Speakers
Keynote (Thursday 17th July)Patrick McCarrick
 | Patrick is a Circles of Rhythm’ Master Drum Circle Facilitator & Trainer, REMO Endorsed Rhythm Wellness and YOU! Facilitator and the founder of Rhythm By Nature, which offers Integrated Community Drumming Circle (ICDC) Programs for people to experience the rejuvenating power of drumming, regardless of their background or experience level. Following the ‘ICDC’ methodology, their drumming is not based on any ethnospecific traditions, cultures, or rhythms, and employs a multicultural approach that celebrates our diversity, creativity, and playfulness. Patrick’s innate connection to drumming took hold in his Australian youth when he discovered the transformative power of rhythm. This passion has taken him all around the world, finally growing roots in the Canadian Rockies. After completing multiple trainings in group-drumming facilitation, Patrick has spent the better part of a decade delivering drumming experiences at prominent music festivals, wellness events, team-building environments, conferences and schools throughout British Columbia. Over the years, Rhythm by Nature has earned a reputation for its positive impact and inclusive approach, leaving participants feeling connected, empowered and inspired! |
PDS 208C & 701C (Monday 14th & Wednesday 15th July)
Debra Howeihe
 | As a retired Director of Transportation, Debra Howeihe brings over 35 years of student transportation experience to our conference. Over the years she has taken numerous courses strengthening her ability to provide the most current school bus courses available to transportation personnel. Debra is a Certified Director of Transportation registered with the National Association of Student Transportation (NAPT). This designation allows her to provide a variety of student transportation courses designed to enhance your expertise in the field. Debra is inspired daily by her husband and family. Currently residing in the Okanagan, she enjoys hiking and water sports. |
Kaltire Technician Training (Tuesday 15th July)
Brandon Kosik
Brandon has been with Kal Tire for 7 years, leading teams across our West Kelowna, Merritt, Princeton, Penticton, and Grand Forks locations. As a Zone Manager, Brandon has played a key role in advancing operational excellence through the implementation of our Service Enablement System. This platform delivers real-time data and insights, allowing our teams to better support customers with on-the-road and emergency service needs. With a strong focus on service consistency and performance, Brandon continues to drive innovation and reliability across the region.
Dany Veipans
Dany has worked with Kal Tire in various roles for over a decade in Vernon BC. He has spent the last 3 years on the sustainability team educating customers on rubber circularity and the importance of retreading, with the LCA driven Carbon Kalculator he works with organizations who are looking for support in their sustainability journey by quantifying the CO2 and material savings they achieve through their tire procurement and retread programs. Reducing the need for virgin materials and downstream waste, one retread at a time.
ASTSBC Driver Training Program (Tuesday 15th July)
Jeff Raichuk
As a school bus driver for Central Okanagan Public Schools and as a Provincial Trainer for ASTSBC, Jeff has the knowledge and experience needed to teach and evaluate other drivers across the province. He has over 35 years of commercial and school bus driving experience, is an ICBC accredited driving instructor, and is also a driver trainer within his own school district. His passion for education is evident when he teaches drivers with a learner’s licence and successfully puts them through a training program to not only pass their commercial road test, but to also become a successful school bus driver to the highest standards. With ASTSBC, his training takes him to other public school districts, private schools, as well as First Nations communities where the need for qualified drivers is greatly needed.
Cummins Quickserve & Insite Training (Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th July)
Det Detmers
Grew up a farm boy using old equipment. That likely nurtured the aptitude to become an automotive and heavy duty mechanic later on. A few different jobs but spent 20 some years with Cummins, first on the shop floor, then as field service and lastly with the training department for about ten of those years. As of late, Det has been home more, farming a bit again, taking on mechanical repair work at their own shop and doing some training again, some with the college in Lethbridge Alberta and a few of the presentations like this one at the ASTSBC conference.
EV High Voltage Certification Training (Wednesday 16th July)
Jim Berladyn
 | Jim is the CSA certified EV Instructor of Motive Power at the BCIT School of Transportation, but Jim’s journey in the automotive industry began as a student at BCIT, where he successfully earned his Red Seal certification in 1993. Over the course of a career spanning 22 years, he served as a dedicated technician at Mazda. Jim joined BCIT’s Electric Vehicle program in 2019, immersing himself in the rapidly evolving world of electric vehicles where he has been consistently developing and delivering new content since then. With the release of the newly advanced second EV course, he is looking ahead to match industries growth at making a third to keep up with constant demand. |
MyCAPS Workshop (Wednesday 16th July) / Ministry of Infrastructure Update (Thursday 17th July)
Michael Nyikes
Michael Nyikes has over 35 years of private and public sector experience in construction, architecture, land development, policy development, and governance. His formal education includes degrees in Business, Organizational Management, Finance, and Architecture.
He leads strategic initiatives as the Director of Capital Programs and Minor Capital Projects for the past 9 years with the Ministry of Infrastructure's Education and Child Care Capital Branch, where he is responsible for determining the short and long-term provincial direction for the sector’s construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation programs for all K-12 buildings and assets across BC.
Michael also leads the setting of capital policies, procedures, standards, best practices, and school district requirements in accordance with the Ministry’s vision of ensuring safe and well-functioning schools that support modern learning principles throughout the province.
With over $1 billion of capital projects allocated annually to school districts, Michael is a key player in managing project and funding approvals for a large portfolio of capital programs, including the Bus Acquisition Program, to the benefit of over 620,000 students at 1600 schools across 60 school districts in BC.
Transport Canada Presentation (Wednesday 16th July)
Bobbie-Joe Delorme
 | Bobbie-Joe (she/her/hers | elle/la) is a Field Defect Investigator with Transport Canada, specializing in the investigation of manufacturer-related safety defects in all types of vehicles—from e-bikes to tractor-trailers. Based in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, she primarily covers BC, but holds jurisdiction across Canada. With a strong technical foundation as a Red Seal Commercial Transport Mechanic, Bobbie-Joe brings hands-on expertise and a deep understanding of vehicle systems to her investigative work, ensuring the safety and reliability of vehicles on Canadian roads. |
CVSE-National Safety Code Update (Wednesday 16th July)
Karen Coverett
Karen is a Manager with the National Safety Code and started working for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in 2008 on a 30-day temp job and discovered she liked it. She has been working with CVSE since July 2009 in a variety of positions from a clerk in Vehicle Inspections and NSC, to administering transponders for B.C.’s Weigh2GoBC program, and the NSC business analyst. She’s been the NSC Manager for the past 9 years. Karen is excited for the opportunity to be back at this year’s conference after all the great questions last year when talking about the updates to Division 37 of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations that came into effect in August 1, 2023.Transport Canada
Perry Dennis
Perry is a Deputy Director and Deputy Registrar with the Passenger, Facility and Carrier Service: Perry started his career with the BC Ministry of Transportation and Highways (MoTH) as a Technical Enforcement Officer at the Motor Vehicle Branch (MVB) over 30 years ago and has worked with CVSE in a variety of roles including his current role as Deputy Director and Deputy Registrar. Perry is passionate about road safety and has dedicated his career to it. He tells people when asked what he does for a living that he works in the commercial transportation industry.