Nelson Allen, B.Ed., M.A.

“Throughout my life I have been engaged in grassroots political action and volunteer service as a strong advocate for community development, environmental protection, education, social justice and economic equality and opportunity.”

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE

• Current school trustee, elected to the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School Board in 1993 and currently seeking re-election. Have chaired the Board of Trustees and all the major Standing Committees of the Board. Currently Vice Chair of the Board. Elected to two terms on Nanaimo City Council and also served on Nanaimo Regional Board and the Nanaimo Parks and Recreation Commission.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Member and Past President Nanaimo Daybreak Rotary Club
• Board Member, Vancouver Island Children’s Festival
• Board Member, Nanaimo Boys and Girls Club, Chairperson, Northfield Community Association and College Park Community Association
• Served on Nanaimo Parks and Recreation Commission
• Member of Harewood/Nanaimo District Secondary School Multi-Use Project, which introduced community use of the school and resulted in the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre opening next to the school in 2001.
• Board Chair, Pacific Gardens Cohousing
• Currently Administrator Pacific Gardens Cohousing project

ENVIRONMENTAL

• Founding member of SPEC (Society for Pollution and Environmental Control), Chairperson of the Provincial SPEC Federation, and President of SPEC Nanaimo.
• Chairperson, Task Force Co-coordinating Committee, “Man and Resources”, for the Canadian Council of Resource and Environment Ministers (CCREM).
• B.C. Executive member of “Man and Resources”, producing environmental policy positions for provincial and federal governments; and elected as a local, provincial and national delegate for CCREM conferences across Canada.

EDUCATIONAL

• School trustee for 15 years, serving as Board Chairperson and as Chairperson of the Business, Education, Human Resources, Facilities Planning and Policy committees. Currently Board Vice Chair.
• Worked on the Harewood/Nanaimo District Secondary School Multi-Use Project to achieve a $10 million upgrade of the 50-year-old school.
• Active in the B.C. Teachers Federation for 23 years, elected to local, regional and provincial positions.
  • Chair of the BCTF Children’s Rights Committee for 5 years, member for 8 years.
  • Member of the BCTF Working and Learning Conditions Committee for 8 years
  • Local Association President, Geographical Representative (now called LAR, Local Area Representative) to BCTF Representative Assembly

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY

• Current member EDGE, Nanaimo Economic Development Group
• Volunteer, Diversion Accountability Board, John Howard Society
• Chairperson of the Nanaimo District Teachers Association bargaining committee that negotiated the first Collective Agreement in1988-89
• Supporter of Affirmative Action Programmes

PERSONAL DETAILS

• Professional Career
  • Certified Financial Planner, Investors Group, 1988 to 2002
  • Teacher, Grades 4 – 12, 1965 to 1988. Retail sales and management, 1955 to 1963.
    

• Education

  • Bachelor of Education degree, University of B.C.
  • Masters Degree in Political Science, University of Western Washington with a major in Public Policy Administration and Comparative Government.
    
    

• Family

  • Married to Donna Allen, who retired June 30, 2004, as teacher/counsellor and Department Head of Student Support Services for Nanaimo District Secondary School.
  • Our blended family includes four daughters, one son and spouses and 9 grandchildren.