Meet our faculty and staff at the Peace River-Liard campus.
Staff
Denis, Bruce
BTech; PMP
Biography
Bruce has worked in Post-Secondary Administration for over 20 years and has held positions in IT/AV, Office of the Vice President Academic, Student Services, Institute Research, Facilities and now regional education. Bruce currently manages operations at three of UNBC's four campuses.
Faculty
De Smit, Amanda
MN (Toronto Metropolitan University); BScN (University of Alberta); RN
Biography
Amanda began her nursing career at the Fort St. John Hospital, and later worked in larger centres including Toronto, Ontario, and Kingston, Ontario. She has worked in acute care, community care, and in rural and remote outpost communities.
DiFrancesco, Dr. Darryn
PhD (UBC / University of Ottawa); MA (University of Ottawa); BA (Simon Fraser University)
Biography
I am a medical sociologist with an interdisciplinary background.
PhD; MSW
Biography
I am an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Northern British Columbia, based in Fort St. John on the unceded lands of Dane-zaa Peoples of the Doig River First Nation, Blueberry River First Nation, and Halfway River First Nation in the Peace Region.
BScN (University of Western Ontario)
Biography
Lena is a Senior Lab Instructor for the Northern Baccalaureate Nursing Program in Fort St. John and is a practicing registered nurse with the Fort St. John Hospital.
Senior Lab Instructors
Quiring, Danielle
BSN (Okanagan University College); Advanced Nursing Specialty - Perinatal Nursing (BCIT); MN - Educator Focus (in progress; University of Victoria)
Biography
Danielle completed her BSN at Okanagan University College (now known as UBC-O) in Kelowna B.C. in 2005. During University she developed a passion for perinatal care and care of the childbearing family moving to Fort St. John in 2005 to pursue this passion.
Tjepkema, Leah
RN
Biography
Leah Tjepkema, BN, RN, began her nursing career in Fort St. John, B.C. in 2015. She has worked across a variety of clinical areas, including long-term care, medical–surgical units, and labour and delivery and earned her Perinatal Specialty Certificate in 2017.