Board of Directors
Executive Committee 2025-26
Senior Vice-Chair

Martin Thibodeau
Regional President of BC
RBC Royal Bank
Vice-Chair and Finance and Audit Committee Chair

Diana Vuong, CPA, CA
CEO
Triple Infinity Advisory Inc.
Vice-Chair

Martin Thibodeau
Regional President of BC
RBC Royal Bank
Secretary-Treasurer

Jodi Evans
Managing Partner
Deloitte BC
Board of Directors 2025-26

Katherine Angus
JOEY Restaurant Group

Roberto Aquilini
Aquilini Group

Christian Chia
OpenRoad Auto Group

Royce Chwin
Destination Vancouver

Roger Dall'Antonia
FortisBC

Michael Davies
Trans Mountain

Edoardo De Martin
Industrio AI

Peter Dhillon
Richberry Group of Companies

Hana Doubrava
Microsoft Canada

Karimah Es Sabar, O.B.C.
Former CEO
Quark Venture Inc. & Corporate Director

Terry Hui
Concord Pacific Developments Ltd.

Miranda Lam, K.C.
Acuitas Therapeutics Inc.

Stephen Lee
Musqueam Capital Corp.

Michele Matthews
AG Hair

Jennifer McCarron
Atomic Cartoons and Thunderbird Entertainment

Matt Murray
TELUS Health

James Prescott
Canadian Tire

Kevin Quinn
TransLink

Tracy Redies, ICD.D
Science World

Mike Rusch
Jim Pattison Group

Lorne Segal, O.B.C.
Kingswood Properties Ltd.

Anna Stukas
Carbon Engineering Ltd.

Kay Wong-Alafriz
Kabam Inc.

