Biographies

Mr. Kyman Chan, Chair

Kyman Chan, a member since 2007, was elected to the position of Chair of the Board of Governors in September 2011. Kyman is a member of the Board Executive committee and has served as Chair of the Finance and Audit committees, and since 2009 as Vice Chair of the Board.

Kyman is a partner in the Assurance and Business Advisory practice of Hayes Stewart Little & Co. Kyman is a Council Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC. His current community activities include Advisory Council, BC Cancer Foundation (Vancouver Island); Director, Victoria CA Association; Past Director and Volunteer Coach, Gordon Head Minor Baseball Association; Volunteer Coach, Victoria Racquet Club Minor Hockey Association; and Volunteer Coach, Gordon Head Soccer Association. Past activities included Treasurer, Royal and McPherson Theatres Society; Treasurer, St. Michaels University School Alumni Association; Treasurer, BC Schizophrenia Society; and Account Executive, United Way of Greater Victoria.

Mr. Wayne Dalby

Wayne Dalby is a Senior Manager with the Ralmax Group of Companies. He is certified in Project Management and Occupational Health and safety. His volunteer activities include Big Brothers, Kidney Foundation of Canada, Veins of Life Watershed, Rock Solid Foundation, Saanich Recreation and Victoria Baseball Association. Wayne is president of Uplands Golf Club and past-president of the Island Equipment Owners Association and of the I.E.O.A. Scholarship Foundation.

MS LYNDA FARMER

A Board member since 2007, Lynda Farmer served as Board Chair from September 2009 to August 2011. Her career life began in the non-profit sector, working for the Canadian Red Cross Society and The Arthritis Society and laying a foundation for a 35-year commitment to community volunteer work. Further work experience involved positions in administrative and communications roles in the provincial healthcare sector, as well as a partnership in Trilogy Group, during which time she consulted on various local and national communication initiatives. She is now a partner in two firms -- Westside Equestrian Centre at Bonnie Brae Farm in Saanich, and Beckton Estates Inc. Currently, Lynda is a member of Vancouver Foundation's Honorary Governors' Council. Recently, she served as campaign co-chair for the Shaw Ocean Discovery Campaign, an initiative to fund the creation of a new world class marine exhibit in Sidney, BC. She has served variously with the Camosun College Foundation; BC Cancer Foundation; Rogers Radio Group; United Way of Canada - Centraide Canada; United Way of Greater Victoria; The Arthritis Society; Mary Winspear Community Cultural Centre Foundation; and Pacific Opera Society.

She has received numerous awards for her contributions, including: the Generosity of Spirit Award for Philanthropy; the Queens Jubilee Medal; Community Leader of the Year Award from CFAX Radio; and Chair’s Award of Distinction from United Way of Canada.

Mr. George Ivanishvili

George Ivanishvili was elected as the students' representative on the Camosun College Board of Governors in the spring 2011 election. George graduated high school and studied economics at the T.G. University in Georgia (USSR). He became a Canadian Citizen in 1997 and has been living in Canada since then. After many years of working with athletes, training them for Provincial, National and International competitions, he returned to school four years ago, and is studying political science at Camosun College. George has been part of the Camosun College Student Society for two and a half years and is currently the Lansdowne Executive. George is actively engaged in community events and developments; is a member of the Victoria Public Education Coalition Committee, and represents Camosun College on the Camosun Community Association Board. George is very passionate about student advocacy, and sees great potential in Canadian student organizations. It is George's hope that with his experience and dedication he will continue making positive contributions to the lives of Camosun students.

Ms Kathryn Laurin

Previously President and Vice Chancellor of Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Kathryn assumed her new role at the College on the first of September, 2009. With a 25 year career as a professor, senior academic administrator and professional musician, she brings a wealth of experience and ability to the position. In addition to her role as President and Vice Chancellor which she held for three years, Kathryn’s academic background includes a professorship in the University’s Faculty of Education. Prior to moving to Mount Saint Vincent, she served as Acting Vice-President Administration at the University of Regina, assuming that position following a five year term as Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts. She also served as Acting Chair and then Chair of the Department of Music there for five years prior to that and continued to teach throughout her tenure.

Having begun her post-secondary education at Vanier College in Montreal, she went on to achieve a Bachelor of Music with Distinction at McGill University, a Master of Music with Distinction in Choral Conducting at Indiana University and subsequently attended the Hochschule fur Musik in Frankfurt, Germany. Kathryn has also developed a working knowledge of French, Spanish, German and Italian. She continues to perform, teach and volunteer in the arts community, working with numerous music and fine arts organizations.

Kathryn was a Women of Distinction Award recipient for Arts and Culture in 2001 and was named one of Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2009 Top 50 CEOs. Her community involvement includes having been Chair of the Post-Secondary Division of the United Way of Halifax, a member of the Heart Truth Council (a division of the National Heart and Stroke Foundation), and a member of the Scotia Festival, Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery and the Saskatchewan Film Boards.

Mr. Russ Lazaruk

Russ Lazaruk was appointed to the Board of Governors July 31, 2011.

Russ is a Certified Investment Manager (CIM) and Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI). He is the Branch Manager and an Associate Director at Macquarie Private Wealth, Victoria. Prior to this, he was an Investment Executive for ScotiaMcLeod (Victoria) and Branch Manager/Investment Executive at ScotiaMcLeod (Courtenay). Russ has worked in BC's forest industry and operated a family farm on Saltspring Island. He also served in the British Army (1973-1978).

