The UWC National Committee of Canada (NCC) is a volunteer-powered organization responsible for the recruitment and selection of Canadian students wanting to attend UWC, including, but not limited to, Pearson College UWC in British Columbia. The NCC provides support and guidance to the Regional Chapters in Canada's provinces and territories who conduct selection across the country.  The NCC serves as a hub to provide support to UWC students and their families while attending UWC and is a growing network for UWC alumni from and in Canada.

Canada first established a UWC national committee in the late 1960's to send students to the first UWC, Atlantic College in Wales. Members of that National Committee went on to help found the second UWC College in the movement - Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific, in 1974. From the mid-70's to 2016, Pearson College served as the National Committee of Canada.  In 2016, the UWC National Committee of Canada was re-established as a not-for-profit charity in Canada. 

Our Purpose:

The UWC National Committee of Canada exists to seek out, engage, and support the people who make up the UWC community in and from Canada. We articulate and make relevant the UWC mission and values in the Canadian context.

Our Principles:

• Equity and Inclusion: The NCC strives for equity of opportunity and active inclusion of diverse individuals and communities in its work.
• Transparency and Communication: The NCC is committed to transparent conduct in its activities. To this end, the NCC strives for clear communication (internal, with volunteers, applicants, families, UWC colleges, etc.) as appropriate.
• Value Relationships and Engagement: The NCC aspires to thoughtful and sustainable engagement with its stakeholders (e.g., volunteers, parents, regional chapters, alumni, etc.). The NCC seeks to be a good partner with Pearson UWC and other UWC colleges.
• Organizational Reflection: The NCC will draw on its past and change when warranted through institutional reflection at regular intervals.
• Financially Sustainable: The NCC endeavours to be sustainable with its resources, financial and otherwise.

Are you interested in becoming a Director on the Board of the UWC NCC?

As a UWC National Committee, we are committed to deliberate diversity and therefore aim to select Directors as diverse as the students and alumni we serve. Our goal is to create an inclusive culture that gives voice to the wide variety of perspectives across Canada. To do this, we encourage a wide range of candidates to apply, including people from traditionally under-represented backgrounds. We encourage you to first volunteer with the UWC National Committee of Canada in any area (fundraising, selections, nominations, partnerships, etc) and apply to be on the Board after a consistent annual year of volunteer support.

Volunteer Application: https://form-can.keela.co/uwc-ncc-volunteer-onboarding-form 

We will consider your application in a manner that is as respectful and as free from bias as possible as we pursue the best available people who are experienced, qualified and incredible human beings who have the time and energy to commit to leading the UWC National Committee of Canada sustainably into the future. To apply, email your resume and cover letter to: executivedirector@ca.uwc.org 

Our People: Current Directors of the UWC National Committee of Canada

Alastair Foreman (Chair of the UWC NCC Board of Directors)

Alastair attended UWC South East Asia in Singapore as a student and was a faculty member at Red Cross Nordic UWC in Norway.  More recently, he has been co-leading the BC Chapter of the National Committee of Canada, helping to select the next generation of UWC scholars.  He now serves as co-chair of the Selection Committee.  As a teacher Alastair worked all over the world, including such diverse places as Canada's high arctic, Turkey and Norway,  As a software development professional, Alastair helped manage a local Vancouver company to global success in environmental data management. Alastair can be reached at chair@ca.uwc.org 

Jamie Ronson (Vice-Chair of the UWC NCC Board of Directors; Chair of the Governance Committee)

Jamie is a graduate of UWC-USA.  She is a macroeconomist currently working as a senior advisor with PSP Investments, one of Canada’s largest pension investors.  She has previous career experience as an economist at Bombardier Aerospace, and the Department of Finance Canada. Her not-for-profit board experience includes the Canadian Association for Business Economists.  Jamie’s fundraising experience with an intergenerational community food hub in Montreal will come in handy as she Chairs the Fundraising Committee of the NCC she also serves on the Governance Committee.

Gurveen Chadha (Chair of Alumni and Community Engagement Committee)

Gurveen graduated from UWC in India in 2009. She has been a part of the NCC Fundraising Committee and has participated in UWC selections. Gurveen currently works as a Business Operations Lead at Shopify where she provides strategic and operational guidance. She graduated from Harvard University with a Master in Public Policy. Prior to Harvard, Gurveen spent 4 years working in federal politics. She worked on Justin Trudeau's policy team, and then served as Director of Policy to Marc Garneau, the Minister of Transport. Gurveen also has experience in the private sector in marketing and entrepreneurship. Gurveen has a BA in Government from Dartmouth College.     

Libby Mason (Chair of the Selections Committee)

A dual citizen of the UK and Canada, Libby is now based in the traditional territories of
Songhees, Esquimalt, Lekwungen-speaking peoples; Victoria, British Columbia. Libby
started her career as an actor, writer and director in professional theatre in the UK and
Canada. She transitioned into the role of teacher and lecturer, including posts at the
Universities of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Victoria. In 2000 she was appointed as a
Faculty member of the Pearson College United World College and subsequently served
as Dean of Students. She initiated and co-organised a conference on Pastoral Care in
the UWC movement in 2016, which led to a number of consultancies on student
wellness and care in UWC schools in Norway, the Netherlands, India, China and Japan.
She also served as a member of the UWC Task Force on student Mental Health, on the
UWC Refugee Initiative and was a consultant on student wellness for the International
Office. Since her retirement from Pearson College UWC in 2019, she has trained and now
practices as a Case Worker for Restorative Justice Victoria, and as a Volunteer
Counsellor for Esquimalt Neighbourhood House. For the UWC National Committee of
Canada she serves on the Wellness Subcommittee and chairs the Selection Committee
as well as being a Board Member.

