Meet the team

Aletha Utimati started her career in Brazil working in commercial and large scale hotel renovation projects. In 2013 she moved to Canada to pursue her Masters of Engineering in Project and Construction Management at UBC. Before joining Project Services, Aletha coordinated research projects for the Centre of Interactive Research on Sustainability. She also has a background in architecture and urban planning, and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Outside of work, Aletha likes to explore BC’s outdoors and playing the piano. She also enjoys experimenting with new cooking recipes.

Amrita Bastians is Infrastructure Development’s Office Assistant. With 25 years of prior experience as an Executive Assistant, she began her career at UBC in the position of Admin Assistant to the then University Architect. Two reorganizations and 16 years later she is now part of the ID team. She is the one you go to for all things admin, clerical, and/or any extra assistance you may require. She performs a wide variety of tasks for the department.

Outside of UBC, she is a chef of sorts and has catered several UBC and other events – small, medium and large. Her forte is spicy Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine!

Ana Policzer is a graduate of the McGill University School of Architecture and of UBC’s Faculty of Science. Prior to joining UBC, she worked for architecture and planning firms in Vancouver and Toronto, specializing in pre-design planning and functional programming for a broad range of public sector clients, with a strong focus on educational and cultural institutions.

Ana’s work at UBC includes developing functional programs for projects of varying scales and scope, developing schematic options, master plans and space use studies to help clients determine the best approach to spatial issues, and helping usher projects through UBC’s complex approval system. Recent and ongoing projects include functional programs and planning for the various mixed-use Commons projects, conversion of the Iona Building, and general planning, advising and space reviews for various units and faculties across campus.

Darren Herrington specializes in the coordination of electrical projects with Project Services.

Donna Waye is a Business Analyst with degrees in Library Science and Archival Studies. She works with clients to help them improve how they organize, access, and use information. In her six years at UBC, Donna has helped many within the UBC community, as well as those working as consultants on campus, find building and infrastructure information held by the Records Department. Recently, Donna has been consulting with UBC staff on their records and information management needs and helping to resolve business process issues.

James Cornelia, BSc MRICS, is a Chartered Surveyor and an associate project manager in the Project Services office. James’ background includes 15 years of professional roles in the built environment including the areas of project management, building science, building repair, renovation and renewal, project monitoring, condition assessment and due diligence reporting.

In his downtime, James can often be found enjoying the BC coast and mountains.

Jay Hiscox Architect AIBC, OAQ, RAIC, LEED AP Jay joins UBC Project Services as a Senior Project Manager. He comes from a consulting background where he has worked on projects across a wide spectrum of building types and phases. He has worked in Vancouver offices since 1993, including experience on overseas projects in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Prior to joining UBC, Jay was centrally involved in the Seismic Mitigation Program for the Vancouver School Board.

Jay’s focus centers on building performance, sustainability including natural daylighting, and issues of design and building craft. Outside of work, he spends his time with kids, hockey, and can be found outdoors as much as possible, with the family and a dog.

Jennifer Sanguinetti is the Managing Director of Infrastructure Development. Jennifer and her team are responsible for the planning and development of institutional facilities at UBC, collaborating with campus stakeholders to create great spaces for learning, research, and campus life.

Jennifer has worked across the development industry from crown corporations through to engineering consulting. Throughout her career Jennifer has become noted for her expertise in green building design. Recognition has included multiple national awards for her work across the building industry.

Jennifer is the past-chair of the LEED Canada Steering Committee, and is the incoming chair of the US Green Building Council’s LEED Steering Committee. She has a Bachelor of Engineering degree from McGill University and is a Professional Engineer registered in BC, Washington, and California and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Jodi Scott joined UBC in 2002 and since 2009, her work has mainly been focused on formal and informal learning spaces, first as Manager, Formal Learning with Classroom Services and then as Senior Planner with Facilities Planning. She is actively involved in the planning and construction of new learning space projects on campus, and provides strategic planning and oversight around UBC’s annual learning space upgrade program, and the day-to-day management of the learning space inventory. Jodi led a team that developed UBC’s Learning Space Design Guidelines, a document that provides recommendations for the current and future learning space development at UBC.

Jodi has a Project Management Certificate and has recently completed a Change Management Certification.

John Metras is Associate Vice-President, Facilities at UBC. John leads the strategic direction of facilities on the UBC Vancouver campus. The facilities portfolio contains, Building Operations, Energy & Water Services, and Infrastructure Development.

John has over 20 years experience in facilities operations and development, including his previous role as Director of UBC Plant Operations (now Building Operations) and positions with Carrier Corporation, Laidlaw Waste Systems and Canadian Waste Services.

