Team Member Type: Board of Directors

Allan Coyle is an accomplished communications and marketing professional and an experienced post-secondary administrator.

From 1998 until 2021, he served as a member of the executive of Okanagan College, and Okanagan University College.

He completed his tenure at Okanagan College as Associate Vice President External and Strategic Initiatives with responsibility for institutional communications, media relations, government relations, branding, and marketing. During the latter years of his College career, he also served as interim Vice President Students (2019-20), Acting Director of Student Services (2017) and Regional Dean (2018).

From 2019 until retirement, he served as the chair of the BC Colleges Communications Leads committee and as advisor to the President of BC Colleges. He also served as a member of the Government Relations Committee of Colleges and Institutes Canada.

Coyle also served eight years as director of the Kelowna YMCA until 2013. Other volunteer roles included being a director of the Kelowna Yacht Club Board of Directors (1992-94), a member of the Public Relations Committee, the Campaign for Cancer Care (1994-96), and as a director of the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts (1992).

Coyle ran a successful public relations, marketing and media relations consultancy from 1996 until 2000, with clients including the regional office of Human Resources Development Canada (and its 40 associated service providers), municipal governments and a major magazine publisher. He also served as a contract trainer for Thomson Newspapers, specializing in editorial development.

Coyle’s successful business venture followed on the heels of a 15-year career as a journalist and editor, working for a range of newspapers and magazines starting in Medicine Hat with Southam Newspapers and concluding in 1996 in Kelowna as the Metro Editor for Thomson Newspapers’ Daily Courier. He edited seniors magazines, and a successful business magazine. He was also a freelance writer with several feature-length stories published in Beautiful BC Magazine and other national publications.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Victoria (1980), and attended Fraser Valley College from 1976-1978.

Chad Hoskins is the Executive Director of StudentAid BC with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training (AEST).  StudentAid BC helps students with the cost of post-secondary education through student loans, grants, and scholarships. Chad joined the public service in March 2009.  Prior to accepting a position with AEST, Chad was an Executive Director responsible for the Province’s Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and has worked in other roles at the Ministry of Citizens’ Services and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.  Before a career in the public service, he was part of the Corporate Governance team at Vancity Credit Union.  Chad is passionate about post-secondary education, policy development, and leadership.  Born and raised in Victoria, Chad holds a Bachelor Arts (History) and a Master of Arts (Political Science) from the University of British Columbia.  Outside of work, he is very involved with the Victoria soccer community as a coach, player and club board member.

Ryan is a senior manager with the accounting firm Grant Thornton LLP, located in Victoria, BC. Ryan obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA).

Ryan has over 14 years of experience working in public accounting with a diverse range of clients from auditing large public and private companies and NPO’s to supporting owner managed businesses in meeting their personal and business goals. Ryan has found the owner managed business space the most rewarding and has devoted his professional time for the last 10 years in assisting clients in this space.

Ryan was born and raised in Victoria and although he left Victoria to pursue his professional goals, he returned to take advantage of the lifestyle Victoria affords its residents and raise his young family in the city.

For over eighteen years Heidi has been involved in post-secondary recruitment, admissions, instruction, and curriculum development at public universities in British Columbia. She is now entering into her tenth year at UBC’s Okanagan campus, which is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan People as a Manager of International Student Recruitment and Advising. In her role she counsels, advises, supports and advocates for students from diverse geographical backgrounds while maintaining cultural sensitivity.  Heidi is deeply committed to assisting others find their way to achieving their goals of education, to intercultural communication, to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and to creating safe communities both personally as well as professionally. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Masters of Fine Arts with Honours.  She continues to seek out learning opportunities and has completed a certificate in Intercultural Communication and is currently enrolled in a Certificate in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) program through UBC extended learning.  In her spare time, she can be found enjoying the outdoors with her family in the Okanagan

Lindsay is a partner with the law firm of Cox Taylor, located in Victoria, B.C. Lindsay obtained a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) from U.N.B.C. and her Law Degree from the University of Victoria.
Lindsay maintains both a solicitors and litigation practice focused on property development, municipal and administrative law and corporate structuring.
Lindsay is appointed to the Attorney General’s Supreme Court Rules Committee, a committee formed to provide advice on Rules reform; the Law Foundation of British Columbia which funds projects and programs throughout British Columbia in the areas of legal education & research, legal aid, law reform and law libraries; and is appointed as a member of the Law Society of British Columbia’s Hearing Panel which adjudicates on disciplinary matters, application for enrolment in articles, call and admission and reinstatement as a member of the Law Society.
Lindsay was appointed as a Governor to the University of Victoria and completed the maximum term of 6 years in July, 2017. Lindsay continues to sit on the University of Victoria’s Property Board. Lindsay has also served on other boards in British Columbia, including the Canadian Bar Association Aboriginal Law Student Scholarship Trust Committee and the Vancouver Island Sexual Health Association. Professionally, Lindsay is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association and the Victoria Bar Association.

Kelly McConnan is an Executive Director with the BC Ministry of Advanced Education with responsibility for corporate planning, international education and intergovernmental relations.   Kelly joined the BC public service in February 2008 after six years working in Ottawa in a number of federal departments, including Human Resources and Social Development and Privy Council Office.   After three years and two provincial budgets at Treasury Board Staff in the Ministry of Finance, Kelly accepted a position in the Ministry of Advanced Education where she has led international education and intergovernmental relations files for the past five years.  Prior to accepting her current position, Kelly completed a temporary assignment as the acting Executive Director of child and youth mental health policy at the Ministry of Children and Family Development.  Born and raised in Victoria, Kelly holds a Bachelor Arts (Political Science Major) and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Victoria.