Council/Staff

Executive Assistant - Christine Watson

I graduated from TRU (formerly known as UCC) in 2000.  After TRU I spent 2 years in a small animal practice before moving into research for 8 years.   I have been on the AHTA of BC Executive Board since graduation and really enjoy giving back to the association.  In my spare time I enjoy running, building houses, and spending time with my family which includes a Mexican Hairless dog named Zihuat.

President - Kirsten Wilson

Kirsten graduated from the two-year AHT program at TRU (formerly UCC), Kamloops BC. She has spent 8 years in small animal practice and is currently working at the Douglas College AHT Program in Coquitlam. Kirsten is a firm believer in getting the profession the recognition it deserves through public education. She would like to work on strengthening the provincial association and increasing dialogue with the BCVMA. Kirsten was born and raised in the Vancouver area. She volunteers her time with her dog in a bite safe program in elementary schools and gives lectures on emergency first aid for pets with the Pet Services Committee of Coquitlam. She has a 10 year old Border Collie cross named Oreo and shares her home with 3 Staffordshire Bull Terriers and a 'plump' cat named Mozart.

Vice President - Lindsay Ramage

Lindsay graduated from Thompson Rivers University in 2005 and loves her career, working at Kennedy Heights Animal and Bird Hospital in Surrey, BC with a mixture of dogs, cats, birds and exotics. She and her husband Steve welcomed their first baby, Emma, into the world in January of 2006. They all share their home with one dog, Barkley (who also "graduated" from TRU), and two cats, Edie and Burg.

CAAHTT Representative - Denise Wiley

Denise graduated from the AHT program at University College of the Cariboo in 1999 and has been a member of the AHTA of BC ever since. She was the Conference chair from 2007 to 2009 and is now very proud to be the BC CAAHTT rep. Denise has 3 lucky black cats who she misses very much when her job as a sales rep takes her travelling. She looks forward to all the positive changes that are happening to the AHT profession.

Secretary - Gayle Smith

Gayle graduated from the AHT Program at Thompson Rivers University in 2007. She returned to UBC and now enjoys her career as Animal Care Training Coordinator. Her goal is to provide comprehensive training to her students, and instill ethical animal handling and use practices in all of them. Gayle is active in the Canadian Association for Lab Animal Science, as the TRU liaison, and Lab Animal Welfare Training Exchange. She is excited to participate in the AHTA of BC as Secretary, but also as Chair of the new Mentorship Program, so she can help Tech's network. Gayle lives with her husband, their dog "Sprite", and guinea pig "Rosie".