AUGUST 14, 2024 (New Westminster, BC) — YMCA BC, the YMCA BC Foundation and YMCA BC Properties Foundation are pleased to introduce the individuals joining their respective Boards of Directors, as confirmed during Annual General Meetings held during June and July.
The YMCA BC Board of Directors welcomes Aimee Cheung and Patrick Davis. Meanwhile, Bob Chan-Kent, Jane Adams, Grant Stockwell and Raphael Tachie have joined the YMCA BC Foundation Board, and Virginia Bird, Elisa Campbell, Marc Josephson and Jaraad Marani now sit on YMCA BC Properties Foundation Board.
The YMCA BC Board of Directors also acknowledges the addition of Cathy Ulrich, who assumed its vacant seat prior to the Association’s June AGM.
These individuals are exceptional additions to their Boards, bringing a diverse set of skills, expertise and experience that are sure to benefit YMCA BC and its related entities. Please read on for more information about each incoming Director.
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Jane Adams
YMCA BC Foundation Board
Jane Adams is a dynamic and award-winning non-profit leader who recently retired as President & CEO of the Surrey Hospitals Foundation in late 2023. During her 16-year tenure in the role, she helped raise $150 million to support health facilities and services in Surrey. Her dedication to ensuring Canadians have access to the best possible healthcare also saw her serve as Executive Director of the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation. Prior to her arrival in BC in 1991, Adams enjoyed many years working with Ketchum, Canada’s preeminent fundraising consulting firm. She was named to the Women’s Executive Network’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women CEOs in 2020, while Kwantlen Polytechnic University recognized her life’s work with an Honorary Doctorate in 2014.
Virginia Bird
YMCA BC Properties Foundation Board
Virginia Bird is the Principal of Pottinger Bird—a real estate consultancy firm specializing in development-related community relations—where she is responsible for the management and effective execution of all client programs and projects. She is an active member of the Urban Development Institute Board of Directors and was the former Chair of the Women of Urban Development Institute Committee. Virginia has over 18 years of hands-on experience in the real estate development industry and specializes in building strong relationships between developers and other stakeholders across the Lower Mainland. She was the recipient of the 2018 Maureen Enser Future Leader Award and in the same year was recognized as one of Business in Vancouver's Forty Under 40, which recognizes young entrepreneurs, executives and professionals who demonstrate excellence in their respective field and give back to the community. Virginia is a graduate of Queen's University where she obtained a Bachelor's of Arts degree.
Elisa Campbell
YMCA BC Properties Foundation Board
Elisa Campbell is Vice President, Real Estate (West Region) for Canada Lands Company, leading the Crown corporation’s real estate activities in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. In her 25-year career, Campbell has provided leadership in strategy, policy, planning, and design of sustainable, low-carbon buildings and land-development projects. Her variety of past roles include a stint as Metro Vancouver’s Director of Housing and nine years as Executive Director of UBC’s Design Centre for Sustainability. Campbell holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and Economics from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Architecture from UBC. She has experience in city-building through multiple lenses, including professional practice, academia, non-profit sector, local government and in the development industry.
Bob Chan-Kent
YMCA BC Foundation Board
Bob Chan-Kent is currently the Chair of the Chan Kent Foundation, which was established in 1964 and to date has provided over 250 scholarships to the next generation of art and design students requiring financial aid to pursue their studies. His working career and experience began with the family business Aero Garment Ltd.—one of the largest privately owned clothing manufacturing companies in Western Canada—where Bob held many roles including President. Following the family's retirement from the garment industry, Chan-Kent started his own business, Quantum Apparel Group. After 15 years as the owner, President and CEO, he retired in 2017. Chan-Kent is a passionate volunteer, demonstrated by his more than 15 years as a key member of the YMCA's governance leadership team. His presence on the Board has coincided with key milestones for the former Chilliwack YMCA, including its completed expansion and renewal in 2019. The facility is now known as the Bob Chan-Kent Family YMCA following a naming ceremony in October 2022. Chan-Kent holds a Diploma in Urban Land Economics from the University of British Columbia.
Aimee Cheung
YMCA BC Board
Aimee Cheung brings extensive experience from a variety of industries in the public and private sectors. Most recently, she was Senior Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis at QuadReal, a global real estate firm managing portfolios for clients that included the BC Investment Management Corporation and RBC Global Asset Management. Prior to her six years with QuadReal, Cheung’s roles included 15 years with Proctor & Gamble, where she managed strategy and execution for a large portfolio of businesses, as well as Finance Director positions with Vancouver Coastal Health and Ritchie Bros. Cheung is passionate about serving the vulnerable and underprivileged, exemplified by her volunteerism with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the United Way and World Vision Canada. She also serves on the Board of the Take a Hike Foundation.
Patrick Davis
YMCA BC Board
Patrick Davis is President & CEO of BCLC, a position he has held since 2022 among a 16-year tenure with the provincial Crown corporation, leading efforts to advance the organization as a social-purpose company. Previously, he served as BCLC’s VP, Business Technology and Chief Information Officer, leading a refresh of technology platforms and digital strategy. Davis is a certified Project Management Professional and earned Chartered Director (C. Dir) certification from the Directors College operated by McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business. He has deep roots in the Kamloops area and has provided volunteer leadership and support to the Interior’s technology community, sitting on the Board of Kamloops Innovation and the advisory committee for Thompson Rivers University’s software engineering program.