Peter Xotta
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

Kathryn Young
Boyden Executive Search

Dr. Jeff Zabudsky
BCIT
As Regional President, British Columbia at RBC Royal Bank, Martin Thibodeau leads a team of over 8,000 employees and partners in BC, dedicated to providing financial advice and services to almost 2 million personal, small business and commercial clients.
Martin joined RBC over 30 years ago and has held several senior management positions that have led him across the country, notably as Regional President, Quebec; Regional Vice-President, Eastern New Brunswick and P.E.I.; Vice-President and Regional Operating Officer, Quebec Headquarters; Regional Vice-President, Commercial Financial Services, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and North Western Ontario; and Vice-President, Canadian Banking, Toronto.
An energetic, inspiring and authentic leader, Martin is very committed to his community and has dedicated his time and skills in service to numerous organizations. Martin is the Chair of the Finance Committee for BC Children's Hospital Foundation, past Chair of United Way of British Columbia, Governor of the BC Business Council, sits on the Board of Directors for Science World, Ocean Wise, Peter Dhillon Center for Business Ethics, Urban Development Institute, Arts Umbrella Association and is a member of the Ben-Gurion University Canada Regional Board for BC and Alberta. At RBC, Martin is a passionate Co-Chair of the Diversity Leadership Council for Personal & Commercial Banking.
During his career, Martin has received several distinctions and recognition from his peers, including the 2024 Gold Baton Award – Corporate Leader, by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, being named in the Vancouver Magazine 2024 Power 50, the 2023 Business in Vancouver (BIV) BC 500 list, being honored by Ben Gurion University Canada for his commitment to Sustainability and Climate Change, the Alter-Ego Award presented by the Association des femmes en finance du Québec, RBC Global Citizen Award, Pytagore Award from Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières, Performance Award from ESG-UQAM, and Personality of the Year, Financial Institutions from Finance & Investment.
In his spare time, Martin can be found riding his bike, golfing, and skiing the local mountains with his wife, Caroline, with whom he has three children. A graduate of the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières, Martin also holds an MBA from the School of Management at the Université de Québec à Montréal (ESG-UQAM).
Mr. Dall'Antonia is the President and Chief Executive Officer of FortisBC, British Columbia's largest energy provider, serving over 1.2 million customers with safe, reliable and cost-effective electricity, natural gas and renewable energy. Since joining FortisBC in 2004, Mr. Dall'Antonia has held several leadership roles throughout the organization, including executive oversight of customer service and technology, regulatory affairs, strategic planning and corporate development, finance and treasury. With nearly 30 years of experience in the energy industry, Mr. Dall'Antonia serves on a number of board of directors, including FortisBC and its affiliate company, UNS Energy Corporation. He is currently the Chair of the Canadian Gas Association, and serves on the Board of Directors for Electricity Canada and Western Energy Institute, having previously served as Chair for both of these institutions. Additionally, he's on Business Council of British Columbia's board of governors and the advisory board for the Simon Fraser University Beedie School of Business. Previously, Mr. Dall'Antonia has served on the board of the Down Syndrome Research Foundation and the Cliff Avenue United Soccer Club. Mr. Dall'Antonia holds a Master of Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Stephen proudly represents Musqueam as the CEO of Musqueam Capital Corporation, a wholly-owned entity of the Musqueam Indian Band. He is responsible for overseeing Musqueam's real estate and asset holdings. He obtained his CPA, CMA designation in 1995 and his fellowship, FCPA, FCMA in 2009. His experience spans 30 years in senior finance and leadership roles in various industries in private and public companies.
Stephen also serves on the Boards of Community Living BC, Langara College Foundation and MST DC (Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh Development Corporation) and is a Trustee for the CPABC Benevolent Fund.
Michael Rusch is the Executive Vice President of the Jim Pattison Group. Based in Vancouver, BC, the Jim Pattison Group is a diversified holding company operating primarily in Canada and the United States. Founded in 1961 as a stand-alone Pontiac Buick Dealership, the Jim Pattison Group has grown to represent a number of operating divisions, including automotive, advertising, media, agricultural equipment, food and beverage, entertainment, exporting, financial, and real estate. With over 600 locations worldwide, the Jim Pattison Group employs over 50,000 people. Annual revenues for the Group exceeded $15 billion in 2023.
Michael has spent 21 years with the Jim Pattison Group in various roles and operating divisions, starting with the Broadcast division, and progressing through multiple operating divisions before taking on the role at the corporate office. As Executive Vice President, responsibilities include oversight and governance to the 18 operating divisions of the Group.
Michael was previously President of Jim Pattison Lease from 2016 through 2021 after serving as the CFO from 2009 through 2016. Founded in 1961, Jim Pattison Lease is Canada's largest privately owned fleet management and leasing company with over 45,000 leased and managed vehicles in its portfolio.
Michael studied at the University of Alberta, earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree before returning to his home province of British Columbia where he earned his designation as a Certified Management Accountant.
Michael has been an active board and executive committee member with the Canadian Finance and Lease Association since 2015 and served as the Chairman from 2021 to 2023. The Canadian Finance and Lease Association represents 200 member companies involved in the asset backed finance industry in Canada, advocating and supporting the industry through lobbying, education, and networking.
Michael served as a board member on the British Columbia Lupus Society from 2005 to 2007. The BC Lupus Society is a not-for-profit volunteer organization providing awareness and support for people affected by Lupus.
