2014-2015 Mentorship Program Participants
Mike Ashcroft
Mike graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1987 with a
Computer Engineering degree and started his career in the Royal Canadian Air
Force as an Aerospace Engineer. During Mike's 27 years in the RCAF he was
employed in a variety of postings, including operational tours as the
Maintenance and Engineering officer at units such as 442 Search and Rescue
Squadron in Comox BC. Mike gained experience in government procurement
as a key member of the Systems Engineering and Integrated Logistics Support
procurement teams for the CH149 Cormorant helicopter. He was posted for
five years to NORAD Headquarters in Colorado Springs, where he worked in
Planning, Operations and the Commander's Action Group, providing direct
support to both the American General and the Canadian LieutenantGeneral. Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Ashcroft retired from the RCAF in 2010
after a year in the DND Directorate of Space Development. Mike joined Cascade
Aerospace in 2010 as the Cascade representative in the RCAF Hercules office
in Ottawa. After a year, he moved to Cascade's main location in Abbotsford BC
as the Business Manager for the DND program. In 2013, Mike was promoted
to his current position as the Director of Supply Chain for Cascade. As a two-time Olympic athlete, Mike is no
stranger to the pursuit of excellence; and as leader in both the military and the local community, Mike's actions
illustrate his belief that "people are our most important resource".
Brent Bell
Brent graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1983 with a
Bachelor of Science degree and a private pilot licence and shortly thereafter
joined Transport Canada where he started his career as an Air Traffic
Controller. After graduating from the Transport Canada Training Institute in
Cornwall Ontario Brent was posted to the Kamloops Control Tower. He soon
took a posting at Vancouver Tower, followed by Vancouver Area Control
Center before returning to Vancouver Tower as a Supervisor. Brent is
currently the Manager of Vancouver Control Tower (with Nav Canada, the not
for profit operator of our nation's Air Navigation Service) where he is
responsible for the Strategic Planning, Safety Implementation and Operational
procedures at Canada's second busiest Airport. Brent is keenly focused on
creating outstanding customer relationships that enhance safety and efficiency
while facilitating change through collaboration. Brent also sits on the Board of
Directors of the Quilchena Golf and Country Club where he serves as VicePresident. He enjoys golf, skiing, soccer, tennis and curling and is looking
forward to sharing Leadership Learning with the members of the Mentorship
program.
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Greg Conlan
Greg Conlan joined the Securiguard Services Ltd team as Director of Aviation
Security in 2013. Greg is responsible for overseeing all Securiguard airport
safety and security operations at Vancouver International Airport and
Abbotsford International Airport. Greg has over 25 years managing safety
and security programs in both the public and private sectors. His professional
expertise includes risk analysis, emergency management, project
management, physical and occupational security, critical infrastructure
protection and the provision of ongoing training for security personnel.
Before joining Securiguard Greg held responsibility for operational delivery of
the Protection and Corporate Security program across 28 acute care hospitals
and over 360 numerous community care facilities and programs within BC.
Greg has an undergraduate degree and associate degree in Criminology and
Psychology from Simon Fraser University and is an active member of BC
Aviation Council while serving on the Membership Committee. Greg is an
Auxiliary Police Constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He has
received certification in the Management of Targeted Violence from the
Justice Institute of British Columbia and has been directly involved in the
management of several high profile security risk issues in the organizations
he has served.
Rod Hayward
Rod has had an interesting and diverse career within the aviation industry, as
a pilot, engineer, entrepreneur, and educator. Rod’s considerable operational
experience is combined with the business and management
experience garnered as one of the founders of Terrace based regional airline,
Hawkair. In addition to a pilot’s licence Rod holds both an M1 and M2 Aircraft
Engineers licence as well as a Master’s of Business Administration from UNBC.
Through his career Rod has held a number of Transport Canada approved
positions such as Director of Maintenance, Quality Assurance Manager, Safety
Manager, and Accountable Executive. Within the BC aviation community, Rod
had been a member of the BC Aviation Council (BCAC) Operator’s Committee
and was an active member of the YVR Airport Consultative Committee (ACC)
while at Hawkair. Rod recently stepped down as the General Manager / CEO
for Hawkair, a position he held for 9 years in order to join the school of
business as an Assistant Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV)
in Abbotsford. Rod shares his unique knowledge of aviation and business
while teaching both general business courses and aviation focused business
courses in UFV’s Bachelor of Business in Aviation program.
