Dr. Jan Hare, Dean

On July 1, 2024, Dr. Jan Hare was appointed Dean of the UBC Faculty of Education, and as such, provides overall academic and administrative leadership on both campuses. Dr. Hare, an Anishinaabe-kwe scholar and educator from the M’Chigeeng First Nation in northern Ontario, is a professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education of the UBC Faculty of Education. Since 2021, she has served as Dean pro tem of the Faculty of Education, while also holding a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Pedagogy. Dr. Hare is deeply committed to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization in education. Her research investigates how Indigenous knowledge systems can transform educational practices and is anchored in robust Indigenous community engagement. She is both an advocate and supporter of Indigenous student success, demonstrated through her work in literacy learning in early learning contexts, pathways to post-secondary education for high school students, new models for Indigenous-led teacher education, and the advancement of Indigenous graduate students through mentorship and research. Her current work is focused on ways of evaluating Indigenous knowledges and pedagogies in online learning environments, as well as establishing transformative Indigenous-settler relations by applying innovative educational methodologies.

Dr. Verna Billy-Minnabarriet, Senior Advisor to the Dean on Indigenous Education

Dr. Verna Billy-Minnabarriet, who is of the St'uxwtews (Bonaparte Indian Band) and raised in the Secwepemc and Nlaka’pamux territories, was appointed Senior Advisor to the Dean on Indigenous Education September 1, 2022. In this role, Dr. Billy-Minnabarriet advises the Dean on matters related to Indigenous Education programs and initiatives in the Faculty of Education. She provides oversight of Indigenous Education programs and initiatives, the NITEP Indigenous Teacher Education Program, and the new Master of Education program. She supports the recruitment and retention of Indigenous students and represents Indigenous education at Faculty- and University-level committees.

Dr. Dónal O’Donoghue, Associate Dean, Academic and Graduate Studies

Dr. Dónal O'Donoghue, Professor (Art Education) in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, was appointed Associate Dean, Academic and Graduate Studies on July 2, 2024. In this role, he provides strategic oversight and support for academic programs offered by the Faculty. Dr. O’Donoghue's research focuses on the pedagogical nature of contemporary art and its role as a scholarly inquiry method, contributing significantly to art research and art education. His work explores art's impact on gender research, alternative inquiry approaches, contemporary art practices, and the education of artists as researchers and educators. His accolades include the 2010 Manuel Barkan Memorial Award from the National Art Education Association and the 2014 Canadian Art Educator of the Year (Research Impact) from the Canadian Society for Education through Art. He co-founded The Art Education Research Institute (AERI) and serves as Chair of The Council for Policy Studies in Art Education (CPSAE).

Dr. Surita Jhangiani, Interim Associate Dean, Equity

Dr. Surita Jhangiani, Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, was appointed Interim Associate Dean, Equity on July 2, 2024. Her role entails providing strategic leadership to build and foster equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the Faculty. Dr. Jhangiani is also the David Lam Chair in Multicultural Education, with a focus on Advancing Critical Multicultural Education through Open Pedagogy.

Dr. Nancy Perry, Associate Dean, Research

Dr. Nancy Perry was appointed Associate Dean, Research on July 3, 2023, and as such, provides strategic leadership and advice to the Dean on research matters. She provides support for faculty research award nominations, CRC nominations and renewals, and named professorships and other endowed chairs. She is also a Faculty liaison with UBC’s Behavioural Research Ethics Board. Dr. Perry is a Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education. Dr. Perry’s main areas of research are related to metacognition, motivation, and self-regulated learning in elementary school children; social perspectives on teaching and learning, including social cognitive and sociocultural theories; teacher development; individual differences; and learning disabilities. Dr. Perry holds the Dorothy Lam Chair in Special Education.

Dr. Laura Hurd, Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs

Dr. Laura Hurd, Professor in the School of Kinesiology, was appointed Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs in July 2022. In this role, she provides strategic leadership and policy and process oversight of matters pertaining to faculty affairs.

Dr. Anna M. Kindler, Senior Advisor International

Dr. Anna M. Kindler, a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, was appointed Senior Advisor International on September 1, 2016. Prior to the appointment, she served two terms as Vice Provost and Associate Vice President Academic of UBC. In her capacity as Senior Advisor International, she is responsible for strategic planning and oversight of academic international engagement, including collaborative and joint degree programs; professional development initiatives; academic leadership development programs; and other international exchanges.

