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Amanda Maknyik

Dean / Teaching, Learning & Academic Quality

Prior to joining the CTL team at Durham College, Amanda was an educator in the post-secondary sector for over a decade as a program coordinator, academic advisor, professor and lab instructor, and has been deeply involved in program, course, curriculum and instructional development. Amanda brings a passion for faculty mentorship, guidance and collaboration, with a particular interest in assessment strategies, learner engagement and experiential teaching and learning. Amanda will be responsible for managing the teaching and learning portfolio at the CTL, including the new faculty orientation programs and the College Teaching Certificate.

Amanda was a recipient of the NISOD Award of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. She has also been involved with the AAVSB in the development of the professional exam for Registered Veterinary Technicians in North America (VTNE), and was a long standing Director on the Board of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians. Amanda holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, a Veterinary Technician diploma from Seneca, a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto - OISE, and a Masters of Education in Curriculum, Teaching & Learning from the University of Calgary.

In her off time, Amanda has a love for kickboxing, scuba diving, good food and petting dogs, and has an active family with her husband, 2 children and Rottweiler, London.

Tanya Wakelin

Director / Teaching & Learning

Tanya holds a Honours Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Education from Queens University, a Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership from Royal Roads University, and a Masters Certificate in Project Management. Tanya joined DC in 2016 as eLearning Manager where she directed the development of online courses and learning objects for Corporate Training Services. As eLearning Manager in the CTL, Tanya is responsible for managing faculty support and professional development for DC Connect, educational technology, and multimedia.

Prior to joining the DC, Tanya taught in the classroom before deciding her passion was in online education and course development. She spent seven years at a private eLearning company, where she had senior oversight of the development of online educational courses and government regulatory compliance through Transport Canada and the U.S.C.G.

If she’s not at work, her nose is deep in a book with a mug of tea, or hanging out with her husband, two sons and dog.

Lori Buscher

Director / Academic Quality

Lori has been with DC since 2017, joining the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in August 2024. Prior to joining CTL, Lori worked within Professional and Part-time Learning (PPL), most recently as Director, Program Quality and Development.

Lori has held numerous academic and administrative roles in the years she has worked in post-secondary environments. Before coming to DC, Lori was actively engaged in dietetics education, overseeing a bridging-to-licensure program, participating as a member of provincial and national working groups, and as acting as a lead examiner in the development of a competency assessment process for internationally educated dietitians. Lori previously received an award from Dietitians of Canada in the Education Category.

Lori holds a Bachelor of Science (Nutritional Sciences) from McGill University, an Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University, and a Master of Health Science (Community Nutrition) from the University of Toronto.

In her role in CTL, Lori supports DC's academic faculties, program areas and the institution broadly in all aspects of academic quality, including new program development, program review and renewal, program standard reviews and institutional audits.

When not at work, Lori enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, cooking, reading, cheering on her active son and spending time outdoors.

Rebecca Black

Administrative Assistant

Rebecca is a DC alumna who graduated with honours from the Human Resources program. With a career spanning over 15 years, Rebecca has built a strong foundation in human resource and administrative roles, specializing in engineering-based companies. Rebecca enjoys continuous learning and is enthusiastic about the experience that the Centre for Teaching and Learning provides to faculty at DC.

Jared Button

Manager / Academic Quality Assurance

As a dedicated nurse for 15 years, Jared bringing a wealth of experience from various healthcare settings to the CTL. He is a proud graduate of the Registered Practical Nursing program at DC and holds a Bachelor of Allied Health Sciences from Ontario Tech University. Currently, Jared is furthering his education by pursuing a Master of Education at the University of Toronto. Over the past decade, he has been a part-time educator in the Practical Nursing program, sharing his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of healthcare professionals. Before stepping into his current role as Manager, Academic Quality in the CTL, he served as a Nurse Technologist, overseeing the experiential healthcare lab.

In the CTL, Jared focuses on creating equitable educational opportunities by considering the various factors that impact academic quality. He uses research methods and quantitative analysis to support the continuous improvement of curriculum and ensure that educational standards are upheld. Jared is committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment that meets the diverse needs of students. As Manager, Academic Quality, Jared is responsible for supporting programs through program changes, as well as the Annual and Comprehensive Program Review processes.

Outside of work, Jared is an avid triathlete and keeps busy with his three children.

