The most meaningful lessons often come from experience – and at Lethbridge Polytechnic, instructors have plenty to share.
From treating athletes in action-packed pro rodeo arenas and picking up nursing shifts at recovery centres, to volunteering in Ugandan medical clinics, developing video games and running their own businesses, these instructors give students a front-row view of the industries they’re preparing to enter. Whether it’s sharing a client story, discussing the latest industry advancements or filming an on-the-job plumbing tutorial, they draw on current, hands-on experience to better prepare students for success after graduation.
And the benefits of teaching are often reciprocal. While instructors bring real-world industry experience into the classroom, engaging with students helps them stay sharp and current. Massage Therapy instructor Taylor Quan says teaching has sharpened his clinical skills, while Scott Gillespie, a sessional instructor in Agriculture Sciences, adds “teaching helps me keep up on the latest interests of the students and to know where the industry will be going as they move into the workforce.” Edward Motycka, Primary Care Paramedic instructor, agrees: “It helps me brush up on my knowledge and skills so I can always be the subject matter expert, regardless of if I’m at the polytechnic or at an emergency.”
In the following pages, you’ll meet eight more polytechnic instructors whose ongoing industry work is not only shaping the way they teach and mentor but also keeps them learning alongside the next generation of professionals.
Cole Gilmer
Instructor, Bachelor of Nursing
For Cole Gilmer (Bachelor of Nursing 2015), nursing and teaching are deeply connected. While ongoing clinical work preserves the hands-on skills and human connections that first drew him to a career in health care, it also keeps his instruction grounded in the real-life patients and decisions his students will soon encounter. From supporting individuals in recovery to expanding students’ perspectives through global health experiences, Gilmer brings current practice directly into the classroom.
What drew you to teaching, and how did your professional (or educational) background shape that decision?
I have enjoyed teaching and working with patients in my different capacities as a nurse. Working in the hospital setting, I have viewed education as a way to empower patients in their health and conditions, so they are able to achieve their best outcomes. But it was getting the experience of working with nursing students on my unit that really showed me how much I enjoyed the opportunity to teach nurses.
Describe the work you do outside of the classroom and how it complements what you teach at the polytechnic.
I work as a casual registered nurse, picking up [shifts] when my schedule allows at the Lethbridge Recovery Centre. Working in detox helps me to keep up to date and current in my nursing skills and assessments. At this current stage, I want to be able to tell students about the assessments and actions I do as a nurse currently and not once upon a time.
I have also been involved with, and am taking nurses this year to work with, a clinic in southeastern Uganda called Amuka Twende which is part of Bridges of Hope (here in Lethbridge). That work has helped me keep my perspective broad and recognize my role as a global citizen, while encouraging students to utilize their nursing skills in various settings beyond the traditional options.
Can you share a moment when your professional work directly benefited your students – or vice versa?
My professional work helps to give clear examples that I can use to illustrate course concepts for students, so they understand better. And working with students has helped me understand how to better communicate with my patients so that I can help them understand and partner in their health goals.
Is there anything about your career path or professional work that might surprise students?
Multiple jobs in my professional history came about from me reaching out to people to express my interest and growing in that direction. One of those [opportunities] was teaching. I [showed interest] in teaching clinical. That decision eventually got my foot in the door here at the polytechnic and working in the area I am now.
What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned that you would share with students?
That your career path may not necessarily move how you initially intended, but always growing and taking advantage of the opportunities provided [to you] can create directions you didn’t know were possible.
Rosemary Shannon
Instructor and program chair, Massage Therapy
Rosemary Shannon says she can still remember an advertisement in the Lethbridge Herald looking for instructors in the polytechnic’s new Massage Therapy program. At the time, she had only been working as a massage therapist for two years, but she says she applied for a position “because I wanted students to have a better entry into the professional world than my training had provided me.”
Shannon says her massage training was excellent on a technical level, “but it really lacked in how to develop and maintain relationships with clients.”
She has always maintained a massage practice outside of the classroom and just last fall she opened a wellness spa, offering massage therapy and esthetics services.
“I try to incorporate my real-world experiences into my teaching,” she says. “I utilize storytelling in how I approach my lectures – I embellish what I have encountered in the field and align it with the course outcomes.”
