Board of Governors

Photograph of Board of Governors

Emily Carr University of Art + Design's Board of Governors manages, administers and directs the affairs of the University. The powers and composition of the Board are outlined in the University Act. Emily Carr University Board members do not receive any remuneration for their services.

Board Members

Chancellor Jake Kerr, Director-at-Large (appointed September 1, 2008)
Jake Kerr is Managing Partner of Lignum Forest Products LLP, a wood products distribution and trading company, and Chairman of Lignum Investments Ltd., a privately-held investment company. Jake is also Co-Owner and Managing Partner of Vancouver Professional Baseball LLP. Kerr, along with his partner, Jeff Mooney, acquired the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club in 2007. Prior to 2005, Jake, for 35 years, was Chairman and CEO of Lignum Limited, one of Canada’s largest private forest products companies. He was previously employed by the International Paper Company, New York, New York and was engaged in the advertising business at Botsford Advertising in San Francisco, California. Jake is a recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia in recognition for his significant contributions to the province and the country. In October 2000, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Simon Fraser University, Burnaby. He was educated at the University of British Columbia and received his MBA degree in Economics and Finance from the University of California at Berkeley. Kerr is Majority Owner of the Vancouver Canadians, a Director of the Bank of Nova Scotia and founding Chancellor of the Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Kerr is a member of the Chief Executive Organization and Past Chairman of the International and BC Chapters of the Young Presidents’ Organization.

President + Vice-Chancellor Ron Burnett
Dr. Ron Burnett, President + Vice-Chancellor of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, has been President since August 1996. Recent honours include the Chevalier des Arts et des Letters, an Order of France, the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, induction into the Royal Academy of the Arts and Canadian New Media Association Educator of the Year award. Dr. Burnett is a member of the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA) Representative Board. Recently he was Chair of the Knowledge Network Board. Dr. Burnett has also been appointed Adjunt Professor at York University in Toronto, a Burda Scholar at Ben Gurion University in Israel and a William Evans Fellow at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Dr. Burnett has published three books including the recent, How Images Think with MIT Press, over 150 book chapters and journal articles. His second book, Cultures of Vision was recently published in China. Burnett has been an educator and administrator for nearly 40 years, a strong advocate for post secondary education in Canada, a former Professor and administrator at McGill University and the founder and editor of one of Canada's first Cultural Studies and Film journals. He has lectured around the word and is a sought after speaker.

Appointed Members

Debra Hoggan (appointed December 31, 2007)
Debra Hoggan is a Consultant with the Business Design Group, a firm specializing in projects and assignments affecting, and/or of interest to Aboriginal peoples. Previously, she was the owner of Totems to Turquoise Gallery Shop and Tribes Gallery. In addition, she is a former Development and Communications Assistant with the Environmental-Aboriginal Guardianship through Law & Education, a Business Advisor with the Surrey Self-Employment & Entrepreneurial Development Society and with the Aboriginal People Businesses Association. Ms. Hoggan has taught at the Native Education Centre. Within her community, she has been involved with the Surrey Foundation, Multicultural Advisory Council, White Rock/South Surrey Chamber of Commerce, and the Surrey Aboriginal Cultural Society.

Evaleen Jaager Roy, Chair (appointed July 23, 2009)
Evaleen Jaager Roy is Principal of Jaager Roy Advisory Inc., a firm specializing in business strategy, organizational structure and corporate performance. She was most recently Vice President, HR & Community for Electronic Arts (EA). In this global role, she led teams supporting over 3,000 employees in Europe, Asia and North America. She and her team also led EA’s global giving and donations programs. Previously, she was Head of HR for EA Europe, based in London. She has also worked in the energy and auto sectors in the US and Canada. She is past Chair of the Board, Simon Fraser University (SFU), the first alumni to serve as Chair. She has served on the Board of Directors of BC Lotteries and contributed to Action Canada, the Vancouver Economic Development Commission’s Blue Ribbon Council and the Harvard Business School’s Canadian Initiative. She is currently on the Board of the Vancouver YWCA, as well as the Suzuki Foundation’s National Business Advisory Council. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an Honors BBA from SFU and was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus from SFU in 2008. She has just published her first book, Four Chefs One Garden.

Rick Mischel (appointed December 31, 2010)
Rick Mischel is a Senior Vice President of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Previously, Mr. Mischel was an Executive Vice President of Technicolor and President and Founder of Reach Games. Active in his community, Mr. Mischel is a Past President of the Board of Directors of Digi BC and a former Lecturer at the Sauder School of Management at the University of British Columbia. Mr. Mischel holds a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University, a Masters Degree from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and his Juris Doctor Degree from Stanford Law School.

