Please contact the Executive Director, Jerrilyn Schembri, with any membership questions including access to BCLTA board meeting agendas and reports or to connect with any member of the BCLTA Board of Directors.
2021 BCLTA Board Meeting Schedule (coming soon!)
Board of Directors
Mike Gagel
President 2019-2021
Board Chair, Prince George Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2016
Mike earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing at the University of British Columbia and worked as a nurse for almost 20 years at the BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Coastal Health, and as a sole proprietor consultant. In the second half of his nursing career Mike progressively focused on staff education through the use of technology. Next, he worked at the BC School Trustees Association (BCSTA) where he was responsible for all of the Association’s technology needs and also supported various trustee committees. Mike currently works for Northern Health as their Regional Manager, Communicable Disease.
Dave Clark
Director 2019-2021
Cranbrook Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2019
Dave brings a wealth of skills to his board work, is insurance and mutual funds licensed, and is a Certified Financial Planner®, with over 20 years experience with a national company.
Dave’s passion for public libraries began when he received his first library card for the Chilliwack Public Library at the age of six. As well as being the Chair of the Cranbrook Public Library Board, Dave is the board vice-chair for a local charitable thrift store.
Elysia Glover
Director 2019-2021
Greater Victoria Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2019
Elysia (she/her) is a settler of English, Scottish, German and Austrian descent living on the unceded, traditional and ancestral territories of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, today known as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. A citizen representative for the City of Victoria to the Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) Board, Elysia is grateful for the opportunity to serve libraries, their communities and their trustees through her work on the GVPL and BCLTA boards.
Elysia is passionate about the power of access to inclusive, effective education and has worked as a teacher, facilitator and learning assistant in a variety of school and community settings in Canada, the U.S. and South East Asia. Growing up, access to libraries was fundamental in cultivating her lifelong love of learning. She is a graduate of the United World College of South East Asia and she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours and a teaching certification from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY.
She currently works as the Executive Director of a non-profit working to grow economic opportunities for communities facing barriers. She also co-produces the largest spoken word poetry festival for youth on Vancouver Island. Outside of work, she loves writing, spending time outside, and supporting the local arts community.
Louise Hearty
Director 2020-2022
Surrey Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2020
Louise recently retired as the Director of Access Transit Service Delivery at Coast Mountain Bus Company/TransLink, where she was employed for 28 years in various roles throughout the organization, most recently as Director Access Transit, including being responsible for overseeing the operations of HandyDART including customer feedback, eligibility, and implementing many new initiatives.
Louise has been a Trustee on the Surrey Library Board since January 2018, and serves on the Finance Committee to the Board. In addition, Louise volunteers her time on non-profit boards and with community organizations assisting new Canadians. Louise has successfully completed numerous courses in Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and Mediation through the Justice Institute of BC. Louise has experience in fundraising and grant submissions through her volunteer work. Louise is a life long user and lover of libraries. In her spare time Louise is fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time with her four grandchildren, two 3 year olds and two 1 year olds!
Brenda Leigh
Director 2019-2021
Vancouver Island Regional Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2019
Of all the services that are provided by local government, libraries are the heart and soul of our communities and library services are more popular than even our recreation centres and are in increasingly high demand. I have nothing but admiration for our Library Trustees who are protecting and maintaining our public library systems year-after-year and are so dedicated and passionate about our librarians. It is really very heartening to witness their effort and commitment as they volunteer their time to guarantee the future viability of this wonderful public service.
Caty Liu
Director 2019-2021
Richmond Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2019
Caty is a Senior Operations Analyst with extensive experience and knowledge in the budgeting, financial analysis and business operations of the non-profit housing sector in BC. Caty has successfully completed the Chartered Professional Accountant program and a leadership program at the Justice Institute of BC. Most recently, Caty has been selected to participate the 2019 Women’s Executive Network Wisdom Mentoring Program.
Caty always looks for opportunities to develop new skills and find meaningful ways to give back. Caty has mentored students through her alma mater and the CPA Western School of Business. In 2018, Caty began to serve as a Board Trustee at Richmond Public Library. In her spare time, Caty loves reading and testing recipes in the kitchen.
