Our instructors

Wesley Regan

Dean Regier

Vicente Regis

Gabriel Reygondeau

DR. GABRIEL REYGONDEAU, BSc, MSc, PhD, is a Professor at the University of Miami at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, where he coordinates the Aquamap/AquaX Project. He has a strong background in biological oceanography with a focus on biogeography, macroecology and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems ().

Dr. Reygondeau has held various research positions, including a current role as a Research Associate at the University of British Columbia, where he's involved in the Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager portal project, collaborating with Prof. William L. Cheung. His previous work at Yale University and other institutions has involved projects related to marine biodiversity, conservation and climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems.

Dr. Reygondeau has published widely in the area of the impact of climate change and anthropogenic pressures on global marine biodiversity. For a selected listing, please view here.

He holds a PhD in Oceanography, an MSc in Oceanography and the Marine Environment, and a BSc in Ecology and Biology, all of which have contributed to his expertise in modeling, statistics and macroecology in the context of the world's oceans.

Shadi Rezaei

Alexandra Richmond

Alexandra Richmond has an MSc in International Marketing Communication Strategy, an MEd, and 13 years of experience in organizational administration and education. She is very involved with public and private sector organizations and teaches extensively both in the classroom and in the boardroom.

Heather Robertson

Maryann Rogers

Mirta Roncagalli

Mirta Roncagalli, MA, is a doctoral candidate of Hispanic studies at UBC. She studied at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Italy) where she earned a bachelor’s degree in languages and linguistics with a minor in international relations, and a master’s degree in comparative literatures. She also earned a master’s degree from University of Huelva (Spain).

Mirta has studied and conducted research at University of Bristol (UK), University of Zaragoza (Spain) and Georgia State University (US). Her current research is at the crossroads of ethics and politics, specifically within the 20th and 21st-century Spanish essay.

Chantale Roy

Chantale Roy is passionate about words and language. With over 30 years of experience in teaching French and translation, she combines precision and creativity to bring language to life. She holds degrees in health sciences and education from the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue and is currently completing her studies in translation at the Université de Saint-Boniface to further refine her linguistic expertise.

A specialist in interactive and engaging online learning, she designs courses that captivate students and foster meaningful learning experiences. She has developed and led multiple online reading and writing courses, as well as in-person and online language training for the University of British Columbia’s Extended Learning program, the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec. A published author and proofreader for a publishing house, she dedicates her expertise to the art of words with ever-renewed passion.

Rita Santillan

Rita Santillan holds a Master's degree in Educational Technology, and a BEd with a specialization in teaching foreign languages. She has also earned a Spanish Teaching Certificate from the Instituto Cervantes in Spain, and a Certificate in Translation and Interpretation from the University of California. Originally from Peru, Rita came to UBC in 2008.

Cristina Schaurich

Jordan Scott

Jordan Scott is a poet and children’s author. Scott is the author of four picture books with Holiday House / Neal Porter Books and Random House Studio. His debut children’s book, I Talk Like a River (illustrated by Sydney Smith), was a New York Times best Children’s Book of 2020. It was translated into 21 languages and was the recipient of the American Library Association’s Schneider Family Book Award, which honors authors for the artistic expression of the disability experience. I Talk Like a River also received numerous international awards and was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Prize for Young People’s Literature. Scott is also the author of four books of poetry and the recipient of the Writers’ Trust Latner Poetry Prize, given to a mid-career poet in recognition of a remarkable body of work, and in anticipation of future contributions to Canadian poetry. 

Kim Seunghyun

Ashleen Shadeo

Weaver Shaw

Weaver Shaw, MA is a lecturer at UBC Vantage College with over 20 years of experience in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and international student language acquisition. Her work bridges applied linguistics, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the ethical integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in higher education.

As a UDL Faculty Fellow and UBC Sustainability Coordinator, Weaver leads initiatives that expand equitable participation through inclusive course design and AI-assisted learning tools. She has co-developed accessibility frameworks that inform curriculum redesign and promotes human-centred approaches to technology-mediated instruction.

Weaver’s teaching philosophy emphasizes inclusive pedagogy, learner agency and ethical engagement with AI in language education. She is recognized for her leadership in professional development on accessible instruction and ethical AI use in higher education.

Kelly Shiohira

Kelly Shiohira, BA, MA, MSc, is the Director of Impact and Community at App Inventor and a prominent strategist recognized for her work in areas of literacy, connecting education to the world of work, and the use of AI and Technology in Education.

Kelly has worked on large-scale projects and works across the value chain of planning, implementation and monitoring, and evaluation to design, deliver and evaluate educational interventions. She particularly works in the areas of literacy, connecting education to the world of work and the use of AI and Technology in Education. Her past projects include several blended learning programs for teachers and learners, including the Bridges to the Future South Africa 2 initiative, a literacy through technology program in four African languages that won the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy.

Kelly is one of the authors of the UNESCO AI Competency Framework for Students and leads an international working group focusing on its implementation. Her publications include Understanding the Implications of AI on Skills Development, K-12 AI Curricula: A mapping of government-endorsed AI curricula and Proceed with Caution: The Pitfalls and Potential of AI and Education.

Neha Shivhare

Deborah Shukyn-Plageman

Deborah Shukyn-Plageman is an advocate for and member of the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities. As a late-identified AudHD/2E practitioner, Deborah brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work in coaching, coach education, mentor coaching and coaching supervision. She is the founder of PersonaGrata Consulting and the developer of Coaching Neurodiversity at Work at UBC Extended Learning.

As a 20-year veteran of professional coaching, Deborah is a credentialed coach, mentor coach and coaching supervisor, holding ICF-PCC, EMCC-EIA, EMCC-ESIA and CCDP designations. She has coached a diverse range of clients with intersectional neurodivergent identities, including senior and emerging leaders, people at all levels of organizations, people of diverse cultural backgrounds, people with physical and developmental disabilities, cancer survivors, and people experiencing short-term, episodic and lifelong mental health, addictions and employment-related barriers.

Deborah is a practitioner-researcher whose work focuses on equity, neurodiversity, coaching supervision and access to meaningful participation in work and community life. Her graduate and doctoral-level studies have focused on the use of coaching to support people who experience barriers and marginalization. She also develops programs for universities and community organizations serving people with complex, intersectional identities.

Mahtab Sirdani