Darwyn Coxson

Darwyn Coxson is a Professor in the Ecosystem Science and Management Program at the University of Northern British Columbia.

Dr Coxson’s research looks at the ecology of lichen communities in old-growth boreal and temperate rainforests of northern British Columbia. An important component of this work has been the assessment of conservation priorities within BC’s inland temperate rainforest and an evaluation of the ways in which forestry practices can be made more sustainable.

His work was a major contributing factor in the 2016 designation of the Ancient Forest/Chun T'oh Whudujut Provincial Park, a 12,000 ha protected area conserving rare ancient cedar stands in the BC interior.

Dr. Coxson is a co-author of the 2011 UBC press book “British Columbia’s Inland Rainforest: Ecology, Conservation, and Management” and the 2020 Elsevier Press publication “The Inland Temperate Rainforest and Interior Wetbelt Biomes of Western North America”.

Ramesh Ferris

Ramesh Ferris is a Polio Survivor who resides in Whitehorse, Yukon.

He has shared our Rotary End polio message with countless heads of state and other world leaders including: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Former Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon, The Director General of the World Health Organization Dr. Adhanom Tedros,  as well as Bill Gates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, & His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Ramesh has travelled throughout Canada, India, USA, Puerto Rico, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, all to convince more people to support the end of polio. Ramesh has spoken to delegates at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and to many Rotarians at various Zone Institutes and District Conferences.

Ramesh is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, and Rotarian with the Whitehorse Rendezvous Rotary Club, which he is the current club President.

Ramesh is excited to share the important message of polio eradication, education, and rehabilitation with you.

Saaid Karim

Worked with various NGOs in the international development and humanitarian sphere since 2002 in West & East Africa and SE Asia. Programs have covered a number of sectors, including peacebuilding, gender equality, forced displacement, education, health and micro-enterprise development.

Graduated with a MA in Political Science and holds graduate certificates in peace and conflict resolution (Rotary Peace Fellowship) and humanitarian leadership (Deakin HLP). Comes from Vancouver, Canada which has been home when not overseas.

Enjoy sports (watching and playing), live shows, and exploring new places. 

Lorelei Higgins

Lorelei Higgins is a Métis Canadian Cultural Mediator, a Rotary Peace Fellow and Positive Peace  Activator as well as a Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Program alumna. She has worked on  community-based projects locally and internationally with government agencies, non-government  organizations and the business sector. These projects have centred on peace and conflict  transformation, Indigenous matters and the elevation of female voices in leadership. Lorelei has worked  across the globe in communities in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

 
Lorelei is the Community Lead for the City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Program and  is working to advance The City of Calgary’s commitments to Truth and Reconciliation.

 
Lorelei has an MBA, with a specialization in leadership, and she facilitates asset-based community  development sessions utilizing an appreciative inquiry lens. Lorelei is also a consultant with Mediators  Beyond Borders International. 

Lorelei is passionate about creating bold, open spaces for building peace through cross-cultural learning  and the establishment and nurturing of enduring, positive relationships. As Mrs Canada 2021 and a  Women in Need Foundation Ambassador, Lorelei is leading efforts to increase female leadership in  peacebuilding efforts locally and globally. 

She is often found adventuring around the world with her family.

Dr. Jianbing Li

Dr. Jianbing Li is a professor and professional engineer in the Environmental Engineering program. He received his PhD degree in environmental systems engineering from University of Regina. He has research interests in environmental pollution control, petroleum waste management, contaminated soil and groundwater remediation, environmental modeling and decision analysis, and environmental risk assessment.

He has produced more than 220 publications in international journals and conferences, with a h-index of 37 (Google Scholar). His research has been supported by various organizations, including NSERC, CFI, DFO, BC Innovation Council, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, BC Oil and Gas Commission, and Geoscience BC.

