Member Highlights – ASPA (Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association)

ASPA Member Highlight – Mark Ferguson, Director of Communications, Global Institute for Water Security

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Mark Ferguson has a Bachelor of Arts (English Major) from the University of Saskatchewan and a post-grad Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College. His first job was as the Editor of the Sheaf student newspaper in 2001. He moved away for a while to pursue grad studies. Mark returned in 2007 to take a position with the Alumni Relations Department working on the Green & White and as an in-house writer. He soon moved over to On Campus News as a writer with the Communications Department. He became the first Media Relations Officer a couple years after that and built the first USask news site (news.usask.ca). He took a position with the Canadian Light Source in 2013 where he worked in the communications department as a science writer until 2016. Mark took a short leave from campus to work for the Aga Khan Foundation in Tajikistan but returned in 2017 to take a position with the Global Institute for Water Security and the pan-Canadian Global Water Futures program. He has worked about 17 years at the university.

ASPA Member Highlight – Chris O’Grady, Director of Operations for USask Health Sciences

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Chris O’Grady has a MSc in Biochemistry conferred from the University of Saskatchewan. He has worked at the University of Saskatchewan for the last 12 years. Chris started working on campus in early 2010 as a Research Technician in the biochemistry lab in the Health Sciences building. In April 2015, he transitioned to Lab Manager for the USask Health Sciences, formerly known as the Council of Health Sciences Deans Office. In January 2022, he accepted a position as the Director of Operations for USask Health Sciences.

ASPA Member Highlight – Banjo Olaleye, Academic Advisor, College of Arts & Science

Written by Jane Onuma

Banjo Olaleye moved to Saskatoon from Nigeria in 2015 for his master’s program at the University of Saskatchewan. He has a BSc honor in English and International studies from Osun State University, Nigeria; a master’s degree in English and is currently completing a PHD in English from the University of Saskatchewan. He has worked at the University for 7 years, starting as a research assistant, becoming a teaching assistant between 2016 and 2017. Between 2017 and 2019 he worked for the International Student and Study Abroad Center (ISSAC) and has also worked as a sectional lecturer for St. Thomas More College (STM) and the English department. Banjo currently works as an academic advisor mentoring students in Arts and Science.

ASPA Member Highlight – Sherry Pederson, Manager, Undergraduate Medical Education, College of Medicine

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Sherry Pederson has a BA in Psychology from the University of Regina, and has worked for the University of Saskatchewan for 25 years. She started in a contract position with Student Career & Employment assisting university graduates to find jobs through subsidized 3, 6 and 12 month placements. She managed the government contract, as well as budget and work placements. She then moved for 2 years into SESD to help with first year orientation, followed by a maternity leave position as an Academic Advisor in Kinesiology. When the maternity leave ended, Kinesiology created a position for her enhancing the first year program for Kinesiology. She moved to take a position in the College of Education managing their undergrad program, remaining in that role for 10 years before transitioning to special projects for the Dean in the College of Medicine in February 2, 2015 and now managing the Undergraduate Medical Education program.

ASPA Member Highlight – Lisa Krol, Bridging Class Coordinator, University of Saskatchewan Language Centre (USCL)

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Lisa Krol did her Bachelor of Arts at King’s College, Western University in 1992 and her Bachelor of Education through Queens University in 1993. She went on to do her Masters of Education in Special Education at the University of Saskatchewan in 2004. In 2002, Lisa joined the Language Centre and now works as the Bridging Class Coordinator.

ASPA Member Highlight – Lindsay Dahl, Provincial Lab Manager, College of Nursing, Regina Campus

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Lindsay Dahl obtained a BScN through the University of Saskatchewan in 2007. She graduated from SIAST in 2007. In 2013 Lindsay joined the College of Nursing, worked full-time in a non-union position. In June 2019 her role was restructured, changing from overseeing the south to overseeing the whole province. Her position is provincial lab manager for the College of Nursing, Regina campus, University of Saskatchewan.

Lindsay oversees all the distributive nursing labs across the province i.e., Regina, Yorkton, PA, La Ronge, and Ile a la Crosse. She organizes all the equipment, orders supplies for all the sites, and connects with faculty ahead of the start of their course. She has 3 support staff who are the hands on the ground on a day to day basis in the labs located in PA, Regina and Yorkton. The northern labs have people working in the labs who are not from the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Nursing, rather they are hired by the Northlands Community College.

ASPA Member Highlight – Megan Fillatre, International Research Specialist, International Office

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Megan Fillatre joined the University of Saskatchewan in 2015 as an international student recruitment and liaison officer and moved to the International Office in 2016.

“This is where I truly found a passion,” says Megan. “Knowing that I am a small piece of the puzzle in an organization that advances and supports global academic and research opportunities and that what I do has purpose, drives me forward.”

ASPA Member Highlight – Bonnie Kraska, Operations Manager, Prince Albert Campus

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Bonnie Kraska has worked for the University of Saskatchewan in Prince Albert for almost 13 years. She started in January 2008 as a CUPE employee in an Administrative Assistant position and in 2014 she joined ASPA as the PA Campus Manager for the College of Nursing. In the fall of 2020, the new USask PA campus building opened which amalgamated a number of existing and new USask operations located in Prince Albert. Bonnie has continued her operations management role in the new facility in support of a broader stakeholder group, including the College of Nursing, the Distance Education Unit, and the College of Dentistry’s on site Dental Clinic.

ASPA Member Highlight – Kamal Gabadage, Clinical Associate (Bovine Field Service), Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Kamal graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Sri Lanka in 2007. He came to Canada in 2009. He completed an internship in Large Animal Medicine in 2012 and completed a 3 year residency training in Food Animal Production Medicine in 2016 at the WCVM. Kamal is a specialist in food animal production medicine and holds diplomate status of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Food Animal Practice. He gives credit to his WCVM colleagues and friends Dr. Ted Leighton, Dr. Lyall Petrie, Dr. Fritz Schumann, Sherry Presnell, and Jane Fitzpatrick for their support during this time. In particular, he acknowledges his mentor and role model Dr. Ted Leighton, Professor Emeritus, WCVM, and former Executive Director, Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, who helped him to overcome racial barriers, financial difficulties, visa challenges, and cultural stereotyping that international students often face when they move to a different country to continue their studies and find employment.

ASPA Member Highlight – Nicole Benning, Research Support Specialist, Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives, University of Saskatchewan

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Nicole has been on campus since 1991 when she started a job in the Department of Plant Sciences as a Research Assistant. In 1999, she received her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Agricultural Biology Major with Minor in Microbiology) and a Bachelor of Science in Biology both from the University of Saskatchewan. In November 2004, she accepted a position as a Grants Officer in Research Services. This position has changed in job title and office name, to her current position as Research Support Specialist housed within Connection Point but reporting to RASI (Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives).