Fraser Valley Labour Council Questionnaire

The most important issues for me in this election are student safety and well-being, support for staff, responsible use of public funds, and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.

In speaking with district leadership and listening to what families, staff, and students are experiencing, I believe we need to stay focused on the real pressures showing up in our schools: food security for students, mental health, violence and safety concerns, and the growing challenge of supporting dysregulated students in ways that are safe, compassionate, and practical for everyone in the building.

Staff need access to training, resources, and supports so they are not being asked to manage increasingly complex situations without the tools to do that work well. When students are struggling, the adults around them need to be supported too.

Fiscal responsibility is also a major priority for me. Public education dollars must be managed carefully, transparently, and with a clear connection to the district's goals. The community deserves to see how budget decisions are tied to student outcomes, safety, inclusion, and the priorities identified through consultation and strategic planning.

Finally, schools must be safe and welcoming places where all students are valued and respected regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, heritage, religion, ability, or family circumstance. At the same time, we cannot lose sight of the core work of education: literacy, numeracy, attendance, graduation, trades and career pathways, and helping every student leave school with options.

My leadership style is practical, direct, collaborative, and centred on people.

I believe good leadership starts with listening — not just to the loudest voices, but to the people doing the work, the families experiencing the system, and the students most affected by the decisions being made. Leadership also requires the courage to ask hard questions, make responsible decisions, and stay focused on what is best for students even when conversations are difficult.

My strengths as a community leader come from many years of working with families, schools, boards, staff, volunteers, and community organizations. I have served as a parent leader, school trustee, board chair, and senior administrator in sport, and those roles have taught me the importance of building trust, communicating clearly, managing public resources responsibly, and bringing people together around shared goals.

I value strong relationships, transparency, preparation, follow-through, and respect for all people. I am not afraid to make decisions, but I believe decisions are strongest when they are informed by evidence, community voice, staff expertise, and a clear understanding of the impact on students.

To me, community interest means making decisions that serve students, families, staff, schools, and the broader public good. In public education, that means keeping student safety, learning, inclusion, public trust, and responsible use of public funds at the centre of decision-making.

My own interest means any personal preference, relationship, convenience, or opinion that could interfere with making a fair and responsible decision. It also means recognizing when I may have a bias or a conflict and being honest enough to manage that appropriately.

As a trustee, I would ensure the community interest comes first by being prepared, listening broadly, asking thoughtful questions, and making decisions based on evidence, policy, consultation, and the needs of students — not on pressure, politics, or personal preference.

Public service is not about advancing my own agenda. It is about respecting the role, managing public trust responsibly, and making decisions I can stand behind because they are fair, well-informed, and centred on the people the school system exists to serve.

The first step is to listen (I know I say this a lot – but I truly mean it!), be well-informed, and understand what is actually happening in schools before making decisions about what should happen next. That means listening to students, families, staff, district leadership, partner groups, and community organizations. It also means looking carefully at both empirical data and anecdotal information. Numbers matter, but so do the lived experiences being shared by students, families, and the people working in our schools every day.

To advance the issues I have identified, I would focus on bringing thoughtful questions and practical solutions to the board table. When we talk about student food security, mental health, school safety, violence, or support for dysregulated students, I would want to understand what supports are currently in place, what the data is telling us, what staff and families are experiencing, and where the district can work more effectively with community partners and experts.

I would also advocate for staff to have the training, resources, and support they need. We cannot expect staff to manage increasingly complex student needs without giving them the tools to respond safely and effectively.

On budget issues, I would work to ensure that spending decisions are clearly connected to the district's strategic goals and the needs identified through consultation, data, and direct experience in schools.

I would also continue to speak up for safe, respectful, and inclusive schools. I am aware that not everyone fully understands the role of a trustee, and that there are times when people may try to limit or challenge efforts to recognize and celebrate the diversity of our community. Representation matters. Students need to see themselves reflected, respected, and valued in their schools.

