2011 – 2012 Board of Directors

From left to right: Kelina Kwan (Past President), Lisa Mercure, Lawrie Portigal (President), Dean Duperron, Catharine Smider, Stacy Ashton (Vice-President), Cari Moore (Secretary), Andy Telfer (Treasurer), Tisha Witt, Anne-Marie Koeppen, Jay Norton (Absent)

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Lawrie Portigal (President)

Lawrence Portigal is a native of Calgary, attended the University of Alberta where he received degrees in Science and Law.  He is a member of the Alberta Bar.  Lawrence was first employed by the City of Calgary and later was a senior executive in the coal, electricity and natural gas industries.  He moved to Richmond in 2002.  Lawrence is active in the volunteer sector and is a past President and currently a director and vice-president of Volunteer Richmond Information Services; a director and treasurer of the Touchstone Family Association and  a Director and Vice President of Volunteer BC.

Kelina Kwan PhD (Past President)

Kelina is a partner of The Information Refinery. The firm focuses on web and print design, communications and marketing work for non-profits, as well as fund development, event management, strategic planning and community relations. The firm also works with commercial businesses. Kelina began her career as a professor in the University researching and teaching fine arts and music. Since coming to Canada 18 years ago, Kelina has been working with The Information Refinery and many non-profits and charities. She is currently pursuing the CGA designation and is at the last stage of the course. Kelina has been with Volunteer BC for 6 years, and she is also the Vice-president of the Vancouver Shaughnessy Lions Club, and a board director of Touchstone Family Association.

Stacy Ashton (Vice-President)

Stacy Ashton is the Executive Director of Community Volunteer Connections, a volunteer centre serving the Coquitlam and New Westminster area.  Stacy has a Masters in Counseling from Simon Fraser University, and a background doing clinical work in the suicide prevention field.  She has a Certificate in Non-Profit Management through BCIT, and is proud to be a member of AVRBC and CAVR.

Cari Moore (Secretary)

Cari moved to Chilliwack 20 years ago and has been involved with Chilliwack Community Services for almost 17 years. Six years ago Cari was hired as Coordinator of Volunteer Chilliwack and underwent immediate training in the Canadian Code for Volunteer Involvement in Ottawa. Since then she has completed workshops with Volunteer Vancouver, Volunteer BC, and AVRBC including training in the BC Culturally Welcoming Volunteer Program, Baby Boomers and Volunteering, and Evaluating the Cost of Volunteers. Cari has also facilitated a number of workshops including the Volunteer Cycle, Baby Boomers, and Time Savers in Volunteer Management. Her extensive volunteer history includes sitting on the executive of her children’s PAC, performing stand-up comedy for local non-profits, and holding numerous positions within her church including teaching Sunday School for over 18 years.

Andy Telfer (Treasurer)

Andy Telfer joined Volunteer BC’s Board of Directors in 2009. Andy and his family live in Qualicum Beach, where Andy volunteers in the environment, arts, and sport. Currently the volunteer coordinator at the Society of Organized Services, Andy has also worked with environmental, industry and sport organizations. He has helped create several non-profits, including Opera Ole (now Vancouver Island Opera), and in Vancouver the West End Recycling Connection, Better Environmentally Sound Transportation and Our Community Bikes. He also has a wealth of experience at the Board level, having served with three other provincial Boards, two municipal advisory committees, and eight small non-profit societies.

Dean Duperron (Director)

Dean has over 30 years of senior management experience in the education industry. Through Dean’s leadership, Sprott-Shaw Community College has grown from a single college campus, offering only one course to a multinational organization with 25 campuses and over 140 courses in programs ranging from Trades certification, Healthcare, Business, and Tourism Diplomas, as well as Academic Degrees. Dean directed and headed the initiative for Sprott-Shaw to become the first Private Community College in BC to offer the Licensed Practical Nursing Program, and Sprott-Shaw is now Canada’s largest provider of Licensed Practical Nurses. He has developed several other courses and programs, such as the Bachelors in Business Administration, Travel and tourism, Canada Job Search and others. He also initiated the conception of Sprott-Shaw’s Virtual Campus. Dean has served on numerous committees and boards, including serving as a director for the Canadian Club of Vancouver, as past president of Métis Family Services, past chair of the United Way Campaign, and past vice-chair of the Scouts Committee. He has been an organizer of the Blood Donor Clinic and has also volunteered in palliative care. Dean has also sat on the First Nations House of Learning Committee as part of the UBC President’s Advisory Committee, among numerous other education contributions.

