The UVSS Board of Directors’ offices are located in the Student Union Building (SUB Room B103).
The Board of Directors is made up of 22 student directors:
- Five Lead Directors
- One Director of International Student Relations
- Eleven Directors-at-Large
- Four Constituency Organization (Advocacy Group) Representatives
- One Native Students’ Union Representative
The Board is the collective decision-making body for the Students’ Society. They organize events, provide services, and advocate for students. Board members are elected annually and are accountable to the 19,000+ undergrads they represent.
What does each UVSS Lead Director do?
Each UVSS Lead Director plays a key role in making sure the Student Society runs smoothly, responsibly, and with students’ best interests in mind. Here’s a breakdown of each position:
Core Responsibilities (All Lead Directors)
- Organizational Stewardship: Managing a large non-profit with fiscal responsibility.
- Student Representation: Listening to and advocating for student concerns.
- Strategic Planning: Setting long-term goals and adapting strategies.
- Team Support: Assisting fellow directors and supporting shared initiatives.
- Communications & Media: Informing students about events, deadlines, and services.
- Community Engagement: Promoting student involvement and campus life.
- Policy Development: Reviewing and improving internal policies.
Lead Directors
Director of Student Affairs
Email: affairs@uvss.ca
Maddy Vanderhooft (she/her)
Director of Student Affairs
Director of Student Affairs
This director is your go-to for clubs, course unions, and advocacy support. They manage systems for student engagement, funding, and community support.
Responsibilities include:
- Coordinating Clubs and Course Union Days in fall and spring.
- Chairing:
- Clubs Council
- Course Union Council
- Advocacy Relations Committee
- Supporting advocacy and affiliated groups.
- Managing:
- Cheque requisitions
- Insurance requests
- Club/course union registration and ratification
- Facilitating sexualized violence prevention training for club executives.
Want more information? Email the current director of student affairs at: affairs@uvss.ca.
Self-Location
I am a settler of mixed European ancestry, raised on Treaty 1 territory, the National Homeland of the Red River Métis, in Wiiniibak, Manido Abi, also known as Winnipeg, Manitoba. These are the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anisininew, Ininiwak/Nehethowuk, Oceti Sakowin/Dakota Oyate, and Michif (Métis) Peoples.
I grew up on these lands with a limited understanding of settler colonialism, displacement, and the ways that dispossession shaped my relationship to this place and created the conditions that made my presence there possible. As I reflect on my relationship to these lands, I carry both gratitude for the place that raised me and an awareness of my responsibility to continue learning from the land and challenging the colonial structures that have shaped it.
I currently live, work, and study, on the unceded and unsurrendered lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt/Xʷsepsəm) and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, whose relationships with these lands and waters continue to this day. I understand my presence on these lands as an uninvited guest and recognize it as a privilege that carries a responsibility to listen, learn, and conduct myself in ways that support Indigenous sovereignty and make space for Indigenous ways of knowing.
At the UVSS, my work is grounded in student advocacy and building more accessible and accountable student communities. As both a Political Science student and a Director of Student Affairs, I am interested in how students build communities that bring together diverse forms of knowledge and lived experiences while working together to advocate for change within the university and beyond it. My role supporting student groups on campus has strengthened my belief in the importance of student-led and grassroots organizing.
I approach both my work with the UVSS and my studies with an appreciation for the land and a recognition of my own place within the institutions I am part of. I am committed to continually learning and reflecting on how colonial structures have shaped the ways we learn, organize, and relate to one another, while taking responsibility for my own role in challenging and changing those structures.
My name is Maddy, and I am excited to be serving as your Director of Student Affairs this year! I am currently entering my final year as a Political Science student, and throughout my time at UVic, I have grown my passion for student engagement, community building, and helping students connect with resources to make the most of their experience on campus.
As a Director, I am looking forward to helping clubs and course unions find the tools they need to feel supported, working with advocacy groups, and supporting students as they explore different ways to connect with one another. I am especially excited to help organize and host CCU Days and get involved with UVSS events that bring the campus community together.