Conflict is part of public service, especially in education, where decisions can affect children, families, staff, and the broader community in very personal ways. I do not believe conflict should be avoided, but I do believe it needs to be managed respectfully, responsibly, and with a clear focus on the role of the Board.

I welcome healthy debate. Pushback is not something we should fear — it is often what helps us grow. A good listener can hear or consider things they may not have thought about before, and being uncomfortable can force us to better articulate the "why" behind our positions.

I also believe we must recognize that, as individuals, we are not always right and we do not always have the best answer on our own. That is why the collective work of a Board matters. It is through respectful debate, open hearts, open ears, and a willingness to learn from one another that trustees can come together and make the best possible decisions for students, staff, families, and the community.

When there are diverse positions or opinions, my first step is to listen carefully and make sure I understand the concerns being raised. People may not always agree, but they should feel they have been heard. I also believe it is important to look at the evidence, understand the policy and legal framework, and consider the impact of any decision on students, staff, families, and the district as a whole.

I also think it is important to recognize that "diverse opinions" does not mean all positions have the same impact on students. When issues involve student safety, inclusion, dignity, or the right of students to feel seen and valued in their schools, trustees have a responsibility to lead with both compassion and courage.

I understand the time commitment required to serve well as a school trustee, and I take that responsibility seriously. Having served three terms previously, including time as Board Chair and Vice-Chair, I know the work does not begin and end at the board table.

At minimum, I believe a trustee should expect to dedicate 6–8 hours each week to preparation, research, reading reports, reviewing agenda materials, and understanding the issues before the Board. There will also be weeks where the time commitment is significantly higher, especially during budget planning, strategic planning, policy review, consultation processes, or when complex issues arise.

I also believe preparation is not only about reading reports or studying data. A significant part of being prepared is being present and accessible in the community. Some of the most important learning happens through real conversations — in grocery stores, at sports fields, at school and community events, and in direct conversations with families, staff, students, and community partners.

For me, being prepared means doing the reading, asking questions, listening to people with lived experience, and making sure I am not relying only on what appears in a meeting package.

I believe outreach must be intentional, consistent, and respectful. It cannot only happen when there is a problem or when a decision has already been made.

If elected, I would make it a priority to build and maintain relationships with parents and caregivers, students, teachers, support staff, administrators, Indigenous rights holders and community leaders, employee groups, PACs, DPAC, community service organizations, local government, health and mental health partners, youth-serving agencies, and others who can help strengthen the supports around our schools.

Outreach needs to happen in both formal and informal ways. Formal consultation is important, but so are the everyday conversations that happen in the community. Being accessible matters. People should feel that their trustee is willing to listen, ask questions, and understand their perspective before decisions are made.

For issues such as food security, mental health, violence in schools, support for students with complex needs, and the impact of poverty or trauma on learning, schools cannot and should not be expected to do the work alone. Trustees need to support strong partnerships with community experts and organizations so that students and staff have access to appropriate resources, education, and supports.

I live, work, and play on the traditional and unceded territory of the Semá:th First Nation and Máthxwi First Nation. I respect the longstanding relationships Indigenous Nations have with this land as the original caretakers, and I believe that acknowledgement must be connected to meaningful action. I will also disclose that I come from Metis roots. My great grandparents were Metis and although I do not have a formal connection, my children all identified through school as indigenous. I do identify as Metis on any formal registration or survey that asks my heritage.

From a K–12 education perspective, advancing Reconciliation means listening to Indigenous rights holders, respecting local knowledge, supporting Indigenous students and families, and ensuring that schools are part of correcting historical and ongoing harms. It is ongoing work that requires humility, relationship-building, and accountability.

In Abbotsford, this work is also guided by the district's Indigenous Education Enhancement Agreement, developed with local Indigenous communities and focused on supporting the educational success and cultural identity of Indigenous students. The current 2025–2030 Enhancement Agreement was signed with representatives from Semá:th First Nation, Máthxwi First Nation, the Fraser Valley Métis Association, the Abbotsford Board of Education, district leaders, staff, and students.