Jeff Needham (Chair of the Nominations Committee)

Jeff is a graduate of UWC of the Adriatic and has worked extensively with Ontario’s selection team as well as more recently, with the UWC Global Selection Process.  He worked for almost 20 years at the Duke of Edinburgh’s International (Ontario and Canada) and served as the Executive Director for the Ontario charity until 2020. He has experience supporting and managing volunteers and working with successful Boards of Directors throughout his career. An experienced businessman in the retail and hospitality sectors, Jeff thoroughly enjoys spending time camping. He is the current Chair of the Nominations Committee and supports the Selections Committee and Fundraising initiatives as well.

Hillarie Zimmerman (Chair of North Regional Chapter)

Having worked in the field of education for the past 12 years, Hillarie is passionate about the role of education in people’s lives and how education can truly be a force for change.  Hillarie holds a Master's of Science degree from the University of Guelph in Rural Planning and Development. For the first 15 years of her career, Hillarie worked for the Canadian Federal Government in the field of planning and communications.  This passion for communications ultimately led her to Yukon University, where she has taught communication courses for the past 12 years within the Multimedia Communications Program and the Bachelor of Business Administration.  Hillarie has two sons, Zach and Max, who attended UWC Pearson and Adriatic.  Living in Canada’s north has given Hillarie a unique perspective of living close to the land and living and working on the traditional lands of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.

Allison McDonnell (Chair of BC Regional Chapter)

Allison is a parent of a UWC Pearson alum and lives on the unceded ancestral lands of the Lheidli T’enneh. She is currently UWC BC Regional Lead and has participated with the NCC selections for Canadians living abroad as well as BC Selections co-lead. She has also supported selections worldwide with the UWC Glocal Selections Programme. Allison has worked in education for over 20 years as a teacher and has extensive experience in traditional and alternative learning environments. She currently works as a District Mental Health Clinician for SD57. She is a registered clinical counsellor (RCC-ACS) with the BCACC, holds an MEd as well as an MA in Educational Leadership and Management. Allison is passionate about the UWC movement, people, and its mission.

Connor Scheu (Chair of the Prairies Regional Chapter)

Connor graduated from Lester B. Pearson UWC in 2010 and has served on the Alberta selections committee since 2020. As a renewable energy engineer Connor is passionate about the transformation of our energy system, as well as the society it supports. Connor serves on a number of equity, diversity, and inclusion bodies at the provincial and national levels of the engineering profession. He is particularly focused on removing barriers and increasing participation of women and Indigenous peoples in the profession. Connor leverages his Metis heritage in service of the reconciliation journey, bridging settler and Indigenous world views.

Izzy Tamale (Chair of the Ontario Regional Chapter)

Izzy was a student at Atlantic College in Wales from 2017-2019. He then attended the University of Birmingham for his LLB, and the University of Toronto for his LLM. He plans to be called to the Ontario Bar next. Izzy has been volunteering for the NCC as a member of the social media team, as a reader and selector for various regions across Canada, and is a founding member of the Alumni Engagement Committee. He now serves as the lead for the Ontario Chapter.

Hannah Lazare (Chair of the Quebec Regional Chapter)

Hannah graduated from Pearson College in 2014. She is a civil litigator at Stikeman Elliott LLP. She recently served as Commission Counsel to the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference into Federal Elections and Democratic Processes under Justice Marie-Josée Hogue. Hannah has served on the NCC Nominations Committee for multiple years and is a founding member of the NCC Selections Committee. Previously, she served as the leader of the Quebec Selections Committee. Hannah is a member of the Quebec Bar Association and holds a JD/BCL from McGill University and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Toronto. Hannah is passionate about ensuring that Canadian students can access the UWC experience. 

Christina Kennedy (Chair of Atlantic Canada Regional Chapter)

Christina attended Pearson College as a student from 1991-1993.  Since then, Christina has remained actively committed to the UWC movement, excited to participate over many years in the selection process for the newest UWC students from Newfoundland & Labrador.  While on the selection committee, Christina also enjoyed hosting various UWC events at her home, bringing together alumni, current students, parents, visiting UWC staff, family and friends. Outside of her involvement with the UWC, as a labour lawyer and litigator, Christina represents pilots throughout Canada and the US. 

Staff

Lyndsay Sprado – NCC Executive Director

After many years of working within post-secondary student recruitment and admissions sectors for public Universities across Canada (University of Alberta (North and Augustana Campuses); Acadia University, Brock University and Simon Fraser University), Lyndsay has joined the UWC National Committee of Canada after also spending three years living and working for UWC ISAK Japan as their Director of Admissions and Co-Director of University Advising, Advisor, Volleyball Coach, and more. Knowing the ins and outs of the student experience entering the UWC movement and their next steps in education upon graduation from UWC, Lyndsay has a passion for student support, and is inspired by the strength of the UWC movement and the NC system within it, made up of the exceptional alumni and their engagement and connection that lasts a lifetime. Lyndsay can be reached at info@ca.uwc.org

Shloke Srivastava - Admissions and Operations Manager

Shloke is a proud graduate of Pearson College UWC from the class of 2019. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Public Health from the University of Waterloo. Since graduating from PCUWC, Shloke has been actively involved with the United World Colleges National Committee of Canada, serving as the Chair of both the Prairies Selections Team and the Canadians Living Abroad Selections Team. Recently, he completed his public health practicum with the NCC, focusing on developing a comprehensive framework for mental health evaluations within the wider UWC movement admissions process. Shloke is excited to bring his experience and passion to his new role as Admissions and Operations Manager. Shloke can be reached at apply@ca.uwc.org