There is an outstanding team of academic and administrative professionals behind BCIT. Their leadership ensures BCIT remains a viable, accountable and world-class institution.
Kathy Kinloch is President BCIT, Canada’s premier polytechnic institution which serves approximately 50,000 students annually, a position she has held since January 2014. Her focus is broadening and deepening BCIT’s globally relevant connections with business, industry, and community within BC, across Canada, and globally to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s employers and learners.
Kathy is recognized for leading strategic organizational renewal by empowering people in complex environments. Through a number of senior leadership and executive roles, she has spearheaded successful strategic change initiatives in the post-secondary as well as government and health care sectors.
Acknowledgements of Kathy’s accomplishments include Most Influential Women in Business, BC Business magazine; Influential Women in Business Awards, Business in Vancouver magazine; Woman of Distinction, YWCA Metro Vancouver; Top 100 Hall of Fame and Top 100 Public Sector Leaders, Women’s Executive Network (WXN); and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Royal Roads University. Most recently, Kathy was honoured as “Canada’s Most Admired CEO of 2018” and BCIT as one of “Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures for 2019” in the Broader Public Sector categories by Waterstone Human Capital.
Kathy holds a Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science (Nursing, with Distinction) from the University of Alberta, a Master of Arts in Leadership (Chancellors Award), and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University (Victoria, BC).
Ms. Kinloch’s board positions include the Business Council of BC, Surrey Hospital Foundation, the Public Policy Forum, and TELUS Corporation. She is also a member of the Business Higher Education Roundtable, the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Foundation, and has recently chaired the Province’s Emerging Economy Task Force.
Dr. Tom Roemer is Vice President, Academic and is responsible for providing academic vision at the Institute and leadership in the educational, international, Indigenous and applied research portfolios. Previously, he developed production control software and data solutions for corporate clients.
Tom holds a master’s degree in astrophysics, a doctorate in educational leadership, and various professional certificates from the University of California. He has adjunct professor status at Simon Fraser University, and specializes in global technical-vocational education frameworks.
Paul McCullough is the Vice President Advancement at BCIT and a member of the executive leadership team, a position he has held since 2014. He also serves as Chief Executive Officer for TTA Technology Training Associates Ltd. (“TTA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of BCIT.
Paul provides leadership and strategic direction for the Institute’s development and alumni relations teams, in support of BCIT’s highest strategic priorities. Under his leadership, BCIT has embarked on the largest campaign in BCIT’s history – the INSPIRE Campaign.
From his diverse background, Paul brings a unique blend of private and public sector experience to BCIT and TTA – he has over 25 years of senior executive leadership experience in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Canada. He has worked for HSBC and Unilever, before joining KPMG and becoming a Principal at the firm, where he served for over a decade. In his role at KPMG, he provided governance advisory services to a large client portfolio of Mid-Cap and Large-Cap companies based in the UK, North America, and the Asia Pacific region.
Paul is currently a member of the national board for the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education, and Chair of their Audit Committee. Over the years, he has been actively involved in many local community organizations and boards.
Paul is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, an Accredited Director, and holds a Diploma in Business from the London Metropolitan University School of Business in London, England.
Ana Lopez is a champion of transformational educational change. She specializes in human resources and labour relations, offering strategic leadership to a diverse portfolio of human resource functions. Prior to joining BCIT, Ana served as Vice President Human Resources at Translink, and Director of Human Resources Services at the Coast Mountain Bus Company.
Her portfolio includes corporate labour relations, organizational development, change management, leadership and employee development, succession planning, workforce planning, employee engagement, employee relations, compensation, corporate wellness, and payroll, benefits and pension administration, safety and security, privacy and freedom of information policy.
As Vice President, Students, Lisa Collins provides leadership and strategic direction for a wide range of student services, including the Registrar’s Office and Program Advising, Financial Aid, Student Housing, Health and Accessibility Services, Counselling, Student Life Office and Recreation, Student Judicial Affairs, Workplace Education, and Testing Centres. Lisa is also responsible for the Enrolment Planning and Institutional Research offices.
Lisa is a collaborative champion, bolstering student success in the classroom and beyond by offering best-in-class student services and supports, and ensuring BCIT’s programming meets both student needs and expectations. She also plays a significant role in the development of the Institute, leading initiatives in student-centred services and programs that enhance BCIT’s enrolment, retention, and overall student success.
Prior to BCIT, Lisa was the Vice Provost and University Registrar at the University of Alberta. She has 18 years of experience in academic administration from the University of British Columbia.
