northStudio

Dieter Gerhard

Dieter Gerhard, has seven years experience as a college instructor teaching certificate and diploma programs in marketing, business administration, paralegal studies, web site development, e-commerce and search engine optimization. Dieter also guest lectures at other events and learning institutions, most recently at UVic.

Dieter also operates the well known Birds of a Feather Ocean-front Bed and Breakfast. Dieter also holds a seat on The Tourism Board of Victoria's West Shore Chamber of Commerce. His insights into the accommodation and tourism sectors of the hospitality industry are invaluable to our clients in this industry. Dieter's other interests include traveling and boating. His marketing savvy and familiarity with organic search engine optimization and marketing give all our clients an edge over their competition. If Dieter has search-engine-optimized your site, you'll likely find yourself in the top 10 of Google.com in your category.

When he disappears around here in the summer months he can usually be found on his Zodiac conducting Marine Eco-Tours.

Chris Boag

Chris holds a Diploma in Web Site Development and has seven years of hands-on experience teaching and building web sites and web applications. Chris is responsible for our course development and oversees our internationally recognized one-of-a-kind web design and web development Internship, Work Experience and Co-op programs.

Chris teaches Web Design and Internet Technologies at the University of Victoria.

Chris is also the Project Manager of many of our northStudio projects, including small-to-large business applications. Responsible for developing clients' ideas into practical World Wide Web applications, Chris brings a fresh and youthful energy to our team.

Gord Christmas

After spending nearly ten years working with an Internet Service provider on Salt Spring Island, Gord decided to join our team in Victoria. He has many years of hands on troubleshooting experience with computers and complex networking arrangements. Having worked as a private in-home computer consultant, Gord has also honed his ability to listen and explain our clients' needs simply and directly.

Programming for Gord started early with BASIC, Hypercard and Pascal in the mid-eighties. Since then worked with Delphi, Assembly, JavaScript, PHP, Visual Basic, and many other programs. Working with PHP and databases is his most recent focus, developing online web applications for niche markets. Reading technical and programming manuals doesn't put him to sleep, as it would any sane individual.

Gord enjoys extracurricular activities like trail riding on dirt bikes, motorcycle riding, hiking and woodworking. He also enjoys computer gaming and radio controlled model cars.

René Haché

René, 35, has been with northStudio and VSBT from the start. He plays a key role in helping NS clients get the look they want – not just for their websites, but also for printed media such as magazines, brochures, business cards and posters. He also prides himself on getting his projects done on time, and within budget.

Leaving New Brunswick for the bright lights of Ottawa in the early ‘90s, René studied business and economics and worked for a variety of companies doing mostly print-related work. He discovered a real talent for layout and design, and for color management in particular – the art of achieving consistent and accurate colors across multiple media. This led him to internet web design, where he transferred his skills from print to electronic media. 

René is particularly adept with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.  He also teaches VSBT students how to use  CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and Content Management Systems (CMS).

He has been a keen photographer since he was a young man, and many of his photos have been used in his print and internet designs.  Although he used to spend his spare time hiking and taking photos, René is now a confirmed “family man” and spends most of his free time looking after his 20 month old son.

Simon Vreeswijk

Simon is a former VSBT graduate and intern. He completed both the Web Designer and Web Application Programmer tracks, each followed with a six month internship. Simon is now working as a programmer with the northStudio.com team.

Simon has more than three years experience as a Web Developer and SEO specialist. He has taught basic computer courses, office courses, and provided one-on-one Macromedia Dreamweaver training as well as providing in-home tech support for VSBT. Aside from programming, Simon is skilled in search engine optimization, internet marketing, graphic design, CSS, and most other aspects of the web design business.

If Simon is not in front of his computer you will probably find him making music or out playing one of the many sports he enjoys.

Aysha Ozcetin

After moving to Canada I left the workforce to raise my two boys. When it was time to go back to work again, I realized that on Vancouver Island my chances of finding a position in international trade which I had been working in after having my BA degree were quite slim. It was time to make a career change, and I found the Web Designer Certificate program at northStudio.com. After finishing the program, I worked as an intern at northStudio. In September 2006, I joined the team in the developing department and have been taking on new challenges in web development.

Chris Deakin

Chris is a master of Flash and has been a Macromedia-Certified Instructor for the past five years in both Dreamweaver and Flash. More recently, Chris became an Adobe-Certified Professional and Instructor, one of only a handful in Greater Victoria. He also teaches Fireworks and Freehand.

Chris has taught at the University of Victoria, Royal Roads University and Camosun College, and has worked for clients such as IBM and Electronic Arts.

