BCITS - Key Persons
I am a member of the BCITS' Board of Directors since its inception. I work full time at BCIT as the Program Head on the teaching faculty of the Biomedical Engineering Technology Program. I am also an Adjunct Professor of the UBC Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program. Other than teaching and coaching young people, I enjoy spending time travelling with my wife and two daughters.
I have had a lifelong commitment to ground up community development and I have been involved with BCITS since I helped to develop PROP in 2001 and engineered the creation of BCITS in 2006. I am also passionate about law and policy reform that shifts traditional power balances, which explains my involvement in initiatives like the reform of British Columbia's adult guardianship laws, the Equipment and Assistive Technology Initiative (EATI), the Medicare Protection Act and the Healthy Communities Movement.
Job Titles:
- Health Professional, Respirologist
- PROP 's New Medical Advisor
Dr. Aditi Shah is part of Faculty of Medicine, Division of Respirology at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Shah completed her training in Respiratory Medicine at University of Saskatchewan and has received clinical and research training in Sleep Medicine and Neuromuscular respiratory disease at University of British Columbia. She is currently working as a Respirologist at Vancouver General Hospital and in Sleep Medicine department at University of British Columbia Hospital.
Miranda Whiteley has been a Respiratory Therapist for 15 years. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Human Biology from the University of Toronto before continuing her education at the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences. Although she has worked in intensive care units, oxygen therapy, and CPAP therapy, she has found her work at the Provincial Respiratory Outreach Program (PROP) to be the most rewarding of her career. She started with PROP in 2011 and took a 5 year leave to pursue a Diploma and practice in Massage Therapy. Rejoining the team in 2021, Miranda is honored to be sharing the role of Team Lead with Sherry Shea.
Job Titles:
- Lead / Innovation Strategist
I have lived in the Okanagan since 1986 and have been a PROP client since 2001. I was also a Technology for Living board member for 6 years. I own and operate a small tech company, with a passion for independence through technology. In my free time I enjoy traveling overseas and volunteering with local non-profit organizations including the Tetra Society, Neil Squire Society and Muscular Dystrophy Canada. In 2016, I was proudly elected President of Kelowna's Disabled Sailing Association of BC. Having Spinal Muscular Atrophy II, I have worked with and developed a wide range of assistive technology. I hope by collaborating with my peers we can continue to bring innovation to Technology for Living.
Vivian Garcia is full of ideas, she is fiercely independent and she was born to advocate. Vivian broke her spine in 1988. Vivian's vehicle for advocacy upgraded upon a chance encounter. She was wheeling on the road with her young son skipping along the nearby sidewalk when she met a city employee who stopped to ask her where her normal route was. He basically said, if the city knew her way, they would make curb cuts for her to travel safely. That unknown man, cut a path that showed her how to move forward. You just have to talk to the right person and have a conversation! In time, change will be done. Over the years, Vivian has been involved with helping those who wish to make change to move forward with input from her many ideas, plus their time, skills, research and the money that comes magically from investors and donors into the mix.
Over the past year, Vivian was involved in Technology for Living Seniors and with the Simon Cox Awards. She has hosted the SCI BC Surrey Bean There monthly coffee group since 2015. During Covid 19 Vivian sat as a member on the Corporation of the City of New Westminster's Covid 19: Seniors and Peoples with Disabilities Task Force.
As a new member to the Board of Directors, Vivian brings her ideas, experience and sense of humour to the table. Outside of advocating, she is involved in research, she cooks, she gardens, she plays and she has a dog that fills her days.