Lara Johnson is a seasoned marketing strategist with over 15 years experience in a wide array of industries. As Vice President of Marketing and Communications, she has led the development and stakeholder engagement strategy for the Institute’s new Strategic Plan, and the development of new brand positioning and creative identity for BCIT.
Prior to BCIT, Lara was the Vice President of Advertising at Shaw Communications and also spent close to a decade helping to build one of Canada’s most iconic corporate brands, TELUS. Earlier in her career, while with Cossette, she partnered with brands such as McDonald’s and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, helping to launch their brand platforms and mass-advertising campaigns.
Lara has a Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio State University.
Roy Hart joined BCIT in February 2018, after spending over 25 years in enterprise IT, strategy, and leadership across multiple sectors, including education, health, social services, justice, transportation, and infrastructure. Roy is an active member of the Canadian Chief Information Officer community and, among other committees, serves on the BCNET board.
Roy’s career highlights include leading an extensive business transformation and technology modernization program as Chief Information Officer of Seneca College, designing a comprehensive security and support program for the Ontario Judiciary, numerous technology infrastructure projects, and leading an account team responsible for over $100 million in IT infrastructure projects for the Ontario Government central IT organization.
Trish Pekeles is the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President, Finance and Corporate Services for BCIT.
With a diverse background spanning leadership experience in large complex organizations for both the private and public sectors, Trish brings a wealth of experience to BCIT including over 20 years experience in finance, operations, and strategic planning.
Trish was previously with the University of British Columbia where she lead a team of 180 staff members in a number of roles leading the vision and strategic direction of financial operations including procurement, strategic sourcing, payroll, and financial systems. While there, Trish also led the exploration of software automation to support and improve effective and efficient administrative operations.
Trish has served in several key senior executive roles at BC Hydro spanning over a decade, having held positions as interim Chief Financial Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Executive Director of Procurement, and Director of Finance Generation, Technology, Power Smart, and Partnerships. Prior to BC Hydro, Trish served as a senior consultant at Vancity, and Vice President, Finance and Administration, at Vancouver Community College.
Committed to lifelong learning, Trish holds a Master of Business Administration from Royal Roads University (Victoria, BC), is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor, and Chartered Professional Accountant. She serves on various boards including her role as Chair, Finance Committee for the Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon chapters.
Trish’s portfolio at BCIT includes overseeing the Financial Services and Corporate Services portfolios.
Cynthia Petrie is the Executive Director of Stakeholder Relations.
Lisa Chu has more than 20 years experience in academic and healthcare leadership, including a decade with the Fraser Health Authority in various roles including Director, Clinical Programs, Older Adult Programs; and Director, Site Operations, Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre. She joined BCIT in 2015 as Associate Dean, Laboratory and Allied Health, where she was responsible for strategic, operational and educational leadership to a number of key programs including Medical Laboratory Science, Clinical Genetics Technology, and Environmental Health Technology.
Lisa holds an Master of Business Administration (Executive) from Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor of Home Economics (Dietetics and Nutrition) from the University of British Columbia, and a Certificate in Health Care Management from BCIT.
Known as a strategic, collaborative and visionary leader, Lisa is passionate and experienced in leading transformational change. Accomplished in engaging diverse stakeholders to achieve common goals, Lisa has a strong track record of creating high-performing teams and building trusting relationships.
Dr. Leelah Dawson is the Dean of the School of Business.
Dr. Kim Dotto received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of British Columbia. He has more than 40 years of experience in software/hardware research and development, engineering, and information technology in both the private and academic sectors.
Kim is experienced in designing, producing and managing a wide range of technologies across multiple industries, including energy transmission, biomedical engineering, software, embedded and real-time systems design and computer graphics and game design. Accomplished in taking startup technologies, products and companies to successful commercialization, Kim has worked closely with both private and government organizations to fund major research and product development projects both locally and internationally.
As Dean for the School of Transportation, Guy Ellis oversees the school’s six divisions which include aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment and railway, and marine.
Guy’s previous positions in post-secondary education include Dean, Trades and Applied Technology at Vancouver Island University and Associate Dean, Mechanical Trades at BCIT’s School of Energy. He has 15 years of experience in the education sector, and twenty years of prior industry experience in the manufacturing and construction sectors. His roles in industry have included Plant Manager, Crown Packaging; Director of Manufacturing at Wexxar Packaging Equipment Ltd; and Principal for a residential construction firm.
Guy has a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University (Victoria, BC) and a Diploma of Technology in Operations Management from BCIT. For the last five years, he has also held the post of President of the BC Association of Trades and Technical Administrators (BCATTA).