Kathryn Young is a leader in the Vancouver Boyden office and has played a key role in growing Boyden's presence in Western Canada, helping Boyden become the pre-eminent executive leadership firm in the market. Drawing on her years of executive experience in management, business development and recruitment, she provides expertise to senior executives and boards on leadership assessment, executive compensation, changes at the management level, executive recruiting and other critical human capital decisions.
Prior to joining and helping build the firm out in Western Canada, Kathryn worked on behalf of global businesses looking to expand their reach into key markets. Based in both Hong Kong and other Asian markets, she supported a wide range of clients, including introducing large European fashion trade fairs into select Asian markets, and supporting regional players in economic development.
Community involvement is central to what personally motivates Kathryn. In addition to Chairing a number of community events on behalf of local community-serving organizations, she is a past Campaign Cabinet Chair, United Way of the Lower Mainland, and spent a decade supporting the work of the new St. Paul's Hospital, culminating as Chair of the Foundation, and where she presided over the largest health care campaign in the country at the time.
Walter Pela is KPMG's Regional Managing Partner leading BC's largest and oldest professional services firm with over 1,800 team members in 12 offices across the Province. Walter also serves as the Firm's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market Development Lead responsible for KPMG in Canada's go to market efforts around AI services and solutions. Walter is part of KPMG's National Clients & Markets Committee, overseeing client service and market development across Canada, and serves on the Firm's National Digital Executive Team and its ESG Council , collectively responsible for digital and sustainability services and transformation. Walter also co-leads KPMG's Vancouver Ignition Centre, a disruptive innovation and design thinking lab dedicated to exponential technologies and business transformation. With a 30 year career at KPMG, Walter enjoys leading conversations with clients, business leaders and organizations on the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of digital transformation, business model disruption, and changing environmental, social and economic dimensions affecting businesses and their broader stakeholders. Walter has been recognized as a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA), as a Champion honouree by the Association of Women of Finance, and as one of BC's Most Influential Leaders by BIV BC500. He also serves as Chair of the Board of BC Achievement Foundation and on the Executive Committees and Boards of the Business Council of British Columbia and the Pacific Autism Family Network, and is a past Governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation and past Finance Committee Chair of UNICEF Canada.
Stuart Louie
Stuart brings a wealth of legal and commercial expertise to the H.Y. Louie and London Drugs Group leadership teams, derived from his years with one of the leading business and litigation law firms in the United States. He focuses on strategic planning relating to business growth and development, working with teams at head office, and across the store network.
Stuart graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics, and a certificate in Markets and Management. He completed his law degree at Duke Law School, and spent the next several years as a practicing attorney in the Finance and Commercial Transactions Department at Davis Wright Tremaine, in both their Seattle and New York offices.
Continuing his family's legacy of philanthropy, Stuart serves as a Director of the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation, and a Trustee of the Vancouver Police Foundation.
Diana Vuong is an experienced executive and people leader. As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with over 25 years of experience, she has led organizations in the areas of strategy, finance, risk, sustainability and transformation. An innovative leader and driver of change, Diana delivers on both strategy and execution, with a firm understanding of what it takes to implement change.
Diana Vuong is the Founder and CEO of Triple Infinity Advisory Inc. where she provides fractional CFO, strategic advisory services, and leadership coaching services to a range of clients from technology and AI companies to large infrastructure organizations. She is fractional Chief Financial Officer for Industrio AI, where she leads the company’s financial strategy and planning. Diana previously served as Vice President, Finance and CFO at Vancouver Airport Authority where her leadership was pivotal in navigating major financial and operational challenges during the pandemic. Diana was the proud recipient of the Association of Women in Finance Award for Excellence in Industry in 2024.
Diana is widely recognized for guiding organizations through transformation, scale, and change. A Chartered Professional Accountant and Simon Fraser University graduate, she is deeply committed to advancing her profession and mentoring future leaders, particularly women in finance. Beyond her executive roles, she contributes her expertise on the boards of the Richmond Hospital Foundation and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. Diana brings her strategic mindset, financial discipline, and passion for building resilience and sustainability to high-growth organizations.
Todd Shewfelt is the Regional Vice-President, Business Financial Services with RBC Royal Bank in British Columbia. He co-leads B.C's team of Commercial and Small Business bankers serving clients from 17 centres across the region. Clients include mid-sized private and public companies from all industries.
With almost twenty years' experience within RBC, which includes several leadership positions covering a broad range of customer markets; Todd has been actively involved in many local community organizations and boards, such has BC Children's Hospital and coaching his sons' baseball teams.
In Todd's spare time, you can find him enjoying a round of golf, cycling and spending time with his wife and two sons.
