BGIS (Selkirk College)
A lifelong resident of Castlegar and proud Selkirk College alumna, Leeza Perehudoff advances evidence-based decision-making for rural community well-being through applied research and innovation.
From Environment & Geomatics to Social Sciences
Leeza is a graduate of Selkirk College’s Recreation, Fish and Wildlife Technology and Geographic Information Systems programs. She gained hands-on experience through Co-op Education placements with the BC Ministry of Forests’ Invasive Plant Program, Canfor, FortisBC and Selkirk Innovates.
She is working toward a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies at Royal Roads University, which she anticipates completing in Winter 2025. For her thesis, Leeza is exploring how community-based post-secondary partnerships contribute to sustainable community development in rural Canada.
Community-Based Research
Since 2020, Leeza has been part of Selkirk Innovates’ Social Innovation Lab, contributing to rural, community-based social science research. She is especially proud of her ongoing work with the State of the Basin initiative, which monitors and reports on indicators of well-being across the Columbia Basin-Boundary Region.
Notable past projects include Bridging Rural Homelessness and Well-being and Courageous Dialogues: Moving Beyond Polarization.
Leeza is passionate about applied learning and mentoring students through hands-on research opportunities.
Kootenay Life
Outside of work, Leeza values being an active community citizen and loves to explore our beautiful region with her partner. She is an avid gardener and delights in singing, crafting and reading fiction.