And Shannon says both worlds – teaching at the polytechnic and remaining active in the industry – benefit each other.
“Truly, for me, one does not exist without the other,” she says.
Amy-Lynn Reed
Student Massage Clinic co-ordinator
Amy-Lynn Reed brings a unique perspective to teaching – one shaped as much by rodeo arenas as by clinical spaces.
Through her work with the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team, she supports athletes in fast-moving, unpredictable environments – real-world experiences that benefit students in the polytechnic’s Massage Therapy Clinic. Combined with years of instructing scuba divers and mentoring learners of all ages, Reed says her curiosity, adaptability and a commitment to learning from every person and situation continue to shape her work on campus and off.
What drew you to teaching, and how did your professional (or educational) background shape that decision?
I have always been someone who loved to teach and mentor students. From 2005 to 2015, I taught whitewater kayaking all over Alberta and since 2007, I have been a scuba diving instructor who has been blessed to live in many places in the world. There is nothing more rewarding than a light bulb moment for a student.
Describe the work you do outside of the classroom and how it complements what you teach at the polytechnic.
Teaching scuba allows me to work with all ages and learning styles. I also work with the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team and travel with the team to rodeos and professional bull ridings. What a wild world to work with pro athletes – keeping them going with all the injuries they have sustained. I work on cowboys pre- and post-ride. If they get injured in the arena, we all have Sports First Responder [certification] and we go in and make sure the cowboy gets out safely and help [determine] whether a hospital visit is necessary or not.
How does that work influence what or how you teach students day to day?
I have a very unique perspective that I bring to the table. I work with chiropractors, athletic therapists and sport medicine doctors which really allows me to see all different sides of the treatment that these athletes get and I also get direct feedback on injuries, and we can really pinpoint recovery.
What motivates you to stay professionally active alongside teaching?
I am passionate and curious; this allows me to ask questions, learn new techniques and be humble enough to learn something from anyone.
Can you share a moment when your professional work directly benefited your students – or vice versa?
Professional bull riding comes to Lethbridge each year and I bring a different student each year to shadow and see the unique working environment.
Is there anything about your career path or professional work that might surprise students?
There are times when my working conditions are not always inside – a lot of bull ridings are outdoors and we have to set up in a barley field and work wherever the events take us. I have worked in hailstorms, torrential downpours, sweltering heat and freezing cold.
What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned that you would share with students?
Everyone you meet has a different story and the best way to connect is to be curious.
Jeremy Bridge
Instructor, Plumber Apprenticeship
Jeremy Bridge has always enjoyed teaching and helping people become better at what they do, both on the job and in the classroom.
He didn’t start working in the trade until he was 25 years old. By 30, he had established his own plumbing company, which he still owns and operates today.
On the job site, Bridge is always learning, whether it’s new methods, tools or technologies. “Students appreciate when I can discuss these topics with them and integrate real-life experiences into the classroom setting,” he says.
Sometimes, Bridge says he’ll see an opportunity to take a video at his jobsite and bring it into the classroom to help him better explain a concept.
“It’s fun to show them real-life examples that I’ve seen rather than relying on some other unknown person making a video on YouTube,” he says.
While Bridge integrates as much knowledge as he can, he says students don’t need to know it all once they’ve finished the program.
“You’re never done learning,” he says. “You will continue to sharpen your skills and expand your knowledge as you work in an industry that you are passionate about.”
Miranda Hubbard
Instructor, School of Media and Information Technologies
A two-time Lethbridge Polytechnic graduate, Miranda Hubbard (Multimedia Production 2020, Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism 2012) says she fell into her current field coincidentally.
While enrolled in General Studies, Hubbard says she often helped a friend with broadcasting homework and technical issues. That experience inspired her to switch her program to Broadcast Journalism – a decision that would change the entire direction of her career.
What drew you to teaching, and how did your professional (or educational) background shape that decision?
Educating others has always been something I was interested in. Until I got hired to be an instructional assistant for Multimedia Production (MMP) and Digital Communications and Media back in 2020, I didn’t realize how much I loved it. Seeing students come in, willing and ready to learn, struggling with something and then seeing that spark when they get it. The smile of pride they get on their face when what they have created comes together how they envisioned brings so much joy. The students come in from so many different experiences and backgrounds that I end up learning from and being inspired by them. I love hearing about them going out and pursuing their dreams and seeing what they make.