Ms. Foster is currently the Sr. Vice President, Human Resources & Corporate Affairs of Western Forest Products Inc., a publicly-traded, high-value, specialty forest products Company. Western operates primarily on the coast of British Columbia and Washington State, with lumber capacity in excess of 1.1 billion board feet and sources timber from its private lands, long-term licenses, First Nations arrangements, and market purchases. Jennifer moved to British Columbia in 2015 to join the executive team at Western.
Prior to moving to B.C., Ms. Foster worked in a global leadership capacity in the automotive industry. She currently sits on the Board of Trustees for the IWA-Forest Industry Pension Plan and has previous board experience as a Board member for AUTO21 (a national research initiative supported by the Government of Canada through the Networks of Centres of Excellence Secretariat) as well as for a number of charitable organizations.
Ms. Foster hold an Honours Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, York University.
Jodi is Managing Partner at Deloitte Canada. She is responsible for working with the partner team to grow and develop the market in the BC region through relationship building and driving value for our clients. Her focus is on creating Impact through Brand and Eminence and long term value creation.
Jodi has developed her career by teaming with client executives in pursuing excellence. She is known for working collaboratively with her clients to address complex challenges and transformation initiatives. Integrity and leadership are the cornerstones of Jodi's practice with a passionate focus on her client's success. Jodi has a client base that ranges from global companies with complex business models to large public sector organizations and higher education institutions.
Jodi is a people leader who gains inspiration from working with the young, energetic, bright minds that Deloitte attracts and the expertise and knowledge of Deloitte's deep eminence nationally and globally.
Once part of Canada's Olympic basketball team and a Rhodes Scholar, Jodi's continues to be dedicated to achieving team results and has a deep passion for personal excellence.
Jodi completed at B.Comm from the University of Calgary and a PhD (D.Phil) from Oxford University.
Over the last 20 years of her career in the energy sector, Susannah has played a critical role advancing major energy infrastructure projects in the US and Canada and leading corporate relations teams around the world.
Susannah is recognized for her leadership in bringing business, governments, communities, Indigenous groups and other non-governmental actors together to support the development of large infrastructure projects by building shared interests and shared value. She is an exceptional public speaker and advocate for the industry and was instrumental in advancing the largest private sector investment Canadian history – LNG Canada.
In her previous role as Shell Canada Limited President and Country Chair, she represented Shell’s integrated lines of business in Canada including upstream, integrated gas, downstream, renewable energy solutions and Shell Trading. She was also accountable for Shell’s overall reputation and government and stakeholder relations in the country. As Vice President, Corporate Relations Americas, she led a team of over 200 professionals responsible for government relations, communications and social performance.
Since 2009 she has held various roles with Shell including VP Value Chain Integration; VP Communications, Upstream International (The Hague); and Head, Government Relations(Canada). In 2013, she was seconded to LNG Canada as Director of Corporate Affairs leading the project through environmental permitting, indigenous and community engagement, media and government affairs and communications. In 2021 she became Shell Canada President and Country Chair, a role she held for 4 years.
Before joining Shell, Susannah was Director, Government Relations for TC Energy based in Washington, DC and New York City. Earlier in her career, she held senior sales roles in the tech sector at MicroStrategy and Accenture.
She is an active member in her professional and personal communities including having served on numerous boards, councils and advisory committees including the Business Council of Canada, the Business Council of BC and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Susannah is a passionate advocate for anti-human trafficking and along with the Lieutenant Governor of BC Janet Austin, established the BC Network for the Prevention of Human Trafficking in 2024. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Alberta Centre to End Human Trafficking.
Susannah has been recognized with a number of distinctions most recently in 2025: the Order of BC, the King Charles Coronation Medal and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Fraser Valley.
She is the proud mother of two young adults Gabriela and Robert.
Bridgitte Anderson is the President and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade - Western Canada's most active and influential business association. Her expertise spans a broad spectrum of disciplines including business, communications, government and public policy.
She is the first woman to lead GVBOT in its 133-year history and came to the organization from Edelman, a global public relations firm, where she led the Vancouver office, the city's largest communications agency.
Prior to that, Bridgitte was Press Secretary to former BC Premier Gordon Campbell and an award-winning journalist. As a core member of Premier Campbell's strategic advisory group, Bridgitte provided communications strategy during the 2009 BC election and the 2010 Winter Olympics. As a journalist, Bridgitte was a news anchor in Vancouver and Toronto.
Bridgitte is a graduate of the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program and holds the ICD.D designation. She lives in North Vancouver with her two children.
As Chief Financial Officer for JOEY Restaurant Group, Katherine Angus oversees Finance, Construction, Design, and Real Estate for the growing company. Katherine has been with JOEY Restaurant Group for 16 years, during which time the sales have increased over six-fold. Currently, Katherine works closely with the executive team at JOEY Restaurant Group to set strategy and focus on developing leaders. The company has been named a Best Workplace by Great Place to Work Canada for fourteen consecutive years and currently has 49 locations across Canada and the United States.
