FASHION
FASHION BUSINESS + CREATIVE ARTS
INSTRUCTOR PROFILES NICOLA MACEWEN
SUNJA LINK
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
INDUSTRY LIAISON & INSTRUCTOR OF CAREER PLANNING & ELEMENTS OF DESIGN
Nicola first became fascinated with fashion when she worked as a model and knew that she wanted to expand her experience and expertise in the industry. With that in mind, Nicola enrolled in The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fashion Merchandising Management. In her third year, Nicola decided to broaden her international experience by studying at FIT’s sister school, Polimoda in Florence, Italy where she fell in love with textiles and home décor. After graduation Nicola accepted two part time roles, one with an architecture firm where she bought and sourced materials and the second as an assistant to the VP of a luxury modern home boutique. Only 6 months later, she accepted her dream job as a merchandiser for luxury home furnishings retailer, ABC Carpet & Home. Here, Nicola worked as an Associate Buyer where she travelled abroad in search for new products. Although New York was close to Nicola’s heart, she needed a change and jetted off to Vancouver. After a short period of consulting for local retailers she accepted a teaching position at JCI in the Fashion Department where she quickly was promoted to JCI’s College Director. Currently, Nicola is JCI’s Fashion Director where her primary focus is supporting the success of her students. The best piece of advice she gives to her students is that you never know where the industry will take you, so be open to whatever comes your way.
Having graduated from La Salle College in Montreal, and designing her own clothing line (www.sunjalink. com), Sunja brings strong technical experience and a wide understanding of the production cycle to our Fashion program. Working with prominent Canadian labels such as Luscious Clothing, and cult favourite local retailer The Block, Sunja’s insight into the consumer market, production sourcing, fashion promotion and styling brings a valuable asset to our students.
in magazines, newspapers, press releases and posters. She has also has illustrated for TV and Film with such credits as Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural, Fallen, and the ever so popular, Twilight. Terry’s illustrations show extraordinary talent and personal style, which is complimented by an impressive knowledge of costume history. Terry is a natural when it comes to communicating her skills and knowledge to her students.
CARA WHITTAKER INSTRUCTOR OF VISUAL DISPLAY
Cara has been a prominent visual designer for nearly 20 years dedicating over half that time with MELANIE MCINTOSH The Bay in both Ontario & British INSTRUCTOR OF Columbia where she was a Senior RETAILING, MARKETING & Women’s Wear Stylist. Cara currently ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS holds an amazing position as a Visual With a Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Coordinator with Holt Renfrew in Merchandising and Communication downtown Vancouver. Cara’s been from Ryerson Polytechnic University, involved with several fashion photo Melanie is the owner of her own retail shoots and fashion shows including consulting company. Helping clients Holt Renfrew’s Gala Fashion Show. develop their own retail identity, With her cheerful personality and she is well versed in many areas of passion for creativity, students at the fashion industry including event JCI are fortunate to have Cara as a coordination, marketing, branding and career mentor. retail operations. Prior to consulting, she spent several years in the fashion JOAN DE RAUCOURT retail sector allowing her to build INSTRUCTOR OF RETAIL BUYING, contacts and develop her natural skills STYLING & FASHION SHOW in training others. PRODUCTION
TERRY PITTS INSTRUCTOR OF FASHION HISTORY & TEXTILES A Douglas College Fashion graduate, Terry comes with many years of teaching experience in both fashion illustration and fashion history at various private Colleges. Terry has worked as a fashion illustrator for commercial advertisements
Joan has been involved in the fashion and modeling industries for over 25 years. Joan has worked as a model, fashion show coordinator and stylist throughout Canada and was involved in the buying, retailing and merchandising of Stephane de Raucourt shoes for 15 years. Joan
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graduated from the prestigious Sheffield School of Interior Design in New York City and runs a part-time interior design consulting business.
