Meet the Team
Faculty and Staff
Dr. Amie McLean (she/her/hers)
Intercultural Coordinator
Associate Graduate Instructor / Co-Supervisor, School of Education
ammclean@tru.ca
250-828-5301Amie is a sociologist, writer, educator and parent whose academic interests are on equity and social justice issues in Canadian post-secondary education and work. Her perspective is rooted in anti-racist, anti-colonial feminist thought, with an expanding focus on disability studies. She has published on post-secondary funding policies for Indigenous students, neoliberalisation and trucking industry regulation, and the racialized politics of mobility among long haul truckers. Amie previously served as Co-Chair of the Learning at Intercultural Intersections: Towards Equity, Inclusion, and Reconciliation international conference and co-edited a resulting special issue in the Journal of Intercultural Studies. She sits on a wide range of committees focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion and engages in community advocacy work related to these topics.
Deiveek Agarwal (he/him/his)
Intercultural Administrative Assistant (Co-op) and Intercultural Peer Mentor
dagarwal@tru.caDev is a fourth-year Communications student majoring in Public Relations. He comes from Guwahati in the north-eastern part of India. He has been a published photographer for years and has also been a part of the Omega Newspaper Team. Dev spent two years hosting his own radio show- 'Map it!' and ‘Downtime with Dev’, mentoring, and interviewing artists on CFBX 92.5 FM. Dev joined the Intercultural Learning Department as a Co-op Student in 2024. He is an active learner and is passionate about exploring different cultures. He believes humans are more alike than they are different, but embracing those differences is essential to understanding and appreciating varied perspectives. His goal is to see a campus environment where people of all cultures feel valued and interconnected to promote a broader worldview.
JIANG Yujie* (she/her/hers)
IUSC Research Assistant
yjiang@tru.caJIANG Yujie holds a Master of Management from ISG (Institut Supérieur de Gestion, Paris) and a Master of Education from TRU. She has worked as a Research Assistant for the Intercultural Understanding Sub-Committee (IUSC), contributing to research on students’ intercultural learning, diversity, and inclusion experiences at TRU, including the BC Fellow Research Project (2024–2025). She has also served as an Intercultural Ambassador (2022–2023) and Peer Mentor Ambassador (2023–2024) at TRU.
Currently, Yujie is the Learning Coordinator, supporting leadership certificate programs (Global Competency and Leadership in Environmental Sustainability) and various student development initiatives. She is passionate about exploring topics related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), Indigenous cultures, and intercultural communication. Yujie continues to deepen her intercultural awareness through meaningful engagement with diverse students and active involvement in community initiatives.
Dr. Kyra Garson (she/her/hers)
Intercultural Coordinator (Retired 2025)
Adjunct Faculty
kgarson@tru.ca
250-852-7184Kyra is an educator and faculty developer who is passionate about intercultural learning, inclusive pedagogies, and combating discrimination in educational spaces. Her research interests include critical pedagogies, multicultural group work and critical internationalization studies. Kyra’s doctoral study entitled “Are we graduating Global Citizens?” received the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education’s dissertation of the year award in 2014. In 2011, the Canadian Bureau for International Education selected her to receive the Internationalization Award for her work with faculty to intercuturalize the curriculum. In 2017, she was awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award by the British Columbia Council for International Education. In 2020 she received TRU’s Excellence in Interculturalization Award.
Intercultural Peer Mentors
Samantha Jo Haire (she/her)
From the island carved by the sea, Samantha Jo Haire was born and raised on the beautiful lands of the Beothuk, known now as Newfoundland and Labrador. Holding four pageant titles and competing all over Canada, Samantha has used her platform to share and educate students about their rights on and off campus. Being raised in the Irish culture, Samantha wants to share her lifestyle with others while learning as much as possible about the people surrounding her. She believes the beauty of Canada is the ability to live in unity while aiming to create reconciliation. Samantha believes that being an intercultural ambassador can be a stepping stone to acknowledging and addressing intersectionality and embracing the uniqueness of every individual. As a student representative on the TRUSU equity committee, Samantha aims to have every voice heard and to ensure everyone has access to the resources they require.
