palmer living library 2017 bios - mrs. girard's...

Palmer Living Library 2017

Alazhar Shamshuddin, born and partially raised in Tanzania, is an avid hiker, adventurer and world traveller. He has fully embraced "the outdoor life" and navigates through gruelling 10+ hour hikes in sun, rain and snow liking to test his mind and spirit often. When Alazhar travels, he likes to hike the local landscapes: the biggest mountain adventure to-‐date is Kilimanjaro. When he’s not climbing mountains, Alazhar works firmly planted in front of a computer, making software to help governments and businesses do their thing. If you’re interested in travelling or software development, be sure to ‘check out’ Alazhar!

Carolina Glauster is a queer/lesbian Lutheran Pastor who graduated from Yale University and the University of Chicago. She grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She's an activist and is on the leadership for an organization for LGBTQ Lutheran pastors. Carolina is an avid juggler and board gamer. If you’re interested in learning more about what its like being a LGBTQ pastor, or about juggling and board games, Carolina is the book for you!

Claire Christie embarked on a three-‐month exchange to Quebec during her grade 10 year. This trip enhanced Claire’s understanding of the French language, and also sparked an interest in travelling. During the summer between grade 11 and 12, Claire travelled to Germany to visit her friend Alina, whom she met on her Quebec exchange. After graduation, Claire spent a gap year in Chile, where she taught herself Spanish. She travelled throughout South America visiting Peru, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. Once home, Claire enrolled at SFU with a focus on sociology hoping to better understand the systems of oppression that create inequalities. She is specifically interested in intersectional feminism and social justice. While at SFU, Claire has become an active member of the student union, and is now a member of SFU’s Senate If you’re interested in taking a gap year, travelling, learning languages, or learning more about feminism or social justice, or even questions regarding academic success in university, be sure to ‘check out’ Claire!


Daniel Garfinkel is the founder and farmer of Vancouver Farm Co., a non-‐profit farming organization that feeds the members of its community who need it the most. He is passionate about food and farming and has explored this passion in a number of ways. After completing culinary school and working at local Vancouver farm, he moved to Israel to live and work on an educational farm. Upon moving back to Vancouver, he attended the Tsawwassen Farm School where he learned as a student and worked as a farmer. Recently, he has managed to find time to be a mentor in the Environmental Youth Alliance’s beekeeping program. Interested to learn more about farming, starting your own garden, or the environment in general? Get your questions ready for Daniel!

Dominque Dirocco is a NCCP Level 3 Accredited Coach, and has completed her High Performance 1 Certification (HP1). She is heavily involved with BC Hockey and has been coaching/evaluating for the Female High Performance program since 2006. Currently, she is an Assistant Coach with the UBC Thunderbirds Women’s Hockey Program (2016 USports National Silver and 2017 USports National Bronze medal winning teams). Dominique also has a keen interest in developing female hockey in the lower mainland as Head Coach with U18 Delta Hockey

Academy’s Female Prep Team (CSSHL) and the Head Instructor for Rock Hockey Training. Interested to know how athletes continue to compete after high school or how to become a coach? Get your questions ready for Dom!

Graeme Adamson attended Steveston Secondary and graduated with the first grad class of Steveston-‐London in 2008. After high school he went into Engineering at the University of British Columbia, specializing in Mechanical Engineering -‐ Mechatronics option. During co-‐op work terms, Graeme helped design and build an atomic resolution microscope for the Laboratory for Atomic Imaging Research. While at UBC, Graeme became involved with the UBC Sports Car Club where he learned about and continues to pursue an interest in automotive racing through local and international autocross events. After graduating, Graeme started working at a local, Vancouver tech company called Zaber Technologies. Zaber develops high accuracy, computer controlled, electronic, motion devices. Ask Graeme about his love for hiking, cars, and technology!


Ivan Drury is a 20-‐year veteran of social movements against poverty, homelessness, and injustices. He has protested, squatted and engaged in acts of civil disobedience to fight inequality all throughout the lower mainland. Currently, he is an activist with Alliance Against Displacement and a writer and editor with The Volcano Newspaper He is a sometimes teacher and always student. If you want to learn about how to change the world through direct action, or are curious about the housing crisis in Lower Mainland, you should sign-‐up for this session.

Landon Hoyt is the Executive Director for Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association (HxBIA) in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. HxBIA is an organization that takes a leadership role in managing change and shaping a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable local economy here in the Downtown Eastside. Previously Landon worked as the Community Engagement Coordinator for SFU’s Sustainability Office. He also worked with the Neighbourhood Economic Development Corporation in Eugene and Springfield, Oregon, launching the Main Street program in Downtown Springfield and Hatch, a business incubator for start up businesses. He also recently completed his Master of Urban Studies from SFU, where his research focused on the Granville Street Mall and the redesign that took place with the construction of the Canada Line and 2010 Olympics. Interested to learn more about how cities are designed or the steps that are being taken to deal with the fentanyl crisis? Get your questions ready for Landon!

