Our Instructors

Meghan Allen

Meghan Allen, MSc, is an associate professor of teaching in the UBC Department of Computer Science. She joined UBC in 2007 and has extensive experience teaching program design, software construction and software engineering courses. Meghan holds a UBC Certificate on Curriculum and Pedagogy in Higher Education. Before joining UBC, she worked as a software developer for a local start-up company.

Norm Amundson

Dr. Norm Amundson, PhD, is a Professor Emeritus at UBC, and has worked in the career development field for more than 40 years. During this time, he has been involved in numerous national and international career development projects, and has published many books and articles.

Norm is a lead consultant for Doubleknot Works. He is a co-founder of the Hope-Action Theory, and the author of the award-winning book, Active Engagement. He recently co-authored Career Recovery, Creating Hopeful Careers in Difficult Times, and Career Flow and Development, Hope in Action. His books and workbooks have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he has presented his work at conferences in more than 30 countries.

He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Umea in Sweden, and has been recognized by many national and international professional associations for his leadership and contributions to the career development field. In his work, Norm emphasizes the importance of creativity, imagination, storytelling, dynamic action, metaphors and hope.

Mariam Baldwin

Mariam Garau Baldwin, BA, was born in Curitiba, Brazil and earned her degree in Portuguese language and literature from the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba. She started her career as a civil servant, working with the Brazilian Embassy, the Vatican and the Foreign Affairs Protocol division of the Paraná state government.

After leaving the public sector, Mariam managed the Montreal Language School in Curitiba for more than 20 years. There, she taught hundreds of adults and children from varied backgrounds and nationalities Portuguese and Brazilian culture. She has written Portuguese textbooks for multinational organizations, and has given intercultural awareness workshops for executives and their families.

Mariam brings dynamic learning methods and extensive experience as a Portuguese instructor to students in UBC Extended Learning languages programs. A native speaker of Brazilian Portuguese, Mariam is also fluent in Italian and English. She has worked in Rome, London and San Francisco, and now calls Vancouver home. She enjoys jogging, cooking, travelling and being in British Columbia’s outdoors.

Nesrine Basheer

Simon Bates

Magali Blanc

Magali Blanc, PhD, is originally from Alès in southern France. She began her teaching career at the University of Victoria, and continued as a teaching assistant while pursuing her PhD at UBC. In 2016, she joined UBC Extended Learning as a French instructor, reconnecting with her first language and culture. Magali is passionate about sharing all that the French community has to offer: culture, food, music and art. Magali holds a PhD in French Literature from UBC, and a Maîtrise d’Anglais Enseignement from the Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3.

Deborah Blenkhorn

Deborah Blenkhorn, BA (Hons), BEd, MA, PhD (ABD), has taught for UBC's English department, Sauder School of Business, Faculty of Engineering, and at UBC Extended Learning for writing programs and the Experience University Life program. She has also been a writing instructor at SFU's Segal Graduate School of Business, and teaches undergraduate English at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Besides her academic articles and book reviews, and participating in community reading and writing groups, Deborah's projects include blogging and, most recently, e-portfolio development.

Andrea Fruhling

Andrea Fruhling, COC, is the founding director of Doubleknot Works, a private mentor coaching practice, and is a mentor coach and instructor for the UBC Certificate in Organizational Coaching at UBC. Andrea is also the instructional designer and a lead instructor for both the Career Coaching Masterclass course, and the Certification in Hope-Action Theory & Practice course, which is offered to career professionals globally. She is the only Hope-Action Theory expert-level trainer in the world, and a leader for the International Coaching Federation’s Career Coaching Community of Practice.

An expert in organizational coaching, career development and creativity, Andrea develops and delivers programs for career professionals and coaches, and provides leaders and organizations the tools they need to increase their impact and create a culture where people can thrive.

Andrea has delivered webinars, keynote presentations and workshops for national and international career development conferences, organizations and associations. Her work is practical and engaging, with a focus on creativity, active strengths-based learning, team engagement and hope.

Mitchell Gray

Mitchell Gray is the founder of Word Merchant Communications, a writing and editorial consultancy. He holds Master of Arts (political science) and Master of Journalism degrees from the University of British Columbia. Mitchell is an award-winning writer with experience in news, magazine, online, academic, business, creative non-fiction and fiction writing. He has also recently completed his first feature-length screenplay. Mitchell has a background in writing coaching and curriculum development and has helped many students refine their skills in written English and academic argumentation.

Rika Knox

Rika Knox is originally from Japan, and moved to Vancouver in 1993. She has been teaching Japanese since 1997 to students of all ages at schools at local colleges and through the Vancouver and Burnaby School Boards' adult continuing education programs. Rika earned her Provincial Instructors Diploma Program in 2006.

Rika joined UBC Extended Learning in 2018. She is a well-regarded instructor who is passionate about teaching Japanese language and culture.