Who We Are
We are excited to announce the creation of a new independent advocacy body for engineering and geoscience in British Columba.
We invite you to join us on this exciting journey.
Monthly Updates
We’re continuing to work hard to develop the organization. Keep informed with our monthly updates.
Stay Informed
Stay informed of our latest developments by signing up for our mailing list. We will provide updates directly to you.
As soon as volunteer opportunities are available we will reach out.
Careers
Our Executive Director job posting is now live!
Check out the posting link below to learn more.
Meet the Board
We are delighted to introduce the advocacy body’s inaugural board members, a dedicated and diverse group of engineering and geoscience leaders, selected by an independent steering committee.
Andrew Randell
B.Sc., P.Geo.
Chair
Andy is a graduate from the University of Cardiff (Wales) in 1998 with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geoscience, but initially specialized in paleontology. He is the founder of SGDS Hive, a Vancouver-based geological consulting company with a vision to provide progressive, science-based solutions for their clients. Andy established the non-profit Below BC, which performs outreach and educational opportunities in geoscience. He has founded Aeonian Resources to explore a more sustainable and transparent form of mineral exploration with the hope to inspire change at the grassroots level. In 2016, he received the Bedford Young Mining Professional Award through the Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM).
Currently Andy sits on the board of Directors for the Association of Mineral Exploration (AME), and is the Chair of the CIM Geological Society. Andy also took an opportunity to teach two 4th year university courses at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, namely the Indigenous Relations and Sustainability course and Mining Law and Ethics.
Andy took a break from geology in the early 2000’s, due to a lack of opportunities in the UK, and worked in the banking sector as a Financial Planner on developing the new “Green” and ethical funds.
Katie Au
P.Eng., PMP
Vice-Chair
Katie is currently the National Practice Leader for Engineering at BBA. She oversees their corporate permits to practice engineering and geoscience as well as the processes and tools the firm uses to practice engineering.
Katie has nearly 20 years of experience in leading multidisciplinary teams, and specializes in protection and control and cybersecurity. Katie volunteers for various organizations advocating for diversity, STEM and education. She is the recipient of the 2023 ACEC-BC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion award.
Damineh Akhavan
P.Eng., FEC, MBA
Damineh is a Professional Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Canada with immense passion for human rights. She is a Senior Engineer at De Havilland Aircraft of Canada with more than 19 years of technical experience in the aerospace industry. She is a Founder and CEO of Global Women in STEM promoting human rights for women and equity-deserving groups and challenging the status quo in STEM through education, innovation, advocacy, and action.
Damineh has been a contributor, and collaborator with many diverse organizations serving local, provincial, national, and global communities in advocacy, youth outreach, mentorship, governance, justice, and human rights initiatives for over two decades. She champions women in leadership roles, equal and diverse representation on boards, and gender pay equity, and fights for ending gender-based violence through community building, storytelling, and sharing her lived experiences of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Her true calling and lifelong goal is to serve her community with long-lasting and sustainable global impact. She has been the recipient of eight awards and two honours in the past two years including the EGBC McLachlan Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering and Engineers Canada Meritorious Service Award for Professional Service.
Pattie Amison
M.Sc., P.Geo., EP
Pattie is a Professional Geoscientist and Environmental Professional with over twenty years of years of multi-disciplinary experience. She holds a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Calgary and an MSc in Earth Science from the University of Waterloo. Her expertise in hydrogeology combined with a broad range of technical and management skills gained through work in consulting, mining operations, and research enables her to provide clients with high quality and practical solutions using a collaborative approach.
Pattie channels her passion for education and mentoring into volunteering for a variety of organizations, including EGBC, where she organized technical talks and served as Chair of the South Central Branch for four years. In her free time Pattie enjoys camping and skiing with her family, curling, and learning piano.
Lucas Hallett
P.Eng.
Lucas is a project coordinator with Ledcor’s infrastructure group, and has previously worked with Pacific Gateway Constructors (Ledcor-JV) and Graham Construction. As a Board director, he’s passionate to support initiatives and influence policy surrounding diversity and inclusion, young people, and green programs.
Lucas holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering and a Diploma in Technology Management from the University of New Brunswick where he served as President of the Atlantic Council of Engineering Students and as President of the University of New Brunswick’s Engineering Society. During his studies, Lucas’ involvement spread widely from supporting the development of two EngiQueers chapters in Atlantic Canada, to chairing various engineering conferences, and volunteering with local search and rescue teams.
Victoria Morrison
P.Eng.
Victoria is a Professional Civil Engineer specializing in the management of complex, multidisciplinary airport infrastructure projects, with additional experience in the pulp and paper and healthcare sectors. She is currently a Senior Project Engineer with boutique consulting firm Coniferous Inc. where she provides project management services and supports clients through infrastructure expansion and improvement projects.