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Trevor Heryet
After graduating from the Aviation Technology program at Selkirk College in
1983, Trevor started his flying career on the British Columbia coast. He
obtained his Airline Transport Pilot Licence in 1985. During the early years of
his flying career he was a flight instructor, charter pilot on wheels and floats, and
then transitioned to a variety of turbojet aircraft. He has flown extensively
throughout North America, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe. Trevor joined
Transport Canada in 1996 as an Air Carrier Inspector. Since then he held the
positions of Regional Superintendent
Fixed
Wing, Regional Manager
Aerodrome Safety / Air Navigation Services and Airspace, Regional Manager
Commercial and Business Aviation, and Regional Director Surface and Regional
Director Civil Aviation – Pacific Region. During his tenure as the
Regional Director Surface, Trevor completed a Master of Arts in Leadership at
Royal Roads University. This year Trevor stepped into the position of Regional
Director General. In his new role, he is accountable for all of Transport Canada's
regional programs, aviation being just one of them.
Larry Johns
Larry began his aviation career in the RCAF as an Avionics Technician, followed
by a number of Operational roles at Pacific Western Airlines, Canadian Airlines
and Air Canada: Station Manager, Manager Commercial Operations, Manager
Customer
Services
and
Operations
Manager.
Larry joined Group 4 Falck in 2002 as a Regional Manager for their Passenger
Screening Operation in BC. Following a contract change to a new provider,
Garda Security Screening Services Inc., Larry accepted the position of General
Manager, BC. In 2011 a further contract change resulted in him taking on the role
of Director, Operational Effectiveness for the Prairies where he was directly
involved in the integration and transition of 1000 employees to the new
company. Throughout 2012-2013 Larry was also at the table in contract
negotiations with 3 unions covering 12 airports. Since 2000, following an
invitation from BCIT, Larry remains a contract instructor for the Security
program within BCIT’s Airport Operations Program. His instructional
background also led to providing Passenger Security Screening training under
CATSA regulations in 2003-2004. Now retired from Garda, Larry enjoys
occasional consulting, teaching at BCIT along with travelling with his wife,
Heather, photography, music and being involved on his Strata Council.
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Glenn Oerzen
Since as a young boy growing up in Victoria, Glenn has always wanted to fly
airplanes. He acquired his Private and Commercial licenses while still in high
school. Education was also important and he earned a science degree in
physics from the UVic. During a 12 year Air Force career Glenn flew the CT114 ‘Tutor’ jet trainer, as instructor and standards pilot. A definite highlight
was to be selected as Lead Solo for the ‘Snowbirds’ in 1991/92. Glenn was
then posted to fly the CC-130 ‘Hercules’ in the strategic airlift, and Arctic
search and rescue roles. Airline flying was the end goal and Glenn was
fortunate
enough
to
join
Air
Canada
in
1996.
He has since flown the Airbus A340, Boeing 767, Embraer E190, and currently
as captain of Airbus A320 aircraft. For 8 years Glenn enjoyed his position as a
Flight Operations manager, helping to support the 720 Air Canada pilots based
in Vancouver. He recently left his position in the office and is now once again
enjoying flying 'the line' full time and also enjoying ownership of his first
airplane, a Cessna 172!
Brett Patterson
Brett Patterson is the Director, Airside Operations, for the Vancouver Airport
Authority. Mr. Patterson is responsible for leading airside safety and
maintaining the airport’s operating certificate, including: wildlife
management, aircraft fire fighting, airfield maintenance, airside vehicle
operations, airside standards compliance, emergency planning, aeronautical
information publications and the airport's safety management system. Mr.
Patterson is currently a member of ACI’s Safety Technical Standing
Committee, and has previously served as Chair of the Canadian Airports
Council's Operations, Safety and Technical Affairs Committee, Chair of ACIAsia Pacific’s Regional Operations Safety Committee and been a member of
the Board of the British Columbia Aviation Council and British Columbia
Institute of Technology's Airport Operations Program Advisory Board. In
1992, Mr. Patterson joined the Vancouver Airport Authority as a Market
Analyst before moving into Airport Operations in 1994 as an Airport Duty
Manager. In his career at YVR, Mr. Patterson has also held positions in Airfield
Maintenance, Parking and Ground Transportation, Airside Planning and
Development and Airside Operations before taking on his current role. Mr.
