Olivia New
delta,BC
Summary
Dynamic educational leader with over 20 years of experience spanning K-12 and post-secondary education. Demonstrated success in system-wide leadership, strategic planning, and fostering collaborative relationships across educational sectors. Proven track record in implementing district-wide initiatives, building multi-stakeholder partnerships, and driving educational innovation while maintaining focus on student success.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Academic Programs
Vancouver Private College of Applied Studies
Richmond, BC
03.2023 - Current
- - Lead institutional strategic planning through development and implementation of a 5-year academic plan.
- - Serve as Vice Chair of Education Council, leading collaborative decision-making processes.
- - Successfully manage recruitment, evaluation, and professional development of academic staff.
- - Build and maintain partnerships with government agencies and industry stakeholders.
- - Design and implement student success initiatives and innovative programming.
- Provide leadership in policy development and quality assurance frameworks.
- Recruited, trained, supervised, evaluated and mentored staff members.
- Reviewed internal reports and identified areas of risk or potential cost savings.
- Created detailed plans outlining timelines, goals, budgets, staffing needs and other requirements for projects.
- Assessed employee performance against established benchmarks or targets.
- Implemented systems for tracking progress on key initiatives or projects.
- Promoted a culture of innovation and encouraged staff to contribute ideas.
- Facilitated professional development programs to build a high-performing team.
Vice Chair, Education Committee
Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA)
Delta, BC
06.2021 - Current
- - Guide educational policy development and implementation across a network of 40+ schools.
- - Lead collaborative decision-making processes affecting K-12 education in the archdiocese.
- - Drive system-wide strategic initiatives to enhance student success and educational outcomes.
- - Successfully resolve complex educational issues through established administrative procedures.
- - Foster partnerships between independent and public education sectors.
- Facilitated communication between board members, staff, and other stakeholders.
Founder and CEO
STEM ACES Education
Richmond, BC
05.2017 - Current
- Company Overview: Strategic Multi-Site Educational Leadership.
- - Orchestrate expanding educational partnerships across multiple school districts (SD39, SD37, SD38).
- - Develop and implement programs reaching 2,000+ students across 7 schools in 3 districts.
- - Create and deliver professional development workshops for 200+ educators.
- - Lead cross-district STEAM initiatives resulting in a 40% increase in student participation.
- Build sustainable partnerships with industry experts and community organizations.
- - Successfully scale programs while maintaining consistent quality across all sites.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive business plan to launch the company.
- Created and managed the company's financial budgeting, forecasting, and reporting systems.
- Oversaw all aspects of operations including product development, marketing, sales, customer service and finance.
- Recruited, hired and trained staff members to ensure that operational goals were met.
- Developed strategic initiatives to increase market share and revenue growth.
- Analyzed consumer trends data to inform product offerings and services.
- Implemented scalable processes and systems to support business operations and facilitate efficient growth.
- Oversaw the development and maintenance of the company website and e-commerce platforms.
- Implemented customer feedback loops to gather insights and improve product and service offerings continually.
Chemistry Lecturer
Trinity Western University
Langley, BC
09.2012 - 01.2013
- Created course content for chemistry undergraduates
- Mentored learners struggling with academic material
- Organized laboratory experiments, graded student assignments, and monitored progress.
- Monitored academic progress using structured testing methods
- Created new strategies to teach advanced chemical theories effectively
- Measured knowledge retention with scheduled tests and tasks.
- Encouraged active participation with innovative teaching methods
- Educated learners on core and intricate subjects
Chemistry Lecturer
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC
09.2011 - 01.2012
- Crafted detailed lesson plans for university-level chemistry
- Developed techniques to simplify chemical theories
- Worked with faculty to create curricula for advanced chemistry classes.
- Joined discussions at events focused on chemical science innovations.
- Successfully drafted documents for funding opportunities from third-party organizations
- Provided insights into various professional opportunities within chemistry
- Created synergistic alliances with key industry stakeholders
- Facilitated students' understanding of coursework with hands-on lab sessions
- Devised tactics with colleagues to enhance student education
Research Associate & Post-Doctoral Fellow
UBC Chemistry
Vancouver, BC
04.2004 - 07.2011
- Supervised students' laboratory work and evaluated assignments.
- Planned, evaluated, and revised curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Stayed up-to-date with developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Executed the total synthesis of natural products and developed bioactive compounds for photodynamic therapy.
- Improved test results by 25%, and raised the overall grade average by 3 points higher than anticipated.
- Performed extensive research to pinpoint knowledge gaps in literature
- Established comprehensive research protocols tailored for clinical trials
- Joined symposiums focused on current research areas
Education
GED -
Digital Marketing Institute
Ireland11-2024
Stanford IT Certificate - Teaching Smarter: Al Tools for Educators
Stanford University
United States10-2024
GED -
Royal Roads University
Victoria, BC01.2024
GED -
University of Boulder Colorado
07-2022
Ph.D. - Chemistry
University of Nottingham
04-2004
Skills
- - System Leadership: Extensive experience coordinating educational initiatives across jurisdictions
- - Collaborative Leadership: Strong track record of building partnerships across education sectors
- - Strategic Planning: Proven ability to develop and implement long-term educational strategies
- - Professional Learning: Experience leading collaborative inquiry and professional development
- Change Management: Successfully implemented multiple district-wide initiatives
- - EDI Advocacy: Commitment to fostering inclusive educational environments
- - Community Engagement: Established partnerships with diverse stakeholders
Certification
- - Current Member, BC School Superintendents Association
- - Certified Occupational First Aid - Level 1 (2024)
- - DMI PRO Certified Digital Marketing Professional (2024)
Publications
- Published research: "How Can Outreach Foster Further Interest in STEM andEventually Lead to Careers in STEM?" (2021)
Affiliations
- Outreach STEAM enthusiast, making STEM literacy accessible to all. Director of the Metro vancouver Hub of the the BC STEAM Ecosystem (> 375 members).
- jazz, dance and skate novice aspiring
Languages
Shona
Professional
Ndebele
Professional
References
References available upon request.
## PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT
- - STEAM Ecosystem BC Director Vancouver Metro Hub
- - Regular speaker and panelist on educational leadership topics:
- - "Harnessing Design Process to Create a 21st Century Learning Environment" (2023)
- Student Centred Learning at VPC" Board of Governors (2023)
- - "EDI in STEM" at UBC Quantum Matter Institute
Timeline
Director of Academic Programs
Vancouver Private College of Applied Studies
03.2023 - Current
Vice Chair, Education Committee
Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese (CISVA)
06.2021 - Current
Founder and CEO
STEM ACES Education
05.2017 - Current
Chemistry Lecturer
Trinity Western University
09.2012 - 01.2013
Chemistry Lecturer
University of British Columbia
09.2011 - 01.2012
Research Associate & Post-Doctoral Fellow
UBC Chemistry
04.2004 - 07.2011
- - Current Member, BC School Superintendents Association
- - Certified Occupational First Aid - Level 1 (2024)
- - DMI PRO Certified Digital Marketing Professional (2024)
GED -
Digital Marketing Institute
Stanford IT Certificate - Teaching Smarter: Al Tools for Educators
Stanford University
GED -
Royal Roads University
GED -
University of Boulder Colorado
Ph.D. - Chemistry
University of Nottingham
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