Cybele Negris, ICD.D

President, CEO & Co-Founder, Webnames.ca
Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Science World British Columbia

Cybele is a serial entrepreneur, seasoned board member, speaker, mentor, and columnist. She is CEO & Co-Founder of Webnames.ca, Canada’s original .CA Registrar and provider of hundreds of domain extensions, webhosting & email solutions and Webnamescorporate.com an innovative leader in corporate domain management and security solutions. Webnames’ clients include some of the country’s largest corporations, government, law-firms, and global Fortune 500 brands.

Cybele serves as an ICD.D accredited director on a diverse portfolio of corporate boards. In addition to her role as Vice-Chair of Science World, she also serves as Vice-Chair of the permanent BC Small Business Roundtable with its Chair, the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation and as Vice-Chair of the Royal Canadian Mint. She is also on the board of Webnames.ca Inc., AGF Management (TSX: AGF B) (Nominating & Corporate Governance and HR & Compensation Committees), the Royal Canadian Mint (Audit Committee; HR, Health & Safety Committee), BCAA (Chair, Risk Committee; Audit & Conduct Review Committees) and Telus Vancouver & Coastal Community board. She chairs the Departmental Audit Committee for Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada and serves on a number of other advisory boards and councils. As a Founding Visionary of the Prosperity Project, Cybele is actively involved in work to help mitigate the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian women and co-chairs their Rosie the Riveter Program (mentorship for women in STEM & skilled trades).

Former board appointments include BlueShore Financial, Damon Motorcycles, the Board of Governors of Capilano University, as Vice-chair of Small Business BC, BC Premier’s Technology Council, Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, Vancouver Economic Commission and Wired Women.

A Hall of Fame Inductee and four-time winner of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women and nine-time winner of PROFIT W100, some of Cybele’s other recognitions include Women’s Executive Network, Canadian Equity Diversity & Inclusion Award in the Corporate Board Directors category (2023), BMO Celebrating Women on Boards Award (2023), BIV500-BC’s top business leaders (2021 & 2022), Canada’s Marketing, Advertising, PR and Communications Hall of Fame Inductee (2021), BC Business Most Influential Women in Business (2018, 2017, 2015), and Business In Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business (2010) and Top 40 Under 40 (2003).

She is a columnist for Business in Vancouver and speaks at dozens of events each year including TEDx and Level Up Conference along with former Prime Ministers Chretien and Harper.

Andrea Johnston

SVP North America Capital Development
Treasurer, Board of Directors, Science World British Columbia

Andrea is the SVP and CFO of Pinnacle Renewable Energy with responsibility for leading Pinnacle’s overall operations.  Pinnacle is part of Drax Group, the world’s leading sustainable bioenergy generation and supply business. Pinnacle’s products are made from sustainable forests’ residuals and are the green solution to baseload energy generation in the U.K., Europe, Japan, and South Korea.  Andrea enjoys developing teams to advance the use of renewable and sustainable energy sources and technology to help us better manage energy and precious resources.

Prior to joining the Pinnacle team to drive the 2018 initial public offering, Andrea was CFO for the Natural Resources industry group for Dassault Systemes, Europe’s second largest software company.  She was previously CEO of an energy technology start-up that she sold to Areva T&D.

After graduation from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce, Andrea went on to obtain professional designations as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA), Chartered Business Valuator, and Certified Public Accountant (Delaware).  In 2016 she graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts (Literature). 

Andrea is a Board member of the Bloom Group, a not-for-profit with a vision for strong and resilient communities where all persons have adequate housing and health care, and where everyone is supported to live with a sense of self-worth and self-determination. Andrea currently sits on the CPA Canada Advisory Board for Sustainable Business.  She was named B.C. CFO of the Year for Large Public Companies in 2020.   Andrea’s passion for innovation and sustainable energy are shared with skiing, tennis, and time with her husband and two daughters pursuing careers in engineering.

Jesse Houston

CEO & Co-Founder, Phoenix Labs
Secretary, Board of Directors, Science World British Columbia

Jesse Houston is the CEO & Co-Founder of Phoenix Labs, a leading video game studio in Vancouver, BC, and developer behind the popular free-to-play title, Dauntless. Since its founding in 2014, Jesse has grown Phoenix Labs from a three-person startup to an international powerhouse with studios in Vancouver, Montreal, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Prior to founding Phoenix Labs, he held key leadership roles at both Riot Games and BioWare.