Patterson is a graduate of the Florida Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation
Management and the University of British Columbia with a Masters in Business Administration.
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Cathy Press
Cathy started in aviation at a young age growing up at the airport with her father.
She went on to obtain her fixed wing and rotary wing licence by the age of 17
years old. Cathy acquired her ATPL and Class 1 flight instructor rating followed
by her helicopter instructors rating and her Pilot Examiners Authority for both
categories. Cathy was the first female helicopter instructor and examiner in
Canada and she is also one of very few Authorized Persons allowed to issue
foreign pilot licenses. She has an FAA airline transport licence and plans to
complete a Chinese pilot licence in November 2014. Cathy has been the CEO and
Chief Pilot at Chinook Helicopters 1982 Ltd. since 1999, a company her father
originally founded. She does not get to teach as much as she used to, as she is
now more involved with company operations, exams and instructor rating but
she still looks forward to being a part of all the exciting challenges awaiting the
new generation of helicopter pilots.
Linda Wolstencroft
Linda Wolstencroft is an expert in achieving game-changing growth in complex
business conditions. She has a track record of success in winning new business
accumulating over the $2.5 billion mark. Major achievements include leading a
campaign to win over $250 million in new business over a three-year period and
leading the successful bid for a major In-Service Support Contracting initiative.
Linda has developed corporate strategies and business development plans with
her clients, which have formed the basis for significant business growth. Linda is
passionate about the contributions of business to international security. With her
extensive business network, experience in more than 24 countries worldwide,
and drawing from more than 25 years’ experience, her work covers both
domestic and international markets. Linda holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in
Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and a Master of
Business Administration degree from York University's Schulich School of
Business. She has attended the Canadian Forces College National Security Studies
Seminar and is a graduate of Shipley Proposal Management programs. Linda is a
regular columnist for Canadian Defense Review, conducts speaking engagements,
and is an active member of aerospace, defense, engineering and community
associations.
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Dave Wood
My name is Dave Wood I am currently an Airbus 319 Captain at Air Canada Rouge.
I am a graduate of the University of North Dakota and I hold a BSC in Aeronautical
Science. I, like many others in aviation started dreaming about being a pilot when
I was 5 years old. I started my flying training at the Winnipeg Flying Club in 1986
and enrolled at UND in 1988. I worked as an instructor at the flying club from
1992-1993 and then flew a Navajo for Sowind Air in 1994. I took a detour in
1994-1996 and completed air traffic controller training at Winnipeg Center in
1996. I missed flying so much that I left ATC and joined Bearskin Airlines in July of
1996. I flew the Navajo and Metro-liner for a year before moving on to Air Nova
in 1997. I flew the Dash 8 for 2.5 years before joining Air Canada in Winnipeg in
2000. I started on the A-320 as a first officer in Winnipeg and was reduced to B767 relief pilot in Toronto in 2003 right around the SARS epidemic. I was awarded
Captain on the Embraer 190 in December 2006 and flew it in Toronto until 2012
when I transferred to beautiful BC. I have over 12000 hours of flying time, 8500
of those hours as a Captain.
Bill Yearwood
Bill started flying fixed-wing aircraft on a sugar estate in South
America when he was 13, but evolved to fly rotary-wing aircraft in
civilian operations. These included: Heli-logging, fire-fighting, Med-evac,
Corporate, Arctic and Off-shore explorations, flight training, and design
change flight testing. Bill spent 8 years at Transport Canada, where he
helped audit U.N. air operations around the world, draft the Civil
Aviation Regulations, and manage System Safety. He has been a
Regional Manager for the TSB for the past 13 years, gets hands on with
most of his team̛ s investigations, and is now leading an international
team as the investigator in charge (IIC) of an accident involving a
Russian helicopter. Bill has always worked well with the aviation
community and has an aptitude for understanding human and
engineering issues. This has helped him provoke change during
investigations and build support for adopting recommendations. He
understands a leader is a path-finder, and the team builds
the trail. Early in his career his then boss commented, "How come whenever you want to do something it is
my idea?" Bill can lead from any seat.