Dr. Lawrence Gu graduated from McGill University with a PhD in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating, he worked as a Nuclear Engineer in Ontario Hydro for five years, before joining BCIT as a faculty member in 1994. In 2005, Lawrence was hired to direct the International Business Services department where he currently holds the position of Dean, BCIT International. He is responsible for the internationalization of BCIT, this includes organizing partnerships with universities in other countries, recruiting international students, and managing the services that support those students once they arrive.
In addition to his role as Dean, Lawrence is the Chief Operating Officer of a BCIT wholly owned subsidiary, Technology Training Associates Ltd. (TTA). TTA has delivered a total of more than $35 million projects funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, as well as governments and organizations in countries including China, Philippines, Vietnam, Brazil, and South Korea.
Under Wayne Hand’s direction, the School of Construction and the Environment has developed significant research programs and built the capacity of the Architectural Ecology and Building Science programs. He has been successful applying and executing various industry and government grants, in particular, the first-ever BCIT Canada Research Chair appointment. Wayne has spearheaded development of many new credentials, including the Carpentry Framing and Forming Foundation program, Interior Design Diploma and Degree, Architectural Science Degree, two master’s degrees in building science, and numerous part-time studies certificates.
Wayne is a Registered Professional Engineer with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of BC. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Calgary.
Dr. Dean Hildebrand received his BSc and PhD from the University of British Columbia’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He has worked in academia since 1997, joining BCIT in 2000 as a faculty member in the Forensic Science and Technology program. In that capacity, he helped build the largest forensics program of its kind in Canada.
Dean is a recognized forensic DNA expert with a passion for using cutting-edge technologies for humanitarian efforts. For the last 10 years he has worked with the BC Coroners Service (Special Investigations Unit) as a subject matter expert to develop and now maintain the unidentified remains and missing person DNA database for the province of BC.
Dean has had a 20 year career serving the BCIT community. He has progressed as an academic leader with ever more challenging and diverse portfolios that have spanned science and computing departments.
Dr. Andrea Frisque has over 15 years of experience related to analyses and computer simulation for sustainable design. She is a mechanical engineer and began her academic career at RWTH Aachen, one of Germany’s most prestigious polytechnics.
Andrea holds a doctoral degree in theoretical physics and is certified as a Professional Engineer (PEng) in British Columbia. She was a Founding Director of the Canadian Passive House Institute (CanPHI) and holds Adjunct Professor status at UBC.
Andrea is known for her quantifiable outcomes, connections with industry, and strong interdisciplinary knowledge. She is a fervent believer in the collaboration between industrial trades, technologists and engineers, and integrated workforces, which effectively represents the BCIT philosophy.
Mark Dale leads the Department of Facilities and Campus Development and directs the activities of three divisions: Facilities Services, Project Services, and Campus Development. Together these divisions provide planning, construction, maintenance and operations services required to manage facilities across BCIT’s five campuses.
Mark has a professional background in both private and public sectors as a registered architect in Canada and the United Kingdom. His education includes an undergraduate degree from the University of Manitoba, and a graduate degree from the Architectural Association in London, England.
Jackie Jacob joined BCIT in January 2015 as the Executive Director of the Foundation. With over 15 years experience in the non-profit and fundraising sectors, she is a respected, strategic and highly motivated leader who demonstrates success in building and guiding high functioning teams to deliver on bold, comprehensive goals.
Before joining the BCIT Foundation, Jackie was with Peace Arch Hospital Foundation for more than 10 years as their Executive Director. During her tenure, Jackie’s leadership resulted in significant growth of the Foundation including the successful completion of a $24 million “Partners in Caring” campaign that delivered multiple priority projects to the community.
A proud BCIT Alumna, Jackie is a graduate of the Business Administration, Hospitality and Tourism Program. In 2016, Jackie was awarded BCIT’s Employee Excellence Award in recognition of her significant contributions and commitments to BCIT students and the broader community.
As Director, Corporate Services, Vince Laxton provides overall strategic direction for a wide scope of areas, that include food services, external events, downtown campus administration, retail operations/bookstore, imaging, purchasing, logistics, contracts/legal, insurance and commercial leasing. He is committed to people development and collaborative innovation. Prior to BCIT, Vince held various leadership roles at Imperial Oil, Fraser Health and Vancouver School Board.
Vince is proud to be a BCIT alumnus having a Financial Management Diploma and he is also a part-time studies instructor in the Bachelor Business Administration program.
James Rout has 20 years of leadership experience in higher education, including teaching and learning centres, libraries, archives, IT services, and educational technology support services.
James is a PhD Candidate in Educational Technology and Learning Design at Simon Fraser University, and is a strong advocate for open education and self-directed learning. His doctoral research is in the use of virtual simulation and educational technology to support learning and teaching.