TANIA BEAUPIT INSTRUCTOR OF VISUAL DISPLAY Tania Beaupit first joined Guess Jeans Corporation as a manager of the first outlet location in Canada. She was then was promoted to manage multiple Guess locations across Ontario. Tania then moved to Vancouver, BC to become the District Visual Manager for Guess for 7 years. Looking for a change, Tania joined Group Dynamite as a Head Merchandiser for Garage Clothing where she oversaw 15 locations. She was then promoted to Regional Visual Supervisor overseeing 52 Dynamite and Garage locations across Western Canada. Tania supports the US expansion and is happy to have been with Group Dynamite for over 6 years. Tania has been teaching at JCI since 2010 - we are so thrilled to have such an expert educating our students in the area of Visual Display.
JIHAN AMER INSTRUCTOR OF FASHION STYLING & INTRODUCTION TO FASHION Jihan Amer’s journey to becoming a freelance stylist started as a young girl living in India. Her mother, a designer, exposed Jihan to the world of fashion at an early age by taking her around the world while showcasing new collections. This experience sparked Jihan’s love for fashion and design, and inspired her to pursue it as a career. Before studying fashion at JCI Institute, she travelled the world as a clothing buyer/designer for boutiques in Vancouver and Calgary, and worked as an assistant manager at BCBG Maxazria and Miss Sixty. Since graduating from the Fashion Program at JCI Institute in 2010, Jihan has worked with a long list of leading brands in Canada and abroad. In India, she worked as an assistant stylist at Lakme Fashion Week in
Mumbai before returning to Canada as a junior agent (and curve model) at Wilhelmina Vancouver. Today, Johan continues her career as a freelance stylist for a wide range of clients in Vancouver, and shares her passion as a teacher at JCI.
MORGAN MALLETT INSTRUCTOR OF FASHION ILLUSTRATION & PHOTOSHOP WORKSHOPS Morgan Mallet is the Creative Director and founder of Design + Conquer, a jewellery design company known for pushing the limits of design through their unique fusion of industrial and organic aesthetics. Prior to founding DC in 2009, Morgan developed and honed her progressive style, earning her BFA in Painting, and a B. Des. in Graphic Design. Her diverse skill set and passion for creating through innovative processes has earned her numerous accolades and a reputation for defying convention. In 2009, Design + Conquer saw early success when Morgan’s designs were shown on the catwalk at Toronto Fashion Week and on Fashion TV. Since the successful launch of her company, Morgan has collaborated with major electronica musicians such as Future Unlimited, Teeel and Teen Daze for Design + Conquer collection videos. In 2012, she designed a custom neckpiece for San Francisco electronica band Stripmall Future, and in April of 2014, her designs were photographed for Harper’s Bazaar Singapore editorial. Through Design + Conquer, Morgan has also won numerous awards and gained international praise. In 2010, she was the sole Canadian designer represented at ETSY’s first international office opening exhibition in Berlin. She was also shortlisted for Western Living Magazine’s 2011 ‘Designers of the Year’ award in the fashion and jewellery category. And most recently, Morgan was named the winner of VNB’s ‘Vancouver’s Top Creatives’ in the Fashion Category. Morgan’s passion for the industry
makes her a great addition to our team.
AMANDA HAINES INSTRUCTOR OF PR & COMMUNICATIONS Amanda Haines completed her BA in Psychology at the University of British Columbia, followed by a Certificate in Public Relations from Langara College. Since then, she has cut her teeth in public relations, project management and branding, overseeing the media and marketing strategies of high profile lifestyle clients across Canada. Seeing a gap between boutique and large PR and marketing agencies, in 2012 she founded Reformation PR, a full-service firm that offers a wellrounded and personal approach to contemporary public relations. She currently teaches PR at JCI Institute and SFU.
WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY MICHELLE ESTERAS
MARIA NAVARRO
“Words could not express my gratitude towards my exceptional instructors who have become my mentors and molded me to become successful in the industry. The Fashion Arts program led me to explore my strengths and build up my weaknesses as well as value and character. It is not-at-all a glamorous industry, yet, it is one of the most rewarding. It requires passion, determination, hard work and that extra mile of effort. After graduating, John Casablancas staff went all the way with me with full support and faith in what I can achieve. It definitely is an institute that trains you to become the best and become part of the real world of the fashion industry. I am blessed to be part of this Institute.”