A lifetime proponent of science, technology, and education, Jesse is a regular guest speaker at the USC Annenberg School of Communications, where he talks to students about game development. He is also a former Secretary of the Royal Astronomy Society of Canada.

Jesse lived and worked in Montreal, Edmonton, and Los Angeles before returning home to British Columbia in 2014. He now resides in Vancouver with his wife, Erica, and their two daughters.

Cheryl Slusarchuk

CEO & President, NumerixSQuant
Past Chair, Board of Directors, Science World British Columbia

Cheryl is the CEO & President of NumerixS Investment Technologies, which uses massive amounts of data together with technology and innovative research to create sophisticated quantitative trading strategies. She has a passion for creating and leading high-performance teams that enable outstanding people to excel.

Her background in commerce and computer science supported a highly successful legal career helping technology companies realise their commercial goals in a practical, precise, and no-nonsense way. She loves the technology space: the creative energy, the focus, and the collective intellect creates a fertile ground for the high-performance teams she embraces.

Originally from Canada, Cheryl spent several years in Australia followed by several more in the US, before returning to Canada and settling in Vancouver with her husband and 2 children.

She is the past Chair of Science World and formerly a board member of the BC Innovation Council and BCTech. Her other community activities have included being the President of the Premier's Tech Council, Chair of the Climate Action Team and Chair of the Green Energy Advisory Taskforce.

Cheryl's accomplishments include Business in Vancouver's 40 under 40 and L'expert Canada's 40 under 40.

In addition to her work and promoting STEAM, and technology in all forms ranging from financial markets to sustainability, Cheryl's other passions include her family, snowboarding and sailing.

Wendi Campbell

Managing Director, Clients & Markets Strategy, KPMG Canada

Wendi is the Managing Director, Clients & Markets Strategy for KPMG Canada. At KPMG Wendi develops and leads strategic market initiatives and formulates the operational plans to execute them.

Wendi has enjoyed a +30-year career working in a wide variety of leadership roles. As a Chartered Professional Accountant, she served Audit and Tax clients, led internal teams in Human Resources and Marketing, before turning to a national Strategy and Markets focus over the last 10 years with KPMG.

Wendi is recognized as a strong relationship builder connecting people and ideas across the organization and for her ability to turn strategic imperatives into actions that drive value.

Wendi’s community outreach includes being a past board member of the BC/Yukon Region of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Vancouver International Marathon Society. As a mother of two, she is enthusiastic about STEAM education and cultivating the next generation of innovators. In her spare time, she enjoys combining her love of running and biking with travel, made even better when joined by family and friends.

Nolan Charles

Councillor, Musqueam Indian Band

Mr. Charles is privileged to serve as a Council Member for the Musqueam Indian Band for the last 22 years and has played an active role on council committees dealing with substantive treaty, lands and finance issues. He is currently employed with BC Hydro and also serves as a director for the Musqueam Capital Corporation, the Fraser River Discovery Center and previously the Fraser Basin Council. He has been involved in policy analysis and negotiations for the private sector that has resulted in joint venture projects with first nation communities. Mr. Charles also rounds out his expertise as a member of the Board of Trustees for the $20.M – Musqueam 2010 Olympic Legacy Trust, on behalf of the Musqueam Indian Band. He has accumulated enough credits at The Justice Institute of British Columbia in Conflict Resolution Specializing in Negotiation to qualify for Certification and will continue his pursuit of Professional Development at JIBC; Nolan has also placed 3rd out of 50 contestants at Yuk Yuk’s Vancouver’s Search for New Talent in Stand-Up Comedy.

Robin Dhir

President, Twin Brook Developments Ltd.

Mr. Robin Dhir is a seasoned Sales, Marketing, and Communications Executive and an Entrepreneur who has a passion for challenge and community service. Mr. Dhir is President of Twin Brook Developments Ltd. which focuses on the development, construction, and management of real estate. Established in 1999, Twin Brook has holdings and business ventures in Canada, India, and the United States. Additionally, since 2013, Mr. Dhir has also been a Strategic Advisor at Fasken, BC’s largest Business Law Firm. He is Chair of the Advisory Board for ATL Senior Living which specializes in housing for seniors. Prior to these roles, Mr. Dhir spent 10 years working in positions of increasing responsibility with large multinational corporations including Duracell Canada, Beamscope Canada, and Kodak Canada. In December 2008, Mr. Dhir was appointed to the Board of Directors of Canada Place Corporation until 2013 when the Board wound down and merged into the Port Metro Vancouver Board.

