I am proud to be a Professional Engineer registered to practice in the province of British Columbia and honoured to be nominated for the role of Vice President of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of British Columbia. I understand well the governance responsibilities of members of Council, which mirror that of directors of corporate boards in that we are stewards of the organization and responsible to it.

My pride in engineering stems from more than just the amazing technological advancements engineers have made possible. I have a strong interest in organizational health, hence my MBA, and I am excited that engineers and geoscientists are leaders in innovative teaching practices, such as recognizing education acquired through experiential learning (co-op) in our places of business, and innovative business practices, such as proactively engaging stakeholders in all levels of major projects. We produce incredible projects through careful budgetary and design processes, projects which were managed very effectively long before the term project management came into common use.

Geoscientists expand our knowledge of the makings of this planet and others, and help the world develop methods of resource utilization that minimize environmental impact, ensuring sustainable development for future generations. Together, we design and develop energy sources for innovative infrastructure, transportation and more, for the betterment of society: taking humanity to the mountaintops, the seas, the stars and beyond. Yet with all this success, we still have much to do.

While on Council these past three years, I contributed to the Governance, Audit, Mentoring and Registration Committees. I have been appointed Director of the APEGBC Foundation,  I participate on the ASTTBC-APEGBC Joint Board, and I was chosen to be APEGBC’s 30-by-30 Champion.

In all that I do for APEGBC, I advocate for fairness for all members. This includes underrepresented gender groups, underrepresented racial groups, recent graduates of engineering and technology, mid-career members, and senior members, like my father and my father-in-law, who continue to participate in engineering and geoscience dialogue even though they are long retired from professional practice. Key priorities for me are working towards a diverse population of professionals in APEGBC, promoting the value of Engineering and Geoscience Licensees (Eng.L & Geo.L), and improving the transparency of regulatory activities for the benefit of member and public understanding. For specific details on my activities to date, please review my formal VP Candidate Statement, available here and within the ballot information package once elections are underway.

Prospects

Our innovations continue to push the boundaries of design, yet the rare mistake can occur. As a self-regulated profession, we have the responsibility to ensure both public safety and the protection of the environment. We rely on the public’s trust in our professions to ensure APEGBC members are both engaged in the process and empowered to effectively navigate the ofttimes competing interests of society. We can only achieve this by demonstrating our dedication to ethical behaviour as we set out in our Code of Ethics. Our integrity must be continually proven so that public trust can be continually earned and reinforced.

This is a worthy objective to pursue. APEGBC Council is charged with developing the policies and procedures that support each and every one of us as members, regardless of where we are in our 30-, 40-, or for some of us 50-year careers, so that we can enjoy the reputation that has been earned and maintained over the last century.

To sustain our reputation in the future, we will need to realign our priorities with societal values and interests. Council is meeting in June 2016 to begin discussing the direction of APEGBC’s next strategic plan for 2018-2020. In developing the current Strategic Plan 2014-2017, our organization focused on ways to best promote public safety while adding value for members by heightening APEGBC’s relevance to both. We began with Council conversations, and then launched a comprehensive and thorough consultation process to reach thousands of members for their direct input to hone the final plan.

This month, Council begins the process once again by reviewing APEGBC’s vision, mandate, and progress towards existing goals, exploring whether we believe these coincide with the direction APEGBC members wish to go.

You will have many opportunities to be engaged in this process, I promise!

Priorities

My priorities as Vice President of APEGBC Council are:

• Enhancing the ability of APEGBC Branch members to interact with and educate BC adults and youth about career opportunities in engineering and geoscience.
• Promoting innovative best practices across all APEGBC committees while improving the acknowledgment and support of APEGBC volunteers.
• Developing fair policies and guidelines that meet the needs of all members, especially in terms of professional development and licenses to practice.
• Fostering great relationships with government representatives to promote and engage with APEGBC in all matters pertaining to engineering and geoscience.
• Promoting diversity in the professions.
• Promoting Engineering and Geoscience Licensees.

 

VP Candidate Statement KVTL 2016