I hope to help create an environment where students feel supported and heard. Whether you are part of a club, curious about starting a new one, or just looking to get more involved on campus, I would love to connect with you!
I look forward to meeting everyone and working together to make this an amazing year.
Director of Campaigns & Community Relations
Email: campaigns@uvss.ca
Tam Aljundi (he/him)
Director of Campaigns & Community Relations
Director of Campaigns and Community Relations
This director leads all UVSS campaigns and makes sure student voices are heard at every level — from campus to Parliament Hill.
Responsibilities include:
- Coordinating UVSS campaigns
- Acting as the spokesperson for all UVSS campaigns.
- Engaging with the media on campaign-related issues.
- Maintaining relationships with:
- Local, provincial, and federal governments
- External organizations such as CASA, BCFS, GVAT, and BC Transit
- Representing UVSS within coalitions and advocacy committees.
Want more information? Email the current director of Campaigns and Community Relations at: campaigns@uvss.ca.
Self-Location
My name is Tam Aljundi, and I’m the Director of Campaigns and Community Relations for the UVSS. I live, study, and work on the territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples, whose relationships with these lands continue today. For me, self-location means more than naming where I am. It means reflecting on my relationship to this place, to the institutions I belong to, and to the responsibilities that come with my role.
My roots are in a people whose lands were also stolen. That history has shaped how I understand home, belonging, and displacement. I do not equate it with the experiences of Indigenous peoples here, and I do not speak for Indigenous communities. It has, however, made me aware of what it means to be separated from the places and relationships that matter most, and it shapes how I approach questions of land, power, and justice.
I believe reconciliation must begin with truth: the truth of residential schools, of the children who never came home, and of colonial systems whose harms continue today. I am grateful to live here, and I see that gratitude as a responsibility to keep learning from the peoples whose relationships with these lands long predate our institutions, to name the inequities those institutions still carry, and to use my voice with care.
In my work with the UVSS, this means asking whose voices are centred and being honest about the limits of my own perspective. Sometimes it means speaking up against inequity. Other times it means listening, stepping back, and supporting Indigenous students and communities to lead.
Self-location is an ongoing practice. I will keep reflecting on where I stand, what I still have to learn, and how I remain accountable in this work.
Tam is the Director of Campaigns and Community Relations for the UVSS. He studies Political Science at UVic, serves as a Senator, and brings years of advocacy experience from work with NGOs, non-profits, civil society, and international programs.
Living and learning on the territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən Peoples, Tam is passionate about justice, equity, and bringing people together to build hope, support wellbeing, and strengthen campus community. His advocacy is rooted in relationship-building, and the belief that every student should feel heard, represented, and supported.
In his role, he works to advance a more affordable, accessible, and caring campus, with a focus on housing, food security, mental health, and transportation affordability. Most of all, Tam wants every student to feel they belong and that no one is left out. Outside of advocacy, he enjoys sunshine, swimming, the outdoors, and good conversations with students.
Director of Outreach and University Relations
Email: outreach@uvss.ca
Matthew Curtis (he/him)
Director of Outreach and University Relations
Director of Outreach and University Relations
As the chair of the Board of Directors, this director leads the governance of the UVSS and ensures decisions are transparent and student-centered. They manage outreach, communications, and serve as the main representative of the Society.
Responsibilities include:
- Chairing (or delegating chairing of) Board meetings.
- Overseeing all member outreach projects and volunteer coordination.
- Leading the UVSS social media strategy.
- Acting as the primary spokesperson for the UVSS.
- Advocating to UVic administration on behalf of students.
- Leading the development and implementation of policies and bylaws.
Want more information? Email the current Director of Outreach and University Relations at: outreach@uvss.ca.
Self-Location
My Name is Matthew Allen Curtis, I am a white settler born in Calgary, Alberta on Treaty 7 land, the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, including the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations, as well as the Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations.
