Meet the Board

Derrick Uittenbosch

Chair
Derrick Uittenbosch, (BA Crim ’13)
General Duty Policing Constable, RCMP 

Derrick graduated in 2013 with a BA in Criminal Justice, also gaining certificates in Communications Essentials and Computer Science. Derrick certainly put his time at UFV to great use, with extra curricular involvement including being President of University Christian Ministries Club on campus, and subsequently launching the UCM Free Pancake Breakfasts on Thursdays – to date, the longest running student event at UFV. Additionally, Derrick served as VP of Marketing, then President of the Criminal Justice Student Association, during which time he was able to share with one of our other Dereks (Froese) the 2012 accolade of having been “a key player in bringing in a new sub-million dollar budget and accompanying policies to the Student Union Society, giving SUS their first surplus in years, and enabling all student services to be maintained.”

Derrick is an RCMP Constable working in General Duty Watch in Chilliwack, and has also served on UFVRD’s Quick Response Team and the Seasonal Policing Team. Derrick’s work has earned him high praise, including the BC Meritorious Service Medal 2019 for saving the life of a female from a burning building, as well as UFVRD OIC’s Commendation for Valour 2018 and the Provincial OIC’s Commendation for Outstanding Service 2019.

Outside of work, Derrick enjoys spending time with his wife and young daughter above all else. Cycling and disc golf are also high on his list, together with indulging his practical side by building furniture from scratch. His extensive volunteer work with at-risk youth and children in care is testament to his advice to his younger self – that “time spent investing in others is always time well-spent.”

Vice-Chair
Tony Dhaliwal, (BA ’12)
Program Manager, Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre

Tony attended the University of Calgary on a basketball scholarship prior to transferring to UFV. Tony graduated from UFV in 2012 with his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Geography with a Sociology minor. In his time as a student, Tony enjoyed opportunities to do field research, developed strong writing practices and time management skills.

Tony has taken his education and utilized it to build a career working with sustainability oriented and pharmaceutical industries.  He has previously held the positions of Operations Manager for RecycleSmart Solutions, and the Sustainability Project Manager of Nexe Innovations; and currently works as a Program Manager at Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre.

Outside of his work as a cleantech ecosystem accelerator, Tony finds time to volunteer for AthElite Basketball Academy. Joining UFV as an Alumni Association Director is just one way in which Tony looks to give back to the communities he loves. He endeavors to see a better future for the UFV community and looks forward to adding his expertise to the mentorship and board governance initiatives. Tony feels having lived in Calgary, Prince George and throughout the Lower Mainland have given him a diverse set of community experiences to lean on.

His advice for his younger self would be, “networking, networking and more networking. It’s astonishing how many people are willing to help with opportunities when asked.”

Associate Vice-Chair
Tricia Taylor, (AA ’03, BA ’10)
Executive Assistant and Student Awards Program Coordinator, Abbotsford Community Foundation

Tricia’s involvement in UFV, both as a student and alumna, is extensive. With two UFV credentials to her name, Tricia went on to serve as an Alumni Association director from 2013-2018, where she led the Distinguished and Young Distinguished Alumni Award Selection Committee, streamlining the nomination process and helping to select and honour outstanding alumni. Tricia also served as the alumni representative on the Honorary Doctorate Selection two years in a row.

Tricia’s commitment to the local community is strong. She has held several positions locally including Archive Research Assistant at the The Reach Gallery Museum, and Constituency Assistant for MLA Darryl Plecas. Currently she is Executive Assistant and Student Awards Program Coordinator at the Abbotsford Community Foundation.

In her spare time, Tricia has been a loyal Scouter in Scouts Canada for 15 years and enjoys camping, hiking, swimming and anything outdoors. She is also crafty – from quilting and crocheting to knitting and scrapbooking – and an avid reader of sci-fi, horror and crime novels.

Tricia’s words to her younger self? Other people’s opinions of you are not nearly as important as how you see yourself and what work you put into reaching your dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

Associate Vice-Chair
Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts, (BBA ’17)
Constituency Assistant, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

During her time at UFV, Jennifer had the opportunity to gain a variety of valuable work experience. This included business administration skills as the Business Manager of the Cascade Student Newspaper as well as event planning and networking skills as she developed the Employer Engagement Program through the School of Business. Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Operations Management in the fall of 2017.

After graduation, Jennifer secured employment at the Abbotsford Tradex Event Centre as an Event Support Assistant. She gained many valuable skills in terms of large scale event planning and diverse staff management. In the spring of 2018, Jennifer sought out to get more involved in the community by taking on the co-manager position with the Abbotsford Farm and Country Market and continues to present. This proved to be an invaluable experience in event planning as well as marketing and recruiting. When Jennifer was offered the position of Executive Director of the Abbotsford Arts Council in the fall of 2018, she felt her education and employment to date could be an asset to the position. Previous to this she had worked as a summer student with the organization for two consecutive year as the coordinator for their annual concert series, Jam in Jubilee and Mill Lake Music.

Although Jennifer has lived her entire life in Abbotsford, BC, having the opportunity to travel both nationally and internationally has helped her to gain a cultural perspective which gives her an edge in this position. Being surrounded by art is such a beautiful thing that many of us take for granted. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys walking, swimming and reading, together with supporting local businesses, from markets to wineries.

