Join us for the fourth session in our series “Stories of Partnership” dedicated to highlighting collaborations that embody reciprocity.
In this virtual session, Trevor Moss from the Central Okanagan Food Bank (COFB) and Dr. Eric Li and Dhorea Ramanula representing UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Management will share the story of their long-standing partnership. They’ll explore how their relationship began and highlight key initiatives such as the co-development of an inventory management system, experiential learning projects with Management students, and SSHRC-funded research projects on food security and the co-exploration of the future of local food system in the Okanagan region and beyond.
Angela Han from UBC Okanagan University Relations will moderate the discussion, guiding the speakers through a conversation on the critical role of reciprocity in community-university partnerships. She’ll ask the speakers to reflect on challenges and lessons learned in this work, and seek insights and candid advice from Trevor based on his many years of experience fielding project requests from UBC.
This session is open to community partners and any UBC staff, faculty, or students interested in the topic.
Date: Thursday, November 21st, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM (PDT)
Location: Online via Zoom
Why Should You Attend?
- You want to explore good practices for collaborating with community partners and understand why the small things—like meeting up for coffee —matter in building lasting partnerships.
- You’re seeking candid advice on how to approach community partners effectively, including what to do (and what not to do) to ensure your partnerships are truly reciprocal and mutually beneficial.
- You want to learn how to avoid overburdening your community partners and gain insights into how to maintain a balanced and respectful partnership.
Series Objectives
- To highlight and learn from community-university partnerships that exemplify reciprocity.
- To provide opportunities for staff and librarians to learn from community partners’ feedback to better our collective engagement practices.
Speakers
Trevor Moss, Chief Executive Officer, Central Okanagan Food Bank: Trevor brings a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for community service to his role. Hailing from a small town in Newfoundland, Trevor spent 24 years in the Greater Toronto Area before settling in Kelowna, BC in 2017. With a career spanning 25 years in leadership roles within not-for-profit organizations, Trevor has had the privilege of journeying with diverse and multicultural communities. Currently pursuing his second master’s degree in counselling, Trevor is dedicated to enhancing his skills to better support those in need.
As a passionate communicator and collaborative team player, Trevor’s approach is guided by value-based principles aimed at helping individuals and organizations thrive. Beyond his professional commitments, Trevor is known for his engaging personality and enjoys playing sports, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends. Trevor considers it a privilege to serve the local community through his role at the Central Okanagan Food Bank, where he actively fosters meaningful partnerships to address food insecurity and support those in need.
Dhorea Ramanula, Project Coordinator, Kelowna Homelessness Research Centre (KHRC): Dhorea Ramanula is a multifaceted leader and advocate, renowned for her co-founding of National Suicide Awareness Day. She has been published in the Journal of Dental Education and produced an award-winning documentary on healthy living. Dhorea has served as Board Chair, and President of various non-profits, and as Community Engagement Facilitator at the Faculty of Management at University of British Columbia Okanagan. As the only Canadian featured in Times Square, New York, for International Women’s Day, she is a beacon of inspiration. In 2024, she received an Honorable Mention for the Women of the Year/Spirit Award with Kelowna Women in Business. Dhorea founded Hemi’s Holistic Healing Centre Society, championing inclusive holistic recovery for women. Her unwavering commitment to mental health, education, and community empowerment has made her a respected and influential figure in her field.
Eric Li, Associate Professor, Faculty of Management: Dr. Eric Li joined the Faculty of Management at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus in 2011. His Ph.D. in Marketing is from York University, and he received his M.A. in Anthropology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr. Li’s research interests include social enterprise and social innovation, not-for-profit marketing, sustainable marketing and consumption, multicultural marketing and consumption, consumer well-being, health promotion, consumer privacy, food economy and market system, fashion and popular culture, and digital marketing and social media marketing.
Angela Han, Community Engagement Strategist, UBC Okanagan University Relations: Angela works with the University Relations team collaborating with community and campus partners across UBC to support strategic partnership development. She helps community partners facilitate connections and navigate university resources to engage with UBC Okanagan. Angela is committed to building capacity and improving UBC’s collective community engagement efforts and is a member of the Community Engagement Network Advisory. Angela also co-creates infrastructure, tools, and resources, such as the Community Partnerships Table at UBC Okanagan, to promote coordination, information sharing, and mutually beneficial partnerships that drive transformational change. Prior to coming to the Okanagan, Angela created the UBC Climate Action Mobilizers Project, a community engaged learning initiative with strong measurable outcomes. Angela is also currently the Program Lead and Instructor for the Climate Action and Community Engagement Micro-certificate Program in the Faculty of Forestry.
About the Event Organizer
The Community Engagement Network (CEN) is designed for staff and librarians at UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan who do community engagement work. Our purpose is to: (1) create and sustain a sense of community among staff at UBC who lead and support community-university engagement and (2) increase our collective capacity and provide tools for reciprocal, community-led engagement.
Registration is now closed.