Mr. Dhir has been honoured to represent and act as a spokesperson for many organizations and causes within the political and philanthropic sectors. He has been able to do this within the mainstream media and additionally within the South Asian Media where he has used his fluency in Punjabi to further the causes of many groups. Since his teenage years, Mr. Dhir has had the opportunity to advise politicians at all levels and to assist many non-profit and social organizations in enhancing their mandates.

In 1995, Mr. Dhir earned his BBA from Simon Fraser University (SFU). He was an elected Student Senator from 1991-1996. Since 2010, he has served as a member of the SFU President’s India Advisory Council. In 2013, Mr. Dhir was also asked to join the SFU Beedie Advisory Board on which he still serves today. Since 2012, Mr. Dhir has been a member of the Vancouver Club and a member of the Sir John A. Macdonald Historical Society.

Mr. Dhir plays an active role in Metro Vancouver’s business community and South Asian Community. He has volunteered his time with the Advisory Board of Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration, and held positions as: Co-Chair of India Club’s CareerFest; Miracle Maker Panellist – BC Children’s Hospital’s ‘A World of Smiles’ Telethon; and Organizing Committee member for the 2010 Commonwealth Games Fundraising Celebration. In 2012, Mr. Dhir became a member of TiE – The Indus Entrepreneurs. Since 2016, Mr. Dhir has been Co-Chair of the BC Advisory group for Canada-India Business Council. In 2017, he was a member of the Bid Committee and the Playmaker (Advisor/Ambassador) Committee which worked to bring the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship to Vancouver/Victoria.

On the charitable side, Mr. Dhir’s has committed much of his time to fundraising for children’s charities. In 2009, he was asked to be the Founding Chair of the ‘A Night of Miracles’ (ANOM) Gala Dinner Cabinet – a gala benefitting the BC Children’s Hospital. Since 2009, this gala raised $5.4M and has become the go-to, black tie event within the South Asian Community. In 2012, Mr. Dhir was appointed as a Governor of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and in 2015, he was elected to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. Mr. Dhir has also been involved with Junior Achievement of BC, holding positions as Co-Chair of the Fundraising Committee as well as Founding Cabinet Member for the Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame Cabinet which began in 2005. This gala has raised over $7M since inception.

In 2015, Mr. Dhir was elected to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Board of Directors and since 2017 has been Chair of the World Trade Centre Vancouver Advisory Committee. In 2016, he was asked to join the United Way of the Lower Mainland Board and in 2017 he took on the role as Chair of its Governance & Nominations Committee. Mr. Dhir was appointed by the Minister of International Trade to the BC Government Crown Corporation called Forestry Innovation Investment where he served from 2017-19. Since 2017, Mr. Dhir has also served as Board member of the Abbotsford Airport Authority.

In March 2008, Mr. Dhir was named one of B.C.’s 100 Most Influential Indo-Canadians by the Vancouver Sun. In December 2011, Mr. Dhir was recognized by Business in Vancouver as one of BC’s Top Forty Under 40. In 2013, Darpan Magazine’s Extraordinary Achievement Awards Gala selected Mr. Dhir for the Advancing Philanthropy Category. In the same year, The Goel Family Charitable Foundation and UBC recognized Mr. Dhir’s community and fundraising efforts and awarded him the Nehru Humanitarian Award.

Mr. Dhir enjoys spending time with his three children, wife, and extended family. In his spare time,

Mr. Dhir enjoys coaching his son’s soccer team and takes an active role in public affairs.

Joseph Garcia 

Partner, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP 

Joseph Garcia is a Partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. Joseph is a leading life sciences transactional lawyer in Canada. Joseph’s practice focuses on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. He advises public and private companies, investment dealers, venture capital and private equity funds and acts as independent counsel to boards of directors. Joseph has extensive experience advising on all types of mergers and acquisition and corporate finance transactions including public and private equity and debt financings, take-over and issuer bids, share and asset acquisitions and divestitures, and regulatory and stock exchange compliance work. 

