Leadership one-on-one series

Explore a collection of interviews to learn more about UBC’s senior leaders.

UBCV & UBCO

30 January, 2023 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Deborah Buszard

Deborah Buszard is UBC’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor – she was appointed to this role in October 2022. Professor Buszard is a familiar face at the university and a well-known leader in the Canadian post-secondary landscape. She served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal at UBC Okanagan from 2012 to 2020. Prior to this, she served in various leadership roles at both Dalhousie and McGill University. She currently holds an academic appointment as Professor of Biology in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science on the Okanagan campus. Originally from the United Kingdom, Professor Buszard’s early research endeavours brought her to Canada, where she pursued horticulture and strawberry breeding. Her current research interests include global agriculture and food innovation, institutional system transformation, and sustainability. In addition to her academic work and love of plants, Professor Buszard loves travel and the great outdoors. She also considers herself a lifelong student, eager to learn something new and put her skills to the test.
UBCO

31 October, 2022 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Gino DiLabio

Gino DiLabio is the inaugural Dean of the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science at UBC Okanagan and started his role in September 2020. In 2014, Dean DiLabio joined UBC Okanagan as Head of the Department of Chemistry. At the end of his term, he served as Dean pro tem for the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. Prior to joining UBC, he worked at the National Research Council of Canada’s Steacie Institute for Molecular Science and National Institute for Nanotechnology. A researcher at heart, Dean DiLabio's research interests are primarily focused on the development and application of new computational chemistry methods. He earned his degrees from Carleton University in Ottawa and Clarkson University in New York. Dean DiLabio appreciates a good sense of humour and the ability to look at the lighter side of things in life. Outside of work, he enjoys biking, donning the chef’s hat, and singing – especially at family get togethers.
UBCV

26 August, 2022 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Ngai Pindell

Ngai Pindell is the Dean of the Peter A. Allard School of Law. He began his five-year term on November 8, 2021. Prior to joining UBC, Dean Pindell completed a 21-year term at the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, where he held the title of International Gaming Institute Professor of Law. He also served as Vice-Provost and Special Advisor to the Executive and Vice-President. He was a Governor-appointed Commissioner for the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, and an appointee to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Law School Admission Council. Dean Pindell received his BA in Economics from Duke University and his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. More recently, his professional research and teaching interests focused on property law, wills and trusts, affordable housing, community development, and local government law. In addition to his unwavering commitment to his Faculty and the university community, Dean Pindell also recognizes the need for the legal profession to reflect those in the community it serves and the diversity of Canadian society.
UBCO

16 May, 2022 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Silvia Tomášková

Silvia Tomášková is the inaugural Dean of the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at UBC Okanagan. She began her five-year term on December 1, 2020. A native of a country no longer in existence – Czechoslovakia – Dr. Tomášková came to Canada as a political refugee in the 1980s. She found her new home in Canada, and in the world of academia as a feminist anthropologist and archaeologist, with field and historical research in Europe, Siberia, and South Africa. As a theoretical scholar, her professional interests also extend to history, social studies of science, and gender studies. Her research focuses on knowledge production, particularly about places and spaces in the deep past, as alternatives to modernity. Dr. Tomášková is also deeply committed to the representation of neglected voices. Outside of academia, Dr. Tomášková leads an active lifestyle, loves the great outdoors and views cooking as a personal science class.
UBCV

4 April, 2022 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Adam Charania

Adam Charania is UBC’s Associate Vice-President, Human Resources (Strategic Advisory Partnerships). As the leader of the HR Advisory Services, Faculty Relations, Employee Relations, Housing and Relocation, and Immigration Services, Adam plays an instrumental role in advancing university-wide HR partnerships and stakeholder relationships, as well as providing continuously evolving HR practices and services across the university’s community. Adam brings over 20 years of diverse HR leadership experience in the public and private sectors at organizations including the Provincial Health Services Authority, BCAA, and the BC Provincial Government. He is also an advocate for cancer research and supports fundraising activities and initiatives for the BC Cancer Foundation. Some of Adam’s passions outside of work include playing sports, travelling, music, and his dog, Ozzie.
UBCO

22 February, 2022 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Brad Wuetherick

Brad Wuetherick is the Associate Provost, Academic Programs, Teaching and Learning at UBC Okanagan. In this role, he focuses on creating an inclusive, anti-racist teaching and learning environment and educational pathways for student success. Taking a non-traditional path into academic leadership, Brad began his career as an elected student leader, centering students as partners to imagine the future of teaching and learning. He is an internationally-recognized scholar of teaching and learning in higher education, and is a fellow with the US-based Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. For the past 20 years, Brad has served in a variety of leadership roles in teaching and learning, undergraduate student affairs, continuing education, and undergraduate research. Of Métis and European ancestry, Brad brings a unique perspective to UBC’s leadership team.
UBCV & UBCO

