Meet the committee behind the re-launch of our Vancouver alumni branch. This enthusiastic group of Royal Roads University graduates is taking the lead to provide activities and services for alumni in their region. Core committee members are (left to right) Bas Brusche as co-chair, Keena Hickens-Gaberria, Chris Friemond, Doreen Myers, Nina Ng, co-chair with Brusche and Kosta ChatziSpiros.
What does the re-launch mean?
“Alumni can expect to see approximately four events per year,” says Ng. “Our goal is to keep alumni members connected with each other and with business leaders in the community.
Sustainability and collaboration will be the over-arching themes of all alumni activities and the committee's objectives are to provide continuous learning and networking opportunities.
“Be sure to keep an eye out for more information about our first alumni event scheduled for September 8 and featuring RRU Chancellor Peter Robinson who is chief executive officer of the David Suzuki Foundation - and an RRU grad,” says Ng.
For more information, please contact rru-alumni-relations@royalroads.ca
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Bas Brusche is eager to keep the Royal Roads University spirit strong and connecting with alumni members to support networking and continuous learning. Bas was born in the Netherlands and worked in six different countries for the Netherlands Diplomatic Service. After immigrating to Canada in 2006, he started working for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). He is responsible for receiving foreign VIPs such as Heads of State and Government. Bas has a passion for international and intercultural communication. He graduated in 2006 from the Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Applied Communication program and is a recipient of the RRU's Founder's Award.
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Keena Hicken-Gaberria is a born and raised Vancouverite who returned to the West Coast after five years living and working in the UK because she missed the magnificent beauty of the local mountains and sea. Keena is a Senior Manager with KPMG in Vancouver and is the Canadian National Lead for Major Projects Advisory services. She is a Chartered Accountant, Project Management Professional, and a Certified Fraud Examiner. Keena truly loved her experience at RRU especially as being one of the "guinea pigs" for the first BCom program in 1997. The program was challenging and her classmates were an exceptional, unique bunch - resulting in an interest to maintain a life long bond. As such, Keena is hoping that by volunteering with the Vancouver RRU Alumni Chapter she can remain connected to the University and her classmates as well as connect and learn from other alumni members.
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Chris Freimond is a corporate communications consultant based in Vancouver. He completed an MBA (Public Relations & Communications Management) in 2004. Chris believes an active alumni association is an integral part of life-long learning because it provides a forum for sharing experiences and offering new perspectives on a rapidly-changing business environment.
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Doreen Myers is the Corporate Director, Emergency Management & Business Continuity, for the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). PHSA plans, manages and evaluates selected specialty and province-wide health care services across BC, working with the five geographic health authorities to meet local and regional needs. The agencies operated by the PHSA are: B.C. Cancer Agency, B.C. Centre for Disease Control, B.C.'s Children's Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, B.C. Mental Health and Addiction Services (including Riverview Hospital and Forensic Psychiatric Services), B.C. Provincial Renal Agency, B.C. Transplant, B.C. Women's Hospital and Health Centre and Cardiac Services B.C. Doreen is responsible for the strategic planning and direction of emergency management and business continuity operations for the PHSA, including emergency preparedness and response programs and initiatives. She graduated from the MA program in Health Leadership in 2008 and also holds an Emergency Management Certificate from the Justice Institute of B.C. and an Associate Business Continuity Planner Certificate from the Disaster Response Institute Canada. Doreen is involved on the committee because she wants to give back to RRU and encourage other to peruse learning as part of their life long journey.
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Nina Ng works on the Communications team for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and is responsible for engaging 55,000 workforce members in the Games. She is a marketing and communications professional with diverse experience having worked internationally and locally in corporate, government, agency and not-for-profit organizational settings. Nina is dedicated to keeping the alumni members connected to form a force to promote and sustain the momentum of the Royal Roads learning culture. Nina graduated from the MBA program in 2007 and is the recipient of an RRU Entrance Award.
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Kosta ChatziSpiros, Interim Executive Director of the Mortgage Investment Association of BC, is an experienced business leader from the consulting services industry. Graduating with an MBA in 2008, Kosta is looking forward to participating in developing the RRU Vancouver Alumni Chapter and increasing opportunities for alumni collaboration.”
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