I also believe we must honour and recognize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action that speak directly to education, representation, curriculum, professional learning, and acknowledgement. The public education system cannot address every Call to Action alone, but it has one of the most powerful roles in ensuring every child grows up with truth, respect, cultural understanding, and a clear sense of shared responsibility for Reconciliation.

If elected, I would support the district in continuing to advance this work in specific and accountable ways. That includes ensuring every student learns accurate, age-appropriate history of residential schools, Treaties, Indigenous rights, and Indigenous contributions; supporting mandatory and ongoing Reconciliation learning for trustees, senior staff, principals, teachers, and support staff; building schools where Indigenous students and families are seen, respected, supported, and represented; and working directly with local First Nations, Métis, and Inuit voices so education is not designed about Indigenous people without Indigenous leadership.

For me, Reconciliation must be connected to budgets, policy, data, and public reporting so it is not just "symbolic".

Yes. I believe trustees have a responsibility to speak honestly and respectfully when provincial or federal underfunding or inaction affects students, staff, families, and the ability of schools to meet the needs in front of them.

That advocacy must be thoughtful and evidence-based. It is not enough to simply say that more funding is needed. Trustees need to be able to clearly explain where the gaps are, how those gaps are affecting students and staff, and what resources are required to address them. That means using district data, budget information, staff experience, family and student voice, and community feedback to identify needs and advocate responsibly.

From a K–12 education perspective, I would be prepared to speak out on issues such as student food security, mental health supports, complex learning needs, school safety, inclusive education, staffing pressures, and the resources required to support students who are dysregulated or experiencing trauma.

If elected, I would support advocacy through formal board motions, letters to provincial and federal representatives, meetings with MLAs and MPs, collaboration with other boards and education partner groups, and public communication that helps the community understand the connection between funding decisions and what is happening in schools.

I also believe advocacy should include solutions, not just criticism. Schools cannot solve poverty, mental health challenges, addiction, housing insecurity, or food insecurity alone. But school districts can and must be strong partners with health, social services, Indigenous leadership, local government, non-profits, and community experts.

From a school trustee perspective, my role is first and foremost to advocate for students and to help ensure our schools are safe, supportive, inclusive, and accessible places for every child.

When we talk about vulnerable community members, persons living with disabilities, or students with special needs, I believe we need to begin with dignity. Students and families should not have to fight to be seen, heard, respected, or supported. Every student deserves access to learning, belonging, and the supports they need to be successful.

As a trustee, I would support policies, budgets, and district priorities that strengthen inclusive education, accessibility, mental health supports, specialized services, and staff training. I would also ask clear questions about where the gaps are: whether students are receiving timely assessments, whether staff have the resources and training they need, whether families understand how to access support, and whether our schools are physically, socially, and emotionally accessible.

While the direct mandate of a school trustee is K–12 education, schools are part of the broader community. We should support strong partnerships with local government, health services, social service agencies, Indigenous leadership, disability advocates, and community organizations so students and families are not left to navigate complex systems alone.

From a K–12 education perspective, I believe the role of the school district is prevention, education, early identification, support, and partnership. Schools cannot solve the mental health or opioid crisis alone, but they are often one of the first places where students show signs of struggle, and where trusted adults can help connect them to support.

If elected, I would advocate for age-appropriate mental health and substance-use education, strong student support services, staff training, and clear pathways for students and families to access help. Students need accurate information, safe adults, and schools where they can ask for help without shame or fear.

I would also advocate for staff to have the training and resources they need to recognize signs of distress, respond appropriately, and know when and how to connect students with qualified professionals. We cannot ask educators and support staff to carry these complex issues alone.

I believe the district should continue to strengthen partnerships with community agencies and experts already doing this work, including organizations such as Foundry, Archway Community Services, IMPACT, the Abbotsford Youth Commission, and other local partners who support youth and families. Schools should not be expected to become health authorities or social service agencies, but they must be active partners in making sure students and families are not left to navigate these systems on their own.

My advocacy would focus on practical supports: prevention education, student counselling and mental health resources, trauma-informed practices, staff learning, family information, and strong referral pathways to appropriate services.