Jennifer’s advice to her younger self is to really consider who you are giving your time to and never take for granted the people who give you their time and attention.

Director
Keenan Beavis, (BBA ’19)
Shift-Supervisor, City of Langley, and Founder, Longhouse Media

Keenan graduated from UFV in 2019 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in finance. Prior to his BBA, Keenan completed his Profession Communications Certificate at UFV.

Keenan is the founder of Longhouse Media (https://www.longhouse.co) and has a history of leveraging the internet and media to grow his own businesses, before transitioning to growing the businesses of others through his company. Longhouse Media specializes in branding and marketing services such as video production, web design, digital advertising, graphics, social media management and Google rankings however Keenan describes his job as “telling stories and removing headaches.”

In 2020, Keenan was the recipient of the Indigenous Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the BC Achievement Foundation. While not working, Keenan enjoys Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, exploring with his pet husky named Ghost and learning new things. He is excited to be serving on the board of directors of the UFV Alumni Association.

 

 

 

 

 

Director
Aman Khinda, (BGS ’10)
Self-Employed Graphic Designer and Founder, Midtone Design Studio

Having graduated with distinction in her Bachelor of Business Administration in 2016, Aman went on to put her business savvy and marketing major to good use in setting up Midtone Design Studios (https://www.midtonedesignstudio.com/) where she champions the value of clear, concise communication. Combining her background in visual arts with her business know-how, Aman is able to provide a holistic experience to her clients, understanding their needs from both a commercial and artistic perspective.

During her time with Propsera Credit Union previously, Aman served as a Member Engagement Specialist at Young Leaders of Prospera (YLP), a program aimed at giving staff aged 40 and younger the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and prepare themselves for leadership roles in the future.

As well as marketing and graphic design, Aman has non-profit experience with Habitat for Humanity, and event management, through her work with the Propsera Annual Golf Classic.

In her spare time, she enjoys drawing, photography, graphic design and henna. Her advice to her younger self? Don’t allow others to dictate what you should do with your life.

Director
Jessica Levesque (BBA ’20)
Business Engagement Manager – Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce

Jessica graduated in 2022 with a BBA with a focus in Marketing. Jessica was the UFVSUS (Student Union Society) President in 2020, with one of her favourite memories during her time at UFV being the opportunity to serve the student community, especially during the unique challenges faced in the first year of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The opportunity to work closely with members of UFV to enhance the working relationship with UFVSUS while also advocating for students during this unprecedented time was something she will always look back on proudly.

She is excited for the opportunity to continue giving back to the UFV Community in a variety of ways including serving as a Director with the UFV Alumni Association. Her unique life experiences, and areas of passion, will be a benefit to the Association’s board in the years to come. Her strong desire to help strengthen relationships between the UFVAA and other key stakeholder groups, aided by her position as Business Engagement Manager at the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, has her hoping to establish many more opportunities in the areas of networking and mentorship.

Jessica is grateful for her educational experience at UFV and the diverse range of skills she obtained including marketing, networking, communications and leadership. Paired with her entrepreneurial spirit, her time at UFV helped to prepare her to give back to the community in a variety of roles as a young professional, volunteer and Board Director.

Her advice to her younger self would be, “to be relentless and brave in the pursuit of ambitious goals and never underestimate the power of networking and connection”.

Director
Bradley Menard, (BGS ’14, BAAE ’21)
UBC Office of the Senate

Bradley is a proud UFV alumnus, having completed 6 programs at the University including a Bachelor of Arts in Adult Education, a Bachelor of General Studies, Educational Technology option, and an Adult Education and Workplace Training Certificate. He has also studied adult learning and pedagogy at other institutions including the University of Oslo and the University of British Columbia.

Bringing almost 15 years of work experience in BC’s public post-secondary education system, Bradley has a comprehensive background in effective academic governance, governmental regulations and policy, stakeholder engagement, and operationalizing meaningful inclusion.

Bradley’s experience in higher education guides his belief that UFV’s Alumni Association exists to not only foster a dynamic, inclusive, philanthropic alumni community, but to also work closely with the University to build lasting bonds with students as they progress through their studies, eventually becoming alumni. He looks forward to his work with the board of directors where he will offer guidance on the execution of the Alumni Association’s strategic priorities and advise on opportunities with the goal to meaningfully engage with UFV’s alumni community.

In his spare time, Bradley enjoys snowshoeing, playing pitch-and-putt, travelling to far-flung places, and having a craft beverage with friends and family.

 


 

Ex-Officio Director
Dr. Andy Sidhu, DLitt ’17
UFV Chancellor

Ex-Officio Director
Derek Froese, BCIS ’13
Chair Emeritus

 

Executive Director, UFV Alumni Association
Whitney Fordham, MPA, BBA ’09, bCRE
Director, Alumni Relations

 

Alumni Representative on the UFV Board of Governors
John Pankratz
Chair, UFV Board of Governors

 

Alumni Representative on the UFV Board of Governors
Maxine Bouthot, BBA ’07
Director, UFV Board of Governors

Alumni Representative on the Senate
Derek Ward-Hall, BBA ’17
Manager, International Student Engagement