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Governance & Leadership

FPSE is driven by collaboration between key governing bodies and committees. The Presidents’ Council, made up of Local presidents, serves as the governing body between Annual General Meetings.

Supporting this, the Executive Committee, which includes two full-time officers, provides guidance and strategic direction. Additionally, our Standing Committees bridge the gap between workplaces, unions, and communities, shaping priorities, policy development, and contributing to research and advocacy efforts.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Each year, FPSE holds an Annual General Meeting where delegates elected by member locals participate in workshops and approve policy, priorities and a budget to guide the work of the organization over the coming year. The activities of FPSE are governed by policy and procedures developed at AGMs.

Learn more
Constitution
Policy & Procedures Manual

Presidents’ Council

The Presidents of each Local are members of FPSE’s Presidents’ Council. The Presidents’ Council serves as FPSE’s governing body between AGMs.

Local Presidents
Michael Begg
President
Local 1
Capilano Faculty Association
Tara Lyster
President
Local 2
Thompson Rivers University Faculty Association
Marta Tejero
President
Local 3
Faculty Association of the College of New Caledonia
Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo
President
Local 4
Douglas College Faculty Association
Mark Diotte
President
Local 5
Kwantlen Faculty Association
Sheena Svitich
President
Local 6
College of the Rockies Faculty Association
Greg Mather
President
Local 7
University of the Fraser Valley Faculty & Staff Association
Toni Smith
President
Local 8
Vancouver Island University Faculty Association
Caroline Gilchrist
President
Local 9
Okanagan College Faculty Association
Takaia Larsen
President
Local 10
Selkirk College Faculty Association
Marja Burrows
President
Local 11
Academic Workers' Union (Coast Mountain College)
Lynelle Yutani
President
Local 12
Camosun College Faculty Association
Pauline Greaves
President
Local 14
Langara Faculty Association
Jen Wrye
President
Local 16
North Island College Faculty Association
Mark Salopek
President
Local 17
TRU Open Learning Faculty Association
Sharon McIvor
President
Local 19
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology Employees’ Association
Stuart Malinowski
President
Local 21
Education & Training Employees' Association
Alex Phillips
President
Local 22
Emily Carr University Faculty Association

Executive Committee

Comprised of the President, Secretary-Treasurer, two Vice-Presidents, and two Members-at-Large, the Executive Committee guides and helps support the activities of Presidents’ Council.

Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo
President

Dr. Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo is the newly elected President of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of British Columbia (FPSE). An educator, union leader, and advocate for public post-secondary education, she has dedicated her career to advancing equity, inclusion, strong faculty governance, and fair working conditions across the sector. Read more

Mark Diotte
Secretary-Treasurer
Lynelle Yutani
First Vice-President, Equity

Lynelle Yutani is a queer, leftist rabble-rouser galvanized to guard the rights of union members and is on a crusade to convince you that you get out of your Union what you put into it. Lynelle serves on Presidents’ Council of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators (FPSE) and was first elected to the FPSE Executive as a Member-at-Large in 2024 before subsequently being elected as First Vice-President, Equity, in 2026. Read more

Tara Lyster
Second Vice-President

Tara Lyster is a Registered Nurse, union advocate, and Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University, where she has been a faculty member since 2013. Tara received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1996 from the University College of the Cariboo and her Master of Nursing with a focus in leadership in 2014 from Athabasca University. Read more

Greg Mather
Member-at-Large

Greg Mather is a student affairs professional with more than 20 years of experience in post-secondary education. He currently serves as President of Local 7 (UFV-FSA), representing more than 1,400 faculty and staff members. Before his release to the FSA, his day job was the Associate Director, Student Affairs. Read more

Jen Wrye
Member-at-Large

Committees

FPSE’s standing committees connect the dots between our workplaces, our unions, and our communities. FPSE committees provide members a place to share information, experience and insights across all of our member faculty associations. Through these committees, FPSE members help set our priorities, develop policy and contribute to research and campaigns.

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