About our Governance

The Radio Malaspina Society is a non-profit organization (NPO), incorporated under the Societies Act of BC, formed specifically to acquire and hold a radio license from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC and Innovation Canada (ISED) license the Radio Malaspina Society to operate CHLY-FM as a campus subtype (campus-community) radio station operating at 101.7 MHz. with 3000 Watts ERP from a tower site located on Cottle Hill in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

As a campus subtype station, the society’s board of directors includes representation from its Student Membership and Community Membership, alongside faculty and administrative representation from Vancouver Island University.

Important: While The Radio Malaspina Society is registered as an NPO with the CRA and can accept donations, the society is not a Registered Charity or Qualified Donee and cannot offer tax receipts. In Canada, unlike in the United States, campus-community radio is not considered a charitable activity. While exceptions to this rule like CKUA do exist, these stations are legacied in their charitable status by the CRA.

Constitution & Bylaws

These documents outline the governance of the Radio Malaspina Society, the organization that operates CHLY 101.7FM.

• Certified Constitution (Last updated October 30, 2019)

• Certified Bylaws (Last updated August 26th 2024)

Policies

Per the Society’s bylaws, The Board of Directors may, by directorsʼ resolution, create policies that govern the conduct of the Societyʼs members and the day-to-day operation of the Society. This includes the radio station it operates.

Current Policies

• Interim Policy and its Ratification (Posted Spring 2024)

• Personal Belongings Policy (Posted Spring 2024)

• Station Access Notice (Posted Fall 2022)

• Code of Conduct (Approved January 2016–Updated Fall 2021)

• Membership Policy (Updated Fall 2022)

• Conflict Resolution Policy, Procedure, and Forms (Approved March 2018)

• Human Resources and Employment Policy (Approved March 2020)

Interim Policies

• Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy (Posted Spring 2024)

• Equity and Diversity Policy (Posted Fall 2024)

• Privacy Policy (Posted Fall 2024)

Past Policies

• Proof of Vaccination Policy (Approved September 2021 — No longer in effect as of April 8th 2022)

Contact the Board of Directors

As of 2022, the Board of Directors generally meets every two months, with committee meetings in the months between. If you are a member and wish to present in-person to the board as a guest, please submit a request two weeks prior to the meeting date. Requests to present as a guest may be refused if the guest does not give a clear reason why they wish to present before the board. Due to limited volunteer time for our board, guests will be given a limited amount of time to present, so please be prepared.

Board of Directors

The board of directors is elected every fall at our AGM in staggered elections. Directors choose amongst themselves who shall serve in officer roles.

*Community Members. †Student Members.

Last Updated October 31st, 2024.

Janel Jezierski—President*

Janel is a graduate of the education program at VIU. She holds an honours degree in history from UVIC and a TEFL certificate from the University of Toronto. After teaching English in Japan, Janel moved to the central island where she teaches French and enjoys learning new languages. Today she works as a substitute teacher and hosts Undead Air every Thursday at 6 PM.

First elected in 2021 as a community member, and re-elected in 2023 as a community member. Janel was appointed President in 2023.

Jay Mcdonnell— Vice President†

Jay McDonnell was born in Ontario and moved to British Columbia with her family when she was three years old, where she grew up in the Cowichan Valley. Jay developed a love of music and performing as she grew older, participating in her middle school band, where she played both the Bells and Clarinet, before switching her focus in high school to musical theatre. Now in her third year at VIU, majoring in Digital Media Studies, Jay spends her academic and free time studying pop culture and fan studies. In the future, Jay hopes to continue her passion for pop culture and fan studies by attending graduate school and she intends to pursue a career in both media research and content creation.

Elected in 2023 as a student member. Jay was appointed Vice President in 2023.

Secretary

Following our 2024 AGM, this seat is currently empty pending the appointment of a director to fill the role. Thank you to Camille James for filling this role for 8 years!