“This program has brought me together with the most memorable people I ever met. Our class was more than friends but I consider them family. The teachers were inspirational and always fun to be with. I’ve learnt a lot and feel confident about going out there and conquer the fashion industry!”
every` moment that I had to!) but Terri taught me how to appreciate illustration and how to make it my own. All of the teachers were amazing, but Judi always knew how to make us smile. The Fashion Show was unbelievable, we learnt so many aspects of fashion and then watching it accumulate into one show was astounding.”
DEBBIE LEE
MELISSA GLADUE
“My learning experience at John Casablancas has helped me quickly launch my career in the fashion industry. Working now as a Merchandising Assistant in one of the most dynamic clothing manufacturers in Canada, I am able to apply my knowledge in many areas such as organizing line release fashion shows, providing styling tips at photo shoots, analyzing the latest trends for upcoming seasons, and executing all necessary activities to bring a concept into a finished garment. The small intimate classes at John Casablancas not only allowed more one-on-one time with the instructors, but also gave me the opportunity to make good friends.”
“When first entering JCI, I knew the fashion world was fast paced; now I’ve experienced that pace. JCI offered us a lot of volunteer experience working with people in the industry. These experiences I feel were extremely valuable for me to grow in this industry. Thank you for the experience, see you at the next show!”
ANNAIS CHUNG “It was such a memorable experience for me. The whole program was very precious and I have learned so much. The instructors were amazing. I’ve learned more than I expected and made friendships and memories. Thank you and hope to see you again in the future. Marie- Claude, Lori, Jim and everyone at the great John Casablancas Fashion Institute, thank you!!! I will never forget you great people! You guys are amazing! When I’m successful, I won’t forget that it was John Casablancas Fashion Institute who raised me to be “ME” (future me).”
SHEREE-ANN GERRY “The JC staff quickly became family to me and saying goodbye was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. I met so many talented individuals who were always willing to help. I was worried at the beginning that I couldn’t draw (and hated
BONNIE CHUNG “I must say, this program was more intense then I had imagined, but at the same time, this program taught me so much! This course was not just about fashion, but it’s also about teamwork, time management, handling stress and pressure and how to strive towards reaching your goals. Current information and events on the fashion industry, and various job postings helped me keep in touch with what’s going on around me! Out of all schools that I’ve attended, I had the most fun, and felt the most successful at JCI. Thank you to all the teachers and staff, you guys are amazing!”
JILLIAN CAMPBELL “It was a great experience, great people and good times. I learned so much. John Casablancas was like a little family for me.”
MARIÁ-JOSÉ HERNÁNDEZ COS “I came out of this program with a feeling of excitement and anticipation for my future. I feel prepared to enter the fashion industry confidently.”
SAMI WARD “This program was a definite highlight in my educational career. I have never felt more focused, accomplished, or passionate toward something in my life. After ten months spent learning about all aspects of the fashion industry and applying everything, I feel 100% ready for the next stage of my life. I am confident to begin my career within this industry. I would HIGHLY recommend this program to anyone that is interested, not only do you come out with a well-deserved Diploma, but you also develop and grow into a family along the way.”
FEATURED GRADUATES SIMA KUMAR It’s hard to keep up with Sima’s amazing success. She is an International Fashion Stylist, working in Europe, NYC, LA and Vancouver and has styled for today’s hottest celebrities including Elton John, Brad Pitt, Sean Connery, Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan, Kylie Minogue and Swollen Members. In 2002, Sima was nominated for four MTV awards for her work in music videos for No Doubt, Jennifer Lopez, Incubus and POD. Fashion, commercial and print editorial work includes styling for Christian Dior, Yves St. Laurent, Paris Fashion Week, the Grammy Awards and GQ Magazine.