Harlan Pruden
Director 2020-2022
Vancouver Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2020
Harlan (nēhiyo/First Nations Cree Nation), works with and for the Two-Spirit community locally, nationally and internationally. Currently, Harlan is an Educator at Chee Mamuk, an Indigenous public health program at BC Centre for Disease Control and is also a co-founder of the Two-Spirit Dry Lab, North America’s first research group/lab that exclusively focuses on Two-Spirit people, communities and/or experiences. Harlan is also the Managing Editor of the TwoSpiritJournal.com and an Advisory Member for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Gender and Health.
Harlan serves on the Vancouver Public Library’s board. Before relocating to Vancouver in 2015, Harlan was co-founder and a Director of NYC community based organization, the NorthEast Two-Spirit Society and was a President Obama appointee to the US Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) and provided advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary of Health & Human Services and the White House. (In December 2018, Harlan was (happily) fired/dismissed from PACHA by Mr. Trump via Fedex.)
Rhonda Sherwood
Director, 2020-2022
Vancouver Public Library Board
On the BCLTA board since 2018
Rhonda brings thirty years of wealth advisement expertise and passion to Raymond James. Rhonda’s career began in 1989 at a bank-owned firm. Throughout her career, she advanced into many different roles, including: personal banking officer, financial planner and investment manager. Prior to joining Raymond James in 2016, Rhonda spent fifteen years as a trusted and successful wealth advisor at the full-service brokerage arm of her previous firm.
Rhonda graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Liberal Arts diploma, and has additionally earned her Certified Financial Planner®, Financial Management Advisor, and the Responsible Investment Advisor Certification (RIAC). RIAC certification provides foundational and in-depth training on the identification and implementation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors to consider when making investment decisions. Rhonda is also securities and insurance licensed.
Rhonda is a passionate advocate within her industry. She has previously volunteered her expertise on a panel for a self-regulating body that oversees and sets financial planning standards and practices. She also puts a high value on education and has acted in an advisory capacity with a local college’s personal finance program and with an industry led publication. Rhonda currently mentors young adults and women through different associations.
Rhonda believes in the importance of giving back to her community. She is vice chair of the Vancouver Public Library Board and chairs its Services, Finance and HR Committee. Rhonda is also a director/treasurer for the BC Library Trustees Association. She has previously volunteered on the City of Vancouver’s Women’s Advisory Committee, a civic agency appointed by Vancouver City Council to advise council and staff on enhancing access and inclusion for women and girls to fully participate in city services and civic life.
Staff
Jerrilyn Schembri
Executive Director
Jerrilyn has spent many years serving in various local government capacities including Tumbler Ridge Council, the Peace River Regional District board, North Central Local Government Association, Union of British Columbia Municipalities and Federation of Canadian Municipalities as well as serving as President of the BC Library Trustees Association, Vice Chair of the Lakeview Credit Union board and Vice President of the Tumbler Ridge Museum Foundation as well as race director of the Emperors Challenge Mountain race
Jerrilyn places tremendous value on building relationships between and among individuals and groups, creating a stronger more dynamic community of organizations ensuring their sustainability. She is thrilled to be able to put her connections and skills to work for benefit of BCLTA
Babs Kelly
Director for Learning & Development
babs.kelly@bclta.caa
Babs (she/her) has successfully used a community engagement approach for supporting the development of organizations and boards for over 25 years. She has worked for a variety of non-governmental agencies, businesses, and for the public sector, including public libraries in Ontario, Saskatchewan and BC. She has extensive experience in communications, governance, facilitating community forums and workshops, and with building community partnerships and involvement. Working part-time for BCLTA is ideal as it allows her to continue to work with public libraries while pursuing other projects.
Jan Thomas
Bookkeeper
jan.thomas@bclta.ca
Jan has served as the administrative assistant for Heritage BC for more than 25 years, ably supporting this not-for-profit organization to deliver annual and regional conferences, annual general meetings, newsletters, website, and government advocacy activities to a province-wide membership. BCLTA is lucky to have her in-depth knowledge of association management at work for BC public libraries.