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Michael Benson
Since arming himself with a not-so-applicable Anthropology from UVIC, Mike has
been actively fighting wildfires for much of his life. Working across Canada,
Australia, Mexico, Greece and Argentina, Mike has garnered an appreciation for
the challenges facing fire suppression agencies around the world. As an
employee of the Province of BC Wildfire Management Branch Mike has been an
Air Attack Officer for 9 years coordinating aerial fire suppression on several
hundred wildfires. Since 2013 Mike has held the position of Superintendent of
the Provincial Airtaker Program, responsible for the provision of province-wide
aerial fixed-wing fire control capability utilizing teams of tactical birddog aircraft
and fixed-wing tankers in a safe, efficient and effective manner. This Program
averages 520 missions every summer and incorporates the expertise of more
than 100 government and private sector professionals on a daily basis. Mike is
the BC representative to the national Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre
Aviation Working Group. When not at work, Mike spends his time with his young
family in Kamloops frequenting petting zoos and plotting their next surf
vacation.
Jastine Chen
Being always fascinated with airports and the aviation industry, Jastine left retail
merchandising and joined BCIT in 2010 to study Airport Operations. Upon
graduating in 2012, Jastine started working for Alpha Aviation, operators of the
Boundary Bay Airport. Currently working as the Safety Officer, Jastine's
responsibilities include implementing the Safety Management System, conducting
internal inspections and investigations, performing quality assurance audits,
upkeeping and maintaining technical documents and any other health and safety
related activities. Jastine loves spending all her free time with her family doing
various outdoor activities.
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Vanessa Griffiths
Vanessa Griffiths loves working with amazing people, just as much as she loves
flying. A commercial pilot, Vanessa was the first female graduate of the British
Columbia Institute of Technology’s (BCIT) Flight Operations Program in 2004.
Since then, she’s met her personal objective of maintaining a balance between
being in the air, and engaging with her community. Vanessa became enamoured
with aviation when she was a young girl, travelling all over the world with her
family. “I got so excited when I got to go to an airport! And those were the days
when kids were invited to visit the cockpit. It was amazing!” she says. After taking
her first “discovery” flight in a light plane, Vanessa just knew that she had to
become a pilot. After graduating from BCIT, Vanessa rose through the ranks at a
number of aviation service companies at YVR, until joining Kisik Aerial Survey,
based at Boundary Bay Airport. She flies light twin-engine aircraft on photo flights
all over Western Canada. As Executive Director of the British Columbia Aviation
Council (BCAC), Vanessa promotes the thriving B.C. aviation sector. “People are
the industry’s future,” she says. “We’re focussed on developing the next
generation of aerospace leaders.”
Jackie Kirouac
Aviation has been in my family for 4 generations. My Great Grandfather was
licensed in the 1940’s, thereafter my grandfather and his 5 brothers were all
pilots, and then came my parents who are still currently both pilots. Having also
grown up vacationing with the family Piper Cherokee across Canada with my
parents and sister, aviation was a large part of my life since I was born, and still
remains so to this day. I began flight training in 2010 at Boundary Bay airport
and managed to finish all the necessary licenses and ratings in 11 months and
became a flight instructor shortly thereafter. I taught there at Pacific Flying Club
for two years, one single engine year, and one multi engine year doing IFR ratings.
It was a great experience and I enjoyed the camaraderie and daily interaction with
different people on a regular basis. I then moved on to Pacific Coastal Airlines as a
First Officer on the Beechcraft 1900 in early spring of 2014, and have just recently
been upgraded to a Saab 340 FO this winter. Pacific Coastal gives me the
opportunity to see a lot of beautiful places every day like remote towns only accessible by air and boat like Bella
Bella, to the larger cities across BC and Alberta. A mix of scheduled service and charter flying keeps things
interesting and demanding. Being in this industry is a demanding, exciting adventure. I continue to be thankful to
be where I am, and as excited about the future. And although it is challenging at times, there is no other job like it.
8
Oliver Lovino
My name is Oliver Lovino. I am a student at BCIT currently at level 4 in the AME
"M" Program. I have developed an interest for airliners, like the 747, 777, and
a380. I aspire to be able to work and someday be expert with these aircraft.
Before attending BCIT, I graduated from Burnaby South Secondary School at
2008. In 2010, I attended Briercrest College and Seminary at Caronport,
Saskatchewan for Theology and Business Administration classes. Between
2011-2014 I worked for a Vancouver-based apparel wear company called
Stormtech for 2 years. When I’m not occupied with school activities, I help out
at my church, Word Christian Fellowship, as a youth leader since 2006. I am
also passionate about music and sports. I used to play lead guitar for the church
band during Sunday services. In high school, I was involved in sports activities
such
as
basketball,
badminton
and
track
and
field.