Victoria has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations where she has led organizational change initiatives and is a strong advocate for women and people with disabilities in the technical professions.
Julius Pataky
P.Eng., MBA
Since his retirement from full-time work, Julius has been active in volunteer roles in advancing the professions through his active work on the Regulation of Firms Task Force and subsequent RF Advisory Board of EGBC. He also has leadership roles on the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board in developing Policy and Procedures and leading Accreditation Visits of engineering programs across Canada over the past 7 years. He is motivated to advance the Professions and restoring their value in the eyes of the public. He fervently believes in the leadership role Engineering and Geoscience professionals can and must play in responding to societal and concerns which we currently face.
Julius is an executive and board leader with deep industry and management consulting experience in the energy sector in building effective teams, leading transformation and bringing innovation to organizations. He has a broad industry background from roles in oil and gas field work, energy systems and markets, asset management, utility regulation and public policy advisory roles for Governments. He has worked with broad stakeholders, First Nations and private entity interest groups. His projects spanned Alberta, BC, N. America, S. America, Europe and Asia.
Julius enjoys spending his free time with his grandchildren here in BC, and whenever possible with those in Perth, AUS, his home project renovation on Galiano Island and travel to his native Hungary.
Keith Recsky
P.Eng.(retired), FEC
Keith retired after 43 years as a P.Eng. in several engineering and operations roles in the natural gas utility industry. He and his wife have been enjoying the Kelowna lifestyle since 1981. Keith has been the Chair of the EGBC Mentoring Committee, member of the EGBC Nominations Committee and ten years serving on the EGBC Okanagan Branch Executive.
He is passionate about the profession which has been so good to him; and wishes to continue to “give back”. Keith played basketball for the University of Calgary Dinos and continued playing ball until COVID. He recently served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Kelowna Golf & Country Club.
Kirk Richardson
AScT, EIT
Kirk is an Electrical Engineer and Technologist with over 12 years of experience in various high-tech industries, including marine, renewables, and entertainment. He has held various roles, including consultant, product designer, and product line manager, specializing in embedded electronics, mechatronics, and systems engineering.
Kirk has actively collaborated with engineering outreach programs, student competitions, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) initiatives. Currently he volunteers as a mentor and judge for the CanSat Design Challenge and previously acted as a technical lead and judge for the Canadian Autonomous Snowplow Initiative university student competition.
Kirk has contributed to EGBC committees, such as the Science Games, EGBC Foundation Scholarships Adjudication, and Software Engineering Advisory Group. He has taught as an Adjunct Professor in the Integrated Engineering department at UBC, teaching their third-year capstone course. Outside of his professional commitments, Kirk enjoys participating in overnight sailing races, hiking, and backpacking.
Nina Sutic-Bata
P.Eng.
Nina brings more than two decades of experience in the field of municipal engineering discipline. She has fulfilled various roles within both consulting firms and municipal governments, including management of complex infrastructure projects and multidisciplinary teams.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Nina has been active in the local community. She has served on the Local Area Planning Committee as the Vice-Chair within the residents’ association. Her commitment extends to mentoring within professional organizations, with over seven years of volunteering as a mentor for the EGBC.
Nina is deeply engaged in supporting multicultural associations. Her voluntary contributions involve providing guidance to internationally trained professionals, offering mentorship on qualification recognition, and coaching on establishing successful careers in Canada. Her dedication to both her professional and community roles showcases her passion for making a positive impact on individuals and the broader community.
Godwin Wong
M.Eng., P.Eng.
Godwin is a Professional Civil Engineer who has focused on developing Vancouver’s transit and airport infrastructure over the past two decades. He has a Master’s degree in Engineering on project and construction management and a proven track record of building trust with clients, solving multidisciplinary technical and operational challenges, and managing complex commercial contracts. He is currently the President of Intransit BC, the Concessionaire in a public-private partnership for the Canada Line Rapid Transit Project in Vancouver.
Godwin is passionate about giving back to the community and volunteers for a nonprofit organization in the local community. Outside of his professional commitments, he likes to stay updated on current affairs, travel with the family, and enjoys outdoor activities.
Uranbileg Yondon
M.Sc., P.Geo., MBA
Uranbileg is a Professional Geoscientist with over 15 years of professional experience working as an Exploration Geophysicist and in Project Management in Mongolia, Australia, and Canada. She possesses deep mineral exploration expertise gained from her work on the massive Oyu-Tolgoi (OT) Copper-Gold mineral deposits in Mongolia and extensive geophysical and geological field experience on the Cadia Copper-Gold deposit in New South Wales, Australia.
Uranbileg has recently completed her MBA in Sustainable Innovation at the University of Victoria and is currently a candidate for the Colorado School of Mines, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mineral Exploration to further enhance her skills with modern technology. Additionally, she has been an active volunteer for the Young Mining Professionals, Mongolia Chapter, since 2021.