Former Vernon councillor Juliette Cunningham new chair of Okanagan College board

Photo: Okanagan College

Former Vernon councillor Juliette Cunningham will serve as the new chair of the Okanagan College board of governors.

Cunningham, who has served as vice-chair since November 2019, succeeds Gloria Morgan, whose two-year term has now completed.

“It has been very inspiring working alongside Gloria, and I am deeply honoured to be succeeding her in the role,” said Cunningham.

“Gloria is an incredible champion for her community and for the college. I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished at Okanagan College, and with a new strategic plan to be finalized early next year, there are a lot of exciting opportunities and important work ahead.”

Cunningham is a former councillor and vice-chair of the Regional District of North Okanagan, as well as the Okanagan Water Basin Board.

Dale Safinuk was elected vice-chair of the college board.

“I’m proud to serve the board of governors in this new capacity and to support Juliette in her new role as chair,” said Safinuk.

“In my two and a half years on the board to date, it’s been wonderful to witness the many ways in which OC is tied into the region, in terms of the depth and breadth of relationships with community and industry. I’ve also been impressed by the commitment and hard work invested by so many individuals across the college who strive to make this an ever more welcoming, rewarding and supportive place to learn and work.”

Safinuk is a retired financial services executive with TD Bank and most recently served as district vice-president.

He previously served on the advisory board for Ch'nook Indigenous Students Education at UBC, as co-chair of TD's diversity leadership council for Indigenous people, was a member of TD's national committee for Indigenous people, and served as a board member with the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.