Chris is one of our most versatile and skilled instructors.  He can design and create various types of computer media, make interactive presentations, CD-ROMs and DVDs. His “special” specialty is making web-based Flash animations, though he also works with digital video and audio, using it both for CD/DVD productions and web sites.

When not teaching at VSBT, he’s either mountain biking or roaming around with his trusty new Pentax. He also loves camping and backpacking.

Melanie Seal-Jones

From a young kid I knew I would be a Graphic Designer, I remember my kindergarten teacher scolding me, for drawing advertisements instead of animals. After graduating with honors from the University of Manitoba, I ran sales teams that allowed me to travel throughout Canada, the Us and Europe. Eventually landing in BC I worked for newspapers, design firms and print shops until I landed the Dream job at North Studio and VSBT. Being able to teach, design, and still have the flexibility to run my Photography business is amazing. It is very satisfying when I can deliver a design that is not only visually stunning but also helps the business grow. The "ah ha" moment when a student really gets it or they learn a new way of doing things that saves them tons of time. My husband is a little worried about my love-affair with photography, InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator but I do pull my self away once in a while to help with our house renovations, to play fetch with our cat ...

Shane Vincent

Born in Vancouver BC, he spent the first 7 or 8 years of his life in some sort of coma, until that is.. his parents brought home their first computer. Well ever since that wonderful day where his life was given a purpose, he has devoted a RIDICULOUS amount of time to computers, electronics, and everything in between. Shane completed the web developer certificate program offered at VSBT and apparently did pretty darn good! He now works along side his former teachers developing content for the web.

Amy Steen

I grew up in a small town of about 350 people on my parent’s horse farm in the west Kootenays. In high school, I excelled in art, drafting, and media arts. When not riding my horses, or out at a show somewhere in Western Canada, Id spend my time geeking it out on the computer at home. After high school, I really wasn’t sure what to do with myself… I just knew that I wanted to get a college education. After much thought and deliberation, I decided to apply for Selkirk College’s Multimedia Production and Design Program. It was an intensive program and there were several sleepless nights, but it was worth it. In the first year, we covered Photoshop, Illustrator, video production, traditional art, basic web development (CSS, XHTML, Javascript, and flash), claymation, and technical writing. In the second year, we did advanced Photoshop and graphic design, 3d modeling and animation, advanced web authoring (php, mysql, database structures and design), advanced digital film and video production, business management, and software development. I graduated in 2006 with a diploma in Multimedia Production and Design. That fall, I decided to move to Victoria to seek further education where I received my certificates for web design and web development. Currently, I am interning at northStudio.com Inc and enjoying every minute of it!

Kim Settler

Kim holds a Diploma in Business Administration from Red River Community College in Winnipeg, majoring in Marketing and Advertising. Additional education includes receiving her basic accreditation with the Council for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education, followed by a post-grad course in Endocrinology. More recently, Kim received her diploma in Web Design from the Victoria School of Business and Technology.

Kim brings to the table over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing. She has been employed by fortune 500 corporations, travelling extensively throughout North America. She also has four years experience designing, manufacturing, retailing and wholesaling a ladies apparel line of clothing, with distributions across North America. Yes, quite a full career circle.

Kim passionately understands the needs and wants of business owners and is a strong team player. Her charisma is contagious.

A dream has come true for Kim to join the creative and first-rate team at North Studio.

Trading in her silk suits and high heels, Kim is finally able to wear her jeans and sandals to work, telling her that she has finally arrived. It is the simple pleasures in life that are rewarding she always says.

Kim, an avid sailor and musician resides in the village of Brentwood Bay with her husband, two children and two cats. There is never a dull moment in the Settler household!

Greg Voakes

With a background in Internet marketing and search engine optimization and a great interest in social media, Greg brings an abundance of knowledge and numerous ideas to the table in the marketing department.

If you need help getting your site found on the internet, Greg is the guy that can make it happen, along with his skilled marketing team.

Greg enjoys traveling the world, and hopes to someday travel through all of the continents. When he isn't traveling, you can find him listening to his music, watching a movie, and spending time with his friends and family.

Shane Graham

Shane is a graduate of the Web Design Certification and Open Source Developer Certification. He followed up both certifications with a 6 month internship (one year total) with an emphasis on each respective field. Shane also has certifications in the following areas:  A+, Network+, iNet+, MCDST, MCP, ETA CST, ETA CNST.  Shane lives in Metchosin with his horse Misty, and is an avid video gamer.

