AAPS Board of Directors
2024/2025 AAPS Board of Directors
AAPS Board of Directors are all AAPS members and committed volunteers. Elections for the AAPS Board of Directors are held each October.
If you would like to contact an individual Board Member, their contact information can be found in the UBC Directory.
President: | Lauren (Ilaanaay) Casey |
1st Vice President: | Anthony Dodds |
Acting 2nd Vice President: | Frishta Safi |
Treasurer: | Lisa Wang |
Secretary: | Michael Ferrazzi |
Members-at-Large: | |
Pavlo Bereas | |
Cody Bugler | |
Olivia Hale | |
Angela Lam | |
Kyle Shaughnessy | |
Non-Voting Members | |
Past President | Afsaneh Sharif |
Advocacy Chair | Andrea Han |
Lauren (llaanaay) Casey |
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Elected first as a Member at Large in 2020, then 1st Vice President in 2023, I have served on the AAPS Board for 4 years having assumed Acting President in January 2024. In my six years at UBC, I have previously worked at the Sauder School of Business and the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office, and now I am an Educational Consultant: Anti-Racist and Indigenous Initiatives with the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology.
I am a proud member of the Skidegate Band of the Haida Nation through my father, and Cree Métis from the Red River Valley via southern Alberta through my mother. My commitment to serving Indigenous people across Turtle Island is grounded in sacred teachings. For over 20 years, I have learned from the Grandmothers, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, all of whom have shared their ways of knowing and being to guide my work.
Central to my work with AAPS is a desire to ensure the voices and perspectives of members who live at the intersections of equity-deserving identities are heard by our association and by the university. This has included a focus on racial justice, decolonization, support for disabled staff and 2SLGBTQIA+ awareness.
Anthony Dodds |
Hello! My name is Anthony Dodds and I recently stepped into the 1st Vice President position after three years serving on the AAPS Board of Directors.
I’ve been employed with UBC since 2008, based on the traditional lands of the Syilx Okanagan People. I am currently the only AAPS Board Member based at UBC's Okanagan campus, though I am committed to advocating for our entire membership, no matter the site you work at or where you call home.
As a member of your AAPS Bargaining Committee, I’m extremely proud of the recent agreement we were able to reach. Looking forward, I will continue to support the creation of an AAPS office in Kelowna, advocate for inclusive policy, and to remove barriers for staff to develop both professionally and personally.
I’ve been granted a Staff Award of Excellence for Leadership, an achievement not possible without the professional development opportunities from AAPS and backing from members like yourself (thank you!).
Frishta Safi |
I have worked in the field of post-secondary education for nearly 2 decades, the last 12 years being at UBC. My work at UBC has been with Student Support & Advising where I have the privilege of helping and providing personalized support to our diverse group of students as they navigate the complex structures and processes in their academic journey.
My reason for joining the AAPS Board of Directors back in 2023 was rooted in my passion for understanding the challenges and needs of our members and therefore advocating for equity, inclusivity and positive sustainable change that meet the diverse needs of our members. AAPS’s accomplishments over the past several years have been incredibly noteworthy, from resolving our salary grievance to advocating for pay equity among comparable positions, protecting workers' rights to flexible work environments, and advocating for the needs of our diverse and marginalized groups.
Our members' diversity is our strength, and serving on the Board of Directors is a privilege that I hold with respect, as it carries the responsibility to listen, understand, and further support and act in the best interests of those we serve. I am also committed to deepening our understanding of the spaces we occupy on Indigenous lands and recognizing our responsibility to the needs of both Indigenous communities and other equity-deserving groups of AAPS.
Lisa Wang |
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I joined the AAPS Board as Treasurer in May 2021. It is such a cliché, but time does seem to fly—I cannot believe it has been more than two years already. During my time on the Board, I have gained valuable experience and would love to continue to be involved in serving our members.
I have been with UBC since 2011—first as a student and then as a staff member. After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, I worked in Financial Operations, Financial Reporting, Treasury and the Office of Enterprise Risk and Assurance. After getting my CPA designation, I am now back at my alma mater, Sauder School of Business, working as a financial analyst. I believe my education and experience will be a valuable asset to the Board, especially in the role of Treasurer.
In this time of heightened economic change, by maximizing the value created from your contributions and making fiscally responsible decisions, I hope we can find more ways to help our members.
Michael Ferrazzi |
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As a member of AAPS for the past 13 years, I am eager to give back to our community. I am excited about the opportunity to continue in my role as AAPS Board Secretary, having recently transitioned from a Member at Large.
With a Bachelor of Commerce and an MA in Economics from UBC, I believe my background equips me to address key issues facing AAPS members, such as workplace flexibility, compensation frameworks, and negotiating wage increases.
In my role as a Department Administrator, I engage with HR, Finance, Facilities, Communications, IT, and Student Support, which has deepened my appreciation for the diverse and complex nature of our staff roles at UBC. I have actively sought input from various AAPS members to ensure their concerns are brought to the Board’s agenda.
Additionally, my experience on boards such as AAPS, Strata, and Modo Car Share has given me valuable insights into effective governance, policies, operating procedures, and the principles of Robert’s Rules of Order. I am super passionate about this stuff, and I appreciate your support!
