When workers unite, they make things better for everyone

About AAU

The Atlantic Academic Union (AAU), formerly the Nova Scotia Community College Academic Union (NSCCAU), was established on July 1, 2018, and has represented faculty and professional support staff at NSCC ever since. As of August 1, 2023, we are proud to be known as the Atlantic Academic Union (AAU).

We advocate for the rights and interests of NSCC faculty and professional support staff, working collaboratively to ensure fair treatment, strong representation and a supportive academic environment. Our union is governed by a Board Executive and Campus Representatives, and supported by a dedicated team of three full-time staff.

We’re committed to serving our members with integrity, responsiveness and care—and we always welcome the opportunity to hear from you. Reach out anytime to connect with one of our helpful staff members.

    • Akerley Campus —Sean Kettley

    • Annapolis Campus — Matt Belliveau

    • Burridge Campus —Percy Thurston, Josh Hiltz, Dan Cole (alternate)

    • Central Campus — Beth Easson

    • COGS — Martha Bostwick, Mark Hebert (alternate)

    • Cumberland Campus — Jennifer Dickinson, Lisa Gower

    • Digby — Adam Jensen

    • E-Campus — Lillian Lake, Lisa Smith

    • IT Campus — Sarah MacDonald

    • Ivany Campus — Vicki Paddick, Crystal McManus, John Buote (aviation)

    • Kingstec Campus — Annaleisa Scigliano, Jason Saltzman, Robert Riggs

    • Lunenburg Campus — Doug Thibodeau, Andrew MacAdam

    • Pictou Campus — Adam Rumsey, Michael King

    • Shelburne Campus — vacant

    • Strait Area Campus — Charlie Probert

    • Sydney Waterfront — Adrian Wilson, Shawn Bigley, Ashley Howie, Sherry Addicott (alternate), Cory Christie (alternate)

    • Truro Campus — Shari Mallory, Kayla Googoo, Gordon LaRusic (alternate)

    • Christy Culberson, Director — Christy earned a BBA degree from UNB and has spent the majority of her career involved in the agriculture sector, managing all the financial aspects of a large private agriculture business and was a key member of a transformation initiative for the potato marketing industry in NB. Christy has also taught business at the college level, worked at several accounting firms and was part of a provincial level political campaign. She has enjoyed volunteering for the many sports organizations that her children were a part of, reading and cooking. She has two children and one dog who are spread between NB and NS. A fun fact about Christy, she loves Christmas and decorating Christmas trees for the holiday season.

    • David LeBlanc, Labour Relations Officer — David came to AAU after 25 years with the BCTGM International Union. He has served in numerous positions in the Nova Scotia local, culminating in 12 years as Business Agent, Financial Secretary and Principal Officer. He has served as a Vice President of the Canadian Council and on the Finance Committee of the International Union. David served as a General Vice President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour for 10 years. He is a graduate of St. Mary’s University (B.Comm - Economics) and the Labour College of Canada. David is married with two children and various cats and dogs. He resides in Dartmouth, but is a proud Cape Bretoner.

    • Amber de Vos, Coordinator — Amber joined AAU in early 2022 and has experience that covers administration, office management, customer service, entrepreneurship and more. She immigrated to Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2010 from the Netherlands, where she graduated from Tourism Management. She speaks several languages, which was an asset during her 13 years as a flight attendant with a Dutch Airline. While in Canada, she gained experience in teaching/training employees and customer support. She is married with two children. Amber enjoys the outdoors, walks with her dog, travelling and crafts.

    • Finance Committee - Melanie Sampson (VP Admin), Allyson Marsh

    • Faculty Contractual Issues Committee - David Pearson (VP Faculty), Arun Bhatnagar, Kurt Lanigan, Neil Cody

    • PS Contractual Issues Committee- Cheryl Beesley (VP PS), Anna Marie Roper, Katrina Doucette

    • Pension and Benefits Committee -

    • Communications Committee - Rankin MacMaster (VP ME)

    • AAU Bylaws (Governance) Committee - Tammy Harrison, Allyson Marsh, Shelly Kelly

    • Personnel Committee - Barbara Gillis, David Pearson, Cheryl Beesley, Katrina Doucette, Melanie Sampson, Rankin MacMaster

    • AAU Spring Symposium Committee - Brenda Silver, Beth Easson, Dan Cole, Rankin MacMaster (VP ME)

    • Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (JEDI) - Tammy Harrison

    • College Union Committee – Kim Long, Nathalie Irving, Todd Verge, Adrian Wilson, Lillian Lake, Jennifer Dickinson

    • LCP Committee Faculty - Barbara Gillis, Melissa Pulsifer, Lyn Cleveland

    • LCP Committee Professional Support - Katrina Doucette, Lana Penny, Lorella Vardy

    • Faculty Duties Committee - David Pearson, Andrew MacAdam, Jolene Pattison

    • Salary Placement Advisoryand Appeals Committee Faculty - Barbara Gillis, David Pearson, Melanie Sampson

    • Learning Leave Faculty - Luke Monk, Charlene Marshall, Shari Mallory

    • Learning Leave Professional Support - Beth Easson

    • Joint Steering Committee OHS - Barbara Gillis

    • Classification Advisory and Appeals Committee PS - Belinda Doyle, Tammy Harrison, Hilary Gibson

    • College Advisory Committee on AEP - Scott Furlotte

    • Program Renewal and Planning Committee - Kim Long, Lawson Landry, Krista Taverner, Glenda Lewis, Vicki Paddick, Tracy Peers, Jennifer Dickinson, Lesley Keeley

    • Joint Committee Policy Review - Barbara Gillis, Dale Gruchy, Crystal MacManus, Katrina Doucette, Alma Farrell, Susan Thompson Graham, Christy Culberson

Meet the Executive Committee Members

Neil Cody, President

"Neil is a member of the Business faculty at NSCC’s Ivany Campus and has been with the College since 2015. Over the past 20 years, he has worked across education, technology, business analysis, strategic management, and entrepreneurship, bringing a strong focus on big-picture thinking, strategic decision-making, and data-informed leadership. At NSCC, he has taken an active role in curriculum development, program review, and student entrepreneurship initiatives. Prior to serving as President, Neil supported union initiatives and is committed to strengthening transparency, bargaining preparation, and member engagement within the Atlantic Academic Union. He holds an MBA from the University of New Brunswick and is currently a Doctor of Business Administration candidate at Royal Roads University, and is proud to advocate for fair, sustainable working conditions for all AAU members."

David Pearson, Vice President Faculty

David grew up in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia and is an Alumni of NSCC. He has been an employee of the College since 2006 as an Apprenticeship Faculty. Prior to his current role with the union as Vice President of Faculty, he was a Campus Rep. He has served on the negotiating committee for the last two Collective Agreements. David holds an associate’s degree in applied science and a Red Seal trade designation in Steam-fitting Pipefitting. David has been a lifelong advocate for improving working conditions for his colleagues and is proud to serve in his role.

Seana Blanchard, Vice President Professional Support

Seana is an Admissions Officer with the School of Access and has been with NSCC for 25 years. From the start of her career, she's been involved in the union as a campus representative, served on several contractual committees, and participated in many rounds of negotiations with the NSTU and AAU. One of her key contributions was helping to decertify the NSTU and establish the NSCCAU, which later became the Atlantic Academic Union. This should be a clear reminder to all members that we can accomplish great things when we come together with a shared vision.

Vice President Administration

Bio coming soon.

Todd Verge, Vice President Member Engagement & Public Relations

Todd has been a faculty member for almost 30 years and a campus representative for most of that time. He is proud to be a member of the AAU and has had the honour of serving on many union committees, including the last two negotiations of our collective agreement. Some career highlights include: being there for the formation of the NSCC and the signing of our first collective agreement, proudly watching the formation of our own union with the NSCCAU (later AAU), receiving the 2006 Excellence in Teaching Award and working with students on some truly awesome projects, including a fully functioning R2D2.

Sherry Sullivan, Vice President Organizational Structure & Inclusion

Dr. Sullivan brings 25 years of experience related to faculty development, program and curriculum development, organizational development, and evaluation in various not-for-profit, government, and post-secondary institutions. Sherry earned a BSc. as well as a MEd from Brandon University. She earned her PhD in the Peace and Conflict Studies program at the University of Manitoba. Her dissertation focuses on the integration and assessment of social justice education in post-secondary education. She is a passionate and dedicated adult educator who believes social justice education is a key driver of social change that will lead to a more just and equitable world.

What We Do

Our Vision: Engaging all members and stakeholders to improve working conditions for members, and to influence positive labour relations for all Nova Scotians.

NSCC is a modern post-secondary institution with five academic schools located in sixteen communities across Nova Scotia. It offers high-quality education in Health, Trades, Technology & Applied Arts, Business, and Adult Learning. Its faculty and professional support staff are recruited directly from industry, bringing real-world experience into the classroom.

We bring the right people together to advocate for your rights as faculty and professional support staff. We value connection and seek out regular opportunities to ensure we’re representing you at our best.