With the experiences and the background that I have, I was able to acquire and
develop skills and values that I have now, such as, integrity, accountability,
perseverance, zeal and gratitude. Not that I have already obtained perfection, or have arrived at my goal, but I
press on toward the goal. Philippians 3:12-15
Katherine Mesho
From early childhood, I had always been drawn to flight, watching airplanes
soaring through the sky I would gaze in awe and wonderment of it all. The
ability to go from one place to another through air was and still is astonishing
to me. Escaping the Gulf War in 1990 perhaps aided in this fascination where
the ability of being carried from one part of the world where destruction was
present, then to be placed in an aircraft that gets you thousands of miles away
into a new world of hope and stability - this was quite majestic to me, and it
stayed with me. At the age of 21, I finally made the decision to leave college
where I was studying for a B.A. in Political Science, and enrolled in a flight
training school for a commercial pilot’s license. Flight training was great,
tough, challenging, and very rewarding. The dedication and perseverance
showed me how strong I was and how much I really enjoyed it. I was able to
find a job at Boundary Bay Airport where I am currently the FBO Supervisor,
while continuing my flight training. It has given me the opportunity and
exposure in different realms of aviation, and the day-to-day challenges of
managing. I continue to strive to learn to be better in what I do whether it is in
the office, in the flight deck or in my personal life. Aviation has shown to be diverse and full of possibilities if we are
open to them.
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Erik Muurmans
Since I was a wee lad or at least for as long as I can recall, I have loved the
feeling/experience of flight! Maybe it was dressing up to fly stand-by, or that
the destination felt so unlike home, but the experience of flying always felt like
a grand occasion. To this day I still love looking through photos of the golden
age of air travel; life aboard the Lockheed Martin Super Constellation in the
1960’s to be particular. Nonetheless, I did not always consider aviation as both
my career and hobby. My first “career” saw me excel in the hospitality industry.
I worked very hard toward my BA in International Hotel Management and
traveled abroad to work with the Four Seasons Hotel group. I currently attend
BCIT’s AME E program and hold employment with Apple retail as a business
sales team member. I maintain a well rounded understanding of tourism, retail
and hospitality through both a front line and management lens. I am a very
motivated individual who puts all of his energy into what he does. I highly
value my time, and believe an active lifestyle is key to keeping one engaged in
all aspects of his/her life.
Naveed Nadeem
After completing MBA degree in 2002, Naveed started working for a private
construction company as manager finance. In 2004, Naveed started working
for a federal government department in Pakistan. The department was
responsible for registration of citizens for issuance of identification
documents. He was responsible for overall management of a registration
center from office management, team management, financial management,
quality control, fraud prevention, to computerized database management and
network management. But, his main duty was dealing with customer, solving
their problems and training his team for the same purpose. As the job was very
sensitive, therefore Naveed had to care for public as well as keep an eye on the
fraudulent activities and prevent them. In 2008, Naveed was deputed to an
international project with UNHCR, as Project Site Manager, for computerized
registration of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. The duties were basically
same but the customers were totally different, Afghan refugees instead of
Pakistani citizens, which made the job more challenging and his experience
more diverse. In 2010, he immigrated to Canada with his family. Initially Naveed went to school for Post
Baccalaureate diploma in human resources management but his passion for aviation led him to Airport Operations
program at BCIT. Naveed has recently graduated from the Airport Operations program. Naveed intends to advance
his career in aviation safety and human factors.
10
Ramona Reynolds
Ramona is a recreational pilot with her PPL who has just made the leap to the
Commercial Pilot program. She is President and CEO of a litigation support and
consulting company, an author, blogger, aviation junkie, and mom. She is the
first female President of the Victoria Flying Club and a founding member and
President of the newly formed Vancouver Island Chapter of Women in
Aviation. Her current labour of love is the hands-on restoration of a PBY
Catalina with the Catalina Preservation Society in Victoria.
Johnathan Richardson
For as long as I can remember I have always been fascinated by flight. Following
my high school graduation I accepted a part-time position as a Ramp Agent with
Pacific Coastal Airlines, my home town airline, and since then I have developed
a strong passion for the commercial aviation industry.
