Meet the Trustees
Board Trustees represent your interests in the public school system
As locally elected representatives, the Board of Education trustees represent the Kamloops-Thompson communities’ particular strengths, challenges and demands. They engage with communities in building and maintaining their local school system to reflect local priorities, values and expectations.
The Board shares a co-governance relationship with the provincial government through the Ministry of Education and Child Care. The BC School Trustees Association supports the board in this relationship.
One of 5 trustees representing Kamloops, Heather is serving her second term on the ÌÇÐÄSwag Board of Education. In her last term, she represented the board as a trustee representative at the KTTA Labour Management meetings, the District Student Voice Meetings and was a member of the Policy Committee. Provincially she was a member of the BCSTA Mental Health Working Group.
Heather works as a Team Lead in the Player Health Department at BCLC. She joined BCLC in 2020 after 23 years working for the Interior Health Authority in the field of Mental Health and Substance use Services.
Heather is the current Board liaison to the Westsyde family of schools which includes Arthur Stevenson Elementary, David Thompson Elementary, Pinantan Elementary, Westmount Elementary, Westsyde Secondary, Westsyde Elementary, School Board Office, and Transportation. Heather is entering her second year as the Chair of the Board of Education, a position she was honoured to be elected to in November 2021.
Representing Barriere, Rhonda serves as the board liaison for Twin Rivers Education Centre, Barriere Elementary, Barriere Secondary, Henry Grube Education Centre and Maintenance Department. She has served as Board Chair, and she is the board liaison with the District of Barriere.
This is John's fifth term as trustee, having served three terms between 1988 and 1996, and returning to the Board in 2018. A lawyer and Associate Teaching Professor at Thompson Rivers University, he brings a comprehensive range of board experiences that include four terms as a Kamloops City Councillor (1999-2011), CEO with Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc (2011-2013), Director of the BC Provincial Health Services Authority (2013-2016), Director of BC Emergency Health Services (2013-2016), Chair of the Interior Health Authority (2016-2017), and the Director and President of the TRU Foundation (1996-2005). He currently sits as a director and panel chair Health Professions Review Board of BC, is the Government of Canada representative on the British Columbia Judicial Appointments Committee and serves as a board director for Kamloops Innovation Council. A life-long resident of Kamloops, John is a graduate of NorKam Secondary and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Sauder School of Business, UBC) and a Juris Doctor (Allard School of Law, UBC) and was appointed as King's Counsel in 2016.
John serves as the board liaison for Aberdeen Elementary, Beattie Elementary, Lloyd George Elementary, South Kamloops Secondary, South Sa-Hali Elementary.
Representing Kamloops, Kathleen is serving her fifth term as a trustee. Previously she has served as Vice-Chair of the Board, was on the Education Committee, was the CUPE Labour Liaison for the Board, was a member of Make Children First and Vice-Chair of the Mayor's Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities.
Kathleen is the Office Manager for Aberdeen Chiropractic Clinic. She and her husband, Stephen, have three young children.
Kathleen serves as the board liaison at AE Perry Elementary, Arthur Hatton Elementary, Bert Edwards Science & Technology, Brocklehurst Middle, Kay Bingham Elementary, NorKam Senior Secondary, and Parkcrest Elementary.
A second-term trustee, Diane represents TNRD Areas L and P, the Village of Chase and the Resort Municipality of Sun Peaks. She serves as the board liaison for Chase Secondary, Haldane Elementary, Heffley Creek Elementary, Rayleigh Elementary, Sun Peaks Elementary.
Diane is a member of the Secwepemc First Nation. She has served 15 years on Chief and Council for the Adams Lake Band. Diane and her husband Ira raised one son Tristan on the Adams Lake First Nation in Chase. Diane has served on the Interior Health Board and Thompson Rivers University Board.
Diane is the Board representative for the Village of Chase and the Municipality of Sun Peaks.
This is Shelley's third term as the school trustee representing the rural communities of Clearwater, Area A and Area O. Additionally, Shelley is a councillor for the District of Clearwater, where she has been chair of the Economic Development Committee and Parks and Recreation. She was a PAC chair for more than six years at both the secondary and elementary school levels. Shelley brings more than 15 years of business experience and a dedication to next generation education to her role as a trustee.
Shelley serves as the board liaison for Blue River Elementary, Clearwater Secondary, Raft River Elementary and Vavenby Elementary, and she is the board liaison with the District of Clearwater.
Cara is serving her fourth term as a Trustee, representing the rural areas, Savona and Logan Lake. Cara is active in her community that she has lived in with her husband and children for over 25 years.
She currently works at the Thompson Rivers University supporting the President’s office after leaving her long-time career as a Legal Assistant.
She serves as the board liaison to Savona Elementary, Logan Lake Elementary, Logan Lake Secondary, Kamloops School of the Arts, and K-12 @KOOL school.
Cara serves as Chair of the Policy Committee and board liaison to the Kamloops Thompson Teachers Association, School District Employee Engagement Committee, and serves as alternative on District Parent Advisory Committee.
Representing Kamloops, Jo is serving his first term as a trustee. A life-long resident of Kamloops, he graduated from NorKam Secondary in 2015. He currently works as a Services Coordinator for the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD). In his free time, he enjoys coaching school and community basketball/soccer teams.
Cole is a Kamloops representative and serves as a board liaison for Dallas Elementary, Juniper Ridge Elementary, Marion Schilling Elementary, Ralph Bell Elementary, R.L. Clemitson Elementary, Westwold Elementary, and Valleyview Secondary.
As a former four-time elected students' union representative at Thompson Rivers University, Cole brings extensive community advocacy experience to the Board of Education.
In his current role as the Communications and Engagement Coordinator for the Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics, Cole ensures that students are engaged in collaborative and experiential learning opportunities.
With a degree in political science and economics, Cole works to apply a pragmatic, professional, and data-driven approach to represent our community stakeholders' concerns fully.
This is Cole's first term as a trustee.
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