MICHELLE ESTERAS Shortly after graduating, Michelle was hired as a Fashion Designer for Moba Moga. A few months later, she became the head designer for 69 Evolution. Michelle’s talent in design opened up creative skills in Visual Merchandising, and she put those to good use with huge retail giants including Gap, H&M, BCBG, and Ever New. After working in a junior position with Gap her career developed into the role as Head Visual Merchandiser of H&M stores in Dubai, and later Manager of Visual Merchandising for all BCBG stores in Western Canada. All that hard work has paid off, and she’s now the International Visual Manager for Australian based company, Ever New, overseeing stores in 11 countries!
CAROLYN DEBENHAM As the Overall Achievement winner of her class, Carolyn put every effort into her training at JCI while also working at Le Château part-time. Although design is her passion, her leadership skills paid off and upon graduation she was offered a Manager position. In one short year, her dream came true and Carolyn accepted a design position with Off the Wall. Since then Carolyn’s career has taken off with elite design firms like Mavi Jeans, Jana, and currently, Aritzia. I don’t think it will be long before we see her own label!
MIHAELA CIOCAN After graduating, Mihaela didn’t waste any time launching her career. Even before she graduated she founded her own image consulting company, ImagePro Consulting and shortly after grad she opened a women’s apparel and accessories store. She is a member of the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, West Vancouver
Women’s Network, and the Association of Image Consultants International who honoured her with 2 leadership roles: Co-Chair of First Level Certification and VP of Communications for the Canada Chapter. Over the years, Mihaela has given numerous presentations and training sessions and has written many image features for trade and business magazines. She’s offered her expertise with media conglomerates including City TV, Shaw Multicultural Channel, 1130 News, The Vancouver Sun, 24 Hours, Block Magazine, The Vancouver Courier, The North Shore News, BC Business Magazine, The Globe and Mail and The Province. Congrats to Mihaela on her amazing accomplishments!
HEATHER BAKER Shortly after graduating, Heather worked as the Key Stylist for RDS Women’s catalogue and for a snowboarder photo shoot for Infamous Management company. She also helped produce two fashion shows for Blushing Designs and was the Sales Representative for the RDS Girls collection. Heather is now working with a photographer and has acted as a personal shopper and stylist for one of the Vancouver Canucks.
VERONICA GUAN Only a few months after graduation, Veronica launched her own successful clothing line titled “Veegy”. Her collection has been shown in two JCI fashion shows, and was recently featured in BC Fashion Week. Veronica used every project at JCI as a tool for her collection’s image and business plan. “Veegy” can be found at National Retailer, The Bay as well as several stores in Hong Kong.
KIRAN KHAIRA After graduating, Kiran was hired as the special events coordinator for The Bay Downtown. She organizes everything from fashion shows including international apparel brands to product launches for large-scale cosmetics companies.
MARIA JOSE HERNANDEZ COZ After graduating, Maria launched an online fashion website www.stringmagazine.ca that quickly gained
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popularity amongst industry professionals and fashionistas alike. Editorials include the latest fashion trends, industry events, hot deals, and insights into what’s happening in fashion. Maria participates in the extra-curricular JCI portfolio workshops by choosing top teams to be featured in monthly editorials.
FALA CHIEN Upon graduation Fala launched her own women’s wear line, “Play with Fala”. Her collection’s concept and philosophy reflects Fala’s desire to empower women through styles that inspire and project self-confidence, poise and exuberance. “Play with Fala” has been featured in New York Fashion Week, Elle Magazine, Flare Magazine, Vancouver Fashion Week, The Province, String Magazine, Vancouver Observer, and is currently sold at shops in Canada, USA, Taiwan and in her online store http://shop. playwithfala.com/. Selections of her line are often seen worn by celebrities in her home country of Taiwan.