Marc Josephson
YMCA BC Properties Foundation Board
Marc Josephson serves as Senior Vice President, Development for Grosvenor’s Vancouver team, overseeing the company’s local development, construction, and marketing functions from site identification to project completion. Since joining Grosvenor in 2013, Josephson has had a leadership role in projects such as Grosvenor Ambleside, Connaught, The Pacific and Polaris, and is now involved in overseeing major projects in Burnaby and the City of Vancouver. Prior to joining Grosvenor in 2013, Josephson held development roles with Townline and PCI Developments. He serves on multiple volunteer committees with the Urban Development Institute and was recently recognized by Business in Vancouver’s Forty Under 40 program. Josephson is a UBC graduate, obtaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Real Estate in 2006.
Jaraad Marani
YMCA BC Properties Foundation Board
Jaraad Marani is Vice President, Development Advisory for Colliers in Western Canada. He is responsible for all aspects of the business, including oversight of 10 redevelopment projects currently under approvals or construction. Marani joined Colliers in 2015, bringing previous experience in urban planning, market research, public policy, real estate strategy and more. His most notable projects include management of the redevelopment of the Vancouver Masonic Centre and the Canadian Cancer Society’s Centre for Cancer Prevention. Marani obtained a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from UBC in 2015. He has also volunteered his time in a variety of capacities prior to joining the Y, including as a current Director on the Board of the New Chelsea Society, which works to provide affordable housing to Lower Mainland community members in need.
Grant Stockwell
YMCA BC Foundation Board
Grant Stockwell is the Senior Vice-President and Chief of Operations for Evo Car Share, Roadside Assistance and Auto Service Centre at BCAA. In 2015, along with three others, he led an innovation team to ideate and commercialize Evo Car Share in 2015. When serving as Vice President of Marketing for BCAA prior to his current role, Stockwell won BC Marketer of the Year in 2016. This was his second BC Marketer of the Year, the other being received at Rocky Mountaineer. Prior to BCAA, Stockwell held Marketing Director roles at Bell Mobility, Boston Pizza and Rocky Mountaineer. He holds a Commerce Degree from UBC with a specialization in Marketing. Demonstrating his passion for community and giving back, he has served on the United Way BC Cabinet for the past six years, chairing the Cabinet in 2021.
Raphael Tachie
YMCA BC Foundation Board
Raphael Tachie is a partner in the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation group based in Dentons Canada’s Vancouver office, with responsibilities extending across Toronto and Vancouver. Tachie is also a member of the Dentons Family Office and High Net Worth sector group, providing cross-practice services to family offices and high-net-worth individuals. His extensive experience in these areas has included stints with Gowling WLG, TD Bank Group, Manulife Financial and more. Tachie is very active in the legal community and engaged in advocating for equal, diverse and inclusive professional spaces. He is immediate Past President of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and has held committee and board roles with the Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association and SFU Alumni Association.
Cathy Ulrich
YMCA BC Board
Cathy Ulrich recently retired from her role as President & CEO of Northern Health, a position she held for more than 16 years. Throughout her career, Ulrich was dedicated to the provision of quality health care for residents of Northern BC. She entered the health care field as a nurse in rural and northern centres that helped her grasp the unique needs of smaller and remote communities. Before taking the top job at Northern Health, Ulrich served five years as the region’s Vice President, Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Officer. She obtained a Masters in Community Health Science and Health Care Management from the University of Northern BC, which honoured her as its Alumna of the Year in 2009. Ulrich also served nearly 10 years on the Board of Michael Smith Health Research BC.
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YMCA BC is grateful to have the Chair of each Board return to those roles for the year ahead as well: Greg D'Avignon (YMCA BC Board), Melinda McKie (YMCA BC Foundation Board) and Brian Hurl (YMCA BC Properties Foundation Board). They are joined by Vice Chairs Keivan Hirji and Lynn Pelletier (YBC Board), Farzin Remtulla and Bob Chan-Kent (YBC Foundation Board) and Finlay Sinclair (YBC Properties Foundation Board).
A complete listing of each Board's composition can be found on the Get to Know the YMCA page of YMCA BC's Greater Vancouver regional website.
YMCA BC would like to acknowledge the individuals whose Board terms recently concluded or have otherwise had their time in governance roles come to an end. Many thanks from the YMCA BC Properties Foundation Rod Quiring, Keith Purchase, and Marty Reynolds; and from the YMCA BC Foundation: Angela Spanjers and Hugh Matthews for their service and dedication to the Y.
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About YMCA BC
As a charity dedicated to strengthening the foundations of community, YMCA BC is a powerful association of people joined together by a shared passion to foster connection and ignite belonging. YMCA BC enables everyone in our communities to have equitable access to healthier outcomes and provides vital programs and services that have a positive outcome on some of our communities’ most pressing social issues including health and wellness, inequity, affordable child care, mental health, employment and newcomer settlement. Learn more at bc.ymca.ca.
Media Inquiries:
Oliver Lam
Director, Marketing and Communications
oliver.lam@bc.ymca.ca