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Okanagan College is pleased to announce new members who will be joining the Okanagan College Board of Governors as of July 31, 2024.

Sheri Hamilton and Gurjit Chand have been appointed to the board for a one-year term.

A mother of two, Hamilton has already contributed significantly to Okanagan College, serving as a Foundation Director and Chair of the Finance Committee from 2018 to 2024, and as the past Chair of the Okanagan College Regional Advisory Committee (Shuswap Region). In 2024, she began her term as a Board member of CPHR BC & Yukon.

Hamilton holds an MBA from Royal Roads University and an honors Diploma of Technology in Human Resource Management from BCIT. She was honored with the HR Professional of the Year Award by the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon in 2019.

Chand brings over 15 years of Human Resources expertise across both public and private sectors. She has worked with the City of Vancouver, UBC Okanagan, Interior Health, and the City of Kelowna.

Chand holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from BCIT and a Human Resources Management certificate from SFU. She is also a member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of BC & Yukon and is currently completing a Master's of Industrial Relations at Queens University.

Hamilton and Chand replace appointees Juliette Cunningham (who also served as Board Chair from 2022-2023) and Tina Lee, both of whom served their full six years on the Board.

Board member Cindy Battersby has also been re-appointed to the board for a second two-year term. Two new elected employee members and two students will also be joining the board after being elected.

Benjamin Harris from Okanagan College’s Business program and Sukhmeet Kaur from the Science program were elected to the board for a one-year term. Employees Roger Wheeler (representing faculty) and Kevin Fukushima (representing support) have also been elected for three-year terms.

“We’re excited to have people with such diverse backgrounds and experience in the community and at the College joining the OC board of governors” said Dale Safinuk, Chair of the OC Board of Governors. “All of the new appointed and elected members, will support our Board in guiding Okanagan College's strategic direction and our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality education to students of all cultures and backgrounds in a supportive and inclusive campus environment.”

The new members join current government-appointed members Dale Safinuk (Board Chair), Andrea Alexander (Vice Chair), JoAnn Fowler, Dustyn Baulkham, and Cindy Battersby as well as ex officio members President Neil Fassina, and Education Council Chair, Jillian Garrett.

The OC Board of Governors is responsible for the management, administration and control of the property, revenue, expenditures, business and affairs of the institution. The board meets on a quarterly basis.