MARIO MIOTTI Mario was born in Canada, and has lived in Italy, Australia and the U.S.A. After training at JCI, he moved to Montreal for 2 years to further his career and knowledge in the industry. He is currently based in Toronto and New York, where he is an accomplished fashion and beauty photographer. Mario has also established his own niche in being able to merge large luxury items with lifestyle and fashion. He has photographed in numerous locations around Europe and North America. His magazine clients include: Lou Lou, Pure, Clin D’Oeil, Mariage Quebec, Argyle, Lush, More, Sharp, Audi. His campaigns for established designers include: Andy the Anh, Rafinalla, Mackage, Soia &Kyo, and Zeugari. Commercial clients include: L’Oreal, Feria, Richard Booth, Cotton Ginny, Moods Salon & Salon Daniel. Celebrity clients include: Inga Cadranel, Ben Mulroney, The Canadian Tenors, Leah Miller, Erin
Karpluck, and recently Brendan Fraser in New York. In 2009 Mario was nominated for 3 National Magazine awards, and in 2010 he was awarded the Fashion/ Beauty Applied Arts Award. Today, Mario continues to work on projects that inspire creativity and further his passion for photography.
BUDIANTO NASRUN While enrolled in the Digital Design program at the Vancouver Film School, Budi felt as though he was missing an integral component that would complete his ultimate dream job! He enrolled in the Fashion Arts program at JCI to combine digital skills with his passion for art & fashion. He has now created a contract career that combines graphic design, fashion styling, and fashion photography. His resume includes work for Unipro Apparel, Zebra Club fashion retailer, The Bay, JCI fashion styling photoshoots, JCI fashion shows, and String Magazine. It wasn’t a surprise that Budi was chosen to be involved in the “Live Artfully” Event hosted by The Bay Downtown showcasing young hidden talent. With a solid portfolio and a number of contacts, Budi is no longer hidden and is now a well-known digital fashion expert!
LAUREN DESLAURIERS With many years of retail management experience in her back pocket, this always smiling grad has achieved so much success in such little time. Lauren has an incredible talent for just knowing what fits and flatters her clients and has a knack for scouting new and exciting labels. This made her an invaluable asset at the high-end Vancouver boutique, Libertine where she was a buyer and manager of store operations. Within her role at Libertine she travelled to New York and Paris twice a year to prepare her buying seasons. Europe caught Lauren’s attention and she’s currently working in London (UK) as the Retail Development Manager for Westley Richards, a 200 year old country attire and rifle company.
A quote from Lauren: “I got back from my first buying trip to NYC and Paris in mid-March. It was such an amazing experience! I could not have done it without you guys.”
BRITNEY RAE-DOUGLAS Shortly after completing the Fashion Arts program at JCI, this dynamic graduate accepted a position as an Assistant Buyer for the John Fluevog Shoe Company. She is committed to achieving her goals, and is currently proving that as she continues working full-time while completing a Bachelors Degree.
SARAH KOSS While attending JCI, Sarah also completed an internship at a wholesale agency in the Fashion Exchange. There, she had a hand in everything from sales to merchandising, and also attended wholesale tradeshows in Western Canada. After graduation, this Seattleite moved back home and landed a sales gig at Nordstrom. Over the next four years Sarah climbed the ranks and now manages one of the top Studio 121 and Bridge Coat departments within the company – bringing in over six million dollars per year. In her most recent endeavour, as “mentor manager,” she provides her expertise to the teams opening new Canadian stores and helps train their staff. Looking to the future, Sarah has her sights set on becoming a regional divisional manager or an assistant buyer.
INDUSTRY TESTIMONIALS STEPHANE DE RAUCOURT SHOES, JOHN FLUEVOG “I have maintained a business relationship with John Casablancas for the past 15 years and continue to rely on their expertise and professionalism from hiring fashion graduates to models.”
TANYA WESTMACOTT LE CHATEAU INC. “I have hired several individuals from the John Casablancas Fashion Arts program and found them to be creative, passionate, and well prepared for the business of fashion and all that it entails.”