Before getting into teaching, I worked in the broadcast industry for various companies like Feature Productions, Breakfast Television and Miracle Channel for 10 years. I decided to come back to school for the MMP program to explore virtual reality and health care. Showing my classmates at the time this whole other world they didn’t know about ignited a spark in me to keep it going, to keep showing and teaching others the infinite possibilities within technology and creativity, and how it can help others.
Describe the work you do outside of the classroom and how it complements what you teach at the polytechnic.
Outside of teaching, I currently work with two game development companies, Simulacrum Interactive (SI) and Mikan House Inc. With SI, I act as their art lead – doing 3D modelling, texturing and level design while also helping with our internship students. With Mikan House, I help with marketing and social media.
I also recently just wrapped up two exciting projects. A podcast, Indie Quest: In The Prairies, is all about game development in southern Alberta with a focus on Lethbridge. It was funded through TELUS STORYHIVE and will be aired on TELUS/Rogers, YouTube and Spotify. The other project is a game development documentary called Little Pixels on the Prairies which is funded through the Canada Media Fund.
How does that work influence what or how you teach students day to day?
By staying active in industry, I can communicate and pass on to students the most current information possible to help facilitate a smooth transition from school to industry. I adjust my lessons to make sure they get the most relevant information.
Can you share a moment when your professional work directly benefited your students – or vice versa?
My students have been able to take advantage of my past working relationships to find internship placements, volunteer opportunities and paid jobs. Years ago, I was contacted by a company to work on Amazing Race Canada and was able to pull in some students to help with production. I can’t share much due to a non-disclosure agreement, but I will say it was an amazingly fun time.
Judi Dormaar
Instructor, Business Administration
Rooted in strong family values of education and giving back, Judi Dormaar knew she wanted to teach at Lethbridge Polytechnic – and got the chance in 1999. By then, she had already owned Classique Dancewear in downtown Lethbridge for about four years and was just finishing up her master of education degree. Believing her education would complement her business knowledge, Dormaar saw teaching as a great way to share her expertise with students.
“I believe owning a business and being an entrepreneur has hugely influenced how I teach,” Dormaar says. “I am able to give them real-life knowledge alongside the classroom lectures.”
Dormaar adds she’s always taken the time to understand business, meet other business owners and stay up to date with changing technologies. The result is providing students with real-life knowledge, including how to navigate the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
“When I look at the young students before me in the classroom, I see how passionate they are about becoming future business owners and entrepreneurs,” she says. “It motivates me to keep my instructional and business skills up to date.”
Gordon Cox
Instructor and program chair, School of Environmental Sciences
Gordon Cox (Bachelor of Applied Conservation Enforcement 2003) says his students may be surprised to know he was relatively late to the field, deciding at the age of 26 to pursue a career in conservation enforcement.
What he discovered, however, was a lifelong passion for protecting the environment and teaching the next generation. After several years with Environment Canada, Cox remains involved in the profession through conservation enforcement functions and his work with the North American Game Warden Museum – experience he brings directly to the classroom.
What drew you to teaching, and how did your professional (or educational) background shape that decision?
After graduating from what was then Lethbridge Community College, I worked for Environment Canada. During my time there, I fell in love with the training aspect. I became a certified firearms instructor and provided animal and plant identification training to the Canada Border Services Agency and provincial agencies. I also visited several school classrooms with our exhibits to help educate students on endangered species.
Describe the work you do outside of the classroom and how it complements what you teach at the polytechnic.
My most direct connection to industry is the North American Game Warden Museum where I am a board member. As a past officer and current educator, I have a unique viewpoint to offer.
I also attend various conservation enforcement functions such as the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Convention and Alberta Game Warden hockey tournaments. It keeps me current in my discipline and provides vital contacts.
Less directly, I coach a U16A ringette team, act as assistant coach for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns ringette team and am president of the Lethbridge Ringette Association. I find real synergy with coaching and teaching, where I can bring experiences from one to the other. Both provide a dynamic environment that challenges me to evolve my teaching style and content.