While living on Saltspring, Russ was Director (1980-1987) and Chair (1988) of the Island Farmers Institute. From 1981-1987, he sat on the Saltspring Island Advisory Planning Commission and also held the position of Chair (1985-1987). Other non-profit organizations that have benefited from his expertise include the Greater Victoria Public Library (Trustee), Pacific Tattoo 2012, Greater Victoria Art Gallery. Russ is currently a Director of the Garth Homer Society (Victoria), Treasurer of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards (BC & Yukon) and a Rotarian (President, Colwood). He is a keen sailor, rugby player and bike rider, however spending time with family and friends are still his main priority.

Ms Margaret Lucas

Margaret Lucas is the General Manager of the Hotel Rialto. She has been involved in the hospitality Industry for over 25 years. For 16 years she was the General Manager of Olympic View Golf Club before moving to the Hotel Rialto (formerly Hotel Douglas). Margaret’s mandate at the hotel was to revitalize this heritage hotel, which in turn, has become a benefit to the vibrancy of Victoria’s downtown core. She is past Chair of the Board of Governors of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, a board member on the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, a Director with the Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) and the Victoria Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation. In 2008 Margaret was awarded the Victoria Business Person of the Year Award for her contributions and involvement in the ongoing revitalization of Victoria’s downtown core.

Mr. Chris Marks

Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Chris Marks brings experience from the local marine, manufacturing, culinary and tourism sectors. After a spinal injury in 2005 necessitated a career change, Chris came to Camosun in September 2008 where he completed the "B.E.S.T." program offered at Camosun that helped him identify Business Administration as the next step. Chris has since finished a Certificate in Business Management, the Diploma in Business Administration-Management option, joined and worked with the Camosun College Student Society in numerous roles, while working towards a degree in Marketing Communications Management offered at Camosun. When not at school, Chris is active in the community.

Mr. Scott Marshall

Scott Marshall was a charter student at Simon Fraser University and received a Bachelor of Laws Degree from UBC in 1972. He has practiced law since 1973, for the past 30 years with the firm of Wilson Marshall. After his move to Victoria in 1975 he served as an instructor in Business Law at Camosun College for three years. Scott presently focuses on corporate/commercial and real estate law. He is married to Diane, a school principal and has three adult children.

Mr. Steve Parkhill

Steve Parkhill is currently the President and COO of Rogers’ Chocolates Ltd. Rogers’ has been manufacturing and retailing fine chocolate products in Victoria since 1885. Steve’s career in the food industry spans 28 years from a student factory worker to executive positions with several Canadian food companies including Schneider Foods and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods. He earned a Bachelor of Science and Business degree, majoring in Physics, from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. New to Victoria, Steve hopes to build on his past community involvement in theater, Big Brothers and student mentoring.

Dr. Marilyn Pattison

A member since 2009, Marilyn Pattison assumed the role of Vice Chair of the Board in September 2011. Marilyn was raised in Delta, B.C. She is a graduate of U.B.C. (B.A., M.Ed) and the University of Toronto (Ph.D. in Higher Education). After four years as a high school counselor she joined the faculty of Douglas College and later became the first Dean of Student Services at the college.

In 1980 Marilyn and her husband moved to Toronto. There she worked for the Council of Ontario Universities and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. In 1999 they returned to B.C., residing in Victoria. She is an active volunteer. Marilyn participated on the Board at Volunteer Victoria, and was a member of the Steering Committee at Leadership Victoria. She is past president of the Greater Victoria YM/YWCA and served as a lay representative on the Council of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists for six years.

Mr. Thomas Siemens

Tom Siemens was appointed to the Board of Governors on July 31, 2011. He joined RBC Royal Bank in 1982 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His career has encompassed roles across a broad range of disciplines and customer bases, in a wide variety of locales, including Winnipeg, Calgary, Toronto, Saskatoon and Victoria.

Tom Siemens has served on the Patrons Council of the Greater Victoria Hospitals Foundation and the Advisory Committee for Ballet Victoria. He has been involved with both the United Way and Junior Achievement throughout his career and was Chair of the United Way of Greater Victoria's 2006 Campaign. He served as Past-Chair on the 2007 United Way Campaign, and as a Member-at-large for the 2008 and 2009 Campaigns. Tom is a member of the Board of Advisors, Faculty of Business, University of Victoria, is also on the Board of Directors of Pacific Opera Victoria, serving as Treasurer, and sits on the campaign cabinet of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

Tom holds an MBA from the University of Manitoba, together with designations from the Institute of Canadian Bankers (ICB) and the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI). He resides in Victoria with his wife and three children.

Ms Janice Simcoe

Janice Simcoe was elected to the Board as the faculty representative effective August 1, 2010. Janice is Chair of Aboriginal Education & Community Connections department. Janice is an Anishnaabe Kwe (Ojibwe woman) who has worked at Camosun since 1991. A former small business owner and barber, she returned to Camosun College as an adult student and discovered herself as a "learner forever". Janice is active in the local Aboriginal community and serves on many boards and committees. She was the 2003 YMCA Woman of Distinction in Education & Training, and the winner of Camosun's 2005 Leadership Excellence award. She has a BA in History from Uvic and an MA in Leadership from Royal Roads.

Ms Kathy Tarnai-Lokhorst

Kathy Tarnai-Lokhorst is the elected chair of Education Council, since August 1, 2009. Kathy received her BASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, following a year of Science at Langara Community College. She later received her MBA from the University of Phoenix. Kathy has served on several Camosun committees including the College Curriculum, EdCo Awards, and Educational Standards Committees. Kathy is the Co-op & Internship Coordinator for the School of Trades & Technologies, and Instructor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology.

In addition to teaching at Camosun, Kathy is an active, licensed Professional Engineer. Her industry experience includes manufacturing & aerodynamics engineering at de Havilland Canada, project management at Norswego Joint Venture, and, more recently, management consulting through The Lokhorst Group. Kathy is also an active singer/songwriter, writing and performing soft jazz and soft rock.