Aboriginal Access & Services Staff

James Coble
Aboriginal Access and Services Coordinator

Kelowna Campus
Tel: 250.762.5445, local 4322
E-mail: jcoble@okanagan.bc.ca

James is of Okanagan Nation descent, born and raised as a member of the Westbank First Nation community. After graduating from Mount Boucherie Secondary School, he went on to study at Okanagan University College where he spent two years before transferring to the University of Victoria. While in Victoria he received a Bachelor of Education degree and soon thereafter returned to Kelowna where he worked as a teacher-on-call and as an Academic Advisor with Okanagan University College. After spending three years in Kelowna, he decided to return to the University of Victoria where he completed a Master of Arts degree in Exercise Psychology with an emphasis on Aboriginal populations. He was hired on as the Aboriginal Access and Services Coordinator just as he was completing his studies.

 

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Ethan Baptiste
Aboriginal Mentor

KLO Campus
Tel: 250.762.5445 local 4682
E-mail: ebaptiste@okanagan.bc.ca

Ethan is Syilx (People of the Okanagan Nation) and was born and raised in Oliver, on the Osoyoos Indian Band reserve. He graduated from Notre Dame High-school in Wilcox Saskatchewan, then attended UBC Vancouver and majored in political science and economics and, thereafter, attended Concordia University College and majored in Business Administration while playing varsity hockey. After which, he attended Thompson Rivers University and completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Finance. Currently, he is attending UBC Okanagan pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Indigenous Studies. Ethan believes a strong cultural and traditional background are the key to any Western education, whether post-secondary or graduate. As such he has dedicated his time to learning Syilx way of life and worldview, traditional songs, attending ceremonies and has co-organized the annual Traditional Okanagan Hunting Trek.

 

Marilyn Alexis
Educational Advisor, Aboriginal Mentor

Vernon Campus
Tel: 250.545.7291 local 2209 (Wed.) or 2284 (Tues. & Thurs.)
E-mail: malexis@okanagan.bc.ca

Marilyn, a member of the Lower Similkameen Nation, was born In Vernon, BC. She was raised on both the Lower Similkameen and Okanagan reserves. After graduating from Vernon Senior Secondary, she attended Trinity Western University and completed both her Bachelor of Science degree, (majoring in Biochemistry) and her requirements for Naturopathic Medicine. She spent three additional years training with Wild Rose College in Vancouver and completed her preceptorship during the summer months at the Naturopathic Clinic in Penticton, B.C. While raising her children, Willow and Sage, she decided to change career paths and work for Okanagan University College as an Academic Advisor and First Nation Mentor. She has worked with OUC and OC for the past seven years. She is energetic, supportive, and encourages students to persevere and to not quit. She always says, your first year is the big challenge, and when someone says you can’t, she says you can.

 

Caroline Chartier
Aboriginal Mentor

Salmon Arm Campus
Tel: 250.832.2126 local 8237
E-mail: cchartier@okanagan.bc.ca 

Caroline, a member of the Lakota Sioux Nation with Métis ancestry, was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba. She attended elementary and junior high school in Winnipeg before moving to BC and attending high school in Vancouver. Soon thereafter she got married and had a son. She continued her education through night classes and weekend courses at local colleges while working full time and raising a family. In 1997 she moved to the Okanagan where she was hired by School District #83 (Shuswap School District) as a First Nations Support Worker. In 2006, she was hired by Okanagan College as an Aboriginal Mentor for the Salmon Arm Campus. Caroline’s commitment to the enhancement of Aboriginal learners is unquestionable. She is passionate about what she does and takes pride in helping students in any way she can. She is friendly, resourceful, compassionate and dedicated and the College is very lucky to have her!

 

Bob Searle
Aboriginal Mentor

Penticton Campus
Tel: 250.492.4305 local 3280
rsearle@okanagan.bc.ca

Bob is of Metis Cree-Saulteaux ancestry, born in Wells, BC and attended public school in Williams Lake. He graduated from grade 13 in Vancouver, later attended SFU as a charter student with a B.Ed in education and geography major, and completed his formal education at UBC with an M.Ed in Educational Administration. He started his teaching career in Kamloops, went on to work with INAC in Prince George as Assistant Superintendent of Education, and completed his full-time working career as principal at Nkwala Elementary School in School District #67 (Okanagan-Skaha/Penticton). Currently he works 2-3 months each year as a Supervisor with UBC-Okanagan in the Education Faculty guiding 1st and 2nd year students in completion of their required teaching practica in the South Okanagan. Bob has spent several fulfilling years working with aboriginal learners and first nations focus groups, and is committed to enhancing educational opportunities for students of all ages.