Tyler Douglas
Panelist of the BC Student Forum
Tyler Douglas is the co-founder and Vice President of Sales and Marketing of IronPoint Technologies. IronPoint is a growing Knowledge and Content Management company based in Vancouver, with offices through-out Canada. Tyler is passionate about his faith and currently sits on the board of a number of Christian non-profit organizations.
Jonathan Lai
Facilitator
Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Jonathan attended St. George’s School before earning his Business Administration degree from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, USA. Upon his return to Vancouver, he began his career at a private property management company specializing in multi-unit apartment buildings. In mid-2006, Jonathan was offered a position at a boutique residential development firm, Magellen Developments 20/20 Inc. Overseeing their latest project, Atelier on Robson, a 30-storey mixed-use tower located in downtown Vancouver, Jonathan is involved in both the marketing and development responsibilities in the office.
In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf and tennis, and running with his yellow Labrador Retriever. In September 2010, he was nominated to sit on the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation Board as a director.
Renee Schmitz
Facilitator
Inspired by the loving service she witnessed by the Missionaries of Charity in Haiti, Renee Schmitz decided to become a Nurse. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Alberta in 2006. She is currently working in Neurology/Neurosurgery/NCCU at the Lion’s Gate Hospital in North Vancouver. Driven by a desire to seek the face of Christ in the people she serves, Renee has been led to devote her time and service to promoting the dignity of every human being from conception until natural death. Renee volunteered for Birthright from 2004-2008, and was the Western Director of the National Campus Life Network (NCLN) from 2008-2010. She continues to volunteer her time as their Western Development Officer. She is also currently helping re-build a network for a not-for-profit organization, the Canadian Nurses for Life, who’s aim is to promote a culture of life within the Nursing profession.
Elizabeth Ludlow
Facilitator
Elizabeth Ludlow is currently in the second year of a postdoctoral teaching fellowship in the Department of English at the University of British Columbia. She took up this post after completing her PhD at the University of Warwick in 2008. While she has enjoyed teaching a variety of subjects, her own research is concerned with Victorian literature and the Bible. Her current project is on representations of the parable of prodigal son in late nineteenth- century women’s writing. Lizzie is very much looking forward to attending the Student Forum and exploring further what it means to live as a Christian in an academic environment.
Amber Ballard
Master of Ceremonies
Born and raised in the Kootenays, Amber Ballard spent a great deal of time riding horses, playing team sports and writing music. Always looking for adventure, Amber went to Bangkok, Thailand as a Rotary Exchange student in her grade 12 year – while there she developed an appreciation for new cultures, a passion for social justice, spicy food and tropical weather. After moving to Vancouver and completing a diploma in classical flute, a B.A. in Asian Studies and International Relations and a post-baccalaureate in International Business – Amber returned to Thailand for two years (back to the sun!), where she worked as a fundraiser for a Thai non-profit. Recently completing her professional designation in fundraising, Amber now works at Regent College and in her spare time can be found mountain biking in Squamish and on the North Shore mountains.
Brady Josephson
Facilitator
Brady Josephson is committed to making to making an impact in this world by caring for the poor, oppressed, marginalized and forgotten through smart and sustainable solutions. He realized the need for such solutions and the role he can play after working at Opportunity International in the United States as a Research Associate Intern while pursuing his Masters of Nonprofit Administration at North Park University in Chicago, Illinois.
A member of the Young Ambassadors of Opportunity, Brady believes in the power of young professionals and online tools to engage in conversation, raise funds, and find innovative solutions to move organizations forward.
Brady is an active member in the Association of Fundraising Professionals and currently serves on the Diamond Club Executive Committee at his alma mater. A continually improving husband, Brady lives in the lower mainland with his wife Liz.
Peter Lee
Facilitator
Peter Lee was born and raised in Taiwan and holds a Bachelors Degree in International Studies from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Peter also holds a Masters Degree in Christian Studies where he studied Spiritual Theology at Regent College.
In 1997, Peter is the founder of the Well Cafe an opened two retail coffee stores and is the Owner and Managing Director of “The Well Café.” More information can be found at the following website: www.thewellcafe.ca. Peter has been in the coffee business for 11 years, and is currently the Director of Sales in Canada for Caffe, Umbria Coffee Roasting Company.
Mr. Lee has been married to Pollie for 7 years and lives with this 3 beautiful girls and a dog named Bailey.
Michael Guenter
Facilitator
Michael Guenter’s professional expertise is in the development and financing of large-scale, experience-driven resort developments. He is currently working at Replay Resorts Inc., a company owned by Joe Houssian (the founder of Intrawest) and select members of Intrawest’s former senior executive team. While at Intrawest, this team created Whistler Blackcomb (the #1 ski resort in North America), Mont Tremblant (#1 Eastern resort for 10 years), and 16 other destination resorts in North America and Europe. Intrawest built and sold almost 11,000 resort homes, managed over 8,500 lodging units and owned the eighth largest golf company in North America. Replay is currently managing other four-season resorts in Hawaii, the Caribbean and Canada. Michael’s formation included a bachelor degree in Theology at Briercrest Bible College and an Honours Business Administration degree at the Richard Ivey School of Business (University of Western Ontario).
Eduardo Sasso
Facilitator
Having a background in business management engineering from the University of Costa Rica, a 3-year experience in co-leading a strategic reorientation for a small company, and having just finished a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at Regent College focused on social and marketplace ethics, today Eduardo Sasso finds himself interested in designing and nourishing more innovative, effective and life-giving practices in the workplace. Recognizing that there are big hurdles to overcome, he believes the Judeo-Christian vision set forth in the Scriptures places a deep call to transform the very fiber on which business currently operates. Thus, Eduardo is passionately interested in responding to the challenge of balancing profitability with the creation of value for all stakeholders, God included!
Erin Dexter
Facilitator
After completing her Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management at Royal Roads University in Victoria, Erin Dexter began working at Benefic Group and its related projects: the sector-changing www.chimpfund.com and Peer Giving Solutions an online platform that helps bring charities’ stories to life. She has been blessed to work with some of the best strategists and thought-leaders in the charity sector. Always driven by that sense of “giving back,” she has worked for a number of summers at Keats Camps, and was an associate project manager on The Necklace Project, a public art initiative. Erin is passionate about life, and living it to the full, something that she loves to share with others through mentorship and goal coaching. She recently returned from a 3 week whirlwind trip in Paris, London and New York – an excursion of food and culture.