Heather Oland, Vice Chair (appointed July 31, 2010)
Heather Oland is the Acting CEO of Strategic Initiatives of Initiatives Prince George. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria and her Masters of Science from the University of Northern British Columbia. She is a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and worked as a professional planner in north central British Columbia for ten years prior to joining Initiatives Prince George in the fall of 2011. Her career progress has included working for the North Central Municipal Association, the City of Prince George and as the Director of Planning with L&M Engineering Limited. Most recently, Ms. Oland has completed the Sustainable Community Development certificate through the Simon Fraser University and has been appointed to the Board of Governors of the University of Emily Carr Art and Design where she has also been appointed Vice Chair of the Board, as well as Chair of the University's Finance Committee. Ms. Oland is an active member of the Prince George community and has served as a Director of the Community Garden Society, the Prince George Montessori Education Society, the Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Prince George. Currently Ms. Oland volunteers as a coach for the Prince George Youth Soccer Association. She has lived in Prince George for the past 15 years with her husband and two children.

Blair Qualey (appointed July 31, 2010)
Blair Qualey is the President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. Previously, he was the Director of Business Development of the Vancouver Board of Trade, Executive Director with Spirit of Vancouver and Executive Director of the World Trade Centre Vancouver. Prior to his role with the Vancouver Board of Trade, Mr. Qualey worked as a communications and business development consultant and as a Human Resources Executive for Coca-Cola Bottling and the Loblaw Group of Companies. Active in the community, Mr. Qualey is a Trustee with the Vancouver Public Library Foundation, a Trustee with the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, a Director of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and a Director of the Canada Japan Society. In the past he has volunteered his time with various organizations including the Hong Kong Canada Business Association, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada, the Vancouver Public Library Board and Public Library InterLINK. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources and Labour Relations Management from UBC.

Bob Rennie, Director-at-Large (appointed July 31, 2010)
Bob Rennie is founder and CEO of Rennie Marketing Systems and has been at the forefront of marketing new developments and advising developers and the industry at large in the city of Vancouver and beyond. Rennie Marketing Systems is one of the leading condominium sales and marketing firms in North America. Often credited for changing the city's skyline, Bob has been marketing real estate since 1975, becoming a household name and recognized as a top authority in the local economy. With a passion for contemporary art, Bob Chairs the North America Acquisitions Committee (NAAC) at Tate Museum, London, is a member of the Tate International Council and sits on the Dean's Advisory Board to the Faculty of Arts at UBC. In recognition of his dedication to the arts and the arts community, he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Emily Carr in 2008. He funds scholarships and bursaries at a variety of institutions as well as supports critical and thought-provoking speaker series throughout Vancouver. In addition to sitting on the advisory board of Lower Mainland Steel, one of the largest single corporate supporters of Canuck Place Children's Hospice, Bob also sits on the board for the Streetohome Foundation, a local organization that aims to help ensure the homeless in Vancouver have access to safe, decent, affordable housing and support services. With a personal interest in stabalizing Vancouver's Chinatown, Bob renovated and restored the oldest building in Chinatown - the Wing Sang, constructed in 1889 - to house his offices and a contemporary art museum.

Sheree Waterson (appointed December 31, 2011)
Sheree Waterson has served as Chief Product Officer of Lululemon Athletica Inc. since 2008. She oversees merchandise management, global production, community legacies and visual merchandising. She has 25 years of consumer and retail industry experience. Sheree served as President of Speedo North America where she oversaw all aspects of design, development, merchandising, marketing and sales. She served as Vice President of Merchandising, Women's, for Levi Strauss & Co. where she spearheaded initial work on new women's speed-to-market and profitability models and pioneered the "fit logic" initiative. At Gymboree she served as Vice President of Merchandising and served as Chief Executive Officer of Enfashion.com. Her additional prior roles include senior level positions with Contempo Casuals and Wet Seal. She graduated from the University of California Berkley with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Faye Wightman (appointed July 8, 2011)
Faye Wightman is President and CEO of Vancouver Foundation. Faye is one of Canada’s philanthropic leaders. She brings to the Foundation a strong conviction that philanthropy can and should play a powerful role in shaping society. Since her arrival in 2005, she has led Canada’s largest community foundation through a number of important changes designed to increase its impact in BC communities. Prior to joining Vancouver Foundation, Faye was President of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation for 14 years and then spent two years as Vice President of External Relations at University of Victoria. She has served as Executive Director for Sunny Hill Foundation for Children as well as Campaign Director for the United Way of the Lower Mainland. She has also been a member, on the board, and/or served as president for numerous not-for-profits and other organizations. Faye’s vision and her strong commitment to philanthropy were recognized in 2004 when she was one of five women honoured with the “Influential Women in Business Award,” an annual award presented by Business in Vancouver magazine.

