Have you had the opportunity to meet our Future Students Facilitators (aka our Student Recruitment Officers)? This dynamic team is dedicated to transforming the lives of prospective students by guiding them towards OC and their educational goals. And guess what? We're not just talking about one superhero here – we've got a whole league of them!
P.S. Stay tuned for an introduction to the other half of our Education Planning Team, OC’s Education Planning Advisors, aka Education Advisors, coming soon!
Your OC recruitment team includes Kristine, Ryan, Nina, Laura and Tawnya, as well as Kara and Nils who are our short-term lifesavers. From Penticton to Revelstoke, this dream team is tirelessly promoting, celebrating and championing our programs and OC to boost enrolment and enlighten students. So, get ready to meet the superheroes of future student recruitment – they're here to make a difference in your academic journey!
This team recently welcomed hundreds of high school students across all four OC campuses for Experience OC. They're also behind the OC Open House events we host semi-annually. From pounding the pavement in local communities to promoting the College at high schools, shopping malls, home shows, career fairs, conferences, libraries, rec centres and ski hills, this team is nothing short of amazing. And why do they do it? Because they want to make a real difference in people's lives.
They love to create space for our OC community to join them in their quest to put OC students and future students first!
Team bios
Kristine Wickner
Introducing Kristine, the ultimate recruitment rockstar with a side of sass! Joining OC after a decade of experience in direct sales and recruitment, Kristine is like the Beyoncé of enrolment – she's got the moves to elevate OC in Salmon Arm and beyond.
Starting her journey as a Student Recruitment Officer in Salmon Arm, Kristine quickly proved herself as a marketing maven, dazzling the area as the Marketing Assistant for Shuswap Revelstoke. And guess what? She's back in action as the Student Recruitment Officer, and boy, are we glad to have her back in the spotlight!
But Kristine's talents don't stop there. Oh no, she's also a coaching extraordinaire, having led recruiting programs for Vector Marketing Canada with flair. Yep, she's the mastermind behind inspiring countless Recruiting Assistants and Managers to be their most efficient selves.
But wait, there's more! Kristine's all about spreading the gospel of skill-building, whether it's whipping up training programs or collaborating with peers to implement best practices. And let's not forget her dedication to personal and professional growth – from snagging our very own Project Management Certificate to diving headfirst into online courses like her Graduate Certificate in Values Based Leadership, Kristine's a lifelong learner through and through.
Kristine's on a mission to make a difference in the lives of folks in the North Okanagan/Similkameen. Whether she's shaking things up in politics or championing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice, Kristine's the real deal.
In June, she'll be adding yet another adding another badge to her sash by completing the Cultivating Safe Spaces training program with none other than Elaine Alec. Yep, Kristine's armed and ready to tackle the important work of creating space for every voice.
But amidst all the hustle and bustle, what really gets Kristine's heart racing? It's those one-on-one moments with students, where she gets to sprinkle a little bit of her magic and watch them soar. So, watch out, world – Kristine's back in action, and she's ready to make some serious waves!
Ryan Campbell
Meet Ryan Campbell, the Okanagan's own hometown hero, straight outta Coldstream! He kicked off his career as a Community Outreach Representative at BC Hydro, but then thought, "Hey, why not stir up some brainwaves?" So, off he went to MacEwan University in Edmonton, snagging a Business Management Diploma. Not satisfied with just one piece of paper, Ryan upped his game and bagged a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Marketing, from Okanagan College in 2023. Talk about brainpower!
Ryan's also dipped his toes into the wild world of Hospitality and Tourism at Predator Ridge Resort. And before all that studying, he gallivanted through 32 European countries like a true explorer, even doing a stint at a hostel in the Netherlands. Last summer, he jet-setted off to Finland with Okanagan College for the JAMK summer school. Talk about a globetrotter!
When Ryan's not busy being a marketing maestro or an international man of mystery, you'll find him soaking in the Okanagan's stunning scenery. From hitting the green for a round of golf to taking a dip in the lake, he knows how to unwind. And of course, nothing beats quality time with the fam bam amidst the beauty of his hometown. Ryan's the name, adventure's the game!