6 January, 2022 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Heather McCaw

Heather McCaw is UBC’s Vice-President, Development and Alumni Engagement (DAE). She rejoined her alma mater in 2018, having served previously as the Vice-President of Advancement at the University of Alberta. As Vice-President, DAE, Heather leads the development and alumni engagement activities across the university’s two campuses. Over the course of her career, she has been involved in several major campaigns and co-directed UBC’s historic start an evolution fundraising and alumni engagement campaign which raised over $1.6 billion from 2008 through 2015 and actively engaged more than 130,000 alumni in the life of the university. In addition to 25 years of experience in the post-secondary sector, Heather was vice-president of two associated consulting companies, Give Canada Fundraising Corporation and Spectrum Marketing Corporation. These organizations specialize in securing strategic business partnerships and multimillion-dollar donations on behalf of non-profit clients that have included the United Way of the Lower Mainland, the Rick Hansen Foundation, the universities of Calgary and Victoria, and the Toronto Rehab Foundation.
UBCV

1 November, 2021 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Moura Quayle

Moura Quayle is UBC’s Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Academic Affairs. She is also a professor and the founding director of UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, the former director of the Liu Institute for Global Issues and currently teaches in the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs program: Leadership for Policy Professionals. In addition to her academic career at UBC Vancouver, Moura acted as Deputy Minister of the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, B.C. Commissioner of Pacific Coast Collaborative, Dean of UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and Associate VP, Academic Programs at UBC Okanagan. Her book, Designed Leadership, was published in 2017, and more recently, she co-edited a book written by her late husband, David Fushtey, entitled Principled Governance when Everything Matters (2021). Her interests include learning Mandarin, Chinese calligraphy (shufa) and painting in various media.
UBCO

7 September, 2021 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Dale Mullings

Dale Mullings is the Associate Vice-President, Students, for UBC’s Okanagan campus. In this role, Dale supports services and programs that facilitate student learning, development, and engagement providing students with a strong foundation for success. With a focus on student access, equity, and wellbeing, he is committed to creating a sense of belonging and connection between students and their peers, across the institution, and in the community. Prior to joining UBC, Dale worked at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he held the role of Assistant Dean, Students and International Initiatives, and taught Education Studies. Before that, he served in student-facing roles supporting student life and housing. Dale holds a Master of Education from the University of Toronto, and is a PhD candidate in Leadership, Higher and Adult Education at the Ontario’s Institute for Studies in Education. While most people know that Dale is an enthusiast for higher education and the great outdoors, few people know that back in the ’90s when Dale was a child, he modeled for, and acted in TV commercials – you may have even seen him in ads for SEGA video games.
UBCV

12 July, 2021 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Michael Coughtrie

Michael Coughtrie is Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he began his professional teaching and research career in the School of Medicine at the University of Dundee. After 25 years of working in the medical field, he joined UBC in August 2013, and is currently serving his second term in this role. Dean Coughtrie has extensive teaching experience, has received more than 70 competitive research grants and contracts, and is an accomplished scientist with over 200 publications. In September 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. Through his time as Dean, he has been a strong advocate for pharmacists and the profession of pharmacy. He fervently believes in the mutual respect between faculty and staff, and continues to work with provincial health authorities and the Ministry of Health to expand the Faculty’s reach and impact across the region.
UBCV

25 May, 2021 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Karamjeet Heer

As UBC’s Comptroller, Karamjeet Heer is responsible for ensuring the university’s fiscal sustainability by providing financial intelligence and strategy. A key leader within UBC’s VP Finance & Operations (VPFO) portfolio, Karamjeet oversees UBC’s budgeting and planning activities, which coordinate over $3.1B in total annual spending. She is also responsible for the delivery of financial reporting and analysis (including UBC’s annual audited financial statements) for the campus community, UBC’s Board of Governors, government, and external stakeholders. She and her team engage with Faculties and administrative units across the university to deliver financial support and guidance, and ensure alignment in UBC’s financial approach. Building on 20 years as a senior financial leader, Karamjeet brings a service-centric philosophy and strong commitment to relationship-building. By engaging in close partnerships, she supports the development and delivery of operational excellence and financial accountability for UBC.
UBCV

12 April, 2021 | Leadership one-on-one | Faculty & Staff

Matthew Evenden

Dr. Matthew Evenden is Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation at UBC Vancouver. He is a professor in UBC’s Department of Geography and is a renowned scholar in the area of environmental and water history in Canada. In his 20 years at UBC, Matthew has contributed to various university-wide committees and initiatives. In 2010/11, he was a recipient of the UBC Killam Prize, for his scholarship and teaching. Since 2015, he served as the Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Arts, before moving into his current role in 2019. In his role as Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Matthew shares the leadership of the diverse range of portfolio units and initiatives that support UBC’s research and innovation activities. This includes units supporting grant development, book publishing, human research ethics and knowledge exchange, as well as providing support and resources for Indigenous communities and university researchers collaborating on projects.