Our instructors

Ellen Siu

Dan Small

Dan Small, PhD, is a research associate in the Department of Anthropology at UBC. He has a PhD in medical anthropology (University of British Columbia), an MPhil in circumpolar studies (University of Cambridge), and undergraduate degrees in sociology and anthropology, and psychology (Simon Fraser University).

Nick Smith

Nick, BASc, JD, is a Principal Lawyer at Miller Titerle Law Corporation, specializing in Indigenous business. He is of Plains Cree and European descent, and his family is from the Ermineskin Cree Nation – a Treaty 6 Nation.

Nick provides economic development and governance support for First Nations and First Nations-owned organizations, including initiatives and negotiations relating to natural resource development, First Nation child and family services laws, Indigenous housing, government-to-government agreements, and the ongoing implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in BC and Canada.

Nick is the first vice-chair of the Langara College Board of Governors and as a mentor to law students through the Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch) mentorship program and the Indigenous Bar Association

Ambre Soszynski

Julie Stockton

Julie Stockton has consulted to multiple organizations across Canada for over 25 years, working primarily in the public service sector supporting positive organizational change. She spent several years in health care before joining the University of British Columbia as the Director of Human Resources (ODL). In partnership with Maura Da Cruz, Julie opened the Canadian Centre for Positive Change in 2016 to support the transformation of people, teams, and organizations through a different kind of conversation. She holds a Positive Psychology Coaching certificate (CPPC), and is certified as a Conversational Intelligence for Coaches Enhanced Skill Practitioner, a Narrative Coach Enhanced Practitioner, and a Systemic Team Coaching Advanced Practitioner.

Rhea Storlund

Dr. Rhea Storlund. Curriculum designer and instructor for Communicating Ocean Science, Dr. Storlund is a postdoctoral research and teaching fellow at the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. With a background in marine mammal diving physiology, she specializes in making complex scientific concepts easy to understand through clear examples and analogies. Her teaching emphasizes active participation, real-world examples, and reflection to help learners develop practical science communication skills.”

Nasreen Sultana

Zorana Svedic

Dr. Zorana Svedic, PhD, is a lecturer in the Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources division of the UBC Sauder School of Business. Her research focuses on cross-cultural issues in the global mobile apps market. She has been teaching undergraduate and graduate business courses since 2005, and has hosted numerous workshops and coached student teams for local and international business plan and case competitions. In 2001, Zorana founded Big Z Productions Ltd., a company that develops courseware training material and supports online courses.

Andrea Szilagyi

Brian Taguchi

Brian Taguchi leads and manages the UBC Certificate in Organizational Coaching program at UBC Extended Learning, as well as the delivery of coach training modules customized to internal clients at UBC. He hires, trains and coordinates a team of UBC Mentor Coaches, onsite facilitators and online moderators who support organizational coaching programs. In partnership with UBC Coaching Services, Brian designs and iterates program material and content to meet emerging needs in the coach training marketplace, and explores new initiatives within UBC and for industry.

Masahide Takahashi

Naïma Teir

Jessica Tengco

Rahim Thawer

Rahim Thawer, MSW, RSW, CCS holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Social Work at the University of Alabama. He is an instructor at the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama and provides services as a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and consultant through Affective Consulting & Psychotherapy Services.

Based in Toronto, Rahim is a multifaceted professional who works as an instructor, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, consultant, public speaker, podcast host, and author. His research focuses on how anti-racist, queer-affirming psychoanalytic frameworks can support social workers, trainee therapists, and organizational leaders.

Rahim’s approach to behavioural health emphasizes examining the intersections of mental health and systemic oppression. As a settler and visitor on Turtle Island, he reflects deeply on what it means to live ethically on this land. A dynamic public speaker and published author, he combines serious discourse with humor, sass, and a playful touch of pink to engage his audiences.

His published works include The Mental Health Guide for Cis and Trans Guys (New Harbinger Press) and the forthcoming The Politicized Practitioner (Blue Cactus Press). He is also a Fellow at the Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto, a member of the Counselors for Social Justice (American Counseling Association), and the Ontario Association of Social Workers.

Rahim’s professional interests include using psychoanalysis to explore unconscious barriers that hinder the successful and sustainable implementation of DEI initiatives within nonprofit and healthcare settings.

Tajaira Thiessen

Tajaira Thiessen, BSN, MN-NP, is a Lecturer in the Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner program at the University of British Columbia and a practising Nurse Practitioner with Fraser Health Authority. Her clinical focus is in cardiology, with experience in cardiac surgery, electrophysiology, cardiac consult services and heart function and atrial fibrillation clinics.

Tajaira integrates her clinical expertise into her teaching, contributing to evidence-based curriculum development and pedagogical innovation. She supports inclusive, practice-ready education while fostering leadership, equity and global citizenship among future nurse practitioners.

Irein Thomas

Arthur Thuot

Arthur Thout, HBA, MFA, is the facilitator at StoryCorp, a company that delivers storytelling workshops to businesses and government. He has helped organizations in healthcare, energy, technology, government, aerospace, education and financial services tell their stories.

A dynamic and engaging facilitator, Arthur has been recognized for teaching excellence by departmental and university awards from the University of Florida, where he taught professional communication as well as beginning, intermediate and advanced fiction-writing. He teaches storytelling at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute, and has previously served as the European, Latin American and Asia-Pacific project director for a media agency.

Arthur has written for Pharmaceutical Executive, Oil & Gas Financial Journal, Corporate Board Member, Forbes Africa, Fortune en Español and Bloomberg Businessweek México on topics ranging from Chinese traditional medicine entrepreneurs to Argentinian board games.

Lianping Ti

Tiffany Timbers

Tiffany Timbers, PhD, is an assistant professor of teaching in the UBC Department of Statistics, and Option Co-Director and an instructor for the UBC Master of Data Science (MDS) program. After obtaining her doctorate in neuroscience at UBC in 2012, Tiffany carried out data-intensive postdoctoral research in behavioural and neural genomics at Simon Fraser University. During this time, she also gained valuable experience teaching computational skills to students and scientists through her work with Data and Software Carpentry, the SFU scientific programming study group, and teaching a course in computation in physical sciences at Quest University. Learn more about Tiffany on her personal website.

Fenneke Tjallingii-Brocken

Fenneke Tjallingii-Brocken works with purpose-driven leaders and organizations to create conscious workplace cultures that enhance internal effectiveness and external engagement. With over 20 years of experience in mindfulness and a systemic coaching approach, she helps clients navigate challenges, build resilience, and achieve their goals. Known for her deep connection with clients, she specializes in leadership coaching, team coaching, mindset, communication, and stress management. She holds multiple certifications, including Professional Certified Coach (ICF), and is an expert in fostering conscious leadership and self-discipline.