Anne-Marie Koeppen (Director)

Anne-Marie is the Volunteer Services Coordinator at Volunteer Cowichan and maintains a strong network with colleges in the voluntary sector and considers herself very fortunate to be able to engage friends and mentors, calling on their voice of experience concerning all aspects of Volunteer Management. Valued past experience includes: Grad and Advisory Committee Member for MacEwan University – Voluntary Sector Management Program, Board member – Volunteer Alberta,  the Volunteer Management Group of Edmonton and contract work with Volunteer Cowichan. Anne-Marie initiated the Cowichan Valley Volunteer Management Group with continued support and from Volunteer Cowichan, fellow colleges and mentors.  Anne-Marie is a member of AVRBC, is the regional rep for Mid Island North and has her national certification with CAVR.

Lisa Mercure (Director)

Lisa is of Mikisew Cree and French Canadian descent, living and working in the Traditional Territory of the Lequngen First Nations in Victoria, BC. Since October 1999, Lisa has worked for the BC Aboriginal Friendship Centres supporting their mandate to improve the quality of life for urban Aboriginal People.  For eight years, Lisa managed the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP) in 24 communities across BC with the support of a nine-member, peer advisory group.  Lisa brings experience ranging from: providing human resource management support as Friendship Centre employ over 800 people; board and management orientation and training for 200 Board of Directors and 24 Executive Directors; technical support ranging from reviewing policies to implementing capacity building plans. Currently, she coordinates the BCAAFC Elders programs and promotes the involvement of Elders in Friendship Centres.  Since 2004, Lisa has been involved promoting volunteerism as one of the founding members of the Voluntary Organizations Consortium of BC (VOCBC) and committee member of the Canada Volunteerism Initiative and a recent two year term as a Director of Volunteer BC.

Jay Norton (Director)

Jay Norton is a Certified General Accountant in public practice in Port Alberni and Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island.  He has more than thirty years experience in public practice and the firm, of which he is a partner, McIntosh, Norton, Williams, CGA’s, is auditor for several First Nation and not-for-profit entities. He received his CGA designation in 1982 and was a member of the CGABC Board of Governors for 10 years, serving as President in 1994. In 1993, he was awarded a Fellowship by CGA-Canada for his outstanding contribution to accounting and in 1998 he was awarded life membership in CGABC. He has been involved with both AFOA-BC and AFOA-Canada since their inceptions. He currently serves on the AFOA-BC’s Technical Advisory Board. He served six years as public representative to The College of Massage Therapists of BC. He has been involved with strategic management planning for some 20 years both as a participant and a facilitator. His clients in this area have included a large provincial accounting association, several small non-profit organizations and several First Nations. He has been involved in community theatre for more than 35 years as actor, director, producer and board member. He is a life member of both Theatre BC and his local theatre group, E.C.H.O. Players. He resides in Qualicum Beach with his beautiful partner, Daniella, their three cats and a dog.

Catharine Smider (Director)

For the past eleven years, Cathy has been the Referral Coordinator for the Sunshine Coast Volunteer Centre. In 2004, she and a colleague collaborated with a local visitor centre to create a community hub of information and referral for volunteers, newcomers and visitors to the Sunshine Coast. This model has flourished in this tourism-based region. Cathy tries to combine her love of travel with volunteering experiences. She has paddled with RCMP officers and native youth in traditional canoes on voyages intended to improve relations between the two groups. Last year she worked at an orphanage in Tanzania and visited a school in Kenya. Cathy is on the board of SC Community Futures and the SC Community Foundation. Her experience in the non-profit world and her background in education have helped these organizations with community initiatives. At last count, she is involved in 18 volunteer activities on the coast, ranging from book clubs to outrigger races to board development.

Tisha Witt (Director)

Tisha is in her third year as Program Manager for Volunteer Smithers, hosted by Smithers Community Services Association. As a small-town volunteer centre manager, Tisha spends much of her time supporting local volunteer coordinators who are usually juggling multiple job roles in their organizations. She is also dedicated to maintaining Volunteer Smithers as a place for small, volunteer-driven programs to develop and flourish – including Christmas Hampers, Step Up Tutoring, the Good Food Box, and Helping Hands. Before moving to Smithers, Tisha obtained degrees in Biology and Education and has been a teacher, a park naturalist, a super-cool science presenter, and a youth volunteer coordinator for the Vancouver Aquarium.