Katherine graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She is an FCPA, FCA having articled at KPMG and is also a Chartered Business Valuator and a Chartered Director (The Directors College). Katherine is a past member of the Investigations Committee of the Chartered Public Accountants of British Columbia and currently sits on the Disciplinary Committee. She's recently been named as one of the 2023 Top 25 CFOs of Vancouver by Finance and Investing as well as a Top 25 Executive of Vancouver for 2023 by C-Suite Spotlight.
In her personal life, Katherine loves playing soccer and pickleball as well as spending time with her three children.
Roberto Aquilini
Roberto Aquilini, Managing Partner of the Aquilini Group, was born and raised in Vancouver and began his career with the family business 40 years ago. The family owns and manages a portfolio spanning 27 lines of business comprising of commercial, industrial and residential properties, construction and developments, food and beverage, hospitality and entertainment enterprises, diverse agribusiness operations, and sustainable aquaculture and renewable energy ventures. A Business graduate of University of British Columbia, Roberto received his Bachelor of Commerce, and has played a key role in the continuous development of the Group's diverse operations and growth.
Roberto, along with his wife and five children, believe in carrying on the tradition of putting family first and supporting their community. Roberto is a loyal supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation, UBC Sauder School of Business FAB member, and is involved in many of the Group's supported organizations such as British Columbia Children's Hospital and Canucks for Kids Fund.
Christian Chia is CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group, the largest-volume dealership group in British Columbia. Representing more than twenty brands with over thirty locations in Canada and the US, OpenRoad is a proven innovator and has been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for nine consecutive years.
Prior to OpenRoad, Christian established Summit Motors China, one of only five distributors for BMW and Toyota automobiles in China with locations in six provinces. He previously worked with Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan and was engaged in the finance industry in Toronto.
Christian has been involved with numerous private and non-profit organizations and currently serves on the boards of Servco Pacific Inc., the Vancouver Police Foundation and the UBC Sauder Faculty Advisory Board. He has been active in numerous community activities and is a member of the Young Presidents Organization. Christian was previously Chairman of the Vancouver International Auto show and was appointed a member of the Canadian Federal Advisory Committee on Financing. In 2012, he was named as the Laureate Award winner of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association and more recently he was recognized as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2018, Pacific-region.
Christian was educated at the Sauder School of Business in the University of British Columbia, with a Commerce Degree in Finance. In 1991 he was recognized by UBC as a Leslie Wong Fellow.
De Martin has over 25 years of experience in software development, focusing on cutting-edge technologies such as holographic applications and an AI-powered digital twinning platform for agriculture. He formerly held leadership positions at Microsoft, where he increased the size of the Vancouver office from 300 to 1,700 employees. In addition, he served as a General Manager in the Microsoft Dynamics division, overseeing the development of Dynamics 365 Guides and Remote Assist in the mixed reality space.
Earlier in his career, De Martin was Franchise Development Director at Vancouver's Electronic Arts, where he led the delivery of Need for Speed Underground, a top-selling video game worldwide. He was recognized for his operational excellence in the gaming industry, earning consecutive "Best Company" awards during his time at Next Level Games.
Currently, he is the CEO & Co-Founder of Industrio AI, a company that specializes in AI and DataOps services helping companies design and build scalable software and data solutions that drive industry progress.
In addition, De Martin uses his expertise to support organizations that are shaping the Canadian tech ecosystem like the Digital Canadian Supercluster. He also sits on the boards of InnovateBC, The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, and the Richmond Hospital Foundation.
Peter Dhillon
Mr. Dhillon graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and went on to complete an LL.B. with honours from the University of Leeds.
Mr. Dhillon is active in several business enterprises, most notably as President and CEO of the Richberry Group of Companies and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ocean Spray. Mr. Dhillon is also on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada.
Other board positions have included Vice Chairman, British Columbia Ferry Corporation; Vice Chairman, Agricultural Land Commission; Board Director, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency; Board Director, Vancouver Airport Authority; Board Governor, Simon Fraser University; Board Director, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation; Board Director, Seacor Environmental; and Board Director, CanWel Building Materials.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation and served as chairman of the audit committee for the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee Board. He is also a past chair of the Vancouver branch of the Right to Play, an international humanitarian organization for children in communities affected by war, poverty and disease.
Mr. Dhillon is widely known for his philanthropic work, particularly in the areas of health care, child humanitarian support, education and sport. He has made significant financial contributions to the Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the Canadian Red Cross, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Arts Umbrella and the Khalsa Diwan Society. In his father's memory, he established both the Rashpal Dhillon Fund in Idiopathic Pulmonary Research and the Rashpal Dhillon Fund in Cranberry Research at UBC, as well as the Rashpal Dhillon UBC Track and Field Oval. In 2015, he established the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, in partnership with the Sauder School of Business at UBC.