He obtained the 2013 Northern BC Business and Technology Award (Collaborative Research Award with Husky Energy), the 2010, 2014 and 2019 UNBC Research Excellence Award, and the 2013 UNBC Achievement Award in Professional Practice and Mentorship. He served as a member of NSERC’s Research Tool and Instruments Selection Committee for Civil, Industrial and Systems Engineering from 2016 to 2020, and has been a member of the Board of Examiners with Engineers & Geoscientists BC (EGBC) since 2017.

He has served as the co-director of the UNBC/UBC environmental engineering program for 4 years (2013-2017). He also served as a guest editor for Bioresource Technology (Elsevier), International Journal of Environment and Pollution, and International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management. He is currently an associate editor of Journal of Environmental Informatics Letters, and an editorial board member of Environmental Systems Research (Springer).

Chief Dolleen Logan

Chief Dolleen Logan was elected Chief of the Lheidli T’enneh Nation on April 8, 2021.  Prior to that she served as Councilor for six years. Chief Logan has worked for the nation for the past 13 years in various capacities and most recently as Lead Executive Assistant.

Chief Logan brings a team-oriented approach to Council operations and plans to involve Lheidli Elders more in key decision making.  She also believes strongly in regular communication with members as Council’s job is to serve the nation.

In her spare time, Chief Logan believes in strong family ties and enjoys camping, cooking, and reading.  

Dr. Sheona Mitchell-Foster

Dr. Sheona Mitchell-Foster is a practicing Obstetrician Gynecologist and settler researcher with the University of British Columbia’s Northern Medical Program. 

After medical school at the University of Calgary, she completed her specialty training and Clinical Investigator fellowship in Vancouver at the University of British Columbia as well as a Masters of Public Health at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Dr. Mitchell-Foster has a keen interested in reproductive  health of populations that experience systemic oppression and has worked 
extensively both in East Africa and in northern BC on accessible perinatal care and cervical cancer prevention using HPV self-collection for screening including a CIHR-funded pilot of low-barrier options of cervical cancer screening for Indigenous women in the north.

Other areas of current research include perinatal substance use in northern BC with a focus on Indigenous and underserved populations in rural and remote geographies.

She also likes to unicycle.

Wade Nomura

Wade Nomura is tireless in his efforts to support both local and international humanitarian causes, having worked on more than 200 charitable projects and been on 50 international  project missions benefiting over 2 million people, including an NID to India, where he has a  special passion, having had polio as a child.

Wade is the Regional Organizer of Cadres for North America, past Technical Coordinator for  Water Sanitation and Hygiene, and Community and Economic Development in English and  Spanish speaking countries.

Wade is WASRAG Operations Chair Elect and Technical Officer. For HANWASH, he is on the  Steering Committee and Grants Committee Chair. 

Wade received Rotary International’s highest individual award the Service Above Self award and  Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and their highest individual award, the  Distinguished Service award. 

Wade is a Charter member of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning, and District Governor in  2011-2012. He is also the Multidistrict PETS Alliance Executive Director, a Rotary Rose Parade  Float Director and past chair, a member of the long-range planning committee for Cadres, PRLS  Director, and Rotary International Presidents Representative (10 times). 

Wade is Mayor and spent 28 years volunteering for the City of Carpinteria, California. In  addition to many other local projects, he was the General Coordinator of Tomol Interpretive  Play Area, a $1m partnership between his Rotary Club, the community and local, state and  federal governments. In 2011 he was selected as Carpinterian of the Year. 

Wade is also the President of the Carpinterian Boys and Girls Club Foundation, a Director of  Unite to Light, on the California League of Cities Racial Equity and Diversity Taskforce, the  President of the Santa Barbara Junior Golf Tour, and The President of the Santa Barbara  Japanese American Citizens league.

A regular keynote and workshop presenter, Wade focuses on topics including building better  sustainable projects, leadership, performance improvement, Civil Rights and more. He produces  and hosts the TV show Rotary, Serving Our Community (www.WeAreRotary.TV)

Wade was also a multiple BMX National Champion, Hall of Famer and designer of the Nomura Racing bike, an icon among the avid BMX collectors.

Recently Wade coauthored his biography Creating Destiny, with his wife Debbie Nomura, who  is also a Rotarian.

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