I grew up in many different places, including the United States, and understood that harm was caused there to get the land I lived on. What I didn’t know was that Canada also caused harm and that just calling it harm oversimplifies the violence, pain, and suffering that was used to take these lands. It’s unsettling to learn the depth and structure of the violence and that it was systematically designed to eradicate all aspects of Indigenous culture. I acknowledge that I’m able to prosper on stolen land because of the pain inflicted on multiple generations of Indigenous people.
Today like many of you, I reside on lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees, Xʷsepsəm, Esquimalt) people. I have been reflecting on the privilege I carry and how I can wield it and my role in the UVSS to uplift Indigenous voices, ensuring that rights and lands of Indigenous peoples are respected and restored. To me that means constantly working to learn more, uplift Indigenous voices and help educate others.
Matthew Allen Curtis is the Director of Outreach and University Relations. He is in his final year of Software Engineering, having spent the past 4 years working with the Engineering and Computer Science Student Society (ECSS) in a variety of roles and is excited to bring the knowledge and skills he learned there to the UVSS.
Living and learning on the territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən Peoples, Matthew is passionate about affordability, transparency, and bringing people together to work on the shared goal of improving the student experience here at UVic. He firmly believes in “teamwork makes the dream work” and servant leadership where his role is to serve.
In his role, he hears students’ concerns about and lobbies the administration to address these concerns. He is always open to hearing how the UVSS could better represent students and improve its policy, services or businesses for the benefit of students.
Director of Events
Email: events@uvss.ca
Mohan Selvarajan (he/him)
Director of Events
Director of Events
This director brings energy to campus life. They plan and deliver events that align with the UVSS’s values and ensure students feel engaged, connected, and celebrated.
Responsibilities include:
- Planning, advertising, and adjusting UVSS events.
- Managing annual events like Campus Kickoff.
- Partnering with UVSS departments and on-campus groups to expand reach.
- Representing UVSS in conversations with:
- UVic Residence Services
- Athletics and Recreation
Want more information? Email the current Director of Events at: events@uvss.ca.
Self-Location
My name is Mohan Selvarajan. Selvarajan is a Tamil name, and my family comes from Puducherry, on the southeast coast of India.
I currently live in Saanich, BC, on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən speaking peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. I’m a Computer Science and business student at the University of Victoria and work as the events director for the UVSS, so most of my time here is spent running campus events. My roots are in Puducherry, but this land is where I’m building my life and career right now, and I try to stay mindful of that. I’m a guest here, not someone with deep roots in this place, but it’s become home to me and I genuinely love it.
Let’s host events that you actually want to go to!
Director of Finance & Operations
Email: finance@uvss.ca
Mariah Luzon (she/her)
Director of Finance & Operations
Director of Finance & Operations
This director ensures the financial health of the UVSS and manages services and operations used by thousands of students. They are also the key liaison between staff and the Board of Directors.
Responsibilities include
- Managing UVSS finances, including budget preparation and audit presentation.
- Overseeing operations, services, and long-term planning.
- Communicating financial matters to the Board.
- Supporting all personnel matters and acting as liaison to UVSS staff.
- Overseeing student services such as:
Want more information? Email the current Director of Finance and Operations at: finance@uvss.ca.
Self-Location
Hi, my name is Mariah (she/her) and I am the Director of Finance and Operations for the UVSS. As a person of Southeast Asian descent, I am a settler and guest on the unceded territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples. My background as a first-generation student drives my work here, and I’m committed to using my role to make student governance more equitable.
Mariah is the Director of Finance and Operations and an Economics student with a background in supply chain operations and financial management. Her varied experience shapes her approach to the role, from keeping services running smoothly and finances transparent to working toward sustainability upgrades for the SUB. Outside of the office, Mariah enjoys tennis and the beach.
Director of International Student Relations
Director of International Student Relations
Email: internationalrep@uvss.ca
Cherop Lyoba (she/her)
Director of International Student Relations
My name is Cherop, I am an International student from Nairobi, Kenya. I am not going to speak any more about myself, because my job is for and about UVic students.