Joseph has lectured extensively on corporate governance and advanced securities law topics. He has chaired The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia Corporate Governance courses six times and participated in the advanced securities law courses on seven occasions. 

Joseph is a director emeritus of Life Sciences BC. He is a former director of the Canadian Glycomics Network and Genome BC and a member of the BIOTECanada Legal Affairs Advisory Board. Joseph has won numerous awards including the Visionary Leadership – BIOTECanada Gold Leaf Awards 2015 and is featured as a leading lawyer in numerous publications including Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Life Sciences, Corporate and Commercial – Band 1). 

Prior to his career in law, Joseph worked in corporate finance with a national investment bank and in clinical research with a multinational pharmaceutical company. 

Wendy Hurlburt

President & CEO Life Sciences BC

Wendy Hurlburt is a passionate promoter and advocate for the life sciences and technology sectors, building on years of experience across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia. As President and CEO of Life Sciences BC, she plays a central leadership role in the province’s dynamic life sciences ecosystem, with a critical focus on collaboration between local SMEs, global partners, educational institutions, and multiple levels of government. Wendy is also a prominent spokesperson for the sector - domestically and globally - working to promote awareness, nurture economic development, facilitate investment, and unlock new partnerships that will further fuel the growth of B.C.’s world-class life sciences sector.

Prior to joining Life Sciences BC in 2019, Wendy held multiple leadership roles with Johnson & Johnson in strategic and business planning, finance, partnerships and business development, operational transformation and quality and regulatory compliance. Before J&J, she held Chief Financial Officer roles for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Lexmark International in its Canadian and South Asian divisions. 

Wendy is passionate about volunteerism and seeks out tangible ways to give back. She is a member of the Government, Budget, and Finance Committee for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade; the Clinical Trials BC Advisory Council, Michael Smith Health Research BC; the external advisory committee of the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcomes; and a data governance advisor to the Association of Privacy Professions Vancouver Chapter. She is also a Canadian Chamber of Commerce Life Sciences Strategy Council committee member and a board member with Invest Vancouver and Science World. 

Previously, Wendy served on the Centre for Research and Drug Discovery Board (adMare BioInnovations), chaired CDRD’s Finance & Audit Committee, and co-chaired the International Association of Privacy Professionals Vancouver Chapter.   

Wendy holds an MBA in International Business & Finance from Queen’s University and a B.A. in Finance & Economics from Western University. She also has a certificate in Strategic Leadership from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business and is a certified Privacy Professional (CIPP).

Wendy and her family reside in North Vancouver, where she regularly enjoys the beauty of nature as an avid hiker, skier and kayaker.

Hillary Hyland

Senior Environmental Specialist, Tsleil-Waututh Nation

Hillary Hyland (Te-awk Tenaw) comes from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) in North Vancouver. The passion and love for the environment and how we interact with it shown to her by her Elders led her to making a personal goal to work for her Nation to help bring back the health of her homelands and water. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography, minoring in Biology and since then, she’s returned to work with TWN’s Treaty, Lands and Resource Department and currently holds the position of Senior Environmental Specialist.

Her work includes a diverse portfolio that provides opportunities to blend western and indigenous science and traditional knowledge, applying a unique holistic lens to projects in the Metro Vancouver region that pushes for innovative processes that can address the complex needs of the residents of Vancouver and First Nations. 

Through her work, she has contributed to federal and provincial scale environmental assessments, provided technical advice, guidance and field work on restoration and offsetting projects to enhance habitats in Burrard Inlet, managed relationships with partners in the region and implements proactive and preventative plans for environmental protection and incident response.  Complimentary to her technical work, Hillary prioritizes education by sharing her experiences as an indigenous scientist with governments, academia and her community’s school.  

Hillary’s experience at government tables and in the field has only strengthened her passion for protecting the environment and has given her an opportunity to bring her closer to her Coast Salish roots as she learns more about the history of the Tsleil-Waututh people in Burrard Inlet.  

Outside of work, Hillary is also active in her community and participates with the Youth Leadership Committee and other community discussions. She has also participated on other boards of directors in the area to provide her expertise and vision for her territory.  In her free time, Hillary can be found hiking through the forests of the North Shore Mountains, swimming in the local rivers and paddling up and down Indian Arm.  

