APIRG: Alberta Public Interest Research Group

APIRG Board Member Election 2010

Candidate bios can be found by scrolling down the page or clicking on the candidate names in the table below.

Sunny Yang	Avery Miller
Gillian Wasney	Brent Kelly
Byron Vass	Ethan Dorward
Gabriel Sandstrom	Jolène Davies
Aditya Rao	Marshall Boyd
Abdul Raheem	Brennan Blomm
Marcus Peterson

General Information

APIRG Elections are overseen by the 2010 APIRG Chief Returning Officer, Andrea McDonald, to make sure they are fair, accessible, and follow APIRG Bylaws. She can be reached directly at cro@apirg.org

Any U of A undergraduate student who is sincerely committed to APIRG's mandate, feels they would make a competent board member, can fulfill board member duties and has not opted out of the APIRG dedicated fee, is welcome to run for one of nine board positions.

Please download a Nomination Package for more detailed information on what it means to sit on the APIRG Board of Directors.

Forum

Monday, March 1 @ 12:00 – Forum in SUB (SUB Stage)

Candidates will speak for 2 to 3 minutes, ask other candidates questions and entertain questions from the audience.

(More forums may be scheduled based on candidates’ availability.)

Voting

March 3 and 4, 2010, at all Students' Union polling stations.

Election Timeline

Thursday, February 11 @ 17:00 – Nomination deadline

Monday, February 22 – Campaigning begins

Tuesday, March 2 – Campaigning ends

Wednesday, March 3 & Thursday, March 4 – Voting

Candidate bios

There are 9 equal voting positions on the APIRG Board. These people are seeking your vote on March 3 & 4.

Brennan Blomm

Hello fellow University comrades! I’m Brennan Blomm and I sit on the current APIRG Board of Directors. Currently I am working on the Disorganizer - APIRG’s student handbook - and I truly think it will enrich the campus experience for those students seeking to become engaged. We have several working groups that are always looking for new members, student-funded grants waiting to be invested toward events, and training opportunities of all kinds that will help you in becoming a more socially-rounded student. I have met a few of you on my endeavors throughout campus and I truly hope to meet more of you, as it is my goal to reach out to those that want to become more involved in the campus and community but don’t know of APIRG’s existence. Thank you, and I hope to see you in office next year!

Marshall Boyd

Hey everyone!
I’m a third year economics student and I want to represent you on the APIRG Board. A lot of money is given to APIRG by students every year and I will ensure that money is spent effectively and responsibly. I have represented students in the past in a number of capacities and have always taken my duties very seriously regardless of the size of the portfolio. I will continue to work to ensure that the largest number of students is benefitted to the greatest extent. I have lots of experience in board situations and am well capable of working with a team to ensure that the best possible decision will be reached.
Vote for me and a responsible, effective APIRG Board.

Jolène Davies

Hello! My name is Jolène Davies. I’m currently serving as Staff Liaison on the APIRG Board of Directors and would like to continue my (rather ambitious) work into the next year. For that, I need your help! My goal is to help APIRG run even smoother and even more efficiently, so that it is all the easier for students such as yourself to be able to make use of us! I am also committed to making sure that the ENTIRE student body knows about, and feels confident making use of, APIRG’s awesome services. APIRG was created because students at the U of A are engaged in their communities and their world: you have ideas and dreams, and I want, as part of the APIRG Board, to help you achieve them. Thank you so very much for your consideration, and support!

Ethan Dorward

Hey All! I hail from Whitecourt Alberta. I like ripping up turf on a snowboard, quad, or a snowmobile. I play hockey, soccer, and dodge ball on a regular basis around campus. A bit of a world traveler, I spent the last year sailing on the Atlantic Ocean in a university program called class afloat. I am currently enrolled in Biological Sciences with a minor in Geology. I am a newly initiated member of Phi Gamma Delta, and intent on becoming involved with the Inter Fraternal Council, or IFC. As the only candidate representing the sciences and one of only two representing the Greek community I will be an excellent choice for a voice in APIRG if you feel you have a foot in either of these camps.

Brent Kelly

Hello! I’m a second year Political Science and International Studies student, and I want to be a powerful force for active student citizenship and student advocacy through serving on the APIRG Board of Directors. I am currently serving on the board of directors of the Greater Edmonton Skeptics Society, a group that promotes science and reason at the grassroots level here in Edmonton. I have been involved with various student groups, including Walk for Darfur Club and Green Club, and have served on the executive of the History Club. I am running for the board of APIRG because I want to promote active citizenship on campus and be a catalyst for positive change. If elected, I will ensure APIRG continues representing the best interests of students at the U of A. I will use my experience with activism, teamwork, and project management to excel at my responsibilities. Thank you for your consideration and good luck with your studies.

Avery Miller

I’m Avery Miller and I am in my third year of Political Science. My future aspirations are to complete a Law Degree in International Human Rights Law and to eventually work for an international aid organization. I am passionate about global health and international equality of peoples. I feel very privileged to have been given the opportunities that have enabled me to study here at University and the chance to work effectively towards true social justice. I believe that student involvement is invaluable not only to our campus but to our entire international community. With your passion for social justice and APIRG’s funding, experience and tools, you truly can create global change! If elected onto the APIRG Board of Directors, I assure you that I will work hard at assisting students in turning their social concerns into effective action.

Marcus Peterson

Hello, I’m Marcus Peterson, a 4th-year Environmental Conservation Sciences student. My professional portfolio ranges from natural resource management, to sustainability awareness and training, to organizational strategic planning, to human rights advocacy. Since I have been actively engaged in APIRG’s working groups and internal project development for the past 3 years, my goals as a member of the APIRG Board of Directors are to learn more about the issues pertinent to the U of A undergraduate population and the community at-large; provide the skills, resources, funding and knowledge of APIRG and the rest of the board to solve those problems; and empower my fellow peers and citizens to transform themselves into active, engaged catalysts for positive change. I hope, with the help of your vote, I can bring your concerns and a diversity of perspectives to the boardroom table to ensure APIRG remains a strong community force for responsible citizenry and democratic participation to change the world.

Abdul Raheem

As a second-year student at the University of Alberta double-majoring in History and Religious Studies, I am motivated to run for the APIRG Board of Directors because I believe enhancing it’s scope and accessibility will positively impact our world. APIRG is a pivotal institution for student activism at our university, the funding removes a big hurdle faced by student groups working hard to educate and take action. I believe it’s necessary that the importance and value of student activism be highlighted. Though I do not have past experience in executive leadership roles, I do not doubt my ability to be responsible and proactive in defending APIRG’s objectives.

Aditya Rao

A third year undergraduate student of Political Science and Economics, I have been on the executive of a couple of different student groups and enjoy being involved in the community. Having been a supporter of APIRG for three years and a board member for one of them, I hope to be able to play a role in providing you with the tools you need to be an active citizen by running again. My experience includes being on the executive of the University of Alberta’s STAND and WUSC chapters as well as being involved as a volunteer with other student groups and organizations in the University. APIRG’s mandate is to transform social concern into effective action. As a board member, I intend to facilitate APIRG’s commitment to giving voice to the voiceless. A vote for me is a vote for more tools for activism and a more engaged student body.

Gabriel Sandstrom

My name is Gabriel Sandstrom. I was born in Hong Kong, lived in Sweden and spent several years among Canada’s First Nations people. As a first year student, my goal is to complete my degree in Political Science and International Studies, towards an LLB. I have been a team leader and DJ with CIAM Radio, a spokesperson for the United Nations Association of Canada, an organizer of several youth events in First Nations communities and a volunteer serving the homeless people of Edmonton. I want to bring these valuable experiences, as a member of the APIRG team, to further enhance the transformation of your concerns into effective action. I want to actively represent you and become your voice, to bring your issues to the forefront. Together as a student body, we can make the U of A a leading force for social change both locally and globally. Vote for change!

Byron Vass

I’m Byron Vass, a third year arts student majoring in economics and my biggest regret is not becoming active in the student community earlier. This year I joined SIHA international, being a part of this organization has drastically enhanced my University experience. It’s too easy for us students to just talk about issues we find important; it’s taking that extra step of turning talk into action that commitment. Turning ideas into action is not always easy on your own but I strongly believe in an organization like APIRG and on their 2010 Board of Directors I believe I can make a difference. When elected I’ll be able to help students make the most out of their University education by becoming active members of our society.

Gillian Wasney

Cloned at birth, Gillian Wasney is an identical twin. She spends her days playing jedi mind games on others with her alter-ego and confusing the hell out of everyone. A lover of animals, there’s few things on this earth Gillian loves more than her pets. Just ask Meekah, Teddy, Ralph or any of her 3 dogs & 3 cats what they think about her and they’ll likely respond with a resounding “meowoof”. Being a diehard Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan at heart and sporting an unparalleled addiction to Dawson’s Creek, Gillian’s eccentricities are vast and colourful. Gillian’s tenacity for change is evident in her role as an executive on the PSUA. She is proudly working towards an honors degree in Polisci, with a splash of Women Studies for flavour. Gillian is everything you’d expect of an energetic soul who simply refuses to be pigeonholed. Brimming with infectious energy and bursting with brilliant ideas, Gillian loves challenging the status quo - and rumor has it, no one has ever won an argument with her. Ever. She loves a powernap, is an avid photographer and spends her days pondering life over a good book and a cup o’ tea.

Sunny Yang

I was born in Taiwan and lived in Vancouver until moving to Edmonton at age 7. Being able to speak Mandarin, French and English gave me a fascination with understanding cultures and different viewpoints. Having worked with human rights and environmental awareness groups, I know the satisfaction of seeing the small idea of a few developing into a part of the community’s consciousness. Currently, I am on the committee for the Young Environmental Leaders of Alberta.
I promise to discuss, (argue if you prefer!) any thoughts you have, be they on sustainability, consumer rights, or any other issue which you feel is under represented. All your questions, concerns, even comments will be responded to promptly and respectfully. You can count on me to provide you with all the help I can to get your great ideas off the ground.

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