Dr. Karen Ragoonaden, Associate Dean, Teacher Education

Dr. Karen Ragoonaden was appointed Associate Dean, Teacher Education September 1, 2022, and as such, provides overall academic and operational leadership of undergraduate and diploma programs in the Faculty. Dr. Ragoonaden joined the UBC Okanagan campus in 2005 and was promoted to Associate Professor of Teaching with tenure in 2012 and to Professor of Teaching in 2018. As a university teacher and researcher, her focus and commitment to educational leadership and curricular innovation have been recognized by her on campus, professional and community work relating to equity, diversity and inclusion. In 2020, in recognition of her significant impact on the culture of teaching and learning, Dr. Ragoonaden received the Provost Office’s Teaching Excellence and Innovation Award. In 2021, she received the Killam Teaching Prize in recognition of her excellence in teaching. She served on the Faculty of Education’s Task Force on Race, Indigeneity, and Social Justice and as Senior Faculty Advisor to President Ono.

Sherri Magson, Assistant Dean, Development and Alumni Engagement

Sherri Magson was appointed Assistant Dean, Development and Alumni Engagement on May 8, 2023. Sherri leads the execution of the Faculty’s long-term strategy for Development and Alumni Engagement. She manages a development program of over $3 million annually, including leadership of FORWARD, the campaign for UBC. She cultivates relationships with academic and administrative leaders to deliver on fundraising priorities and lead the strategy of building an alumni engagement program to over 17,000 alumni.

Ayaz Mahmood, Assistant Dean, Finance and Resources

Ayaz Mahmood was appointed Assistant Dean, Finance and Resources, on August 16, 2021. He is responsible for providing comprehensive financial leadership, expertise and direction for the Faculty of Education. The position has a Faculty-wide impact, contributing to strategic direction, plans and objectives by identifying issues and opportunities, evaluating organizational impact and introducing innovative initiatives to move the strategic plans forward. Ayaz is a conduit for influence and information sharing between the Comptroller's Office and the Faculty of Education. Ayaz is a Chartered Professional Accountant with a wealth of UBC and Faculty of Education experience, having worked for 10 years in a variety of finance roles within the Faculty.

Dr. Lynne Tomlinson, Assistant Dean, Innovation and Strategic Initiatives

Dr. Lynne Tomlinson was appointed Assistant Dean, Innovation and Strategic Initiatives on July 1, 2024. Dr. Tomlinson has served as a teacher, coordinator, principal, and district leader in BC public schools. As a regional leader for the Networks of Inquiry and Indigenous Education (NOIIE), she works with educational leadership teams both provincially and internationally to support school and district networks. As Assistant Dean, Dr. Tomlinson coordinates infrastructure support for credit and non-credit programs. She works closely with the Learning Design & Digital Innovation (LDDI) team to support innovative teaching practices in the Faculty of Education and supports the planning, marketing, and implementation of new professional development programs. Dr. Tomlinson’s research focused on developing comprehensive Indigenous education programs through meso-level leadership to promote Indigenous student success. She is passionate about improving the life chances of all students.

Anna Bin, Director, Human Resources

Anna Bin joined the Faculty of Education in 2007 and has been providing HR support for the Faculty for over ten years. In her role as Director, HR, Anna works closely with the Dean and the Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs, to provide comprehensive leadership, strategic planning and operational direction in the overall areas of faculty affairs and human resources. She holds a designation of Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR).

Dr. Natasha Boškić, Director, Learning Design & Digital Innovation (LDDI)

Dr. Natasha Boškić's work centers on technology enhanced learning, instructional design, and faculty training with a focus on online collaborative and communication strategies, student engagement, different delivery models, and culturally-responsive instruction. Dr. Boškić received the BC Innovation Award in Educational Technology for Web Accessibility (2007) and the President’s Staff Award for Creativity and Innovation (2017). Dr. Boškić has managed various projects in the area of eLearning, locally in Canada and internationally, such as ePortfolio implementation, accessibility issues, Aboriginal education, Faculty development and training, Mobile technologies, and others. Dr. Boškić earned an undergraduate degree in English Language and Literacy, University of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia (now Serbia); a master’s in Distance Education, Athabasca University, Canada; and a Ph.D. degree in Language and Literacy Education, UBC focusing on ethics in gameworlds.

Paula Sabti, Director, Communications and Events

Technology and social change are propelling post-secondary institutions to transform traditional service models into innovative ways of serving their communities. As the Director of Communications and Events, Paula leads strategies that help make sense of the changing post-secondary landscape and convey the importance of the Faculty's leading global research. Through an inclusive approach, she bolsters the Faculty’s impactful stories and research, leads issues management communications, oversees the Office of the Dean's events, and collaborates with UBC's central teams and networks.