Nina Casano
Meet Nina, the education enthusiast with a taste for adventure! Hailing from the slopes of Whistler and the urban jungle of North Vancouver, Nina made her grand entrance into the Okanagan scene in 2021.
With a Business Administration Degree in one hand and a forklift license in the other (yes, you read that right), Nina's journey has been anything but ordinary. From selling wine to selling the power of education, she's mastered the art of persuasion like a boss.
But let's rewind a bit. Before Nina was wooing wine enthusiasts as a Wine Club Manager and swirling her way through vineyards as a Harvest Cellarhand and WSET level 3 holder, she was conquering the world of sales with the Mark Anthony Group. From Vancouver to Spain, Nina was the queen of corporate accounts and territory management – talk about a sales superstar!
Nina's also dabbled in the world of special education and community outreach, proving that her heart is as big as her ambition. And let's not forget her impressive lineup of certifications and experience, Nina's got the skills to pay the bills!
Now, as a Recruitment Officer at Okanagan College, Nina's on a mission to help students chart their course to higher education greatness. With her infectious enthusiasm and knack for connecting with people, there's no telling how far Nina will go in her quest to make education accessible for all.
Laura Macmillian
Meet Laura, the ultimate multitasking maestro and event extraordinaire. With a resume that reads like a greatest hits album of higher education and athletics, Laura's got more skills up her sleeve than a magician at a talent show.
From coordinating recruitment trips to ruling the field as Softball BC's Deputy Umpire-in-Chief (Education Officer), Laura does it all with a smile that could light up a room faster than a stadium floodlight.
With a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Coaching, Laura knows the ins and outs of teamwork like the back of her hand – probably because she's spent more time on the field than in her own living room! But wait, there's more! Laura's also a marketing whiz with a Post-Degree Diploma in Marketing, a Master's in International Management and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sport Management. In other words, she's got more degrees than a thermometer during a heatwave.
When Laura's not busy ruling the world of higher education or umpiring Softball games like a boss, you'll likely find her jet-setting to some distant land to conquer mountains or pedaling her way through the scenic Okanagan – because apparently, there's nothing she can't do.
Of you ever need someone to coordinate an event, manage a team or just generally make the world a better place, Laura's your go-to gal. Just don't be surprised if she shows up to the office one day with a cape – because in our books, she's definitely one of our superheroes!
Tawnya Cameron
Meet Tawnya, the ultimate relationship builder extraordinaire! With a knack for forging strong and lasting connections, she's the go-to guru for everyone from local school district Career Coordinators, and high school counselors and principals to local businesses all over Vernon.
With a whopping 22 years of experience in post-secondary education, Tawnya's got polished public speaking skills that can charm even the toughest crowd. Whether it's hundreds of presentations or countless events, she's done it all with flair and finesse.
And when it comes to conflict resolution, Tawnya's your go-to diplomat. She handles tricky situations with tact, confidentiality, and a sprinkle of magic.
Tawnya's not just about talk – she's a results-driven planner with an organizational game so strong it could rival Marie Kondo's. From Orientation to Experience OC sessions and everything in between, she's the mastermind behind the scenes.
And let's not forget her tech-savvy side. From Microsoft Office Suite to virtual recruitment platforms like Zoom and Easy Virtual Fair, she's a digital dynamo.
Tawnya's no stranger to making a difference. As a former Fund Development Director for the North Okanagan Hospice Society, she's raised funds, coordinated events large and small, planned marketing campaigns, coordinated events and even streamlined operations with her trusty procedure manuals.
Outside of work, Tawnya continues to make a difference as a certified Life Coach and Public Speaking Coach. She also loves to sing and belongs to the Valley Vocal Arts group. In the summer, you'll find her on her paddleboard and on the lake with family and friends.
Two More Heros, literally and figuratively….
