As well as being BCSTA’s President, Connie Denesiuk has served as Director, member of the Finance Committee (two years as chair), Board liaison to the Education Committee, Ad-Hoc Policy Review Committee chair, and representative to the Advisory Committee on Provincial Assessment and Certificate for School Management and Leadership (UVic) Advisory Committee. Connie says, “I believe that public education in British Columbia currently faces a unique window of opportunity – to advance the goal of improved student learning and increased student success.”

With the Okanagan Skaha Board of Education, Connie’s service includes being: board chair and vice-chair, as well as extensive community leadership and involvement. A school trustee since 1992, Connie has been a business owner/partner with her husband Bob since 1980.

School District 67 (Okanagan Skaha)
Telephone: (250) 770-7700
E-mail: connie_denesiuk@telus.net

Michael McEvoy is BCSTA's vice-president and a trustee on the Greater Victoria Board of Education who believes public schools provide the best opportunity for British Columbia’s students to become well-rounded, confident and productive citizens who want to make our society a better place to live.

Michael became involved in public school issues as a Parent Advisory Council president before being elected school trustee in 2002. Elected three times as Chair of the Greater Victoria Board of Education, his priority has been working collaboratively to enhance learning opportunities for all children and to emphasize the needs of our community’s vulnerable children. He helped lead the process toward the signing of the district's Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement and he supported the formation of a District Literacy Team responsible for supporting teachers who work with children in the Victoria District’s inner city schools; an initiative that has expanded to embrace the entire district.

Michael believes in the collective strength and wisdom of trustees working together, and has been active in BCSTA as a four term provincial councillor and a member of the BCSTA Finance Committee before first being elected to Board of Directors in 2006. As Director he has served as Board liaison to the BCSTA Aboriginal Education Committee.

Michael is a lawyer working in the public service for the province of BC. He serves on numerous local community boards including Deputy Chair of the United Way Campaign for the Southern Vancouver Island Region.

School District 61 (Greater Victoria)
Tel: (250) 475-3212
Email: mmcevoy@shaw.ca

Melissa Hyndes is a resident of Port Moody and is married with three children. A former Telus employee, Melissa has taken business management courses through the BC Institute of Technology and was working towards a certificate in Business Management before retiring to raise her family. Melissa’s background in education comes from volunteering at the school level for nine years and at the district level with the District Parent Advisory Council for six years, the last two as president.

Now serving her second term as a school trustee, the last three as board chair, Melissa is committed to ensuring that students of all capabilities have a right to an education that enhances achievement, shaping productive and responsible citizens. 

School District 43 (Coquitlam)
Tel: (604) 939-9201
Email: mhyndes@sd43.bc.ca

Diana Mumford, a Burnaby trustee, is a BCSTA Director, member of the Metro Branch, the ESL Consortium, and BCSTA representative on the Institute for Safe Schools Advisory Committee. Past commitments have included being president of the Metro Branch, branch representative for the Education Committee, and Provincial Councillor. As well, Diana represented BCSTA on the InterMinistry Committee for Youth Violence and Crime. Diana believes that “as trustees, we must all work together, both locally and provincially, to make our schools and public education system the best that it can possibly be.”

In her “past life,” Diana was a primary teacher, but left that role to take on the challenge of raising four children, while teaching Adult Continuing Education for 15 years. She says that four children resulted in 19 years of involvement in the public school system. During that time, Diana was involved in PACs and the DPAC in many executive positions, as well as serving as a provincial director on the BC Confederation of Parent Councils. As a parent she was also very involved in Traffic & Safety, and is very proud to be the creator of the “Slow Down, School Zone” signs, now used throughout the province.

School District 41 (Burnaby)
Tel: (604) 434-9757
Email: diana.mumford@sd41.bc.ca.

Teresa, a school trustee with the Boundary Board of Education, includes in her local service roles as: board chair; member of all board committees; and member of the Boundary Integrated Services Model. With BCSTA, Teresa has been a member of the Finance and Education Committees. She’s also been our representative to committees such as District Review, Grad Requirements, Standardized Report Cards, Healthy Schools, and also to the Breakfast for Learning BC Advisory Council. Teresa is a member of the planning committee for the new Key Work manual, to be published in 2008. “The voice that is BCSTA’s is all of ours together, and together we are making a difference,” Teresa says.

Married for 26 years, Teresa is the mother of four children. She has a Diploma in Business/Public Administration, BC Institute of Technology. Teresa has also been the regional coordinator for Special Olympics, East/West Kootenays/Elk Valley, Special Olympics Provincial Leadership Council member, and Community Social Inclusion Video Project leader. She was chair of Parent Advisory Councils at both elementary and secondary schools.

School District 51 (Boundary)
Telephone: (250) 442-8258
E-mail: teresa.rezansoff@sd51.bc.ca

A school trustee with the Nicola-Similkameen Board of Education, Gordon served many years on the BC Public School Employers’ Association board. During his term as its vice-chair, the board achieved its first negotiated collective agreement with the BC Teachers’ Federation. Gordon also served over 10 years as a BCSTA Provincial Councillor.

Gordon says, “No matter how we slice the education pie, if the students, who are our future, are not at the forefront of our discussion, then the rest is meaningless. At the end of the day it somes down to the students and it always will. Our deliberations should always be about the students, and what’s in their best interests for a brighter future.

School District 58 (Nicola-Similkameen)
Telephone: (250) 378-5161
E-mail:gordonswan@telus.net

 Stephen Hansen – Executive Director

Stephen Hansen is BCSTA’s Executive Director. Stephen is responsible to the BCSTA Board of Directors for the overall staff operations of the organization. He provides direct support to BCSTA's President. Stephen has 15 years of teaching experience, holds a doctorate in education policy and leadership, and has held leadership positions in the health and private sectors.

Phone: 604-734-2721 (115)
E-mail: shansen[at]bcsta.org