Matt Ilich

Co-Founder, First Track Investments and Development

Matt Ilich is co-founder of First Track Investment and Development – a Vancouver based real estate development and investment company with projects throughout Greater Vancouver.  

Prior to First Track Investment and Development, he was a portfolio manager with one of Canada’s largest independent wealth management firms.   

Matt served as a Board Director with the Richmond Hospital Foundation for over a decade and held several roles, including Chair of the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee and Vice Chair of the Board.  

While at Richmond Hospital Foundation, Matt played a key role in securing government support for Richmond Hospital’s new Acute Care Tower project and led several fundraising and public outreach campaigns.  

Matt also served on the Future Leaders Committee with St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation where he served as spokesperson for the Future Leaders’ “Pixel Moments” campaign – which raised funds and awareness for mental health programs offered through St. Paul’s Hospital.  

Matt has been active in municipal, provincial, and federal politics by serving as a volunteer in various election and leadership campaigns.   

Matt holds a BA (Political Science) from UBC and is an inactive CFA Charter holder.  

Matt and his wife live in Richmond with their two young daughters.  

Dr. Shimi Kang

Clinical Associate Professor, University of British Columbia; CEO, Spark Mindset

Dr. Shimi K Kang, MD, is an award-winning, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, researcher, media expert, and international keynote speaker. She is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia and #1 best-selling author of The Dolphin Parent and The Tech Solution: Creating Healthy Habits for Growing up in A Digital World. Dr. Kang is passionate about providing science-based tools that optimize the power of the human mind. She is the founder of Dolphin Kids: Future-Ready Leaders, CEO of Spark Mindset, and host of the YouTube show Mental Wealth with Dr. Shimi Kang. She has received numerous honours including the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and YWCA Woman of Distinction Awards. Dr. Kang is most proud of receiving the Diamond Jubilee Medal for her years of outstanding community service and of being the mother of three awesome but exhausting children.

Ivor Luk, ACA (UK)

Partner, Deloitte LLP

Ivor is a Senior Partner at Deloitte responsible for some of the firm's most important client relationships. He also currently serves as a Director on the firm's Board of Directors repsonsible for the governance of Deloitte Canada and Chile.

Ivor's global experience includes 8 years with Deloitte's UK London practice (from 1997 to 2005), focusing on providing assurance, M&A and IPO advisory services to high growth private and listed companies in the UK, Europe, and the Americas. Since 2005, Ivor has resided in Canada, initially leading Deloitte's Toronto M&A practice as national leader of our UK IPO Services team. While in Toronto, he provided service to entrepreneurs and high growth through acquisitions, and completing public financings for companies focused on resources, manufacturing and technology. 

Working directly with C-Suite and Boards of Directors in Vancouver and Western Canada, Ivor provides business advisory, financial due diligence, financial oversight and control assessment and counsel to our most complex high growth clients.

Kenndal McArdle

Principal, Pender Ventures

Kenndal McArdle is currently a Principal at Pender Ventures, a brand of PenderFund Capital Management Ltd. In this role, Kenndal has over 6 years of professional investing experience, with a predominate focus on early-stage technology companies. In addition to his work as an investor, Kenndal aides in operationalizing systems and processes for PenderFund Capital Ltd.

Kenndal is a board observer for Clarius Mobile Health and Checkfront Technologies, and is a strategic advisor to numerous start-up companies providing guidance on capital raising and governance. Other private market transactions include Jane Software and Librestream Technologies. Previously, he was a professional athlete and enjoyed a successful career in the NHL, most notably on the left wing for the Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers. He earned his CFA Charter in 2018 and is actively involved with the CFA Vancouver Society.

Dr. Rosalin Miles, Ed.D.

Indigenous Scholar and Research Associate, the University of British Columbia

Dr. Rosalin Miles is Nlaka’pamux and an active member of Lytton First Nation. She currently resides on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Musqueam people. Dr. Miles is dedicated to her work in the community. She founded the non-profit organization, the Indigenous Physical Activity and Cultural Circle (IPACC), to create a cultural space for Indigenous peoples to be involved in physical activity. IPACC routinely hosts community events and initiatives, and annual national conferences. Nominated by Elder, and past-Chief Elder Sparrow, Dr. Miles was awarded the Vancouver Quadra’s Hidden Hero Award in 2019 by the House of Commons for her volunteer work in the Musqueam community as the founder and Executive Director of IPACC. She is also a Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator, through the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association, and has previously served as Band Administrator for the Lytton First Nation community.  