Say hello to Kara and Nils, our dynamic duo of temporary contracted employees who've jumped on board to help us level up, in the game of enrolment Tetris and save us from our over-subscribed inboxes and incomplete brochure inserts!
With their commitment and dedication, Kara and Nils are here to support us every step of the way. We're beyond grateful to have them with us on this journey, and trust me, we're their biggest cheerleaders too! Their enthusiasm, expertise, and energy are like a breath of fresh air, and we're already brainstorming ways to keep them on the OC team permanently.
Kara Nelson
Say hello to Kara Nelson, the tech-savvy dynamo making waves at OC! Coming straight from the world of Software as a Service (SAAS), Kara's got a knack for juggling more hats than a magician at a hat convention. With her experience triaging student and future student inquiries, supporting our evolving door of in-person appointments and virtual meetings, we are so grateful to have Kara on the team!
First up, she's the queen of Customer Success – advocating for her clients like a superhero with a cape made of spreadsheets. Yep, she's all about driving adoption, engaging stakeholders, and sniffing out those sweet expansion opportunities faster than you can say "upgrade."
Kara's also a master of Team Alignment, effortlessly wrangling sales, product, marketing, and engineering teams like a boss. And she did it all the while sipping coffee across multiple time zones – talk about multitasking!
And let's not forget her impressive Book of Business, where she's the proud owner of strategic relationships with Midmarket, Enterprise, and Strategic customers. With a $2M ARR (that's Annual Recurring Revenue for you non-techies), Kara's the queen of engaging and presenting to managers and executive bigwigs.
Oh, and did we mention her technical prowess? Kara's a wizard in multiple software applications, whipping up presentation decks faster than you can say "PowerPoint." And thanks to her ninja-like skills in the software development process, she can translate tech jargon into plain English like it's nobody's business.
But Kara's not just about business – she's also deeply passionate about diversity, inclusion, and equity. When she's not slaying it in the tech world, she's busy being a supermom, a loving wife, and an active community member. Yep, Kara's on a mission to make the world a better, more inclusive place – one line of code at a time!
Nils Donnelly
Say hello to Nils Donnelly, our contracted Promotions & Engagement Assistant, the man who traded wrenches for words! Nils recently joined OC and our team to support our need for content creation, taking our emails and program inserts to a whole new level – man, did we score!
Yep, you heard it right. He waved goodbye to his gig as a Certified Harley Davidson mechanic back in 2018 to dive headfirst into the wild world of writing at Okanagan College. Because, let's be real, who needs motorcycles when you've got metaphors, right?
After acing his Writing and Publishing Diploma, Nils leveled up and strutted his stuff as the Managing Editor of ryga. But oh no, he wasn't done yet. Next stop: UBCO. There, he donned his thinking cap and snagged a BA with a major in Creative Writing in 2024. Talk about a literary whiz!
But hold onto your hats, folks, because Nils wasn't just pounding away at his keyboard. Nope, he sprinkled his gift for storytelling all over UBC like rice at a wedding. As a social media and Marketing Specialist, he spun tales for the Office of University Relations, turning mundane articles and faculty profiles into page-turners on the University's website. And let's not forget his stint as a Communications Coordinator Co-op with the College of Graduate Studies, where he whipped up a Doctoral Citation campaign that practically broke the internet. Move over, Kardashians!
And just when you thought Nils couldn't get any cooler, he jetted off to Tanzania and Zanzibar for some Travel Writing and Strategies for Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Communications. Yep, this guy's living the dream!
Oh, and did we mention he's all about decolonization and reconciliation? Yep, Nils is on a mission to make the world a better place, one word at a time.
Thank you for all you do to support this team! We appreciate you!
We trust you've enjoyed getting to know our team as much as we've enjoyed crafting this AI-supported introduction. Please note the information curated above is in fact true and I am in fact lucky enough to work with these incredible local Heros! Consider this your invitation to allow us the opportunity to learn about your teams too. Together everyone achieves more- TEAM!
limləmt | Thank you
Mehgan Cabrera, BCom (she, her, hers)
Associate Director, Recruitment & Enrolment Management