Members

All graduate students registered at UNBC, including Master’s and PhD graduate students, are members of the Northern BC Graduate Students’ Society (NBCGSS). The NBCGSS is run by a board of directors that is elected by members each year. Members of the NBCGSS are also members of the BC Federation of Students (BCFS).


Board of Directors 2023 – 2024

Ekpeno John Ukut

CHAIRPERSON OF NBCGSS (2023 – 2024)

Ekpeno John Ukut (He/Him) is a Theatre practitioner, Film maker, Communication for Development (C4D) expert, celebrated author and an award winner who has contributed towards the development of communities over the last 11 years.

His passion as Chairperson of NBCGSS is to improve on the overall welfare of all graduate students financially and in healthcare, and also upholding their rights as students. Ekpeno’s primary goal is to create an enabling environment of equity where underprivileged new graduate students can successfully secure jobs upon arrival on campus.

He is the Founder of Kick Out Cancer Foundation (KOCAF), where they have assisted more than one hundred (100) cancer fighters and survivors in the last 7 years in Nigeria, and also the Founder & Executive Director of The Andino Foundation for Development & Sustainability (TAFODS), where he has initiated and runs three (3) different projects, The Adams Project Africa (TAPA), Angels At Dawn (AND) and Project August (PA) all currently executed in 12 countries across the world to help build communities sustainably.

Ekpeno holds a MA in Development Communication, BA in Theatre & Performing Arts, both from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. He is a British Council trained Community Development Strategist through the Active Citizens program & a certified Talent Manager from the prestigious Music Business Africa (MBA), and is currently studying for a MA in International Studies here at UNBC.
He is the author of the books Pearl of Hope and Odudu: The Bane of a Nation.

Bahare Amiri

REGIONAL STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE FOR NBCGSS (2023 – 2024)

Bahare Amiri (She/Her) is a dedicated gender studies master’s student with a strong passion for empowering women and girls.

With 12 years of voluntary experience in this field and a background in human resource management, she has gained valuable expertise that allows her to merge her passion with practical knowledge.

Currently serving as the regional representative of students, she is focused on expanding services to all campuses of the University of Northern British Columbia.

Her primary goal is to effectively represent the wishes and concerns of students across all campuses, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met. Bahare’s research interests lie in the intersection of women’s issues and immigration, where she actively seeks to contribute valuable insights.

Rosarydasan Rozanna Devamalar

DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF NBCGSS AND ALSO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF NBCGSS TO THE BRITISH COLUMBIA FEDERATION OF STUDENTS (2023 – 2024)

Rosarydasan Rozanna Devamalar (She/Her) is a social worker by profession, who thrives to bring change to humanity and the environment. With 6 years in account management, client services within the cooperate sector and another 6 years with the Government of Canada in Sri Lanka along with her background of IT and Communications, her interests have been resolving issues and leading on change management which eventually directed her focus towards developmental issues that impacts humanity and sustainability.

Her passion as the Director of External Relations is to be the bridge between the graduate body and the external world to initiate communication to build a better network that can support our students at UNBC.

Securing jobs upon arrival for our new underprivileged graduates being one of the focal concerns of NBCGSS but not limited to, her initiatives are already in progress along with the Chairperson and the rest of the board of directors to extend the services to the students this year.

Her Educational Background is:

  • Bsc. (Hons) in Business Information Technology (first class and batch top) from the university of Greenwich, UK;
  • Post graduate diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from Pearson, UK
  • Master of Social work (MSW) from National Institute of Social Development – Sri Lanka
  • Currently studying MA in International Studies at UNBC.

She has her own Initiative “Hope for Humanity” where she has extended her support for children and women empowerment in Sri Lanka.

Being an ambassador has always been her passion. She believes that such ambassadors can bring a great balance to the humans and the earth by linking the right resources at the right time.

Muhtad Khan

DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL RELATIONS OF NBCGSS (2023 – 2024)

Muhtad Khan is an accomplished professional with years of experience in managing businesses and finances and a dedicated scholar with a Silver Medal in economics, budding development economist, and a certified entrepreneur.

He has founded businesses in the UK and served as the CFO of Gigyani Enterprises LTD.

Beyond business, he’s an active volunteer, participating in significant initiatives like The Page-Turner and Rethink Peshawar 2019. He is also a great writer who has published number of books.

We’re absolutely thrilled that Muhtad is bringing his vast experience and unique perspective to the role with us and eager to witness the impactful contributions he’ll make!

Musfiq Tajwar

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OF NBCGSS (2023 – 2024)

Musfiq Tajwar (He/Him) is passionate about right based activism and community mobilization. Before joining UNBC Musfiq successfully completed an UN deployment at the Rohingya Refugee Crisis and now researching Sustainable community development at UNBC.

He is taking MA in International Studies at UNBC. He completed his Under graduate studies in International Laws and worked with a number of International organizations including United Nations Migration Agency (IOM) in Bangladesh.

Musfiq joined us as the director of community development and his plans are to increase and extend NBCGSS community engagement among the graduate body as well as beyond UNBC, reaching out to the regional campuses.

Akil Arasan Vinayagam

MEET OUR DIRECTOR OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (2023 – 2024)

Akil Arasan Vinayagam (He/Him) is in the program of M.Sc. Physics and an incredible individual with a passion and commitment to fostering an inclusive community, Akil leads the charge in promoting fairness and celebrating diversity. Join us in creating a more equitable and welcoming Grad student Society.

Penína Sara-Lynn Harding

MEET OUR DIRECTOR OF INDIGENOUS STUDENTS’ AFFAIRS FOR NBCGSS (2023 – 2024)

Penína Sara-Lynn Harding, Esk’étemc (She/Her) (First Nation) is PhD Candidate of Natural Resources & Environmental Studies, MA – NRES transfer to PhD – NRES May 1, 2020; BA Geography, May 2018 of University of Northern British Columbia.

Areas of Specialization:

  1. Indigenous Environmental Planning
  2. Indigenous Research Methodologies, and
  3. Experience of Place.
  • Dissertation Title: “Documenting Esk’étemc Experience of Place to Prepare for Generative Land-Use Planning”
  • Penína’s Linktree
  • 2023-24 Director of Indigenous Student Affairs – NBCGSS BCFS Local 20
  • 2022-2025 SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship Recipient
  • 2021 Recipient of the BC NEIHR Doctoral Scholarship
  • 2019-20 President – Northern BC Graduate Student Society (NBCGSS)

Let’s hear from her:

“The work of Dr. Adam Gaudry on Insurgent Indigenous Research has made a lasting impact on how I understand my roles in this life and as an emerging Indigenous scholar. As of March 2023, I am in the process of applying for approval to conduct research within the Esk’étemc through the Esk’étemc Research Committee and their Esk’étemc Traditional Knowledge & Research Ethics Policy. Once approved by their process, I will submit my application to the University of Northern British Columbia’s Research Ethics Board process. I plan to begin interviews with Esk’étemc Knowledge Keepers in Summer 2023”