I am the daughter of Jean and John Weighill and the granddaughter of Pat and Peter Forbes and Sybil and John Weighill. My brother Cameron and his wife Dorianna gifted me with the greatest role that I have - Auntie Aggie to Pietro and Violet. Named after Agnes (Ross) Forbes and Jean (Armour) Christie, I have been blessed to have been raised in the Forbes and Christie Clans - taught that family is defined by more than the blood flowing in our veins.
I was born on the traditional territories of the Tse’Khene Peoples (Mackenzie, BC) but grew up on the traditional unceded territories of the Klahoose, Pacheedaht, Ts’uubaa-asatx, and Qualicum First Nations in the rural BC communities on Cortez and Lasqueti Islands (summer vacations) and in Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan, Deep Bay. I now live on the unceded traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation in the city of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island. In pursuit of my education and career I was privileged to attend universities in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Waterloo, Ontario, and Edmonton, Alberta before returning to Nanaimo to teach at my alma mater - Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina University-College).
Since returning to the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management in 2005, I have focused my energies on teaching courses in leadership, program planning, environmental stewardship, tour-group packaging, tourism geography, market research, research methods, data analysis, community development, sport tourism, niche tourism, and leisure education. I have also developed and led numerous field school, participated in three international projects, and travelled to nine different countries with students.
In the past five years I've been focused on applying my leadership skills to community boards (Tourism Nanaimo Society and BC Recreation & Parks Association) and university governance through department leadership, faculty committees, and VIU's Senate and Board of Directors (start July 2025). I'm currently seeking my next leadership and career opportunity.
I was born on the traditional territories of the Tse’Khene Peoples (Mackenzie, BC) but grew up on the traditional unceded territories of the Klahoose, Pacheedaht, Ts’uubaa-asatx, and Qualicum First Nations in the rural BC communities on Cortez and Lasqueti Islands (summer vacations) and in Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan, Deep Bay. I now live on the unceded traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation in the city of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island. In pursuit of my education and career I was privileged to attend universities in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Waterloo, Ontario, and Edmonton, Alberta before returning to Nanaimo to teach at my alma mater - Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina University-College).
Since returning to the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management in 2005, I have focused my energies on teaching courses in leadership, program planning, environmental stewardship, tour-group packaging, tourism geography, market research, research methods, data analysis, community development, sport tourism, niche tourism, and leisure education. I have also developed and led numerous field school, participated in three international projects, and travelled to nine different countries with students.
In the past five years I've been focused on applying my leadership skills to community boards (Tourism Nanaimo Society and BC Recreation & Parks Association) and university governance through department leadership, faculty committees, and VIU's Senate and Board of Directors (start July 2025). I'm currently seeking my next leadership and career opportunity.