Faculty Members

Ingrid Koenig (elected October 1, 2009)
Ingrid Koenig’s work investigates physics as a lens through which one can look and speak about the world and human agency. Her latest solo exhibition and publication of work, Navigating the Uncertainty Principle, reinterprets abstract theories as they relate to subjective experience. Current curriculum ventures include an artist/student-in-residence project with TRIUMF (the Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics research at UBC); and project collaborations with faculty and students at the University of the Arts, Berlin. Koenig earned her MFA at the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design. She has exhibited her drawings and paintings in public galleries across Canada, in Europe and New Zealand. She has worked as gallery administrator, collaborated as curator and board member of artist-run galleries, and has published reviews with Canadian art journals.

John Wertschek, Director-at-Large (elected October 1, 2008)
John Wertschek is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Culture + Community, specializing in the Foundation Program, where he teaches Creative Processes and Photography. He was Chair of Education Council (now Senate) for six years and is currently serving a three year term on the Board of Governors. He studied Honours Mathematics and Physics as an undergraduate before receiving his degree in Architecture (University of British Columbia, 1973) and Masters of Business Administration (Simon Fraser University, 2002). He has worked as an architectural designer, an urban planner, has built houses and has exhibited as an artist and photographer. He is the recipient of a Canada Council Grant and the City of Vancouver Heritage Award. In 1979, he founded the Vancouver League for Studies in Architecture and the Environment and initiated the Alcan Lectures in Architecture (Vancouver).

Student Members

Darren Devlin (elected May 1, 2010)
Darren Devlin is a 2nd year student in Film, Video + Integrated Media. His current work focuses on film production and video art with some exploration in illustration and pictorial narratives. Fascinated with Youtube and social video, Darren's critical studies and video works explore the bizarre potential of this medium and its effects on the individual and contemporary society and culture. Actively involved in the Emily Carr community, he is a Peer Mentor for international students, a member of the Board's Policy Governance Committee and a founding member of the Socially Engaged Committee which is responsible for the wildly popular Emily Carr Coffee Nights as well as a number of other social events. Heavily involved with the Emily Carr Students' Union, he was recently appointed to the position of University Relations Coordinator and is working on a number of initiatives to improve student life at Emily Carr. Among these is the revival of 88.3 Radio Free Emily, establishing it as a full fledged campus radio station and bringing the collective voice of Emily Carr on air to connect with the local community and greater Vancouver area. Outside fo Emily Carr, Darren is an avid swordsman and serves as current Chair of the Board of Directors for the Cascadia North Accolade Tournament, a popular western martial arts event that draws participants from across the country. In his spare time he enjoys reading, vlogging about the weird and random and attending the cinema.

Rasley Ma (elected May 1, 2012)
Rasely is a Vancouver born student who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Media Arts with an Animation major. He is a third year student specializing in the field of 3D animation. He is an active Vancouverite in the Greater Vancouver area and has a wide variety of experiences in leading large scale events. He was the Director of Finance for the 2010 Crossroads Conference, the largest student led initiative in Vancouver with over 200 delegates and 20 speakers. Rasely was also an advocate for Free the Children, a non-profit organization, he led a high school club into being one of the first and foremost student organizations in Vancouver to fundraise for the Campaign of Brick by Brick and he was a student delegate for the ELA Symposium held in December 2011 at Emily Carr. Rasely is currently serving as the Animation Representative for the Animation Department and the Student Advisory Council which give him a good understanding of both the Animation Department staff and students.

Employee Member

Emma Somers (elected May 1, 2010)

Emma Somers has worked at Emily Carr since 2001, currently in the Univers i t y Library. With a BA in Art History, she started her career as the Administrative Director of the Helen Pitt Gallery. An ally of the arts in Vancouver, she has served on the Or Gallery Board of Directors and has been an active volunteer with many artist run centres in the city. With a passion for community and workers rights, Emma, the Chief Shop Steward at Emily Carr, was elected College Sector Representative on the CUPE 15 Executive Boad and employee member on the Emily Carr Board. She has represented her fellow workers on the Langara and Emily Carr Bargaining Committees and is an appointed member of the CUPE BC Universities Committee. Emma lives in East Vancouver with her partner Ron and their son, Gus. They have a big backyard with a sandbox and an unruly and biodiverse garden that yields plenty of fruit and vegetables to keep little Gussy growing.