Meet our team..

Below are the 2022/2023 DPAC43 Executive Members

Rosey Manhas

Rosey Manhas

President

Rosey is a wife and mother of two kids, one in Elementary School and one starting Middle School next year. She has been working in Healthcare for over 20 years and enjoys playing soccer for the Burnaby Thirty – Something Women’s Soccer League!
She was the PAC Chair at Smiling Creek Elementary when it first opened and then joined DPAC two years ago to support the children and families throughout our district.
To Rosey, schools are meant to be a positive experience where our children can grow and learn to be happy and healthy individuals. She strongly believes in fostering an inclusive community, education and environment for all of our children. Her utmost priority is to make sure that parents are informed and included in the decisions surrounding their children’s education.

Zainab Alkassab

Zainab Alkassab

Vice President

Zainab is a mother of two young children who have just started their SD43 school journey. She works in the field of Behaviour Consultancy early years. Her love for education has ignited a longing and thirst for learning. She is looking forward to sharing this knowledge with the community by bringing forward important topics that face our educational system today.
Marcela de la Peña

Marcela de la Peña

Secretary

Marcela de la Peña is passionate about community planning and education. She is the mother of two school-aged daughters (grades 4 and 9) and was involved in the PAC in various roles before joining the DPAC this school year. Marcela holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in community and regional planning. She has worked for ten years in post-secondary education and loves to be involved in collaborative projects, especially when it involves the community.

Jamie Manchester

Jamie Manchester

Treasurer

Jamie Manchester, a busy mother of two children, moved to Port Coquitlam in 2008. She has over 10 years of combined PAC treasurer experience for schools in north PoCo and is the current PAC Treasurer of both Minnekhada Middle & Terry Fox secondary schools. Jamie is passionate about being involved in the school community and is looking forward to both sharing her ideas and learning from her fellow DPAC executive members.
Judith Obatusa

Judith Obatusa

Parent Education Coordinator

Judith, a mother to four great nations is passionate about justice and creating an equitable platform for all persons. She believes that the best way to make our world a better place is by being involved in our communities. Judith hosts Messy Can’t Stop Her, a podcast that shares the stories of women’s resilience and is excited about using her skills and experiences to add value to the good work that the DPAC is doing in our SD43 school community. 

Ernest Wu

Ernest Wu

Health & Safety Coordinator

Ernest Wu has two kids attending elementary and middle school at SD43. He volunteered at the school PAC since 2016, and as the school DPAC representative since 2018. Ernest was elected the DPAC Health and Safety Coordinator in 2021, and re-elected for 2022-23 school year.
Professionally Ernest works for Fraser Health in their Health IT department. He has two Master’s degrees from UBC, and has a Charted Professional Accountant (CPA) designation. On his leisure time he brings kids to paddle canoe in the beautiful lakes at Tricity area, and coaches the kids’ soccer and volleyball teams. He is also a Director at the Tricity Chinese Community Society.
Melody Watkins

Melody Watkins

PAC Communications Liaison

Melody is a mother of two young daughters just starting out in the district. Having met her husband in Coquitlam, she knew she wanted to raise her family here and has resided here for six years. Melody has spent her years learning to become a baker, a chef and finally a doula. She is passionate about working with people and helping them accomplish their goals. While on maternity leave she also worked as a noon hour supervisor and loved getting to play and chat with all the kids. Today you can find her baking cookies for school events or volunteering for class trips. She is also looking forward to being a student herself in her pursuit of further education.

Ashley Sorensen

Ashley Sorensen

Newsletter Editor

Ashley is a mom to children with extra needs. Having grown up and lived in Port Coquitlam for over 30 years, she enjoys the Tri-Cities very much. Ashley has served as a PAC executive for over ten years and is an active member of her community. She is a passionate advocate for inclusiveness and enjoys being involved in her children’s school communities. When Ashley is not busy with work or kids she is often found hiking the various trails in her community with her Springer.
Mariam Alkassab

Mariam Alkassab

Member at Large 1

Mariam Alkassab has shown her expertise throughout her entire career succeeding as creative specialist in design and Montessori education combined. Inspired By her own two children’s milestones, she embarked on the education path. She is a teacher, a mentor and a mompreneur who has positively impacted more than 150,000 lives over the past 25 years through her 4 innovative businesses in edutainment, community work, and charities globally. To build her own amazing inspirational story, she is determined to continue her growth by sharing her expertise and extending it into our community and through her centers.

Corrie Noble

Corrie Noble

Member at Large 2

Corrie and his wife have been residents of Coquitlam for close to 50 years and they both attended all levels of school in District 43.
Corrie has been actively involved with PAC at all levels since his daughter started Kindergarten at Eagle Ridge Elementary in 2010 and she will be graduating in June 2023 at Gleneagle Secondary. He has served as PAC Chair or Vice Chair in Elementary and Middle School and DPAC Rep in High School.

Corrie is entering his 10th and Final Term as a DPAC Executive and has been coming out to DPAC Meeting for the past 12 years.  Corrie is very involved in the Tri Cities Community and School District 43 and is always showing support when asked upon.  As Corrie enters his final year with the DPAC Executive he wants to support PAC’s and parents in the
SD43 Community offer his knowledge and experience to help all wherever needed.  Corrie has a wealth of knowledge and ideas so feel free to reach out to him at any time.

Amy Jaeggle

Amy Jaeggle

Member at Large 3

Amy is a mother of a child in elementary school. She worked in field of social services for over 10 years, and now works in accounting for the film industry. Having volunteered in the education system over the years, she wants to continue learning and sharing with other parents.

Diane MacSporran

Diane MacSporran

Member at Large 4

Ontario-born Diane is a former registered nurse whose three children grew up in B.C. after moving here from Australia 13 years ago. She’s been an active Parent Advisory Council member since volunteering for the milk delivery program for her kindergartener.

Since then, she served as chair and coordinator for many events and fundraisers.

Diane is an avid community supporter with a passion for learning, hiking and playing handbells. She’s proud of helping parents get involved in their child’s education whether it’s simply to help new readers, clean the playground or to join the PAC.

She also makes a spectacular layered jello.