To further pursue my career within the industry I completed my first year of
university at University of the Fraser Valley. Although I loved experiencing
flight while completing my private pilot license, I was eager to learn more
business practices about the industry. I transferred to Georgian College and
later Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where I graduated with a
Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Management. Currently I work for Pacific Coastal
Airlines in their Sales and Marketing Department. I am the Customer Relations
Coordinator and am responsible for understanding our passenger’s wants and
needs and insuring that we strive to achieve them. Outside of work I enjoy the
outdoors and travelling to new places. I still consider myself to be an avid aviation geek following industry trends
and news. I am very excited to be a part of this year’s mentorship program.
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Sean Samuel
Sean began his journey in aviation by taking a Young Eagles Flight out of
Langley in 2003. After having five minutes at the controls of a Citabria, he
knew he wanted to fly planes for life. Upon completing his Private License in
high school Sean joined the British Columbia Institute of Technology to
pursue his Commercial Pilots License, graduating in 2012. During his time at
BCIT Sean demonstrated great dedication, a hard work ethic, and an
outgoing personality. His efforts were recognized at his graduation from
BCIT where he received the ‘Top Pilot’, ‘Top Academic’, and ‘Dean’s Award’.
Sean has been a Flight Instructor at the Pacific Flying Club since 2013,
sharing his passion and love for aviation with the many students and pilots
he meets. Outside of work, Sean is active in the community supporting the
COPA For Kids program as Flight Captain and Vice President for the
Boundary Bay Flying Club as well as with the BCAC Youth Engagement
Committee. He is a firm believer that every young person should be given
the experience of flight as it shows kids that dreams really can come
true…he is living his!
Noel Szelewski
Noel graduated from the University of Victoria in 2012 and immediately
entered the transportation industry. He is currently a project analyst with
InterVISTAS Consulting and supports a number of aviation, tourism and
transportation related projects. The projects vary and include focuses on:
economic impact, market leakage, air cargo, borders and facilitation work
and customer satisfaction surveys. His passion for aviation started at a
young age and was fuelled by living in close proximity to Heathrow airport.
After finishing high school, Noel completed his private pilot license training
before deciding to proceed with an economics degree. Outside of work, he
flies when possible and is also an active member of the flight simulator
community. Noel also enjoys music, a variety of sports, fishing and
travelling.
12
Ozzy Abukadra
My name is Ozzy Abukhadra and I was born and raised in a small city in Ontario. I
recently graduated from high-school and received my first familiarization flight as
a gift from my family. I got the chance to fly over the Detroit River and the
Ambassador Bridge in Ontario. It was an amazing experience which I will never
forget!
I have always been fascinated with aviation and wondered how airplanes operate.
My familiarization flight further fuelled this interest, and now I plan on attending
the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering program at BCIT. This will further my
understanding of planes and their operations. Following this, I hope to obtain my
private pilot licence and ultimately my commercial pilot licence.
I am happy to be in beautiful British Columbia and can’t wait to begin my career in
aviation!
Daniel Chow
Daniel graduated from University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business,
specialized in Accounting and Transportation Logistics. During his studies, he
discovered his passion, air transportation, after taking courses with notable
industry professors. Because he wanted to learn more about the industry, he spent a
summer working as a Research Assistant at Air Transport Research Society, which
publishes annual airport benchmarking reports on traffic and financial efficiencies.
After he graduated, he joined Swissport, a ground handler, as a Passenger Service
Lead. As a lead, he ensured smooth check-in process so flights can depart on-time
without issues. In order to further his career, he pursues the Certified Management
Accountant (CMA) designation and will be completed by the end of 2015. The CMA
program combines financial analysis with strategic management elements, and
requires all candidates to write and present case reports. With his accounting,
financial, and strategic analysis experience, he is hoping contribute his skills to the
industry. During his leisure time, Daniel follows closely on the industry news by
reading trade magazines and networking with professionals. Daniel also loves
travelling. He had spent four months in Europe, which he spent most of his time exploring new places, studying,
and meeting new friends.
13
Arian Eslami
Arian Eslami is native to Iran. After 8 years of travelling to different parts of the
world visiting the Pyramids in Egypt, Petra the Pink City, the Dead sea in Jordan,
and most parts of Europe before immigrating and settling down in Canada on
2006. By embracing and diversifying his knowledge of different cultures, it has
helped him become more open-minded and grow strong as an individual. It also
created opportunities for him to acquire new languages: Farsi, Arabic, and finally
English. Growing up watching his dad work in the movie industry as a special
effects makeup artist created an atmosphere for him to learn to think outside the
box. Arian is currently enrolled in BCIT AME M program and was elected the class
representative for 2014-2015.