As an Indigenous Scholar, Research Associate, and First Nations Community Advisor, Dr. Miles contributes greatly to the Indigenous Health and Physical Activity Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Dr. Miles is also an instructor within the UBC Early Child Education Program. She is passionate about health research and has been a member of the Peer Review Committee for Canadian Institutes of Health Research for over 10 years. Her work and expertise within the UBC Indigenous Health and Physical Activity Program and IPACC illustrates her experiences with promoting and advocating in the areas of education, science, physical culture, social and ecological sustainability.   

Dr. Miles’ education includes a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction, with a major in Exercise Science from the University of Central Florida. Dr. Miles has also obtained her Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management at the University of Central Florida. She received her Master’s degree in Human Kinetics at UBC, where she specialized in Coaching Science.  Dr. Miles has a lifelong passion for learning and strongly believes in the importance of continuing her education. In 2019, Dr. Miles completed the Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities Program within the Harvard Business School at Harvard University.   

Due to the effects of climate change on her Lytton First Nation community and the Village of Lytton, Dr. Miles was inspired to become a member of the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre, and currently serves as a Board of Director for the non-profit SAFERhome Society.   

Finally, Dr. Miles is a proud mother to her 7-year-old daughter Ava, who is an active and strong Dididaht First Nation girl, and together with her husband Peter Miles, they believe that education needs to be grounded in community experiences.  Dr. Miles’ passions include advocating for access to culturally safe and relevant education that creates a sense of belonging within Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. 

Gail Murphy

Vice President, Research and Innovation, University of British Columbia

Gail C. Murphy is a Professor of Computer Science and Vice-President Research and Innovation at the University of British Columbia. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), as well as co-founder, board member and former Chief Scientist at Tasktop Technologies Incorporated.

After completing her B.Sc. at the University of Alberta in 1987, she worked for five years as a software engineer in the Lower Mainland. She later pursued graduate studies in computer science at the University of Washington, earning first a M.Sc. (1994) and then a Ph.D. (1996) before joining UBC.

Dr. Murphy’s research focuses on improving the productivity of software developers and knowledge workers by providing the necessary tools to identify, manage and coordinate the information that matters most for their work. She also maintains an active research group with post-doctoral and graduate students.

Doug Sheppard

Superintendent of Schools, Delta School District No. 37

Doug Sheppard is currently the Superintendent of Schools for the Delta School District.  With a BSc in Zoology from UBC and a Masters of Educational Leadership from SFU, Doug has over 25 years in public education beginning as a Secondary School teacher of Math and Science followed by various school and district administrative positions in the Richmond, Coquitlam and the Delta School District.  Doug was named one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals by the Learning Partnership in 2009. 

As Superintendent in Delta, Doug is focused on achieving the District’s vision of becoming a “Leading District in Innovative Teaching and Learner Success”.  The district’s focus on questioning and inquiry as methods of investigating both student learning and educator practice is central to the achievement of this work. 

Doug lives in Delta with his wife and three children and remains deeply curious about the natural world close to home and globally.  

Anna Stukas

VP Business Development, Carbon Engineering Ltd.

Anna Stukas is a Vice President Business Development at Carbon Engineering Ltd. (CE), a Canadian climate solutions company. CE is focused on the deployment of large-scale Direct Air Capture technology that captures carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere so it can be stored deep underground or turned into low carbon fuels or products. With its partners, CE is working to deploy large-scale, commercial Direct Air Capture facilities in multiple markets around the globe.

Anna is a professional engineer with nearly two decades experience bridging the gap between technology and business to overcome barriers to clean technology commercialization. Anna previously worked with Angstrom Power and BIC developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. She currently leads a variety of CE’s partnering and strategic business development efforts. Anna also serves on the Board of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. 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.

Anna is a Past President of the Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology, and a passionate advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEAM and leadership. Anna holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Victoria, and lives in Vancouver with her husband and two daughters, Jura and Audra.