Bryan Gibbons—Treasurer*

Bryan Gibbons graduated in 2015 from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, specializing in Accounting. Since graduating, the beginning of his career has been spent working at Welch LLP, a public accounting firm based in Ottawa, Ontario. Bryan fell in love with Vancouver Island after visiting it several times for both pleasure and work from 2017–2020. Relocating there quickly became the only option and he moved to Nanaimo in September 2020 working out an arrangement to work full-time remotely. He has a lot of experience in accounting and audit, specifically being involved in a variety of engagements for both non-profit and charitable organizations. He plans to bring this background knowledge to CHLY and help ensure it is successful and can meet its goals.

Elected in 2022, and appointed as Treasurer in 2022. Re-elected in October 2024.

Robin Davies* (VIU Representative)

Has served on the Board of Directors since early 2017 as the appointed Faculty Representative for VIU where he works in the Department of Media Studies. He was elected to the Board of Directors in the fall of 2017. Robin holds a Bachelor of Music and MA from McGill University. His interests include the utilization of the human voice in auditory storytelling, sound design for visual art, the construction and use of software-based musical instruments for live electronic music performance, and helping others embrace technology for use in their creative endeavours. 

Elected in 2017, he was re-elected in 2019, 2021, and 2023.

VIU Representative

Currently Empty. To be filled via appointment. Must be filled by a community member who works as faculty, staff, or in administration at the Nanaimo campus of VIU.

Robert Thompson* (Director at Large)

Robert "Robbie" F. Thompson has been a student in VIU's Digital Media Studies program for the past four years. Having dealt with numerous medical issues, including two heart transplants, muscular disease, and brain damage, he has fought hard to get to where he is today. A strong advocate for organ donation, he was a speaker at the International Pediatric Critical Care Conference in Toronto for 500 medical professionals. They have previously volunteered with CHLY, and have done video and audio production work for the Comox Valley Head Injury Society, VIU's Student Services department, Kiwanis Village Nanaimo, and two podcasts; “Successful U” and “Adventuring 101.” Thompson will happily bring the same level of devotion to CHLY as they do to all their endeavours. Today he co-hosts the VIU Meter on CHLY every Monday and Friday with host Will Hough.

He was elected in 2021 as a student member and re-elected as a student member in 2023. He resigned in the Spring of 2024 due to health concerns. Elected to the board as a community member in 2024.

Daniela Guevara Sotomayor† (Director at Large)

Bio incoming.

Frankie Spear-Beauchamp† (Director at Large)

Bio incoming.

Seats Empty

There are three empty seats to be filled via appointment by the board of directors. Per bylaw 5.8.1. and 5.8.2., the board may appoint directors to fill these seats until the next AGM.

• Student Member (Director at Large).

• Community Member (Director at Large).

• Community Member (VIU Representative).

Past Board Members

Some of our past board members over the years. Names are added from time to time. This is not an exhaustive list of past board members.

Savanna Lawless—Director at Large (Student Member).

Jesse Scott Bradley—Director at Large (Student Member).

Camille James—Director at Large and Secretary (Student Member and Community Member).

Lauren Mayes—Vice President and Director at Large (Community Member).

Sandeep Chauhan—President and Director at Large (Student Member and Community Member).

Paula Zerpa—Director at Large (Student Member).

Hannah Sprague—Treasurer (Student Member).

Mick Sweetman—Director at Large (Student Member).

Andie Tomlinson—VIU Staff Representative (Community Member).

Kevin Midbo—Director at Large (Community Member).

Erin Coole—Director at Large (Student Member).

Marie “Constanza” Crucil—Treasurer (Student Member).

Nolan Duke—President, Secretary, Director at Large (Student Member).

Tanis Dagert—VIU Representative (Staff) (Community Member).

Nadine Wiepning—Secretary (Community Member).

Gord Bibby—President, Secretary, Director at Large (Community Member).

Sarah Cameron—Vice President (Community Member).

Jaime Booker—Director at Large (Community Member).

Natalie Drope—Secretary (Student Member).

Donald Sheddon— Director at Large (Student Member).

Megan Barr—Director at Large (Student Member).

Megan Valdmanis—Treasurer (Community Member).

Greg Bodnarchuck—Vice President (Community Member).

Simon Schachner—Vice President (Student Member).