TOM SCHOLTE
A Professor of Acting and Directing for Theatre and Film at the University of British Columbia, Tom is a nationally recognized actor and director for both stage and screen. He received his training as a forum theatre Joker from David Diamond and, in January 2015, he was a co-creator/performer in Theatre for Living’s, šxwʔam̓ət (home), exploring issues of truth and reconciliation between Canada’s indigenous and settler communities.
He is also the principal Joker for Conflict Theatre @ UBC; a collaborative initiative between the Department of Theatre and Film and UBC Human Resources using forum theatre to explore courageous and productive ways to engage with workplace conflict. In January of 2018 he was the director and Joker of the Wheel Voices Power Play with Realwheels Theatre exploring blockages to a full and inclusive life for people living with disabilities. In, July of that same year, he travelled to Colombia where, as a guest teacher in the International Summer School at the University of Ibagué, he directed and joked a Forum Theatre event exploring blockages to human flourishing in the university workplace.
Over the past twenty years Tom has appeared with such theatre companies as the Arts Club, Vancouver Playhouse, Ruby Slippers. Pi Theatre and Toronto’s Modern Times Stage Company, and was a founding member of Vancouver’s Neworld Theatre. His numerous film and TV credits include a Gemini (Canada Screen Award – Television) winning performance on Da Vinci’s Inquest and a Genie (Canada Screen Award – Film) nominated performance in Last Wedding. In addition to his teaching and continuing artistic practice, Tom’s research focuses on intersections between systems theory and theatre. His publications on this work can be found in the peer-reviewed journals Kybernetes, Constructivist Foundations, Futures and Journal of Systems, Cybernetics, and Informatics as well as in World Scientific’s edited volume, New Horizons for Second-Order Cybernetics and Design Cybernetics from Springer.
ROQUELA FERNANDEZ (she/her/hers)
Hello! I’m Roquela Fernandez (she/her/hers). On top of being Program Manager for Conflict Theatre, I’m a reader, writer, workshop facilitator, lifelong learner, mum, and caffeine enthusiast!
I value connection, creativity, play, and self-expression. Sharing stories is a family tradition, and I believe that narratives shape who we are and how we live in the world. I see Conflict Theatre as a way to courageously express, explore, and transform these narratives together. As Program Manager for Conflict Theatre, it’s a privilege and honour to be surrounded by amazing people doing deeply meaningful and courageous work. I believe in our team, our work, and our extraordinary Conflict Theatre Community at UBC.
Previously at UBC, I was an Instructor in the Certificate in Advanced Teaching and Learning program (CTLT), and a Workshop Facilitator and the TA Training Coordinator in Creative Writing (for this work, I received a UBC Killam Graduate Teaching Assistant award for teaching excellence). I continue to teach Creative Writing both in academic settings and out in the big wide world.
The End.
Roll credits… I’m a bonafide bookkeeper and keeper of books: Creative Writing (BFA and MFA Candidate, UBC), Advanced Teaching and Learning (Certificate, UBC), and Business Administration (Accounting Assistant and Advanced Business Admin Certificate, Capilano University).
GRACE GUY
My name is Grace, and I am the Program Assistant for Conflict Theatre. I’m also a student at UBC, double majoring in English Literature and Classical Studies — ancient Greek and Roman culture, language, and history.
I’m from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where I return every summer to camp, volunteer, and take a break from big city life. In Conflict Theatre @ UBC, I’m acting sort of the auxiliary troops for Tom and Roquela, so you’ll probably see me around at Conflict Theatre performances or Community of Practice sessions! Along with the work I am doing in Conflict Theatre, I am also writing biweekly book reviews for my local paper, the Yellowknifer. These reviews are focused on exhibiting Northern creative content and encourage both reading and writing in the NWT, specifically focusing on Northern and Indigenous content. Over this past summer, I volunteered as the coordinator for the children’s area at Folk On The Rocks, a Northern music festival based out of Yellowknife, and organized Trashformation, an art show, with the Old Town Ramble and Ride festival.
Along with volunteer work, I am highly engaged in personal projects, with perpetual self-improvement being my greatest incentive to seek new opportunities. For example, after completing two months of training to become a peer counsellor at my high school, I have sought out similar experiences to help me expand my understanding of and empathy with my fellow community members.