Dr. Jan Hare, Dean pro tem

On July 1, 2021, Dr. Jan Hare was appointed Dean pro tem of the Faculty of Education, and as such, provides overall academic and administrative leadership on both campuses. Dr. Hare, who is Anishinaabe from the M’Chigeeng First Nation, was appointed a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Pedagogy in 2020. She is also a Professor in the Department of Language & Literacy Education. Her research interests include the social practices of literacy in Aboriginal families, schools and communities. She has a particular interest in Aboriginal early learning and youth issues. She is mentoring doctoral students working on Aboriginal language revitalization and Aboriginal education.

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. Teresa Dobson, Associate Dean, Academic, Graduate and Innovation

Dr. Teresa Dobson, Professor in the Department of Language & Literacy Education was appointed Associate Dean Academic, Graduate & Innovation on July 1, 2021. In these roles, she provides strategic oversight and support for academic programs offered by the Faculty. Dr. Dobson’s program of research entails the application of digital humanities methods in the field of literacy education with a view to the advancement of scholarship concerning knowledge mobilization generally, and, more particularly, to the complexification of theoretical paradigms that are based in print models of meaning and communication.

Dr. Reginald D’Silva, Associate Dean, Equity and Strategic Programs

Dr. Reginald D’Silva, Professor of Teaching in the Department of Language and Literacy Education, was appointed Associate Dean, Equity and Strategic Programs on July 1, 2021. His role entails providing strategic leadership to build and foster equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the Faculty. Dr. D’Silva has a multidisciplinary background in engineering, computer science and the social sciences. His PhD research focused on the use of voice recognition software programs in developing literacy skills in post-secondary English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners.

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, Facilities and Finance

Ayaz Mahmood was appointed Assistant Dean, Finance, 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, Professional Development and Community Engagement

Dr. Lynne Tomlinson was appointed Assistant Dean, Professional Development and Community Engagement on July 1, 2021. Dr. Tomlinson has served as 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. She is passionate about improving the life chances of all students. In her role 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.

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.