Frederic Floyd
Aviation has always been a true passion of mine and my experience in the
aviation industry goes back to my childhood. My father is a retired Cathay
pacific airline pilot and was always teaching me about different types of
aircraft and lessons in safety. I have my private pilot licence with interests in
aerobatics and flying tail draggers. I was born in Belgium from a Belgian
mother, so I speak French fluently at home. I have two young boys who I like
to teach things such as aviation. I look forward to raising them to follow their
passions and enjoy life. I have lived in several continents and countries over
the years, including Belgium, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Canada. I
love to travel and to sample the cuisines from different cultures. Cooking is a
stress reliever and source of artistic creation. I love art, including drawing,
painting, and comic making. I have a collection of paintings, which I have
exhibited to the public. There was also a children’s book I printed featuring a
mischievous black cat. My goals in life are to find a job I can look forward to
going to every morning, and to give my family plenty of attention. The
ultimate aim is to find balance and peace in my life.
14
Sean Flynn
Sean Flynn, a seventeen-year-old high school student from Surrey, British
Columbia, discovered his passion for aviation early in life. From flying with
his father, who holds a private pilot’s license, to travelling back to Ontario to
visit his grandparents, Sean had many opportunities to experience the thrill
of flight as a young child. Determined to pursue a career in aviation from a
young age, Sean began flight training at Pacific Flying Club in March of 2013,
shortly after his fifteenth birthday. He completed his first solo flight after
twelve hours of flight training in July of 2013. Having completed the
requirements for the Private Pilot License, he is looking forward to
obtaining a night rating throughout the next few months. With one year of
high school remaining, Sean plans to enrol in a commercial aviation program
with the ultimate goal of becoming an airline pilot. When not in school or
flying, Sean can be found working as a cook at a small Ocean Park restaurant
or officiating local minor hockey games. He also enjoys playing ultimate
Frisbee with his high school teammates and likes to hone his ultimate skills
during the off-season.
Nicholas Gravel
Since a young age, Nick had always known that flight was one of the greatest joys in
life. At the age of 22, he endeavoured into his first flight and has been hooked ever
since. As a new student in the BCIT – Airline and Flight Operations class 13, Nick
Gravel has just recently begun his venture into the aviation industry. Currently, he
is undergoing training for his private pilot licence at Pacific Flying Club. He
graduated from high school at Lord Byng Secondary in Vancouver, BC where he was
raised. Although a local to the area, he hopes, his training and work may someday
take him to new destinations every day. When not spending his days at Boundary
Bay airport, Nick likes to partake in a multitude of activities, such as; hiking,
running, and rock climbing. He also holds a passion in playing instruments
including the piano, viola, and guitar. Since joining the aviation community, Nick
often volunteers his time for local events, air shows, and COPA events. He hopes to
engage himself in the community further on a local, and someday international,
level.
15
Keith Lai
Keith is currently a third year student at UBC majoring in economics and
commerce. Interested in the world of transportation since a very young age, Keith
has experience as an ambassador at both the Vancouver International Airport and
Port Metro Vancouver. Ever since Keith’s father introduced him to plane spotting,
Keith has been fascinated by the dynamic world of aviation. To further develop this
interest, Keith joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets Program at the age of 12.
Through his six-year career as an air cadet, Keith has learned the principles of a
follower to the responsibility of a leader in various extracurricular activities such as
field training exercises and regional competitions. During my last year of cadets, I
was also selected to represent Canada on the International Air Cadet Exchange as a
goodwill ambassador to the United Kingdom. Not only was Keith ecstatic about
planes as a child, but he also wanted to become an illusionist or a detective. The
number three plays a very significant role in Keith’s day to day life because he has
three people in his family, knows three languages, and can play three musical
instruments. As for future career goals, I wish to combine my passion towards aviation and my experience with
data analysis to pursue a career in aviation marketing.