Myke Allen

Myke is a talented artist in his own right, and a useful hands-on instructor of Quarkxpress, Dreamweaver, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. In his private life, Myke enjoys digital illustration and is the creator and illustrator of a series of graphic novels. He has been an illustrator for over ten years and leaps at the opportunity to show off his ability and style. Myke began teaching in the spring of 2006 and finds it a rewarding experience. " I enjoy helping people understand programs like Illustrator and Photoshop because most often they have something in mind that they would like to produce but lack the fore-knowledge to make that happen. Seeing someone beam with understanding or hearing them making sounds of excitement as they see their idea become a reality is quite a feeling." Myke's approach to teaching is "teach people what they want to learn" and that is exactly what he does. Whether you want to understand photo manipulation, building HTML websites or illustrating your child's picture, Myke can give you the knowledge and understanding to make your vision come to life.

Ryan James

A native of Victoria, Ryan is a graduate of the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Systems Engineering. He interned at northStudio Inc. from 2004-05 before deciding to move East to Toronto. A couple short years later he realised the err of his ways and returned to the West coast. Re-joining northStudio Inc. as a Drupal programmer, he brings with him 3+ years of Web Application and e-Commerce programming experience.

His engineering background has also provided him skills and experience with network and server administration, computer architecture and design, as well as other concepts a bit more foreign to Web Development such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

On the side he enjoys outdoor activities such as soccer, hockey and mountain biking, to name a few.

Graydon Gibson

Graydon is a former print and radio journalist with an additional 25 years experience in media, public relations and communications.  He is also a certified web developer (a graduate of VSBT) and has a good understanding of web design and construction issues and techniques.  However, Graydon is still a writer at heart, and brings his expertise in plain language and effective communications to the northStudio.com team.   Graydon can work with you to develop your website content from scratch, including identifying your target audiences and key messages, or he can take whatever you have already prepared and edit it to make sure your message is as focussed and clear as it can be.  Graydon also teaches a one-day course in Plain Language & Effective Communications.
When he's not writing or surfing the net, Graydon can usually be found on the golf course, where he grapples with a mismatched set of clubs and an unrealistic expectation that he will one day get his handicap down to a single digit!

Jim Keith

Jim has over 30 years experience in public and private business sectors. Mr. Keith has worked in the Information Technology sector, writing, implementing, and supporting software applications. He started his career working with Canada Post as a junior clerk, hidden away inside their philatelic vault counting stamps. Today he is a freelance consultant to businesses and government in Victoria. He sits on the board of NorthStudio and contributes his talents to development projects. Mr. Keith lives in Sooke where he has a wife, three cats, and two full grown sons in the construction industry.

Michael Boston

Mike, 20, is a new intern. Mike was born in Ontario, but spent most of his life living in British Columbia. He is a big fan of video games, having been given his first console years ago. From there, he moved onto computer gaming and eventually found website designing. He found out about the Victoria School of Business and Technology through a career fair and decided to attend courses there. He graduated after a long 22 weeks and became an intern.

Kanako Aiba

I was born and raised in Osaka Japan untill I decided that I need to get out of there when I was 15 years old. I used to love (and still do but not as much) Japanese Animation when I grew up. I guess I was just fascinated by the look of flat, cool and interesting characters. I used to draw lots of those animation characters that I found fascinating and try to mimic the unique look. In spite of my fascination for Japanese animation, I was hiding my love of animation because I did not want to be seen as a nerd, but it certainly helped me to practice drawing a lot and grow my attention towards graphic art. Unlike most of people at northStudio, I was slow to get into the computer and internet world. Only after I came to Victoria when I was about 16, I slowly started learning about computers because of  my personal need to keep in touch with my friends and family in Japan. After attending high school here, I went to Camosun College and Uvic to major in Visual Arts because all I knew about what I wanted to do was Art. After getting BFA from Uvic, I
was thinking about pursuing the master either doing paintings or mixed media, but I decided that it's time to take actions about my interest in graphic art. I found VSBT in Victoria conveniently and learned a lot from WDC classes, so I started intern here to learn all about web design and development.

Sean Hamill

Sean Hamill grew up in Victoria, BC where attended the University of Victoria for a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Computer Science, with Software Engineering option, and Minor in Mathematics. Sean also attended Camosun College and received his Web Design Certificate in July 2004. Sean is a self-taught entrepreneur, who has been designing and developing online systems since the age of fourteen.

During high school he developed an online, interactive gaming website that attracted in the high tens of thousands of unique visitors per day. Post high school, Sean created his own web design company, named after him as a joke to humor his friends and family. Sean was soon unable to escape this company name, as his talents spread like wildfire across Victoria and many cities through the United States.

Over the years, Sean managed to setup two primary offices in downtown Victoria and Halifax, serving over one-thousand clients from all over the globe.