Abbotsford – UFV celebrates International Women’s Day with a lecture series presentation on Friday, Mar 7. The gathering takes place from 2:30 to 4:30 pm at Evered Hall on the Abbotsford campus.
UFV President Dr. Joanne MacLean is joined by panelists Dr. Abimbola Eke, Dr. Cathy Press, and Christine Seymour for an inspiring afternoon filled with insightful discussions and empowering stories from community leaders who are paving the way for change.
Dr. Khyati Shetty facilitates the conversation. Director of UFV’s School of Business, Shetty is an accomplished educator and global leader. She is a recipient of the GCC Education Leaders Award (2019, 2020) and GCC Women Leaders Award (2017, 2019). Khyati has led over 200 workshops across four continents and served as a leadership consultant for government bodies in Nigeria, Ghana, Dubai, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, and Mauritius. Recognized for empowering women entrepreneurs, she was appointed Country Chair (Canada) for the G100 Global Women Leaders in Higher Education in 2023. Khyati serves on boards spanning three continents.
Panelist bios
Dr. Joanne MacLean was appointed President and Vice-Chancellor of UFV on May 1, 2018. She is committed to the university’s mission of engaging learners, transforming lives, and building community while upholding its values of integrity, inclusivity, community, and excellence. Before joining UFV in 2012 as Dean of Health Sciences, she held positions at the University of Windsor and Brock University. She received a PhD from Ohio State University where she studied human resource management in sport and recreation, and administration in higher education. She holds a BA and MA degree from the University of New Brunswick in her hometown of Fredericton. MacLean has authored two books and over 70 publications. In 2009, she was named a Research Fellow of the North American Society for Sport Management.
Dr. Abimbola Eke is a SSHRC-funded Postdoctoral Fellow in Kinesiology at the University of Toronto, dedicated to enhancing the sport experiences of racialized girls and women. Her research explores body image and self-compassion among racialized women athletes in Canada, as well as their unique experiences with stress and coping. Her work bridges intersectionality, equity, and sport performance, aiming to create meaningful change for underrepresented women athletes. Eke has published widely, presented at national and international conferences, and is currently working on a project focused on issues related to help-seeking for mental health concerns among elite youth athletes and families.
Cathy Press, CEO of Chinook Helicopters, is a trailblazer in aviation. As Canada’s first female helicopter flight instructor, she has led Chinook to international recognition in pilot training. She is the only person in Canada holding “Transport Canada Pilot Examiner” status for both aeroplanes and helicopters and she is currently spearheading the development of an Aviation Training Organization pilot program with Transport Canada that will incorporate simulation products into high-level training programs. Press chairs the BC Aviation Council and serves on the board of the Helicopter Association of Canada. Recognized as one of the Women’s Executive Network’s Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women (2019), Press also received an honorary doctorate from UFV (2020) and is a member of advisory committees for both UFV and BCIT.
Christine Seymour is a member of the Tselxwéyeqw (Chilliwack) Nation, and her traditional name, Tselxát, is from her Sts’ailes family. She currently serves as the District Principal of Indigenous Education for the Fraser Cascade School District. Seymour has spent much of her life in the Tselxwéyeqw area of the Fraser Valley, where she graduated from Sardis Secondary School and later earned a degree in science from UFV. She also holds a MA in Leadership from Simon Fraser University. While Seymour initially aspired to support and inspire Indigenous youth in the field of science, her career path led her to teach Halq’eméylem, the language of her people. Despite not being fluent in Halq’eméylem — given that only one active speaker remains — she has dedicated much of her professional life to revitalizing and preserving the language. Seymour is passionate about fostering collaboration between the community and schools, particularly through the principles of truth and reconciliation. She strongly believes that this approach is essential for healing and progress.
Doors open at 2:30 pm on Mar 7. RSVP at this link.
