Masters of Intercultural Communications, RRU Bachelors of Communications, SFU
Move to the Mountains
I looked out of my dormitory window and thought "I'm home."
Theresa moved to Columbia Basin in 1990 to attend the Creative Writing program at David Thompson University and live in the mountains. Later after taking courses in university arts and sciences at Selkirk College and graduating from the Fine Woodworking program, she travelled extensively. Upon returning home to Canada, Theresa launched an environmental communications company, which over the next twenty-five years created, maintained and evaluated national and regional education projects. While running the company Theresa attended Simon Fraser and Royal Roads University and taught at Selkirk College including teaching for five years at the Osoyoos Indian Band Community Centre and school. She loves her current appointment because every day, she rethinks what is taught, how it is taught, and how learning is assessed.
Back to Selkirk
As a consultant I was always thinking about who I wanted to communicate with and what we would accomplish. Teaching and learning has been a natural extension of this life work.
Recently Theresa has launched and served as the principal investigator on a number of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) applied research projects including: a case study on the utility and effectiveness of the Selkirk Teaching Innovation and Research (STIR) fund, developing a set of guidelines for incorporating contemplative practices in the classroom (one of five institutions selected by an American foundation out of Amherst Massachusetts) and a project with the Rural Development Institute to help establish a baseline for defining and conserving mountain culture over time.
Today
If I can keep contributing to society through retirement, I'll be a happy camper.
Theresa is still known province-wide for her role in several key initiatives including community-based wetland conservation, fostering an environmental responsibility ethic, First Nations and Inuit tourism training, behavior change projects, educational studies and strategies, and developing networks and strategies. As Coordinator of the Teaching & Learning Centre she has further developed her leadership, networking, strategic planning, and management skills in an educational institution setting.
Some of her favourite past times are road biking, swimming, hiking, camping and spending time with her family. She will begin a PhD soon and one day will play a stringed instrument well.