A-bit about my role – I advocate and negotiate on the behalf of international students to UVic, the UVSS, or any other governing bodies. I mention this so that you can hold me accountable if I am not fulfilling this role to your standards.
Another big part of accountability is feedback so please please please reach out to me about anything regarding international students or students in general, at the very least I can provide a referral. I love talking to people and there is some very cool merch (and red bulls) in the office, so please pass by to ask anything.
Directors at Large
Lila Grierson
Inspired by the broad range of talents at UVIC, Lila plans to make events where students can express their creativity on campus. Outside of the boardroom, Lila can be found running, climbing trees, and making bizarre art with her friends.
Sydnee Tailfeathers
Hi, I am Sydnee Tailfeathers. I am passionate about making campus life more vibrant and affordable for everyone. From organizing inclusive events to advocating for lower costs, I am dedicated to ensuring your voice is heard. Let’s work together to build a supportive community where every student can thrive without financial stress.
Donovan Wood-Gaines
Hello everyone! I’m Donovan, and I’m a second year Business student. I’m looking forward to listening to the needs of students, and understanding how the UVSS can address those needs.
Zoey Perry
Hi, I’m Zoey Perry. I am passionate about creating a fun, welcoming and supportive student experience through events, advocacy and accessible resources like the food bank. I am excited to be part of creating a campus community where all students feel included, supported and connected.
Ame (Amerilia) Sillars
Hey y’all! My name is Ame and as a student in counselling/psychology, I greatly care for the wellbeing of others! I’m dedicated to equity and advocacy, and I’m excited to be your DaL! You can often find me around GEM and Pride lounges in the sub and around campus!
Alena Gavrilenko
Director-at-Large candidate committed to student affordability and financial accountability at UVSS. I aim to negotiate a flexible bus pass opt-out policy that reflects diverse transportation habits, financial realities, and learning needs. Focused on transparency, collaboration, and practical solutions, I will work to ensure every student’s voice is represented in decisions that affect daily campus life.
Juliette Kaniki
Hi my name is Juliette and I’m a Director-at-Large for the 2026-27 year! This is my first time on the board and I’m very excited for what’s to come. I hope to meet and engage with students and do my absolute best to represent them and improve the student experience at UVic!
Evan Maher
Midori Schimmelmann
NATIVE STUDENTS UNION FIREKEEPER
Website: http://uvicnsu.com
Email: firekeeper@uvicnsu.ca
K’sana Wood Lynes-Ford (she/her)
The Native Students’ Union (NSU) Firekeeper
Ama lax̱ha (Good day)! I am studying Chemistry for Medical Sciences at UVic. I am from the ‘Namgis, Gitxsan, and Tsimshian First Nations. I am named after the ‘Ksan River (also known as the Skeena River); my name loosely translates to “Woman of the River.” I have served on the NSU Council for 2 years, as Stewardship Councillor and now Firekeeper.
CONSTITUENCY ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES
Website: soccollective.com
Email: soccrep@uvss.ca
Roven Brooks-Stephenson (she/her)
Students of Colour Collective (SOCC) Representative
Hi! My name is Roven Brooks-Stephenson and I’m a third year history student from Toronto (traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee, Wendat, Anishinabeg, and Mississaugas of the Credit). My goal as advo/board rep is to be a voice for racialized students on campus, because we all belong on this campus.
Website: genderempowermentcentre.ca
Email: gemrep@uvss.ca
Cecilia Bulbrook (any/all)
Gender Empowerment Centre (GEM) Representative
Cecilia is the representative for the Gender Empowerment Centre. Cecilia ensures the voices, interest and needs of self-identified women, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming are included in decision making process at the UVSS.
Website: uvicssd.com
Email: ssdrep@uvic.ca
Lauren Wyler (any/all)
Society for Students with a Disability (SSD) Representative
Jayce Kusardi (they/them)
Pride Collective Representative