Juvila Paigan was raised in Melbourne, Australia and has a fresh outlook on the financial industry. She has a solid background in corporate finance and academic advising stemming from her earlier career as a career resource for institutions such as University Canada West, CDI College, and Vancouver College. Juvila understands the dynamic financial needs of individuals and businesses and carefully examines clients’ situations to provide the most appropriate financial solution available. Her hobbies include travelling and visiting beaches. If you’re interested in learning more about finance, travelling or beaches, be sure to ‘check out’ Juvila!


Kevan Ramsden is a former tree planter, ski-‐patroller and recent hire with the Vancouver Fire department. After completing high school, Kevan spent a year traveling the world and teaching English. Upon his return decided that rather than become a teacher like his mother, father and sister, he would go to Colorado and train to be a firefighter. Ask Kevan about life as a firefighter and why he changed career paths.

Marianela Ramos Capela is currently a graphic designer for the non-‐profit organization Open Media. Open Media is an organization that basically works to "save" the Internet. What does this mean? That they work to keep the Internet accessible to all (think: from city folk to rural communities; from the richest of the rich to those who are not that privileged). They also work to keep the Internet open and surveillance-‐free. Marianela makes graphics to communicate how awesome the Internet is, and how to keep it that way (or even how to make it awesome-‐er). When she isn’t working at Open Media, Marianela also trains as a boxer and sometimes teaches at Queer Box Camp -‐ a boxing club for LGBTQ folks that aims to carve spaces to make boxing accessible to all. Interested to

know more about graphic design or making the Internet equal for all? Get your questions ready for Marianela! Melissa Langridge is an Australian Marine Biologist whose field work has taken to waters all around the world. She is an outdoor enthusiast, dive master and co-‐star of Antarctica’s first feature film, South of Sanity. Currently, she is a Senior Environmental Specialist with a local consulting firm. If you want to learn more about Marine life, life in Antarctica or even what it feels like to be an Australian in Canada, please join Melissa for a session.


Samsara Marriott is a science teacher turned science nut who works tirelessly to encourage young people, especially girls, to choose a profession in the STEM fields. Sam currently works at Science World and for the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST) doing youth outreach. She had been involved with Students on Ice (a program which takes students on learning expeditions to both the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the world) and spent a year living and teaching science on a tall-‐ship. In her spare time, she sings opera, travels the world and is proficient in the fine art of animal balloons. If you want to learn about women in science, Science World or how to get involved in science programs choose Sam!

Sean McGarggle is a poet, activist, organizer, and has spent the last 12 years working and living in Vancouver’s downtown eastside. He is the former chair and lead organizer for Spoken Word Canada and has toured Canada and the US as an artist and organizer. He is set to begin his Masters in English Literature with a focus on the Spoken Word this fall at SFU. He has a dog. Her name is Keisha. If you want to learn more about Keisha, being a poet or even the challenges

and rewards of working with people experiencing homelessness, join Sean for a session.

Steph Santa Cruz – Ever wonder how it’s possible for your body to be made up of trillions of cells all working together to keep you alive? As a researcher, it is Steph’s job to delve into this question and not only find answers, but to ask even more questions. She is currently a Master’s student at UBC studying how the skin works and what happens when the skin can no longer function. On the side, I work on-‐call at St. Paul’s Hospital at a cardiovascular tissue registry. What this means is that whenever there is a heart transplant, I am part of the team that is paged to pick up the explanted (dead) heart and preserve it for future researchers to use.


Stephanie Gibbs-‐Weibe is a former ELL teacher and current International Sales Executive with Canada Post. She belly dances, speaks German, and spent many years volunteering as a Parrot Caregiver. As a teen, Stephanie lost her father to suicide, an event that had a profound impact on her life and led her to her current volunteer position as a suicide awareness and self-‐care facilitator with the BC Crisis Center. If you are curious about what it might feel like to be one a few women working in a male dominated field, or what living out of a suitcase as you fly all over the United States meeting with clients please ‘check-‐out’ Stephanie.

Victor Yuen comes from a formidable background in graphic design and photography/art direction. Graduating from Emily Carr with a Bachelor in Communication Design he quickly established an internship with the Vancouver Canucks. He has been a graphic designer with the Canucks for 4 years and also worked in various freelance and agency environments. 4 years ago he co-‐founded a production company and now works to grow his own business. If you want to talk what it is like to work for the Vancouver Canucks or what goes into starting your own business, Victor is the book for you.

William Lindsay is of Cree-‐Stoney heritage and grew up in First Nations Communities, both large and small, throughout British Columbia. He is a writer, student, and educator who once dropped out of both high school and college. He is currently the Director of the Office for Aboriginal Peoples and publisher of the SFU news and is often called upon to consult about Aboriginal issues. He can speak Mandarin and a “little” Cree. If you want to know how a high-‐school dropout can end up an academic at one of Canada’s most prestigious university or are curious about the life and times of a First Nations Man coming of age in the 80s, William is your book.

palmer living library 2017 bios - mrs. girard's...

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