Viny Liu
My name is Viny, Wanchen Liu, and I grew up in Taiwan where I attended school
and university. After completing my studies in chemistry, I worked in the
pharmaceutical field for over ten years as a manager of a high volume pharmacy. I
travelled throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and North America as a volunteer to
fulfill medical prescriptions for those less fortunate and the sick who are unable to
afford care on their own. It was during my travels that I experienced firsthand the
varying levels of service at airports and aviation operations as a whole. With my
travelling background in mind, I decided this year to pursue my dream of studying
Airport Operations at BCIT with an aim to enter the field as an aviation analyst and
ultimately partake in the operations and management of a major airport such as
Vancouver, Toronto, or even a regional airport. To summarize, I am an ambitious
student with a professional background in the sciences that has decided to follow
her passion for the aviation industry. I am confident that with hard work and a
clear vision of my objectives that I will be able to fulfill my goals of establishing in the industry and do my part to
make the travelling experience throughout the world a pleasurable, safe, and efficient one.
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Bradley Meyer
Bradley's interest in aviation began with his first flight in a Cessna 172 when he
was 5 years old. Since then it has grown exponentially and just showing up at the
airport will put a dumb grin on his face. He is currently at BCIT training to be an
aircraft maintenance engineer, and looking forward to finally getting to work in
the industry. Once out of school he is planning on learning to fly, whether in a
cockpit or under a parachute. Some of the best times of his life so far were had
while flying in planes and paragliding in Austria. Currently, he is usually working
on his supercharged Miata when not at school, in the pits at the go-kart track or
deicing at YVR. There always seems to be some project waiting to be finished in
his basement or scattered across his desk. He is always looking for more and
believes a job is not worth doing if it is not done right. These values have allowed
him to progress quickly at his workplaces. In addition to this, he is always looking
to learn new things and enjoys having new experiences. He is very mechanically
inclined and enjoys fixing things whenever problems arise.
Rina So
Rina is currently enrolled in the Airport Operations program at BCIT and will
graduate in February 2015. In the past, she received BA in linguistics from UBC
and worked in the language education institute in Korea for almost four years
publishing English grammar books and other educational resources. There, she
was an assistant manager and learned about the effective project management
and teamwork. When Rina returned to Vancouver in 2012, she decided to
pursue what she had always wanted to do: being part of the aviation industry.
She has always admired that aviation links the world and brings people together
like it did for her. At BCIT, she has been a dedicated student who works hard to
gain knowledge on different aspects of aviation and an active participant in
various workshops and networking events. She also enjoyed her two practicums
in Safety department at Pacific Coastal Airlines and in the Emergency Planning
department at Vancouver Airport Authority. In her free time, Rina enjoys
swimming and going to theatre, concerts and movies. She also loves travelling
that she visited many countries in the Western Europe and several cities all
around the North America.
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Alisha Sohpaul
The shocking look on peoples’ faces when I tell them I am an AME apprentice
will never get old! Showing the world that women can, without a doubt, do
anything men can since 1994. Turning wrenches has become a new passion of
mine and opened many doors leading to different opportunities in aviation.
Growing up I always knew aviation was the field for me. Barbies were definitely
not my thing. Instead, I was constantly nagging my mom to take me to the park
to fly my R/C planes. As the youngest in the family, I have been grateful to have
the amazing support of my family to follow my dreams. I am still learning the
ropes in this industry and continually learning how to pave my way to success.
When I am not working on planes, I enjoy traditional bhangra dancing. I
absolutely love performing with my cousin at family functions. Shooting hoops
and playing ball is definitely a second passion of mine. I still get to sink 3’s with
some of my old teammates in a women’s basketball league. Travelling the world
is also something I look forward to doing in the near future.
Jamie Tsui
Jamie Tsui is currently attending BCIT Airport Operations Diploma Program. She is now
in term four and will graduate from the program in February 2015. She was born in
Vancouver. Her first aviation experience occurred when she was only 18 months old.
Her family brought her to Hong Kong for Christmas. While she was boarding the plane,
she recognized the word “EXIT”, which she learned from “Sesame Street”, on one of the
emergency exit doors. She pointed out the word and read it out clearly to her
grandmother. Many years later, her grandmother still talks about that experience.
Jamie and her family moved to Hong Kong when she was two and spent her childhood
in the city. She returned back to Canada on her own to pursue her post-secondary
education. She attended the University of Victoria for three years and received a
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. After graduation, she signed up the Airport
Operations program, hopefully to find a job in the aviation industry. Jamie did not have
any aviation background before entering the program but she enjoys learning about
aviation every day. She went to YVR and CHC Helicopter for workplace practicums. When she is not working on her
school projects,
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