How does that work influence what or how you teach students day to day?
Staying current in the industry allows me to provide the best information to students. I can get relevant examples despite being out of the field for 11 years. Staying engaged with the industry also means industry staying engaged with Lethbridge Polytechnic. Seeing our industry partners’ examples and knowledge woven into lessons gives them a lot of pride.
Being knowledgeable about current trends also helps my credibility in the classroom; it tells students I care about the job and am invested in providing the best education possible.
What motivates you to stay professionally active?
A large part of it is the friendships I developed, but [it’s also] the passion that led me to become an officer in the first place. I didn’t leave the field because I was unsatisfied; quite the opposite, I easily could have done another 20 years. But, after trying teaching for a year I just knew it was the right choice for me. Staying connected and educating future officers makes me feel like I am still making a difference in the protection of our environment and watching students go on to their careers doing great things only confirms that.
What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned that you would share with students?
There are many ways to explore your passions; don’t be afraid to change course and go after them.
Everett Hanna
Instructor, School of Environmental Sciences and faculty lead of the Wildlife Analytics Lab
Dr. Everett Hanna (PhD, PBiol, CWB®) knows firsthand that wildlife careers are rarely linear and that opportunities often arise unexpectedly. It’s a lesson he encourages his students to embrace with an open mind.
“Early on, my goal was to become a conservation officer in Ontario, largely because it was the most visible wildlife career path at the time,” he says. “It wasn’t until after I was exposed to research and applied fieldwork that wildlife biology emerged as a realistic and viable profession.”
Hanna says his interest in teaching was strongly influenced by his own experience as a student, thanks to several exceptional professors who intentionally connected coursework to professional practice and took an interest in student development.
“Teaching offers the opportunity to engage students at a pivotal stage, when they begin to see themselves as emerging wildlife professionals,” he says.
In addition to teaching, Hanna’s professional work includes applied wildlife consulting, collaborative research projects and leadership of the polytechnic’s Wildlife Analytics Lab, which provides analytics and training in cementum-based age determination and emerging technologies – work that supports wildlife agencies, Indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations and industry partners.
Brent Gaudreau
Instructor and practicum co-ordinator, Massage Therapy
Brent Gaudreau (Massage Therapy 2009) never expected to teach in his 30s, but he’s now in the back half of his 10th year as a Massage Therapy instructor at Lethbridge Polytechnic. He stepped into the role after his mentor, Jim Manzara, retired and encouraged him to apply.
“For as long as I can remember, I have been deeply involved in athletics, starting as an athlete at age four with competitive swimming, and moving on to become both a coach and official in various sports, and eventually a trainer at the varsity level,” Gaudreau says. “These experiences motivated me to go back to school following my Massage Therapy diploma at the polytechnic.”
Gaudreau also has a bachelor’s degree in athletic and exercise therapy from Camosun College in Victoria, B.C. and a master of science degree in rehabilitation science from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
Outside the classroom, Gaudreau works as an athletic therapist and equipment manager for the Lethbridge Headwater Hurricanes – a U17 AAA hockey team, serves as medical lead for Volleyball Canada Youth Nationals, is an exam developer for the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association Board of Certification, and supports athletes at international events including the Special Olympics Canada Games and World Beach Ultimate Championships.
“These experiences shape my clinical perspective and keep me passionate about rehabilitation,” he says. “They also confirm that the skills students develop in the [polytechnic’s Massage Therapy] program can take them to the highest levels of sport with dedication and consistency.”
With that in mind, Gaudreau encourages students to push beyond what they think is possible.
“Say yes, even when you’re unsure,” he says. “You’re capable of more than you think, and the opportunities you pursue now can shape your future in ways you might not yet imagine.”
Scott Gillespie
Instructor, Agriculture Sciences
Scott Gillespie began teaching at Lethbridge Polytechnic in the fall of 2022, after a mid-career pivot inspired by his enjoyment of presenting and writing, including authoring a book.
“My main work is consulting with farmers on agronomy problems,” Gillespie says. “I spend my winters reviewing and planning the year ahead and my summers in the field monitoring crops. I also read, go to conferences and speak at a few of them.”
