Spring 2021 Career Talks
The Co-op and Career Development Centre brings you Career Talks Presented by RBC Royal Bank – a series of virtual career panels that will feature experts from a variety of industries. Each panel will focus on a different theme including hiring trends, science & tech, business, and more. The panels are open for all registered students, they are held on Zoom and free to attend.
Thank you to all the panelists, students, faculty, and staff who participated. A special thank you to RBC Royal Bank, our Premier Sponsor, for supporting this panel series. Career Talks will return in the fall 2021 semester. Stay tuned for updates.
Past Spring 2021 Career Talks events included:
Human Resources Panel
Tuesday, January 26 | 10:30 am–12:00 pm
Industry experts will speak to the hiring process, hiring tips including resumes, cover letters and interviews. Panelists will also speak to networking. This is an opportunity to gain insights and tips that can help you align your career interests.
- Best Buy Canada – Tatiana Kelly, Team Lead Recruitment
- City of Vancouver – Elan Polo, Recruiter (Alumni)
- Provincial Health Services Authority - Jacquie Coulter, Talent Acquisition
- WorkSafeBC – Milah Woo, Talent Acquisition Specialist (Campus Recruitment)
Hiring Trends Panel
Tuesday, February 2 | 10:30 am–11:30 am
Industry experts will speak to growth and changes in their industry sectors as well as their hiring programs.
- Sherwin-Williams – Lisa Wong, City Manager, BC Metro District (Alumni)
- Rogers Communications – Hricha Thakur, Talent Acquisition Consultant
- RBC Royal Bank – Andrea Lindsay, Senior Recruiter, Early Talent Acquisition
Biology/Bioinformatics Panel
Tuesday, February 9 | 10:30 am–11:30 am
Industry experts will speak to their careers in biotech, molecular biology and more.
- BC Cancer – Daniel Lai, PhD., Senior Bioinformatics Scientist
- Diamond Head Consulting Ltd. – Cassandra Cummings, MSc., Biology, Environmental Planning, and Natural Resource Management
- Slalom – Zaid Haddad, B.Sc., Data Scientist
- STEMCELL Technologies – Christine Genge, PhD., Biomedical Physiology, and Kinesiology, Manager, Recruitment
Physics Panel
Thursday, February 11 | 10:30 am–11:30 am
Speakers will include UBC graduate students.
- Sarah Morris, UBC PhD in Medical Physics
- Erik Frieling, UBC PhD in Optics/Atomic Physic
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StarFish Medical – John Walmsley, MSc., Executive VP, Strategic Relationships
Careers in Science Panel
Tuesday, February 23 | 12:30 pm–1:30 pm
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering and Technology; hear a day in the life of the different scientists, researchers, and business development specialists.
- AbCellera – Kevin Heyries, Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Business Development
- Canada Drives – Andrew Hall, B.A.Sc, Engineer Physics and VP Data & Analytics
- McCue Engineering Contractors – Lynda Smithard, PEng., Environmental Engineer and Chief Operating Officer
- Precision NanoSystems Inc. – Adam M. Crowe, Ph.D., Analytical Project Team Lead
- Salesforce – Naomi Galinski, Ph.D., Developer Writer/API Technical Writer (contract)
Criminal Justice Panel
Wednesday, February 24 | 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Industry experts and recruiters speak to careers in policing, fraud, parole, and other criminal justice careers.
- ACI Worldwide – Marc Trepanier, Principal Fraud Consultant
- Correctional Services Canada – Amanda Santiago, Parole Officer
- Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) – Tracey Watkins, Superintendent / Recruiter
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) – Cst. Kari Lagrandeur, Recruitment
- Vancouver Police Department (VPD) – Det/Cst. Christian Olver, Recruitment (Alumni)
Engineering Panel
Tuesday, March 2 | 12:30 pm–1:30 pm
Industry experts will speak to their careers in civil, biomedical, chemical, and software engineering.
- Amazon – Harkirat Gill, Software Engineer
- City of Vancouver – Paul Storer, P.Eng., Director of Transportation
- Innotech Medical Solutions – Alaa Heshmati, Biomedical Engineer
- McCue Engineering Contractors – Cecilia García Marra, Chemical Engineer
Project Management Panel
Monday, March 8 | 6:30 pm–7:30 pm
Industry experts will speak to their careers in technology, finance, health, and business
- Museum of Vancouver – Denise Fong, PMP, Co-Curator
- Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) – Danea Avey, Project Manager
- TELUS – Fred Haiderzada, PMP, Manager, Technology Strategy
- WorkSafeBC – Rose McDonald, OH&S Project Management
Marketing Panel
Tuesday, March 9 | 2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Industry experts will speak to all aspects of marketing, advertising, and digital marketing.
- Electronic Arts (EA) – Daisy Ya, Senior Marketing Data Analyst
- RBC Royal Bank – Sylvia Kerfoot, Regional Marketing Manager
- Search + Rescue Marketing Agency – Jared Harman, Managing Partner
- Unity Technologies – Michael Lee, Sr. Product Marketing Manager (Alumni)
Business Panel
Thursday, March 11 | 10:30 am–11:30 am
Industry experts will speak to business operations, community development, and human resources.
- Alida (formerly Vision Critical) – Nick Kolpakov, Account Executive (Alumni)
- BC Hydro – Melissa Andruff, Recruitment Partner
- City of Vancouver – Vania Tse, Business & Community Liaison for the Broadway Subway Project
- Newton + Company – Elizabeth Newton, Business Psychologist
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Seaspan – Leonardo Bezerra, Manager, Continuous Improvement (Alumni)
Accounting Panel
Friday, March 19 | 11:30 am–12:30 pm
Industry experts will speak to accounting practices from large firms to small companies. Julian Robertson, Senior Student Recruitment Officer for CPABC will also be available to answer questions.
- Colliers International – Vivian Deng, Junior Accountant
- Deloitte Canada – Mirela Oliveira, PhD., Staff Accountant II (Alumni)
- Fraser Health Authority – Armandeep Sidhu, CPA, Financial Analyst
- KPMG Enterprise – Catherine Jillian Tan, Accountant (Alumni)
Entrepreneurship Panel
Friday, March 26 | 12:30 pm–1:30 pm
Entrepreneurs who are also Langara Alumni will share their stories on starting a business and how they took an idea, a product, or service and created a business. These industry innovators will speak to how they assess the need in the market, market research, and balance working on the idea and on the business.
- Chetan Chouhan, CEO & Founder @DigiiMark, Associate's Degree Computer Science, 2016
- Daniel Dubois, Co-founder at Key, Business Administration and Management Diploma 2012
- Jena Mathews, Family, Baby and Birth Photographer, Professional Photography Program 2017
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Richard Dalton, President at Your Score Booster, Langara's Self-Employment Program 2013
Environmental Panel
Tuesday, March 30 | 12:30 pm–1:30 pm
Industry experts will speak to environmental, sustainability, and green initiatives in business.
- BC Transportation Investment Corporation – Chris Martin, Manager of Environmental Programs
- Light House Sustainability Society – Joanne Sawatzky, Managing Director, Regenerative Built Environment Services
- McCue Engineering Contractors – Lynda Smithard, PEng., Environmental Engineer and Chief Operating Officer
- NHC (Northwest Hydraulic Consultants) – Derek Ray, MSc, PGeo, Geomorphologist
Premier Sponsor
Employers are subject to change. Check this page for updates.
For any questions regarding Career Talks, contact career@langara.ca.