Selkirk College Instructor Joins Columbia Basin Trust Board
With a wealth of knowledge in rural issues and a dedication to community building, Selkirk College Instructor Carol Andrews has been appointed to Columbia Basin Trust’s Board of Directors.
A Registered Professional Forester who grew up in the Castlegar area, Andrews has been an instructor in the Selkirk College School of Environment & Geomatics since 2004. She’s a strong supporter of rural self-reliance and has a deep interest in higher education and its role in empowering residents.
“I’m very excited to join Columbia Basin Trust in this capacity,” says Andrews. “The Trust plays a vital role in our region and does so much to enhance rural life. I’m looking forward to bringing my perspectives on post-secondary education, economic growth, the environment, and the relationships with our Indigenous communities and to learn from others on these and many other issues connected to the Basin. It’s an honour to work with such an eclectic and vibrant group of Directors as well as an exceptional staff at the Trust.”
A Key Addition to Vital Legacy
Columbia Basin Trust was founded in 1995 to support efforts by the people of the Basin to create a legacy of social, economic and environmental well-being and to achieve greater self-sufficiency for present and future generations.
Andrews replaces Nakusp’s Laurie Page who joined the board in January 2012.
“I am looking forward to having Carol Andrews join the Columbia Basin Trust Board,” says Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy, the Minister responsible for Columbia Basin Trust. “In addition to her roles at Selkirk College and as a professional forester, she is also a community volunteer involved in many activities including the Kootenay Festival and the Twin Rivers Community Choir. I am very happy that Carol is joining the Board to share her love for the area and her commitment to the Basin.”
Before joining the Selkirk College faculty, Andrews spent more than 20 years working as an employee and consultant with large and small forest companies, the provincial government, the local Woodlot Association, and major utility companies. After graduating high school from Stanley Humphries Secondary, Andrews spent her first year of post-secondary at Selkirk College before transferring to the University of British Columbia where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and later a Bachelor Science in Forestry. She also earned her Master of Arts- Integrated Studies.
A Castlegar resident, Andrews is involved in various college committee work and currently sits as the faculty representative on the Selkirk College Board of Governors.
“It’s important to give back to the community, that’s something I learned from my dad. Having spent most of my life in this region, I have a deep connection to both the people and the landscapes,” says Andrews. “Working together for an even better future for rural British Columbians is something that I am very passionate about and hope my work with the Trust will reflect that goal.”
The Trust’s Board consists of 12 individuals: the Province of British Columbia appoints six, and six more are nominated by the Basin’s five regional districts and the Ktunaxa Nation Council. All directors must live in the Basin. Andrew’s term expires at the end of 2021.