Meet Our Staff

Lesley is a teacher who started at LAS as the Klitsa Tutoring Program Coordinator in November 2011 and has recently transitioned into an administrative role overseeing developing projects and program staff.

Lesley was born in Birkenhead, England and emigrated to Canada as a child. She has always been an advocate for learning and for supporting success for students of all ages. Believing that you are too old to learn is a fallacy. Her hobbies are spending way too much time at her home computer not getting any work done, spending time with her granddaughters, and reading to learn. Lesley’s passions are challenging herself to learn something new every day, and to encouraging people to realise and use their strengths.

Marilyn has worked with Literacy Alberni since being hired in September 2006 as the first Literacy Coordinator. Her current role includes English language instruction, cooking classes, coordinating class schedules and learners, and more recently, the transition to facilitating online classes from our virtual classroom.

“I help [newcomers] adjust to the new ways and customs of the Canadian way of life. Teaching English is my number one job, but I also talk about the traditions of Canada – we do pumpkin carving, plant spring hanging baskets, and talk about foods that are often eaten at special times of the year – general information to help them adapt to the new way of life – but never forgetting their background and always being proud of their heritage and to be able to share some of their customs with us.”

Marilyn was born in Derby, England where she trained as a teacher before emigrating to Canada in 1974. She worked as a teacher in SD70, has raised two boys, and is an avid volunteer for the AV Bulldogs and the Black Sheep Rugby Club, and is a Lifetime Member of the Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association. Her primary hobbies are sewing, altering, and creating clothing, and spending time with her three grandchildren.

Rebecca is a former elementary school teacher with 11 years’ experience. She was hired to Klitsa Tutoring in 2018, and soon transitioned to Literacy Service Coordinator for LAS. Rebecca coordinates language and technology classes, facilitates one-to-one tutoring partnerships, and teaches an advanced English language class. As a lifelong learner, she is thrilled to be a part of a literacy organization and is excited to help adults achieve their learning goals.

Rebecca finds reading to be a source of entertainment & refuge. In her free time, she enjoys reading, arts & crafts, and yoga.

"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read." - James Baldwin