Mr. Dhillon was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 2009 and is a recipient of the Diamond Jubilee Medal.
David Garofalo serves as Chairman & CEO of Gold Royalty Corp., Chairman & CEO of the Marshall Precious Metals Fund. David previously served as President & CEO and Director of Goldcorp (2016-2019), President & CEO and Director of Hudbay from 2010, Senior Vice President and CFO and Director of Agnico-Eagle from 1998 and Treasurer of Inmet Mining from 1990. David is FCPA, FCA and ICD.D and holds a B.Comm. from the University of Toronto. He also serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Terry Hui is President and CEO of Concord Pacific Group, a leading real estate developer in Canada. Since joining Concord in 1992, Terry has played a critical role in the development of the company, significantly contributing to its success in the real estate sector. Under his leadership, Concord Pacific has developed more than 100 projects, involving over 50,000 homes, commercial spaces, and amenities, including the iconic Vancouver skyline.
Prior to Concord, Terry held various management roles at Jardine Matheson, a British conglomerate with a diverse portfolio spanning the Asia-Pacific region. Terry is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, where he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He is actively involved in community service, supporting various cultural and philanthropic initiatives in Vancouver and beyond.
Miranda Lam, KC is the President & Chief Legal Officer at Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc., a Vancouver-based biotechnology company and global leader in lipid nanoparticle technology that works with partners to advance nucleic acid therapeutics to address unmet clinical needs. In this role, Miranda oversees business development, legal affairs, strategic alliance management, and strategic planning, playing a central role in forging partnerships that drive innovation and advance Acuitas’ mission to improve human health.
Previously an equity partner at the national law firm McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Miranda gained significant recognition for her legal expertise and was a trusted business advisor to private and public enterprises across Canada and globally. In 2023, Miranda was recognized by YWCA Vancouver as a Woman of Distinction in the “Business & the Professions” category, and was identified in 2025 by Business in Vancouver as one of British Columbia’s 500 most influential business leaders. She was appointed King’s Counsel in December 2023.
Miranda currently serves as Chair of the Board of Governors of the University of British Columbia and Chair of the BC Cancer Foundation. She is also a member of the board of directors of UBC Properties Trust and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Kirk LaPointe was the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at Business in Vancouver Media Group, responsible for the editorial standards of parent firm Glacier Media, western Canada's largest news organization, as its Vice President, Editorial. He also teaches ethics and leadership as an Adjunct Professor and Executive-in-Residence at the Graduate School of Journalism at University of British Columbia.
He has been a media executive for three decades in Canada, leading the editorial operations of CTV News, Southam News, and the Hamilton Spectator. His extensive career also includes running for mayor of Vancouver in 2014 and being actively involved in several key media roles across Canada.
Michele Matthews has been a key contributor to the success of Canada's leading haircare manufacturer, AG Hair, for over 27 years. As Chief Operating Officer, Michele is responsible for helping to set the strategic direction of the company in the ever-changing and fast-paced haircare industry, and working to enhance performance by aligning leadership, business strategy and culture.
She is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership to AG's Operations, IT and People & Culture Departments. Michele is a Certified Executive Coach (Royal Roads University), holds a CPHR designation, and is a graduate of BCIT in Human Resources Management.
Jennifer McCarron is the CEO of Thunderbird Entertainment Group, and the Company's kids and family content arm, Atomic Cartoons. The Vancouver-based global multiplatform entertainment company creates award-winning scripted, unscripted and animated programming for the world's leading digital platforms, as well as Canadian and international broadcasters.
Under her leadership, the studio grew from 25 artists to more than 1200 today. She has led production on multiple titles including the Emmy-winning Beat Bugs for Netflix, and is also an executive producer for the Emmy-winning The Last Kids on Earth.
Tracy Redies joined as President & CEO of Science World British Columbia in 2020, inspired by its mission to ignite wonder and empower dreams through science and nature. She is passionate about disseminating STEAM-learning to more people in BC, believing these skill sets will be key to the province's and Canada's success in the coming decades.
Tracy has over 25 years of experience as a high-growth organization builder with a strong commitment to serving the province and its communities. She served as CEO of Coast Capital Savings Credit Union and, before that, Executive Vice President and Head of Personal Financial Services of HSBC Bank Canada.
Anna Stukas is Vice President Strategic Partnerships at 1PointFive. 1PointFive is a global leader in carbon dioxide removal (CDR), providing scalable, affordable solutions to geological net zero. 1PointFive is leading the commercialization of Canadian clean energy company Carbon Engineering's ground-breaking technology that captures carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
Anna is a professional engineer with over two decades experience bridging the gap between technology and business to overcome barriers to cleantech commercialization. She currently leads a variety of 1PointFive's partnering and strategic business development efforts, and previously led Carbon Engineering initiatives ranging from strategic projects to government programs. Anna previously worked with Angstrom Power and BIC developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, where her responsibilities spanned IP and licensing strategy, product safety, and international regulatory development, including at the United Nations and International Civil Aviation Organization. Anna currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, and of Science World. Anna's work has been recognized by the Minerva Foundation's Women In™ Energy Award for Philanthropy and Business in Vancouver's Forty Under 40 Award.
