degree at TRU in Communication, minoring in Public Relations. 

Once graduating and moving back to the Lower Mainland he was brought on by Arc’teryx Equipment, the leader in outdoor and mountaineering equipment as Customer Service Representative. He climbed the ranks in customer service and showed a passion for career development and helping others find their way in the corporate world. Today he works in Talent Acquisition and oversees recruiting for the Commercial Department at Arc’teryx.