VIPIRG staff

VIPIRG staff are experienced organizers, researchers, and educators who can help students and community members find information, start new projects, and sustain ongoing campaigns. Staff provide students and community members with logistical support and other resources to help their projects going or to support existing projects.

Research Coordinator: Seb Bonet

Seb has been actively organizing for the past three years. He served on the coordinating collective at VIPIRG for a year and a half before having the privilege of becoming the research coordinator. He is currently organizing against pipelines and poverty. At the moment this means coordinating a teach-in on pipeline issues from an anti-capitalist and anti-colonial perspective, and also working on issues to do with the criminalization of poverty, like pushing the city to repeal bylaws that encourage social profiling, collecting affidavits to highlight the ongoing problem of harassment faced by people who are street-involved, organizing for a safe consumption site, and bringing attention to other marginalizing processes in Victoria. Around student engagement, he is helping to coordinate a disorientation week for 2013.

Internal Coordinator: Meghan Jezewski

Meghan started working at VIPIRG in an administrative capacity in summer 2012. Her involvement with PIRGs has been ongoing since 1998, beginning in Kingston, ON. She just completed her MA in Studies in Policy and Practice at UVic, researching deafness and disability in social service workplace culture. Meghan’s role as Internal Coordinator is to ensure stable and sustainable operations.

Mapping and Volunteer Coordinator Workstudy:

Paige Erickson-McGee

Paige will be working as the Mapping and  Volunteer Coordinator from November 2012 to April 2013. Paige has a background in GIS, archaeology, and invasive species projects. Paige has worked with several local environmental organizations on campaigns to promote indigenous and invasive species awareness, and will be mapping species at Meegan and Camas Point sites with Cheryl Bryce. Paige will be completing a BSc in Geography and Anthropology at UVic in 2014.

Research Assistant Workstudy:

Rebecca Gill

Rebecca is working as the Research and Communications Assistant from November 2012 to April 2013. Rebecca has a BAH in Global Development and Political Studies from Queen’s University and has experience working with a variety of research and advocacy organizations. Rebecca is currently studying law at UVIC and is passionate about social change and creating new spaces to challenge oppression through activism. This year Rebecca is helping with a variety of VIPIRG’s research projects and exploring new spaces for student engagement with VIPIRG.