Support Staff
Tracy Giles, Cert. Ed.
Administrative Assistant
Tracy comes with 35+ years of experience in office administration and office manager roles both in the corporate section and adult education. She has also worked as a tutor in IT subjects for a community education organization, and a volunteer tutor for English for foreign learners.
Tracy provides front–line service for students coming to the department for assistance to connect them with the right person for their needs. She can also provide information about programs and services, as well as providing administrative support for the department.
Cowichan Campus is a beautiful campus that is small enough for us to know nearly every student by name. It’s a wonderful thing to see our students progress and succeed and the support we can provide through Student Affairs is so crucial to that success.
Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.
June Karstad
Office Manager and Financial Aid Assistant
June started as a student at Malaspina College in 1988 and completed the Office Administration program. The excellent training prepared her for work in a busy office and she was immediately hired to work at Cowichan Campus. Over the years she has worked in various capacities including the Welcome Centre, Registration and Community Education. In 1992 June began in Student Affairs. Her current position is helping students with financial aid and as office manager.
“It is all about the students and that is why we are here! Cowichan Campus is a small friendly campus where we get to know the students and celebrate their successes with them. I really enjoy the contact with the students and the public.”
Each student has individual needs when it comes to inquiries about Financial Aid. It can be as simple as providing websites and telephone numbers, information about various sources of financial help or complex, stressful situations for the student. Student Affairs has resources to help and support students during those stressful times. June’s role is to assist students source information to answer their questions, guide them through accessing government funding options for their studies, as well as connecting them with the appropriate advising and counselling support available from professional members in the department.
Never hesitate to ask for help at Student Affairs – you are in the right place!
Gaby Lepitre
Supervisor, Assessments & Exam Invigilation
Gaby started working at the Cowichan Campus in 2006 in the role as a casual. A few years later, she was supervising and coordinating program assessments and exam invigilation services on a part time basis. Two years later, she added the part-time position of Record Clerk in the Registration Department.
Gaby works out of the Student Affairs department with an exceptional team who values high standards of customer service. You can be assured of a welcoming and efficient testing environment.
Faculty
Albert Seinen, M.A., M.Ed.
Educational Advisor and Counsellor
In his counselling practice Albert draws from a number of approaches using them as seems appropriate, particularly Satir, EMDR, and other body-centred psychotherapy. In his educational counselling, Albert uses a person-centred approach to facilitate understanding of how education and work can be part of how a person wants to live their life.
Dan Vaillancourt
Instructor, and Volunteer Tutor Coordinator
Dan helps students find the assistance they need for academic success, whether in university, trades, or career and academic preparation courses. As Coordinator of the Volunteer Tutor Program, his primary responsibility is to match students who need help with volunteer tutors from the community who can offer that help.
Dave Barck, M.Ed., CCC
Educational Advisor & Counsellor, Disability Access Services
Dave approaches his multiple roles through a humanistic, student-focused perspective. He listens, engages, and works in collaboration with students to help them identify options and resources pertinent to their educational pathways. As an Access Specialist he values promoting accessibility on campus for students with disabilities through proactive initiatives as well as through the removal of barriers to education through academic accommodations.
Lexis Linklater, M.Ed., RCC
Educational Advisor & Counsellor, Services for Aboriginal Students
Lexis is our Aboriginal Counselor/Advisor for Services for Aboriginal Students. She has extensive counselling experience and a specialized Master’s Degree in Counselling in Indigenous Communities from UVIC. Utilizing a holistic and compassionate approach, Lexis provides therapy and academic support that respects and honours the whole needs of the student. Lexis is Metis of Anishinaabe and Cree descent and is grateful to be a guest on the Quw’utsun lands. She welcomes you to come and meet her should you have any questions or needs.
Natasha Labenek, M.A., RP, CCC
Educational Advisor and Counsellor
Tasha began working for Student Affairs at the Cowichan Campus as of November 2019. She works as a Counsellor and Student Advisor. Her favorite part of the job is seeing students smiling faces as they get empowered and excited about their future!
For educational advising, she clarifies student interests and works one-on-one with them to reach their goals. She uses labor market information, career inventories, and the student’s own experiences to help them reach decisions about their education.
In counselling, Tasha uses an integrative approach that ties elements from Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing. Tasha encourages her clients to develop greater understanding of themselves in their quest for change: including, but not limited to, their strengths and weaknesses, limitations and capabilities, as well as their values and dreams.
Rebecca Christofferson, MA, RCC
Educational Advisor and Counsellor
Rebecca had the honor of graduating on Qu’wut’sun land from Malaspina’s Arts One First Nations program. She went on to achieve a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Post-graduate diploma in Art Therapy, and a Masters of Education. She is now a registered clinical counselor working in the Cowichan Valley.
In the Lower mainland Rebecca developed and facilitated aboriginal therapeutic services for families dealing with addictions, family violence, attachment disorders, mental health issues, abuse and residential school trauma. In North Labrador, she had the opportunity to work with the Inuit people in family healing programs, designed to strengthening families. On Vancouver Island, she has maintained a private practice and therapeutic retreat centre.
"I have had a wonderful career helping people move closer to peace in their lives, may it be a peaceful moment where the kids are sitting down at the dinner table, or a moment of still confidence in your own worth. It became clear to me that counselling is a service that allows change to move from being something daunting and painful to something clear, focused and attainable."
Sheila Boyce, MSW, RSW
Educational Advisor & Counsellor, Disability Access Services Specialist
Sheila works from a person centred perspective helping students to identify their strengths determine their goals and create manageable plans that will take them from “where they are now – to where they want to be in the future”. Helping students to navigate challenges that will inevitably occur along their path with compassion and humour are her favorite parts of the work she does at Vancouver Island University.
Elders
Harold Joe
Cowichan Campus Elder-in-Residence
Harold, Cowichan born, raised by maternal Musqueam grandparents, is one of our Elder-in-Residence. Harold instructs Life Skills, Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps for Youth, carving, drum making and Hul’q’umi’num’ language.
Marlene Rice
Cowichan Campus Elder-in-Residence
Marlene is fully active in cultural activities throughout the island. Her passion, goals and vision are in helping all people with culture, traditional values, language and education, which is all part of creating a strong foundation for successful employment and healthy living .