Jessica Anderson

Manager / Program Development

Prior to joining the CTL, Jessica was a full-time instructor at Durham College. Since getting her BEd in 2005, she has held many teaching positions within the secondary and post-secondary education systems, bringing extensive knowledge and experience to her role in the CTL. After starting her post-secondary teaching career at DC, Jessica taught in the General Arts and Science and Academic Upgrading programs. In 2014, she became a full-time instructor for the General Arts and Science Health Prep and the Pre-Health Science programs. While teaching for the Pre-Health Science program, Jessica was also a program coordinator for four years. She recently went back to teaching in the secondary panel when her family moved to Kenora, ON. She is now back in the Durham Region and is excited to be part of the CTL team. She holds a BSc (Lakehead University), a BEd (Lakehead University), and an MEd (Central Michigan University).

Outside of work, Jessica is a busy mom of three children and two dogs. She enjoys music, knitting, reading, and family adventures.

Fran Gatchalian

Administrative Assistant

Bringing many years of administrative experience in the healthcare sector, Fran supports the CTL in her role as Administrative Assistant, primarily supporting the Academic Quality team in the CTL. Before landing at DC, Fran supported the Quality Assurance and Regulatory affairs for three medical device distribution companies across Ontario and Quebec. 

In 2023, Fran completed her Administrative Office Assistant Diploma with Honours. Her educational background also includes diplomas in Practical Nursing, Communications (Advertising and Public Relations), and Police Foundations.

Outside of DC, Fran enjoys CrossFit throughout the year and playing beach volleyball in the summer, along with spending lots of time with her partner, 3 daughters, and dog.

Jenn Fournier

Teaching & Learning Consultant / Indigenous Pedagogies

Jenn is originally from Southern Georgian Bay and is mixed Métis with Ojibwe, French, English, and many more backgrounds. Jenn has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Theory of Art with a minor in History and a Master’s Degree from the Royal Military College on War Studies, where she focused her education on violence against cultures.

Jenn held multiple roles at the Georgian Bay Native Friendship Centre including Indigenous Research Mentor which supported youth graduate high school through community-driven and culture-based approaches, and Youth Life Promotions coordinator which partnered with youth in the community to achieve a healthier physical, spiritual, and mental state through cultural reclamation.

Jenn then worked at Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres as an Instructor, eventually moving to the role of Instructional Designer, where she took an interest in the post-secondary programs they offered. She became passionate about creating trauma-informed, inclusive, authentic, and creative learning experiences that empower program participants and apply Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing from design to delivery.

In the CTL, Jenn will offer specialized support to faculty, program teams, and academic departments in incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into curricula, teaching, and assessment practices. She will also provide guidance on Indigenous pedagogies that enhance student engagement and encourage durable, transferable learning. Stay tuned for upcoming interactive workshops, presentations, and resources for faculty.

Mehreen Khan

Global Classroom Coordinator

Born in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Mehreen graduated from DC's Fitness and Health Promotion Program in 2020. Prior to her work at DC, she worked as a School Tour Guide for the Expo 2020 Dubai, connecting virtually with the Global Classroom though the Expo site. Currently, Mehreen splits her time between two roles: as an Administrative Assistant for a childcare centre in Oshawa and as the Global Classroom Coordinator for the CTL, supporting faculty members looking to facilitate classes from that learning space.

In her free tme, Mehreen likes to read, cook/bake something delicious or catch-up on her language learning.

Jonelle Arendoque

Multimedia & Digital Project Lead

As a proud DC alumna and graduate of Multimedia Design, Jonelle has worked for a variety of companies and clients, tallying 20+ years of multi-industry experience in her career. Through her previous team and leadership roles, Jonelle has gained a wealth of experience in entertainment, course development, online advertising, software development, fitness, retail, online gaming, and education, leading to not only industry recognition but the receipt of several team and personal awards over the years. Surrounded by a network of support, knowledge, and inspiration, Jonelle brings a passion for creative, visual, UX, and interactive design to her work at DC.

In the CTL, Jonelle leads the planning, development, and coordination of both internal and external digital projects that support teaching and learning. Along with this, Jonelle creates a variety of multimedia assets - including graphics, learning objects, interactive simulations - used in courses, digital communications, workshops and for CTL events. She also manages all social media accounts for the department, including creating, writing, and curating posted content; develops many of the templates used for various print and digital department assets; along with curating, writing, and developing content for the CTL Compass - a newsletter from the CTL that is shared with all DC faculty and admin each month during the academic year.