John has led or been actively involved in a wide range of sustainability initiatives at UBC including the Campus as a Living Lab program, LEED Platinum and LEED Gold certified building projects and the development of the UBC In-Vessel Composting Facility, the first of its kind at a Canadian university.

John has a Bachelor of Engineering Science from the University of Western Ontario, a Master of Business Administration from the University of British Columbia and is a registered Professional Engineer.

Karen Abel manages the Facility Information Systems Unit which provides a wide variety of drafting services and facility space information for the Point Grey and Okanagan Campus.

Karen joined UBC back in 2005 as a draftsperson in the Records group, maintaining record key plans for the Point Grey Campus. She moved to Facilities Planning as a Mapping Technician to support facilities planners in their data and drafting needs. Prior to UBC, she worked as a key member of the store development team for a major electronics retailer.

In 2009, Karen launched Archibus at UBC, a computer-aided facility management software. Archibus is now used as an enterprise resource for facilities information at UBC.

Karen is a self-proclaimed AutoCAD queen and is easily bribed with coffee and baked goods.

Kate West, Dipl.Tech., LEED Green Associate graduated with a Diploma in Architectural and Building Technology from BCIT in 2005 and then travelled with her newly acquired knowledge to London, England for an adventure. Her experience there includes architectural detailing on Richard Rogers’ Heathrow Terminal 5, pre-construction services in high-end interior renovations, and project management of select packages including logistics at Heathrow Airport and at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Goodwood plant.

Since her return to Canada, Kate has worked exclusively in general construction and is now looking forward to developing her new role as Pre-Construction Project Manager within Project Services. Outside of work she has a young family keeping her on her toes and enjoys spending time outdoors, and in her garden with her kids.

Leanne Feichtinger was first hired in Facilities Planning as a summer student in 2013 when she was finishing her Bachelor of Science in Statistics. In 2014, she returned to work on the Restricted Teaching Space Audit and has been helping to articulate the learning space needs for current and future planning ever since. In addition to her analysis work, she was the lead on the development and implementation of the recent UBC Learning Spaces website and is currently providing inventory expertise as part of the planning committee for Congress 2019.

Matt Shannon started at UBC in 2005 on an eight month contract scanning record drawings. Somehow he’s still working at records, even though the drawings have all been scanned. Along the way he created an online system for the record drawings which is now on it’s fourth major version.

He now devotes his time to maintaining and expanding electronic record systems for Infrastructure Development, Building Operations, and Campus + Community Planning. He also keeps Infrastructure Development’s websites running, including the one you’re reading right now (again).

Natalie helps manage the capital projects and planning portfolio and the major capital building projects process, including administration, reporting and financial management of major and routine capital projects involving campus infrastructures. 

Prior to joining UBC, Natalie worked for EY Transactions, a global Infrastructure Advisory firm, as a Senior Associate (Manager) providing financial and commercial advisory support for infrastructure projects within post-secondary institutions and municipal, provincial and federal governments.  

Natalie is passionate about creating sustainable community impact, and her combination of practical experience and technical expertise as a Chartered Accountant (CPA) make her a valuable asset to the Facilities team.

Ryan Huffman, P.Eng., is a professional engineer, registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC). Ryan comes to UBC Project Services with seven years of industrial engineering experience over which time he worked with many different contractors and trades throughout the lower mainland. Ryan’s background includes two years manufacturing and designing fiberglass equipment and over four years in a mill environment working on various capital projects and integrating different departments throughout the mill, beginning to end.

Ryan’s ability to adapt quickly to new environments is a credit to his strong communication skills as well as his ability to work effectively and efficiently within a multidisciplinary environment. When he’s not working, Ryan loves barreling down the North Shore mountains on his downhill bikes.

Steven Lee joined UBC in 2008 first with the Classroom Services Unit then moving to Facilities Planning in 2012. His work is primarily focused on supporting the student experience on campus through the revitalization of physical learning spaces such as classrooms, lecture theatres, informal learning spaces and teaching labs. He plays a key role in the day-to-day operation of UBC’s 350 general-use classrooms and manages a large program that improves learning spaces annually. Steven is an expert around informal learning spaces and works with the VP Students and campus constituents to identify opportunities for the development and enhancement of student study and social spaces.

Outside of UBC, Steven is an aspiring photographer and can be found around town with his camera.

Teresa Syrnyk is a registered architect and UBC School of Architecture graduate. She worked as a project architect for firms in Vancouver and Sydney, Australia and as a development manager on private sector mixed use and hospitality projects throughout BC.

As a senior planner, Teresa works on a variety of projects of differing scope with a current focus on UBC’s Library facilities. Recent projects include the UBC Okanagan Facilities Study, the Earth Sciences Building and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Building.