Cristen Gleeson new Chair of UFV Board of Governors

Chilliwack lawyer Cristen Gleeson has been elected as the Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of the Fraser Valley. She succeeds John Pankratz, who has wrapped up his second term as Chair but will stay on as a board member.

Cristen is the 15th Chair of the UFV Board, and third woman to serve in this role. The others were Betty Meagher from 1979 to 1982 and Phyllis Stenson from 1999 to 2002.

UFV’s Board of Governors governs the management, administration, and control of the property, revenue, and business of the university. It is comprised of volunteer members appointed by government and elected faculty, staff, and students. The UFV president and chancellor are also members by virtue of their office.

Cristen is a managing partner at Baker Newby law firm in Chilliwack. After growing up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, she earned her BA degree in 1998 and her law degree in 2001, both from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. While at Queen’s she played two seasons of varsity basketball. She also gained international experience in her twenties by participating in the Canada World Youth program. She spent her summers on helicopters fighting forest fires in northern Ontario. She joined Baker Newby in 2006, became a partner in 2010, and joined the management team of the firm in 2019.

She knows from experience how transformative a post-secondary education can be and was happy to join the UFV Board in 2020 to support education in the Fraser Valley.

“At UFV we call ourselves a house of transformation,” she notes. “In my own life, post-secondary education helped to open my eyes to new perspectives and show me options. I also matured a lot by going to university. It gave me the confidence to reach out in the world, and you need confidence to succeed.”

Cristen has already served five years on the UFV Board, most recently in the role of Vice Chair. She says she has enjoyed the experience immensely.

“UFV is a great university,” she says. “I find the atmosphere very collegial, friendly, and respectful of diversity and Indigenous peoples. That feeling extends all the way to the board level, where we are very focused on students.”

Highlights of her time on the Board so far include being involved in the drafting and implementation of Íyáqáwtxw (House of Transformation — UFV’s strategic plan) and supporting former UFV president Joanne MacLean through successes and challenging times, including the pandemic and major flooding in the Fraser Valley.

She is also proud to have chaired the presidential search committee that led to the selection of Dr. James Mandigo, UFV’s new President and Vice-Chancellor.

“James and I are very aligned in our approach and enthusiasm. We like to get things done and are always open to ideas.”

Cristen is excited about continuing to support initiatives that align with the strategic plan and building on what the university has achieved in recent years. At the same time, she and other board members are aware of the financial impact of a reduction in international student numbers at UFV.

“We face a financial challenge, as do universities across Canada, from falling international enrolment, but we have fared better than other institutions.”

She was happy to hear that UFV recently received a Changemaker Campus designation from the Ashoka Network, the first university in six years to earn this designation.

Cristen is also excited about UFV’s commitment to One Health, an applied, transdisciplinary approach to the study of the interaction between the human systems and their containing ecosystem, most usually through the study of linked issues of human, animal, and ecosystem health.

“One Health is very exciting because it looks at how environmental, human, and animal health are connected,” she notes, adding that this approach aligns particularly well with UFV’s Chilliwack campus, home to health sciences and agricultural studies.

Cristen is the second lawyer from Baker Newby to serve as UFV’s Board Chair. One of her mentors, Larry Stinson, preceded her in the role from 2011 to 2013. Baker Newby has a long association with UFV and sponsors an annual scholarship.

In addition to her UFV role, Cristen serves as Chair of the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation. She and her husband have two children, aged 10 and 13, and own and operate a tree farm in the Rosedale area of Chilliwack, where they live.

Cristen is grateful to UFV for being the kind of university where a busy working professional and mother can take on the challenge of being a board chair. She is looking forward to working with her fellow board members to advance UFV’s mission.

“We are aiming for a very conciliatory and constructive approach to working together in the university’s best interest.”

UFV President James Mandigo thanked former board chair John Pankratz for his lengthy service.

“John is an exemplary role model in steady leadership and thoughtful governance. He embraced many of the goals outlined in our vision, mission, and values — especially our commitment to being known for the excellent work of UFV’s people across the many communities we serve. On behalf of UFV, I thank him for his lengthy and dedicated service, and his genuine care that has left a lasting mark on our university.”

He also noted that he is looking forward to working with Cristen.

“I’m delighted to welcome Cristen Gleeson as UFV’s new Board Chair. Cristen brings strategic insight, community focus, and a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives. I look forward to working closely with her and the Board of Governors as we advance UFV’s priorities and strengthen our service to the Fraser Valley.”