Erin Banit

Multimedia Specialist

Erin has a background in multimedia design and has worked at Durham College since 2003. As part of the eLearning team in the CTL, she develops a variety of eLearning resources, with a focus on video. Erin also supports faculty to create their own multimedia resources and enjoys finding creative multimedia solutions to assist with student learning and engagement. She has experience working on a variety of project types, in varying roles such as coordinator, project lead, consultant and developer. Erin also brings an online and face-to-face teaching perspective to her role, through part-time teaching experience in two academic schools.

Visal Chea

Senior eLearning Developer

Visal has been working at Durham College for a few years and is no stranger to the DC community. He started as a Technical Support Analyst for the I.T. Service Desk, followed by a few years in a dual role for Corporate Training Services (CTS) and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) as a Systems Adminstrator and eLearning Developer, respectively, before landing in the CTL full-time as a Senior eLearning Developer.

In the CTL, Visal finds innovative ways to bring classroom learning online in a fun and interactive way. Outside of working with faculty members one-on-one,  through CTL workshops, and at CTL PD events, one of his notable projects includes creating a series of HTML-based interactive elements that were built right into DC's LMS, DC Connect. With the backing of eCampusOntario's VLS program, Visal led a team that built and developed a variety of interactive elements allowing faculty members to quickly incorporate interactive learning objects into their courses without any prior coding experience, giving users more creative control over their course content. After quickly gaining recognition in the college for this project, Visal was honoured with the Employee Award of Excellence recipient for Support Staff in 2022.

With a passion for learning programming languages and exploring new technologies, Visal obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree in Software Engineering and a Masters of Science degree in Computer Science, both from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Visal is also a part-time faculty member for the Faculty of Science, Engineering & Information Technology.

Brett Clayton

Learning Technologies Specialist

Brett has a background in education, illustration, and design. As both a student and teacher in learning communities over the past decade he has, through experience and practice, developed a broad range of expertise with respect to technology in the classroom. His primary responsibility is providing consulting, advice, and support to faculty on the use of instructional technologies as part of the learning experience.

Danelle Driscoll-DaSilva

Instructional Design Consultant

Danelle has worked in post-secondary for a decade in a variety of roles. Prior to joining the CTL, she was a learning specialist in Student Academic Learning Services (SALS), supporting chemistry courses and teaching students how to learn effectively. Danelle has also taught courses as part-time faculty in JES, IS, and HS, and was awarded an eLearning Developer contract in CTS. Through her work in SALS, Danelle has nurtured her passion for learner engagement, the science of learning and instructional design. In addition to a BSc (Trent University) and MSc (Queen’s University), Danelle holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Trent University and a Learning Experience Design certificate from the University of Toronto – OISE.

Danelle looks forward to supporting faculty in developing content, in both DC Connect and for in-class presentations that is active and engaging for students, using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), instructional design and the science of learning.

When not at work, Danelle may be found golfing, kayaking, crafting, reading, or playing board games with her partner and his two sons.

Prasanth Pararajasingam

eLearning Developer

Prasanth comes to DC with 15+ years of experience in online course development within the education sector, primarily working with post-secondary institutions across Canada and the US through his previous roles with Pearson Education. With a BA in Information Technology from York University, Prasanth blends his technical expertise with a thorough understanding of the course development process, bringing an abundance of knowledge to his role as an eLearning Developer in the CTL.

In the CTL, Prasanth develops course shells for many of DC's courses, working with the eLearning team, faculty members, and other stakeholders across the institution.

Tyler Perras

Multimedia Specialist / eDeveloper

As a member of the eLearning development team, Tyler acts as a resource for staff, faculty, and administration by developing multimedia assets and online resources, as well as supports the use of technology in teaching at DC. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Multimedia Design as well as a certificate in Website Creation and Design, both obtained through Durham College.

Tyler previously worked as part of the marketing department as a Graphic and Web Designer at an emerging market investment company. He helped to improve digital media strategy by updating / designing web pages, filming / editing video and animation, producing graphic content for web and print, creating and sending newsletters, and aiding in advancing social marketing objectives.

Tyler aims to design and develop original multimedia assets to support technological solutions to teaching challenges.

Sasha Scott

Instructional Design Consultant

Sasha joins the CTL with a background in instructional design, eLearning, and multimedia development from various fields, including corporate learning and development, regulatory health, and education. Sasha is very passionate about designing and developing interactive, learner-centered, and AODA-compliant learning material that is not only instructionally sound but engaging as well. Sasha holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, a Masters of Education degree with a specialization in Teaching and Learning from the University of Ottawa, and an eLearning Developer certificate from Seneca College.

As an Instructional Design Consultant for the CTL, Sasha specializes in designing high quality courses and providing guidance and support to faculty on instructional design principles and best practices.