BRIAN HILL ARITZIA “I have hired John Casablancas graduates and found them to be qualified and well prepared to perform their jobs. I would not hesitate to hire a JC grad again.”
TRACEY PINCOTT STYLIST AT LARGE, PRINT & FASHION SHOW PRODUCTION “I have always been able to rely on John Casablancas fashion students to assist in various aspects of my fashion show productions. They are very professional, committed and prepared. They are always a pleasure to work with.”
PICK A CAREER THAT SUITS YOUR STYLE
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PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE
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FASHION INSTRUCTOR
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STORE MANAGER
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FASHION ADVERTISING / MARKETING
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FABRIC DESIGNER
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FASHION IMPORTER / EXPORTER
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GROUP SALES MANAGER
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FASHION DIRECTOR
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STORE DESIGN PLANNER
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INVENTORY PLANNER
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR
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PRODUCTION MANAGER
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FASHION ILLUSTRATOR
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COSTUME DESIGNER
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BRIDAL CONSULTANT
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STORE OWNER
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FASHION EDITOR
OTHER CAREERS IN FASHION FASHION MERCHANDISER Researches the market and works with designers to determine the season’s fashion direction. Analyses, interprets and predicts design trends, colours, fabrics, and styles to be considered for the collection.
BUYER The Buyer holds the pivotal role of visiting sales representatives and manufacturers to select the merchandise for its store that best suits the store’s target customer. The success of the store will frequently depend on the decisions made by the Buyer. The job usually involves a lot of traveling to local and international markets.
SALES REPRESENTATIVE A Sales Representative markets one or many lines from a manufacturer and presents them to Buyers, encouraging them to purchase the line(s) for their store.
FASHION STYLIST The Fashion Stylist creates the look for models in fashion photography, television commercials, magazines
and music videos and also acts as a “makeover” consultant to assist clients in recreating their look with clothes and colours best suited to their body shape and lifestyle.
VISUAL MERCHANDISING AND DISPLAY This very creative specialist is responsible for the overall appearance of a store, creating window displays and in-store merchandising in order to make the store appealing to its customers.
FASHION SHOW COORDINATOR The Fashion Show Coordinator plans and executes all elements of a fashion show including selecting the venue, clothes, music, models, etc.
FASHION DESIGNER One of the most glamorous careers in fashion, the Fashion Designer uses their artistic ability and knowledge of fashion to create a range of styles, selecting the fabrics, colours and accents, which will become part of a fashion collection.
WHY IS JCI RIGHT FOR YOU? In addition to winning several top school awards, each student is personally guided and nurtured throughout the program to recognize their professional abilities and celebrate their uniqueness and over-all potential. We care about our students and are committed to ensuring their success, both during the program and post graduation. Our small class sizes mean that our students will get more individual training time with the instructor, making them more qualified to enter the industry. The name “John Casablancas” is known worldwide, creating a reputable, internationally recognized diploma. John Casablancas Institute is affiliated with John Casablancas Vancouver Model Management, an international modelling agency, and Vancouver Talent, a local talent agency. This connection places our students in the core of the fashion and film industries in Vancouver and provides a window into the makeup and high fashion scene on the runways of New York, Paris, London, and Milan. Our students gain valuable experience being involved in actual photo sessions, fashion shows, film sets and theatre productions and real job opportunities are created by John Casablancas’ policy of exclusively hiring its own graduates.
HOW TO APPLY If you are interested in Fashion and would like to receive more information regarding this program, please contact the Institute at 604-688-0328 (or toll free 1-866-688-0261). An Admissions Consultant will be pleased to set up a Personal Information Session that includes: - A discussion of the full program curriculum - Instructor Bios - Graduate Lists - Class availability and Start dates - Student Loan Information - A Tour of the School Information packages are available for out of town applicants. Early registration is strongly recommended.
Suite 150 - 220 Cambie Street Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 2M9 Tel: 604-688-0328 Toll Free: 1-866-688-0261 Fax: 604-688-9365 E-mail: info@jcinstitute.com jcinstitute.com