Driven by purpose to take the industrial sector mainstream and drive economy with heart, Lisa Tuningley is an inspired leader, industry advocate and entrepreneur specializing in RAIL. RAIL transports 70% of surface goods, producing only 3.4% of transportation greenhouse gas. RAIL has impact and creating sustainable rail solutions has become her team's passion.
Proud to be a Canadian. She reminds us "Rail Connects Us", invites innovations to rail, which in turn promote our growth as a nation and our individual rights and freedoms.
Tamara Vrooman is an award-winning leader, known for her exemplary track record leading large, complex institutions in both the private and public sectors and her bold positions on sustainability and inclusion. Prior to joining YVR as President & CEO, she served for nine years on YVR’s Board and for 13 years as the President & CEO of Vancity, Canada’s largest community credit union, transforming the business into a global reference point for values-based banking. Tamara was the former chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Rick Hansen Foundation. She currently serves as Simon Fraser University’s 12th Chancellor, and Chair of the Board for the Canadian Airports Council. Ms. Vrooman received the Order of British Columbia in recognition of her community and business leadership, has been named the recipient of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce - Canadian Business Leader of the Year Award.
Mindy Wight is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Nch'ḵay̓ Development Corporation, the economic group of the Squamish Nation. She previously held the role of Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Nch'ḵay̓. She currently serves on the Board of Crescent Point Energy.
Before joining Nch'ḵay̓, Mindy was a partner and National Leader of Indigenous Tax Services for MNP LLP. She has over eighteen years of experience in the areas of financial accounting, taxation, and business, having worked for two of the Big Four national accounting firms, the Chartered Accounting School of Business and the Canada Revenue Agency.
Kay is the CFO of Kabam, Inc. and has led Legal, Data Science and Data Analytics, Information Technology, Growth Marketing, Workplace Experience and Asset Infrastructure teams. Kabam, Inc. is a world leader in developing entertaining, immersive, and highly social multiplayer games.
As an experienced, high-integrity strategic partner, Kay utilizes a broad array of finance and operations experience in the technology, entertainment, gaming, hospitality, transportation, infrastructure, and mining & exploration sectors to support public, private and not-for-profit companies in achieving their corporate goals.
Peter Xotta is the president and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the federal agency responsible for enabling Canada's trade through the Port of Vancouver, Canada's largest port. Peter joined the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's executive leadership team over a decade ago, most recently serving as vice president, operations and supply chain.
He started his port career over 35 years ago—nearly 30 of which have been spent at the port authority—and progressively advanced through various roles. Today, he applies the experiences, relationships, and passion he has cultivated throughout his life and career to his role as the port authority's president and CEO.
Dr. Jeff Zabudsky has over 30 years of experience within post-secondary and polytechnic leadership roles, both in Canada and internationally. Throughout his career, he has championed applied education as a transformative instrument to enrich lives and contribute to thriving communities.
Prior to his appointment as President of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Dr. Zabudsky was Provost for the American University of Bahrain, having also served as CEO for Bahrain Polytechnic. Before his career took him to the Middle East, Dr. Zabudsky was President and Vice Chancellor for Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.
Vice President, Global Sourcing & Merchandise Procurement
James is the VP, Global Sourcing & Merchandise Procurement for Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). In this role, he leads enterprise Global Sourcing & Procurement for all CTC banners including Canadian Tire Retail, Mark's, and SportChek. Across dozens of categories, with a network of over 2000 global vendors, shipping from over 40 different ports around the world, James oversees billions in annual direct-source merchandise purchases for CTC. Accountable for cost of goods management, product stewardship, responsible sourcing and vendor audit, James leads diverse teams driving impactful results here in Canada, China and South-East Asia. With over 25 years experience doing business across North America, Asia and Europe, James has an extensive understanding of the remarkable re-wiring of global supply chains impacting trade flows and the retail landscape.
Prior to his role leading a Global Sourcing team for one of Canada's most respected companies, in 2014, James and his business partner sold their Langley, BC based wholesale sporting goods business to CTC. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia.
Royce Chwin, President & CEO, Destination Vancouver. With over 30 years of experience in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors, Royce has focused the last 20 years of his career in senior leadership roles at the national, provincial, and now civic level of destination management organizations.
As the President and CEO of Destination Vancouver, Royce is a Team Member and leader of the city’s official destination promotion and management organization. Joining the team in 2020, Royce and team have transformed Destination Vancouver into a more agile and innovative organization that collaborates with partners to build a powerful visitor economy for Vancouver. Notable recent wins for Vancouver through partnership have been Grey Cup, Juno’s, Invictus Games, Web Summit and, upcoming, FIFA World Cup.
Before that Royce developed extensive leadership experience working in corporate, franchise and a start-up business in operations, sales, and marketing.
Royce volunteers on Destination British Columbia’s Tourism Marketing Committee, Expedia Media Select Advisory Board, and Downtown Van BIA Board Member.