Kirsten Sutton, ICD.D

Chair, Governance & Nominating Committee
Director since 2018

Kirsten Sutton is an unconventional tech leader. From a professionally trained chef, Kirsten Sutton navigated a significant career pivot to become one of Vancouver’s most celebrated tech execs. With over 30 years’ experience in technology, software development and development operations as well as IT infrastructure and services including cyber security. Kirsten has held executive positions most recently at SAP and Vancity, driving transformational change and developing high performing, engaged teams. 

Her experience in the tech sector spans 30 years. But that only tells part of Kirsten’s story. 

Apart from being regarded as an energetic, inspiring and authentic leader, Kirsten is a highly engaged community leader: immediate past chair of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, past co-chair of the Government of BC’s Presidents Group which champions accessible and inclusive workplaces, member of the Government of Canada’s Task Force for Women in the Economy, member of the BC Government’s Provincial Accessibility Committee, SFU Beedie School of Business Advisory, and director of Science World. 

A recipient of many awards, Kirsten has been recognized as a YWCA Woman of Distinction, received a Business in Vancouver Influential Women in Business award and has been named to BIV BC500 in 2021 and 2022. She is also an in-demand speaker with more than 35 engagements a year. 

Ali Tehrani

Amplitude Venture Capital, Partner

Dr. Tehrani is a venture partner at Amplitude VC which is a Canadian Venture Capital investment firm with offices in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Dr. Tehrani is a co-founder of Zymeworks and served as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a member of the Board of Directors, from the company’s inception in September 2003 to January 2022.

He led the company through many key corporate achievements including the development of multiple protein engineering platforms, initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 2017, establishing 9 partnerships with major Pharma and Biotech companies, advancing two internal multi-specific antibody therapeutics into clinical trials and the initiation of a global Phase 3 study for the lead program.

Dr. Tehrani holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, and has a Doctoral degree in microbiology and Immunology from the University of British Columbia.

In 2021 and 2022 he was named as one of British Columbia’s Top 500 Influential Business Leaders by Business in Vancouver.

Dr. Tehrani is a member of the board of directors at Creatus Biosciences Inc. , Nanology labs, and BIOTECanada and has served as a board director for the Student Biotechnology Network, CQDM, LifeSciences British Columbia, and on the MITACS Industrial Advisory Board. He was also a member of British Columbia’s Premier’s Technology Council from 2016 to 2018.

Martin Thibodeau

Regional President, British Columbia, RBC Royal Bank

As Regional President, British Columbia, RBC Royal Bank, Martin Thibodeau leads a team of over 4,000 employees in BC; dedicated to providing financial advice and services to over 1.5 million personal, small business and commercial clients.

Martin joined RBC 30 years ago, and has held a number of senior management positions that led him to travel across the country, notably as Regional President, Quebec; Regional Vice-President, Eastern New Brunswick and P.E.I.; Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Quebec Headquarters; Regional Vice-President, Commercial Financial Services, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and North 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 of a number of organizations. Martin is a Governor of the BC Business Council, a Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cancer Research Society, he sits on the Board of Directors for BC Children’s Hospital and is part of the CABGU Board for BC & Alberta. At RBC, Martin is the CoChair for the Diversity Leadership Council and he has head the Centraide/United Way campaign for financial institutions for many years.

During his career, Martin has received several distinctions and recognition from his peers, including the Alter-Ego Award presented by the Association des femmes en finance du Québec, Global Citizen’s Award, presented by RBC, Pytagore Award from Université du 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 golfing and skiing the local mountains with his wife, Caroline, with whom he has three children. A graduate of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières; Martin holds an MBA from the School of Management at the Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG-UQAM)

Wilson Williams

Councillor Squamish Nation 

Wilson Williams (Sxwíxwtn) is a third term Squamish Nation Councillor and is one of two appointed Spokespersons for the Squamish Nation. Sxwíxwtn is a proud Nation Member who was born and raised on the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw homelands. He is passionate about the Nation’s rich history, culture, and language and believes in giving back to the community. Sxwíxwtn is a strong advocate for the Nation’s youth, to help ensure a bright and positive future. He believes deeply that this future is achieved by respecting and understanding the Nation’s past to inform decisions that will carry the Nation forward.  

He also volunteers his time as the President of the North Shore Indians Lacrosse Society and head coach of the Squamish Nation youth girls’ basketball program. Most importantly, Sxwíxwtn is a loving husband and father to three girls. He currently resides in the village of Xwemelch’stn on the North Shore.