That hands-on work, he says, helps him connect theory to practice in the classroom.
“The curriculum is great for teaching how things work, but I have the experience to know what farmers (and agronomists) will actually use,” he says. “Logistics, labour and existing machinery dictate what can reasonably be done on a farm.”
Gillespie says he also brings technology and curiosity into his teaching.
“It’s always a hit when I bring in my drone and talk about how I use it,” he says. “Students are interested in how they can use them on their farms or in their jobs in the future. It goes both ways – I also learn about companies or applications I’ve never heard of.”
On this topic, he emphasizes thoughtful innovation: “Learn something first, then find ways to do it faster. Artificial intelligence has huge potential, but it takes human intelligence to know what makes sense.”
Joshua Leith
AgENT program co-ordinator, Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
As AgENT program co-ordinator, Joshua Leith (Agriculture Sciences – Agriculture Business 2021, Agriculture Sciences – Animal Science 2020) helps students develop foundational skills in innovation and entrepreneurship. He first discovered AgENT in 2018 when he was a student, and says the experience introduced him to agriculture industry mentors and helped shape his career focus.
“My family is still in the cattle business, and I also own my own cattle within that operation,” Leith says. “On a daily basis, I am constantly thinking on what the next move is and what will be best for our operation in the short term and long term.”
Leith says he often draws on his farm work to illustrate lessons for students, showing how entrepreneurial thinking applies in many situations.
“I work with a lot of students in the technology space,” he says. “Many of those students are very surprised on the number of pain points they encounter that are also encountered in agriculture and how easily they relate. Often times, students are shocked on how knowledgeable this ‘farm kid’ actually is and how I can help them move their ideas forward.”
Leith says he often checks in on former AgENT participants to hear about their successes after their time with the program has ended.
Paolo Magliocco
Instructor, School of Justice Studies
Paolo Magliocco (Criminal Justice – Policing 2007) draws on more than a decade of front-line and investigative policing experience to give students a real-world view of the criminal justice system. Since joining the Lethbridge Police Service in 2012, he has worked in patrol operations, Economic Crimes, Violent Crimes and Public Order Units, and he now serves as a sergeant on a patrol team.
“I wanted to share my work experiences and help shape future police officers,” Magliocco says of his decision to become a Lethbridge Polytechnic instructor. “I teach a wide array of courses within the criminal justice umbrella, and so I can provide real-time information to students about the ever-changing policing industry.”
He says it’s also very rewarding to see students succeed in the field.
“My favourite experiences are when students are hired by police agencies,” he says. “I love to see hard-working and committed former students working alongside me in the police industry – it is truly a credit to the education provided by all of the faculty members at Lethbridge Polytechnic.”
Magliocco, who is also a graduate of the University of Lethbridge and Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., likes to remind students that professional and personal growth is a worthy lifelong pursuit.
“I had time to work on courses and graduate from university, all while working,” he says. “You can have both. You can work in the industry and in the field you want and also prioritize your educational goals. You don't have to sacrifice one or the other.”
Taylor Quan
Instructor, Massage Therapy
Taylor Quan (Massage Therapy 2011) worked in the massage therapy industry for several years before joining Lethbridge Polytechnic as an instructional assistant. “I found that I truly enjoyed working with students in a hands-on learning environment, and I applied for a teaching position when it became available,” he says.
Quan continues to maintain an active practice as a registered massage therapist (RMT) and has pursued specialized training throughout his career, including studying Thai massage in Chiang Mai. He is one of about 70 certified lymphedema therapists in Alberta and one of only a few Active Release Technique (ART) certified RMTs in Lethbridge. He has also traveled to the Ironman World Championship for three consecutive years as part of the ART treatment team, which has given him insight into treating athletes at the highest level.
“I try to pull as many real-world examples into my teaching as I can,” he says. “If I can talk about experiences that I have had while treating … it helps to better prepare my students for the industry they are entering.”
Teaching also sharpens his own skills. “Human anatomy is a major component to the industry,” Quan says. “I have found by teaching and honing my skills as an instructor, my clinical skills improve as well.”
That commitment to continual learning shines through in the advice he shares with students: “Follow your interests, take courses and training that matters to you. Travel when and where you can!”
