Meet our Board of Directors

BRIANNE BRAUN
​PRESIDENT

About Brianne Braun

Brianne Braun is a Family Support and Outreach Coordinator for Family Network for Deaf Children. She is also a Registered ASL-English Interpreter.
      Brianne is the proud parent of two children, one hearing and one Deaf. The Brauns came to Deaf Children's Society of BC (DCS) shortly after their youngest child was born and they started participating in DCS' Early Literacy Foundations program. After her daughter's graduation from the DCS Preschool, Brianne was eager to get involved and joined DCS’ Board of Directors.
        Brianne is passionate about language access for all Deaf and hard of hearing children and is
pleased to be able to support DCS and its bilingual programs and services. She looks forward to
continuing to serve families and the community in her position as DCS Board President.

Leigh Chan
Secretary

About Leigh Chan

       Upon learning that her child was born hard-of-hearing, Leigh and her family immediately decided to learn ASL. They began a years long relationship with the Deaf Children's Society of BC (DCS), in which their child learned and thrived in an ASL rich environment. 
        Leigh's child now attends the BC School for the Deaf, and Leigh's own personal appreciation for sign language led her to an exciting and fulfilling career change. She now works in the lower mainland as a Registered Sign Language Interpreter. She is happy to return to DCS as a board member, to support language acquisition and Deaf cultural connection for other children like her own.

Kirsten Hagemoen
​​​Director

About Kirsten Hagemoen

    Having first encountered the Deaf community while learning ASL as a young adult, Kirsten has worked as a Registered ASL-English interpreter in the Lower Mainland area for over 20 years. Kirsten has a Bachelor of Education – Elementary and she worked for many years as a tutor and literacy instructor with signing Deaf youth. She has been teaching adults in the field of ASL & Deaf studies and Interpreting studies since 2010. Her passionate interest in early language acquisition and language development is what lead Kirsten to join the board of Deaf Children’s Society of BC as a director.
       Currently she works as a freelance ASL-English interpreter and as a contract instructor in the Douglas College Program of Sign Language Interpretation. 
​       Privileged to live in East Vancouver, on unceded Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish land, Kirsten is blessed with a tight-knit group of signing friends and two beloved young nieces who are also learning ASL.

Shelley Williams
​Director

About Shelly Williams

      Shelley Williams brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to the Board of the Deaf Children's Society of BC. She has a Master of Education degree and is able to draw on her own experiences of being a Deaf student, in mainstream classrooms with an interpreter, in Deaf Programs, to her work as a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Shelley has worked for over 20 years as both a classroom teacher and an itinerant teacher, advocating for and providing support to countless Deaf, Deafblind, and hard of hearing students. 
     In addition to her teaching career, Shelley also has over 30 years of experience as a Deaf Interpreter (DI) in a wide range of settings, from community, medical, conferences, theatrical, legal, and government and working with Deafblind individuals. These days, Shelley works as a DI, consultant, translator, and educator. As she takes on the role of Director, she is excited to share her insights, experiences, and passion for supporting young learners and their families with the Board.
     Shelley is also the proud mother of a bilingual Deaf child and is thrilled to see her daughter now learning a third language, Mandarin, as part of her bilingual kindergarten program. Together, they enjoy swimming, skiing, hiking, reading, socializing with friends, and traveling both locally and internationally.

Rajdeep Nijjar
treasurer

About Rajdeep Nijjar 

 Rajdeep Nijjar is from Vancouver, BC, where she grew up and studied at the University of British Columbia, then later obtained her Chartered Professional Accountant designation (CPA) in October 2022. She is currently a Senior Corporate Accountant at Northland Properties and has previously worked as an External Auditor with a public accounting firm. 
       Rajdeep believes in volunteerism and helping the community in whatever means possible for the individual. She has volunteered with various charities and foundations in the past, including the Tumour Foundation of BC, Oxfam Canada, Reading Buddies for elementary school children, and various one-day events like the BMO Marathon and Canada Day celebrations. Although she does not have any personal experience with those who are deaf or hard of hearing, she is eager to be supporting the Deaf Children’s Society of BC (DCS) in a way that she can, through her accounting and financial knowledge. She is glad to be part of the DCS team, making a positive impact on the lives of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families.
​       Outside of work and volunteering, Rajdeep plays recreational basketball on various teams and enjoys spending time with family and friends while being outdoors.

Aastrid Evensen
​director 

About Aastrid Evensen

         She is currently teaching ASL and English to Deaf Newcomers and Deaf adults in the program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults at Vancouver Community
College and has been doing it for 34 plus years.
         She has taught in a several different settings: in the ASL and Deaf Studies Department and the Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults at VCC: in the
Sign Language Interpretation Program and the ASL Instructor Certificate Program partnership with Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf at NW Douglas College.
        Aastrid’s other experiences include her artistic accomplishments: directing a Vagina Monologues play, performing in several Deaf video productions,
mentoring / tutoring Deaf youths, and serving on committees or boards for Deaf community organizations.
        She joined DCS board in 2018 at first as DAL, and then, as a secretary until 2021. She is happy to be back on the board again.

Matthew Kalenuik
​director 

About Matthew Kalenuik

       Matthew Kalenuik ICADC CADC CAPM CCS-AC CCCS is a charitable non-profit fund developer, an internationally certified project manager with a diploma in Applied Project Management through Simon Fraser University, an internationally certified drug and alcohol counsellor with a diploma in Addiction Medicine through the University of British Columbia, and a Canadian certified clinical supervisor. He became connected to the Deaf community shortly after his daughter was born. His daughter was born premature, and with moderate to severe bilateral hearing loss - thankfully members of the Deaf community extended a warm welcome to both Matthew and his family. Growing up, his daughter participated in programs offered by the Deaf Children’s Society of BC (DCS) which helped grow her foundational understanding of signed and spoken language and prepared her to enter school.
​     An avid artist and photographer, Matthew has hobbies that range from creating visual arts and media, to bike riding and hiking. Matthew is happy to give back where possible, and having experience with visual arts, fundraising, charitable non-profit governance, event planning, and stakeholder engagement, he looks toward a future at DCS where he’s able to use his skills to make a difference in the lives of Deaf children. To see more about his family’s story, and to see the impact DCS has had on them, please watch this short video:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X44axp5yGyE

Ryan De Temple
​director

About Ryan De Temple

Ryan and his wife are hearing parents to a Deaf daughter and a hearing son. His daughter communicates exclusively with ASL and through the Deaf Children's Society
of BC (DCS), their family became involved in the Deaf community. Both of Ryan's children attended the DCS preschool, where their foundation in ASL was formed. Ryan continues to learn about Deaf culture, language acquisition, visual language, and ASL.
   Outside of DCS, Ryan is a Professional Engineer specializing in project management of civil infrastructure construction. He lives in Coquitlam and enjoys spending time with family and friends.