Peter Buell (Director)

Director, Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre

Peter joined the college as director in February, 2009.  Prior to joining the college, Buell was the Assistant Director of Marine Services for the Government of the Northwest Territories. He spent 24 years as an Officer in the Canadian and New Zealand Navies and a year as the Regional Harbour Master for Canterbury New Zealand. As Director of the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre, Peter looks forward to actively growing the regulatory training and certification training programs and working with industry representatives to ensure the most up-to-date and relevant courses are delivered through the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre.

Captain Colin MacNeil (Coordinator)

Captain Colin MacNeil (Post Secondary Co-ordinator)

Colin is the Marine Programs Coordinator and has been teaching at Georgian College since 2006. He graduated from the Marine Navigation Program in 1994 and has sailed for British, Norwegian and Canadian shipping companies. Colin has seagoing experience on a Passenger Vessel, a Cargo Ship, Great Lakes Bulk Carriers and 12 years of experience sailing on large oil tankers trading world wide. He has a Master Mariner Certificate and gained command in 2005. Colin teaches a variety of courses in addition to Program Coordinator duties.

Kara Beaubien

Kara BeauBien

Kara began at Georgian college in August 2004 after 30 years with RadioShack in Marketing and Advertising. In Georgian College she has worked Part Time Registration in the Call Centre of the Registrar’s Office. Kara has been responsible for registering students into credit and non-credit programs, inquires from students and staff and the general public as well as the collection and depositing of student fees. Currently she is assisting Carol Record and Dianne Ewart with all processing of registration for the Marine Certification and Regulatory Training from the Barrie office.

Seann O’Donoughue

Seann O’Donoughue

Seann O’ Donoughue has been a part-time faculty member of the great Lakes international Marine Training Centre since 2004. Seann has over 22 years experience as a Professional Mariner on the great Lakes, the East Coast of Canada, the US and the Caribbean Islands.

He has done many yacht deliveries up and down the East coast, and has served in many capacities aboard Tall ships and Schooners, including Captain of the tall Ship T.S. Playfair in 1992. He has been a captain aboard several passenger ships. He is currently a captain with Algoma Central Marine. Seann has worked for Algoma for the past 11 years. During the winter months and lay-up Seann teaches Shipmaster’s Business and has taught Seamanship and Wire Splicing for the Winter Marine Program.

Dianne Ewart

Dianne Ewart

Dianne has been with Georgian College since 1990. Dianne manages the Port Colborne Marine Emergency Training Centre’s (MED Centre) day to day operations including; scheduling instructors and set-up of all MED courses, co-ordinating with Transport Canada, Public Works and Government Services to make sure that all the building and equipment are up to date and safe for training. Dianne also works part-time with Transport Canada in the Ship Safety office where she administrates the issuance of Discharge books and licenses for marine officers.

Captain Philip Visser

Captain Philip Visser

Phil has been a full time faculty member of the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre since 1991. Having served as program coordinator for eight years, Phil now teaches marine navigation subjects and is the senior simulator instructor. Previous work experience with Upper Lakes Group Inc was varied, sailing the Great Lakes and east coast of North America. This experience, serving as an officer and captain, is transferred into the classroom by explaining subject theory into practical application for the workplace. Phil is a graduate of Georgian College’s Marine Navigation Technology program (class of 1976), and is Transport Canada certified as a Master Mariner. Through the articulation agreement with Memorial University Phil has also completed the Bachelor of Maritime Studies degree.

Sheffield Preston

Sheffield Preston

Sheff Preston has been a full-time faculty member from 1982-2005. Currently Sheff is teaching part-time in the engineering and navigation programs. Prior to joining the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre, he taught at two marine training centers in England and was a commissioning engineer with the nuclear submarine program in a British shipyard. Sheff also sailed with Shell Tankers International as a second engineer. Sheff holds a 1st Class Certificate of Competency and a BSc (Hon) in Mechanical Engineering.

Frankey Sisty

Frankey Sisty

Frankey has spent the last 10 years training interpersonal skills workshops in the corporate sector. Her knowledge of customer service, change management, team building and leadership allows for a seamless transition into post-secondary education. Frankey helps cadets focus on the increased value of Emotional Quota requirements for success as part of the Marine curriculum. Qualified to administer the Myers Briggs Type Indicator®, Frankey incorporates aspects of personality types throughout her current course; Human Relations in the Marine Industry.

Vivian Wade

Vivian Wide

Vivian Wade has been an instructor at Georgian College for 13 years. She holds a B.A., B. Ed. from the University of Guelph, University of Western Ontario, and Oxford University. She currently instructs cadets in Marine Technical Communications and Marine Technical Report Writing

Sheila Kazarian

Sheila Kazarian

Sheila Kazarian commenced working at Georgian in 1971. She is a graduate of Northern Business College where she obtained a General Business Certificate , also she is a graduate of Georgian College where she obtained a General Secretarial Certificate. While working at the college she completed the Ontario Management Development Program and the Human Resources Management Program. Sheila is the Program Assistant with the Marine Post Secondary program.

Gord Gunn

Gord Gunn

Gord has been a faculty member at the Georgian College since 1973. He teaches technology related subjects such as Applied Mechanics, Strength of Materials, Fluid Mechanics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Materials. Prior to joining the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre, Gord worked in industry in chemical analysis and quality control. For a short period of time he also taught mathematics and science in a secondary school. Gord holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Wilfred Laurier University and an Ontario Secondary School teaching certifications from Queen’s University

Captain James H. Lowe

Captain James H. Lowe

Jim Lowe began teaching in the Marine Programs in 1994. He teaches all Navigation subjects in the Cadet Program as well as Simulator Courses for Winter Marine. Prior to joining Georgian College, he was a captain with Upper Lakes Group Inc. of Toronto. Captain Lowe is the product of a Cadet training on the HMS Conway and served his apprenticeship with the Union Castle Line. He stayed with this company until he obtained the Master Foreign Going certificate issued at Toronto in 1959. His first command was in 1964. His sea-going experience has been on passenger, general cargo vessels, refrigerated ships, bulk carriers and bulk cargo self-unloaders. Additional sea time was served with the Canadian Coast Guard and managing private yachts. Captain Lowe has been aligned with the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre since its inception.

Captain James H. Van Overbeek

Captain James H. Van Overbeek

Jim has completed a full circle after graduating from the Georgian College Marine Navigation program in 1977. He began teaching at the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre in 1999. His time at sea has been spent on tankers, and he has 13 years of command experience. He has also accumulated 2 years ashore in ship management, with the responsibility for vessel scheduling and chartering. Jim holds a Master Mariner certificate of Competency issued by Transport Canada, and a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University

Bryan Gelyk

Bryan Gelyk

Bryan Gelyk has been a faculty member at the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre since 1986. He is a graduate of the program and after getting his higher level engineering certification, was hired to teach in the Skills Training Labs. Now he teaches a broad range of subjects to both the Navigation and Engineering students. Bryan is a key instructor in 1.2 million dollar Propulsion Plant Simulator facility and is currently involve in the engineroom renewal project.

Doug Bell

Doug Bell

Doug has been a faculty member at the Great Lakes International Marine Training Centre since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree and the University of Western Ontario where he obtained an education degree and a Master of Engineering degree. He teaches electricity, electronics and other engineering oriented subjects. He has been a program coordinator and has received the Georgian College Faculty Award of Merit.