The College of New Caledonia is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Regional Principals and an Operational Manager:
Corinne George, Regional Principal for the Lakes District;
Nicholette Prince, Regional Principal for the Nechako campus; and
Karen Bancroft, Operations Manager for Nechako.
Corinne started her new position on September 12, 2016.Nicholette will start her new position on October 3, 2016; and Karen Bancroft will begin her position on October 11, 2016.
“We are honoured to have Corrine, Nicholette and Karen accept these positions,” said President Henry Reiser. “We look forward to working with them, the Lakes District communities and the Nechako region communities to provide relevant and responsive programs and services.”
Corinne George is Witsuwit’en from the Gitimden Clan (Bear Clan) and a member of Wet’suwet’en First Nation. She comes from a lineage of hereditary chiefs, as well as elected chiefs. Her great grandfathers’ hereditary names were Gguhlat (Late Felix George) and C’idimsggin’is (Burns Lake Tom). Her mother is Rita George (Galluhgun), and her father, Andrew (Tsebesa), was a WWII veteran – a Royal Canadian Engineer who built bridges. Both of Corinne’s parents taught oral history and strongly advocated for education. Corinne notes, “My ancestors too were bridge builders - bridges of cultural knowledge, bridges of diplomacy, and bridges between communities.”
Corinne holds a BA from the University of Lethbridge and an MA from the University of Calgary, both in history. She has worked in various support and faculty positions at CNC. Her education experiences enabled her to grasp a broad understanding of numerous histories and cultures. Her employment experiences enabled her to put these understandings into practice as she engaged non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal populations. Corinne’s experience, coupled with the mandate of a new relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations, will ensure inclusive and integrated opportunities for all within the Lakes District region.
“The great energy, the feeling of family, and the strength of community are visions I know existed throughout the history of CNC and I am excited about working with the team to build on these strengths,” said George. “The current team at CNC Lakes is solid, and, as a team, we will put one foot in front of the other and continue to provide a solid culture of service to achieve high levels of student success.”
Nicholette Prince is a member of Nak’azdli Whut’en and its former Chief Operating Officer. She is a member of the Lusilyoo Clan and daughter of the late Nick and Irene Prince. Nicholette grew up in Fort St. James and Prince George. Her father was dedicated to the preservation of culture and language, and both parents were champions of education. “The College is part of the foundation that keeps our communities thriving and I am excited to be a part of this team,” said Nicholette.
Nicholette holds a BA (Hon) in Art History from the University of Victoria and a MSc. in Clothing and Textiles from the University of Alberta. Much of her career has been spent at the Museum of Civilization (now Museum of History) in Gatineau, QC and she was the first Executive Director hired by the Nisga’a Lisims Government to open the Nisga’a Museum in 2011. She has taught at both UNBC and at the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources in Winnipeg. Nicholette’s education and work experience will be an asset to the Nechako region and she looks forward to engaging community to provide relevant programs and services to the Nechako region.
“Both my father’s championing of culture and my work experience have given me a deep appreciation of the importance of cultural preservation and the value of integrating indigenous knowledge into post-secondary education,” said Prince. “I have always promoted education and I look forward to the opportunity to assist communities in determining and achieving their education needs.”
Originally from Ontario, Karen Bancroft and her husband have been living in British Columbia for twenty-five years. Karen has been an active community member in Vanderhoof since 2004, during which time she has had the opportunity to work with both the Vanderhoof and Fort St. James communities.
Karen holds a BA (Hon) in English from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from the University of Toronto. During her professional career, she has held a variety of senior management positions in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors and has operated her own management consulting business. Through these positions Karen has gained significant experience in managing both budgets and staff. She has also taught finance and management courses at UNBC as well as university transfer courses, academic upgrading and job readiness skills at the College of New Caledonia campuses in Vanderhoof, Fort St. James and Prince George.
“I have had the opportunity to work with the College in the past,” said Bancroft. “I am excited to return to the College – it feels like a coming home for me. In my new role, I look forward to working with our team to develop and implement the best business practices and partnerships which will best serve the academic and educational needs of the communities we serve.“