Chris's Background

My family have been residents of Burlington for almost 20 years. I have a son in High School, and he has always been enrolled in the Halton District School Board.

I have worked in the transportation industry for over 30 years with roles of driver, supervisor, and senior management. I am currently a school bus driver in Burlington and have been for almost 6 years. I love the job. I find it very rewarding. During this time, I have been to almost every school in Halton and spoken to thousands of students, parents, caregivers and teachers regularly. I have spoken on their behalf where I could request or suggest changes that would improve physical, mental and emotional health and safety I also work towards creating a safe space on my bus. I have a unique perspective of the school system since I am transporting approximately 200 students to or from school every day.

I currently drive students to or from the following schools:

Aldershot PS and SS
Central PS
Tom Thomson PS

Previous Governance Experience:

While studying in college, I was fortunate to be elected as a governor (1 year term) at Mohawk College. I represented all students and provided a voice for them as much as I could. I would regularly have conversations with the Student Association, staff and faculty to gain a broader perspective and understanding of what was going on at the college and how I might be able to influence the other governors. I was passionate about the placement of the Student Residence and maintaining outdoor athletic facilities to benefit the student population.

I was also fortunate to be elected to the position of Director (1 year term) of the Colleges and Institutes Canada (formerly the Association of Canadian Community Colleges.). In this role I represented students across Ontario attending approximately 25 community colleges and institutes. In this role I was successful in having a new policy created that increased inclusiveness and the ability of directors to communicate in both official languages.

I was very fortunate to have the opportunity at the First World Congress of Colleges and Polytechnics (Quebec City 1999) to lead the group of student directors (ACCC) in developing and presenting a concurrent session and round table discussions around student experience in colleges, institutes, and polytechnics. The session was attended by faculty, senior administrators, presidents and directors of colleges, institutes, and polytechnics from approximately 25 institutions across North America, Europe, and Africa.

Important skills that I developed in these roles was listening to and trying to understand diverse views and perspectives. Indigenous, differently abled, LGBTQ and people of colour all had an impact on how I see and experience the world, and how I could help in making Ontario Colleges and Institutes better places for students.

I also received training in conflict of interest, fiduciary responsibilities, and Roberts Rules of Order (A set of rules that govern how boards, and meetings are run)

Community Involvement

I have long been interested in cycling and road safety. I was a member of the Burlington Cycling Committee for a number of years as well as the Guelph Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (including chairperson)

Relevent education:

I am currently working towards my Certificate of Specialization in Leadership and Management through Harvard Business School online and expect to be finished in the spring of 2023.