Members-at-Large
Pavlo Bereas |
I've had the privilege of working at UBC for the past nine years and being an AAPS member for eight. As a member of the LGBT community and an Accessibility Advisor at the Centre for Accessibility, I deeply understand the need for inclusive and flexible work environments. The rapid socio-economic and environmental shifts we face—impacted by the pandemic, climate change, and the cost-of-living crisis—require higher education to lead by example about what the future of work should look like. Serving as a general member of the AAPS Board of Directors, I aim to foster meaningful dialogue and conversations with UBC as an employer that addresses the evolving nature of work by pushing for more flexible work arrangements, improved work-life balance, improved working conditions and compensation as well as a stronger commitment to environmental sustainability. The challenges of climate change demand that we not only reduce our environmental impact as employees, but also advocate and bargain for fair working conditions that enable all employees to thrive. I truly believe that as the largest employment group at UBC, we can promote a workplace that responds to these challenges, creating a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable workforce.
Cody Bugler |
It is my aim and desire to bring a variety of perspectives to the AAPS Board of Directors as Member-at-Large. While representative of all members, I would like to bring particular attention to the needs of Indigenous employees, queer employees, and early-career employees of UBC.
Some issues that are important to me are autonomy of individual employees in their working style, respectful workplaces, decreased formality in work culture, support for individual well-being, and of course, pay structure that supports the recruitment and retention of employees in an increasingly unaffordable world.
I have been working at UBC since February of 2022, initially piloting an Indigenous Co-op Coordinator role for the Faculties of Arts and Applied Science, then transitioning to the position of Student Engagement Coordinator with the UBC First Nations House of Learning. I tend to pay a lot of attention to rounds of bargaining and what is being negotiated and have done so at previous jobs as well when I worked at the University of Saskatchewan.
As a 2-Spirit Cree/Nêhiyaw person living, working, and learning on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, I hope to bring a queer, decolonial, and fresh perspective to the AAPS Board of Directors.
Olivia Hale |
I am a new staff member to UBC and recently relocated to British Columbia from Scotland. I was deeply embedded in EDI activity across the University of Edinburgh:
1. I identified a gap in curriculum decolonisation developments and supported establishment of the Decolonising Working Group which I co-chaired throughout 2021.
2. I served as the Staff BAME Network Mentoring Programme Coordinator throughout 2022, which is a programme that pairs members of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds together to support one another in their experiences with racism, discrimination, loneliness, and other challenges in a higher education institution.
3. I co-convened the Edinburgh Race Equality Network in 2022, which is a member-led network of racially minoritised colleagues and allies striving to build an anti-racist community and advance racial justice.
4. I worked as the Secretary to the Research Cultures Working Group, which establishes policies to promote a positive research culture. I played a key role in writing the Research Cultures Action Plan to inform University strategy.
My leadership roles have equipped me with a thorough understanding of EDI best-practice and how to challenge practices/policies that are discriminatory or exclusionary. I am keen to serve as an AAPS Board Member and continue working as an agent of change.
Angela Lam |
My name is Angela Lam, and I have been a dedicated employee at UBC for over 21 years. In my current role as Senior Manager in the Arts Instructional Support and Information Technology, I consult, map, plan, lead, and implement operational activities to support teaching and learning within the Faculty of Arts. I have been fortunate to grow professionally within the same department for most of my career. As an alumnus of UBC, I am proud to have spent over two decades as part of this wonderful community.
For the past two years, I have served as a Member-at-Large on AAPS and currently serve on the Long-Term Disability Plan Committee. I am eager to continue my involvement with AAPS and give back to the University. I am committed to advocating for AAPS members and helping UBC foster equity, diversity, and inclusion while maintaining its status as an outstanding place to work.
Kyle Shaughnessy |
As a UBC staff with mixed Indigenous and European background (Tłįcho Dene, Irish, Ukrainian), I am excited to be on the AAPS Board of Directors and continue to advocate for the needs and interests of AAPS members.
I have worked at UBC since April 2020 as an Indigenous Education Consultant: Staff Training, split between the CTLT Indigenous Initiatives team and Central HR. In this role, through my own employee experience, and over the last two years serving on the AAPS Board of Directors, I’ve continued to deepen my understanding of the professional development and support needs of the UBC community, and specifically those of Indigenous staff.
Through continuing my work on the AAPS Board of Directors, I hope to further explore ways to advocate for the interests and wellbeing of Indigenous staff and to support all AAPS members in their professional development learning goals around decolonizing and Indigenizing post-secondary environments.
I am a registered social worker and have been advocating for 2SLGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities within public institutions for nearly 20 years. I approach all my work from a systems change lens, striving to create change through effective education strategies and authentic relationship building.
Non-Voting Members
Afsaneh Sharif |
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It has been my pleasure to serve on your AAPS Board since 2015 as a Member at Large, Second Vice President, First Vice President and President. During my term, the Board of Directors has made significant progress in policy review, connecting with members, bargaining with the university, and shaping AAPS in a positive strategic direction. UBC is a wonderful place to work and is one of the largest and most complex employers in the province. Management and Professional staff play critical roles in every function of the university. I plan on dedicating myself to improving the UBC experience for all, and look forward to doing so through the combined efforts of members and the Board. I am inspired by our members' dedication to our workplace, our community and our professions, particularly over the last few months during the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe in continuous improvement and I will actively listen and voice your concerns. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any challenges or suggestions that may improve our procedures and association.
Andrean Han |
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As the AAPS Advocacy Chair, I serve on the Board of Directors as an ex-officio, non-voting member. My main responsibilities are to oversee the monthly Advocacy Committee meetings and act as a liaison between the committee and the board. I previously served on the AAPS Board from 2011-2022, with 5 years serving as President. Outside of AAPS, I work with an amazing group of individuals in the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology.