The New Learning Society Board of Directors
We are currently looking for additional Board members. If you are interested in applying to become a Board member or know of someone who is, please contact us.
Our current Board consists of the following individuals:
Kerry Elfstrom, B.Ed., M.A., Chair
Kerry is an educator, performance and instructional technologist, training consultant and communicator with over 35 years experience in education, business and industry. Kerry spent 13 years with UBC helping a team build and deliver the Ministry of Education's Instructors' Diploma Program to certify college and private training instructors throughout BC in the design and implementation of post secondary curricula. Kerry also built, delivered and obtained university accreditation for the Master Trainer Program, a multi-level professional learning program that assists technical and subject matter experts to design competency based training programs and deliver them to adult learners in the workplace. As a private training consultant, Kerry has helped organizations in B.C., Alberta and the USA build curricula and has trained their instructors and developers in the principles of the design and management of competency based education programs. Kerry has developed expertise in principles of holistic, accelerated, whole brain and multi-sensory learning. He also has extensive experience designing and developing competency based, modular, self directed, eLearning programs for workplace learning. Kerry is also a governance consultant and brings to the Board over 20 years experience of organizational effectiveness. Kerry and his wife Gayle Farrell have a daughter in Grade 4 in PSS.
Russ Pacey
Russ is a retired education system administrator with a passion for innovation in ways to support the education of the whole child. He has a long history in the field of adult and alternate education and has been a champion of innovation throughout his career. In recent years for example, he was a leader of eLearning in the public school system. In this initiative, his vision of future education was one in which eLearning and blended education would be as integral to present and future education as textbooks were in the past. He believes education should be accessible to every learner in the way that a person can best learn, and he enjoys making that happen. In addition to his experience in education, Russ has extensive community involvement. He has held the position of President for four different voluntary organizations in BC and Alberta. HeÕs also a big fan of the arts and has served on the Board of the Royal City Musical Theatre Company.
Heidi Anderson, B.A., Head Educator, Ex-Officio
Heidi brings the education context to the Board and is responsible for the program for Pacific Spirit School. As head educator for PSS, she embodies the philosophy of the NLS and PSS and provides mentorship and support to the rest of the educational staff at PSS. Heidi was also a Life Song School parent in the past, and her son Liam is now nearing the end of high school.
Ingrid Price, Ph.D., Executive Director, Ex-Officio
Ingrid is an educator who currently teaches at UBC. Ingrid and her husband were Life Song School parents in the past, and their sons Reid and Evan are now in public high school. Ingrid brings many years of history and experience both as an educator and administrator to the Board. In charge of the overall management and operations of the New Learning Society and PSS, her goal is to support the educators and families to create a learning environment and experience that serves each child and family in our community.