"Anzoa" Madelene Kajusa (she/her)
Madelene is a first-year Master of Education Student (M.Ed.) at TRU. Through this program she hopes to create new curriculum in Canada by applying a South Sudanese lens to help decolonize Canadian educational textbooks. She is currently a research coach for Dr. Tom Waldichuk for class GEOG 1010: People, Place, and Landscapes: Introducing Human Geography. Madelene identifies as a first-generation South Sudanese Canadian and her tribal group in South Sudan is called Ma’di. It is one of the 64 tribes in South Sudan. It is not easy living in two worlds, but she is passionate about reconnecting with her language, culture, and learning about intergenerational trauma within the South Sudanese community.
Raza Ali Syed (he/him)
Raza is a dynamic individual with a rich tapestry of experiences. Growing up in Kuwait, he carries the spirit of the Middle East in his heart while exploring the world of supply chain management as a mechanical engineer.
Beyond the classroom, he takes the stage as a theatrical actor, using his craft to connect cultures and tell powerful stories.
Passionate about bridging worlds, he is dedicated to fostering understanding and unity through shared experiences. Raza envisions a world where cultural differences are celebrated, and every individual feels seen and valued. Raza is also devoted to using his voice and platform to amplify the stories that matter, bringing light to the beauty of diversity and the strength found in unity.
Intercultural Ambassadors
Yunisha Bist (she/her)
Yunisha is a second-year student at Thompson Rivers University. She is studying Communication, Media, and Journalism with a major in Media Studies, and completing the Wildfire Communications and media certificate program. Originally from Nepal, Yunisha grew up in a vibrant, diverse community that inspired her love for connecting with people and learning from different perspectives. She enjoys storytelling through photography, editing, and creative projects, and believes that every person has a story worth sharing. Yunisha has contributed as a Social Media Ambassador at TRU World and serves as a student representative on the TRUSU Equity Committee. As an Intercultural Ambassador, Yunisha hopes to create welcoming spaces where everyone feel valued, supported, and connected, while celebrating the diversity that makes TRU so unique.
Kristiana Green (she/her)
Kristiana was born and raised on the ancestral, unceded, and occupied lands and waters of the shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation, where she developed an appreciation for community and connection to the natural world. She now lives on the occupied, ancestral and unceded territory of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwepemcúl̓ecw. Following her participation in the 2025 Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc History Field School, Kristiana continues to engage with the community by volunteering at the community's museum. Kristiana is a third-year TRU student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and an Indigenous Studies Certificate. As an Intercultural Ambassador, she brings curiosity, intentionality, and spirituality to support meaningful community connections through ethical engagement, thoughtful listening, and reciprocity.
Earl Healy (he/him)
As a Canadian settler, Earl was born on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) Peoples. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor in Tourism Management, with a focus on innovation and communication. Earl isn't drawn to promoting destinations, rather he's keen to understand how people build relationships with the places they call home.
Coming from a background in hospitality, addition recovery and civil communications, Earl has learned how much people are drawn to stories: the ones we inherit, the ones we live out, and the ones we tell ourselves.
As an Intercultural Ambassador, Earl looks forward to hearing the stories others carry and helping write their next chapter. He treats the role the same way he approaches life; with patience, curiosity, and understanding that trust isn’t a given. It’s built one conversation at a time.
Võ Thị Tuyết Minh (she/her)
Minh is a student from Vietnam, a country rich with cultural diversity. Coming from a beautiful nation with 54 officially recognized ethnic groups, Minh is passionate about learning about different cultures and ways of life. In the past, she worked as an English teaching assistant at the Vietnam USA Society, where she had an opportunity to collaborate with teachers from many nations, each bringing their unique cultural background. This position inspired her deep appreciation for cross-cultural communication. As an Intercultural Ambassador, she hopes to help others feel welcomed, respected, and included no matter where they come from. Minh views intercultural connection as a path shaped by everyday choices to listen more, judge less, and walk together!
* In many regions of the world, name order does not follow the Given Name, Family Name order that is common in Canada. In much of China, where Yujie is from, family name comes before given name. In Vietnam, where Minh is from, names are generally written in the order of Family Name, Middle Name, Given Name. Since Canadian name order is enshrined in law and custom, many folks from international pathways face pressure or have no choice but to change their name order. We are striving for a TRU where all names and name orders are welcomed and spoken.
For general inquiries, please email intercultural@tru.ca