Director, Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Canada
Hana Doubrava is a seasoned public and corporate affairs leader with a global perspective and a strong commitment to innovation, strategic partnerships, and community development. As Director of Corporate Affairs at Microsoft Canada, she plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s presence in Vancouver and British Columbia. Her work includes advancing key initiatives such as the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, and advising on the strategic growth of Microsoft’s Development Centre in British Columbia.
Hana’s career spans diverse sectors and geographies, including roles in corporate communications at IBM, project management at a European tech startup, and diplomatic service with the British and Danish foreign ministries. She also led member relations and community engagement at BC Tech, where she deepened her connection to the province’s innovation ecosystem.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Innovate BC, the Business Council of British Columbia, and the Portland Metro Chamber, reflecting her leadership across the Cascadia region and her commitment to cross-border collaboration and regional economic development.
Originally from Europe and now a proud Canadian, Hana holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Charles University in Prague. She is a passionate advocate for inclusive, sustainable growth and the power of innovation to drive positive change.
Karimah Es Sabar, O.B.C. is a highly-recognized Canadian life sciences leader with global experience and a successful career spanning multi-national pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, startups, not-for-profit organizations, innovation ecosystems and venture investment firms.
Ms. Es Sabar is the former founding CEO & General Partner at Quark Venture LP, a global venture capital firm, and Director of the Global Health Sciences [GHS] Fund focused on bioscience investment in therapeutics, vaccines, medical devices, digital health, AI and convergent disruptive technology companies.
Previously Ms. Es Sabar was CEO & President of the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD]; CEO & President of LifeSciences BC; and she has held several executive and senior management positions in the biopharmaceutical industry, most notably at Sanofi Pasteur. She also co-founded and enabled several health science companies.
Ms. Es Sabar has received multiple awards and recognitions for her leadership and pioneering work, including the Order of British Columbia and Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award. She holds an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from the MIT Sloan School of Management; a MSc degree in Neurochemistry from the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, England; and a BSc Joint Honours degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry from the University of Salford in Manchester, England.
Ms. Es Sabar has served on numerous boards; currently she is Board Chair of TRIUMF Innovations, the vice-chair of St. Paul’s Foundation, and serves on boards of HSO, Variantyx, Canary Medical, Qualisure Diagnostics and Capricor. She was Chair of the Health/Biosciences Economic Strategy Table (Government of Canada) and Member of the Industry Strategy Council (Government of Canada).
Matt Murray, FCPA, FCMA, is a Senior Vice-President of the TELUS Finance Business Partners team, and CFO of TELUS Health, leading a global finance team who partner with stakeholders to drive best-in-class services, generate ideas, and challenge the status quo. Matt has 19 years of experience in progressively more senior leadership roles across the TELUS Finance team, leading teams supporting TELUS’ Consumer & B2B telecommunications units, TELUS Health, and TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods, in addition to TELUS’ consolidated planning, reporting, finance assurance & operations functions. Matt served as a TELUS observer on the TELUS Digital (formerly TI) Board and Audit Committee for four years prior to taking on his Health CFO role, and is also a past board member for CPABC, the CPABC Joint Venture, and CMABC, contributing to unification of the British Columbia CPA profession in 2015.
Kevin Quinn is the Chief Executive Officer of TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s award-winning transportation authority. As CEO, he leads one of North America’s most innovative transit organizations, overseeing bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus, HandyDART, and West Coast Express services, as well as cycling and walking infrastructure, five bridges, and the Major Road Network.
Under Kevin’s leadership, TransLink is shaping the future of transportation in Metro Vancouver. He has advanced the largest bus service expansion in more than a decade, championed bus rapid transit, and launched a ground-breaking real estate development program that unlocks new revenue sources to reinvest in transit.
Kevin’s vision is to put people at the heart of transit – ensuring customers experience reliable, safe, and convenient service every day, while supporting the employees who make that possible. By getting the fundamentals right and continually modernizing, he sees public transit as a driver of economic growth and stronger, more connected communities.
Beyond Metro Vancouver, Kevin serves on the Board of Directors of the American Public Transportation Association and is a member of the President's Group, a coalition of senior executives advocating for accessible and inclusive workplaces across British Columbia.
Michael Davies
Michael Davies, President and Chief Operating Officer
As President and Chief Operating Officer, Michael Davies is responsible for leading Canada’s only pipeline system transporting crude oil and refined products to the West Coast. He works closely with the maritime, coastal and Indigenous communities to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of petroleum continues beyond the Trans Mountain pipeline system.
Michael has more than 30 years of experience with Trans Mountain and its predecessor companies, developing and operating energy infrastructure in western Canada.
He is Chairman of the Board of the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC), the Transport Canada-certified marine spill response organization for Canada’s West Coast.
Michael is a professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.