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Board of Directors – Biographies

David Christensen is Library Program and Policy Analyst, Public Library Services Branch, Sport, Culture and Heritage (Manitoba), where he has been helping public libraries understand the technology that was coming into their libraries and how to use it to meet the needs of their public. His role has been evolving as library staff and administration have become more comfortable with technology; he now spends much of his time working on co-operation and collaboration between libraries. David was instrumental in the development and growth of the Manitoba Spruce Libraries Co-operative and in building the strong, mutually beneficial relationship between BCLC and Spruce. He has served as chair of the Sitka Business Function Group and as a Co-op representative on the Evergreen Community Development Initiative.

Deb Hutschison Koep

 

Deb Hutchson Koep is the Chief Librarian at North Vancouver City Library. She has worked in leadership roles at West Vancouver Memorial Library, including seven years as deputy director with a portfolio that included finance, technology and communications. Deb enjoys problem-solving, project work, and process analysis and improvement. Working with committed, motivated, curious people keeps her on her toes. She believes in leading through others, and is passionate about working in service to the community. Deb welcomes this opportunity to contribute her skills and learning, challenge her thinking and expand her knowledge.

 

Photograph of Jacqueline KozakJacqueline Kozak has been Library Director at Radium Hot Springs Public Library since 2018. She has served as Chair of the Kootenay Library Federation Library Directors Advisory Group and volunteered with the University of Regina Students’ Historical Society. Jacqueline has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Regina and plans to complete a Master of Library and Information Science at University of Alberta in 2026.

 

Shirley Lew is Dean, Learning Services at Vancouver Community College. She has a background in library technology and has taught library systems and automation at the iSchool at UBC.  She has served on several Boards, most recently as President of BC Libraries Association, Secretary for Vancouver Writers Festival, and past-President of BC Book Prizes. Shirley is  interested in the potential of technology to improve the quality of lives and communities, while also critically considering the ethical, political, and economic factors that drive and shape the digital landscape. Shirley is currently a doctoral student at UBC where her dissertation research will focus on cooperatives in the information sector.

 

photograph of Noreen MaNoreen Ma has worked for over 20 years in public libraries in various roles.  She is currently the Manager, Community Development at the Burnaby Public Library (BPL) where she oversees a team of community librarians and the Home Library and Accessible Service Department; and she is also responsible for setting the strategy and direction for community work based on principles of equity, justice, inclusion and anti-racism.  Passionate about social justice and anti-racism, her project work at BPL and her involvement in the Accessibility Committee and the EDI Committee at the City of Burnaby leverage her strengths. Noreen served as the Member-At- Large on BC Book Prizes Board for four years where she garnered experience in governance and finance.  During that time, she was also involved in the hiring of a new executive director for the board.  From 2020 to 2022, Noreen was the branch head at the Britannia Branch of the Vancouver Public Library.  In that role, Noreen was actively involved with the Britannia Community Services Board of Management and other subcommittees including the Anti-Racism Committee and the Reconciliation in Action Committee.  Noreen is particularly interested in learning more about the work that the BC Libraries Cooperative is doing around accessibility and seeing how she can contribute more to and collaborate with the wider library community by creating greater equity and access. 

 

Photo of Kevin StranackKevin Stranack has over thirty years of experience working in public and academic libraries, including more than 15 years with the Public Knowledge Project at Simon Fraser University, where he leads a team of researchers, software developers, community managers, and support experts in developing and supporting free, open source software for open access scholarly publishing, used by over 24,000 journals around the world, in more than 40 languages. He has a passion for cooperativism and the DIY ethos that plays a critical role in creating sustainable, effective, empowering alternatives to the narrow oligopolies of corporate technical service providers.

 

Mari Martin (MLIS) is the Director, Public Libraries Branch within the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Since 2015, she has been responsible for administering the Library Act for public libraries and implementing provincial strategic priorities. She is dedicated to helping public libraries and government work together to better meet the needs of B.C.’s diverse communities.