Board of Directors

Catherine Roome

Co-President
Catherine is a tech innovator with a passion for serving the public interest. She is a director of BC Hydro, chairs the board of its energy trading subsidiary Powerex, and is a member of the Site C Hydroelectric Project oversight board. She also serves on the private sector boards of Prospera Credit Union, and McElhanney Engineering where she chairs their operating board. 
 
Catherine recently served as Interim CEO of Atira Women’s Resource Society, supporting governance and operational renewal for BC’s largest supportive housing organization. Previously, she led Technical Safety BC for a decade. Catherine is dedicated to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and encouraging the next generation of leaders. 

 

Esther McGregor

Co-President & Co-Chair Engagement Committee

Esther McGregor has 25 years of experience in executive search, helping organizations across Canada and the Pacific Northwest find talented leaders. As Managing Partner of DHR’s Vancouver office, she works with clients in the public sector, nonprofit, and industrial sector, focusing on thoughtful and inclusive recruitment processes. Esther is actively involved in her community, volunteering with St. James Music Academy and Dress for Success Vancouver to support local initiatives. She values collaboration and is dedicated to building strong organizations and communities through her professional and volunteer efforts.

Patra de Silva

Past President & Foundation President

Patra De Silva is a senior business executive with extensive experience in product development, manufacturing and marketing. She is the president of Natures Botanicals, a nutraceutical company which manufactures and markets dietary herbal supplements, pet remedies and natural personal care products. Being a student of Ayurveda, Patra is a strong proponent of a holistic lifestyle. She is an innovator in the pet industry and is the president of NHVNaturalPetProducts.com, a B to C e-commerce site for pet products.

Mia Maki

Vice President

 

Janice Comeau

Treasurer

Janice Comeau is a strategic, trusted advisor and corporate director with over 30 years of diverse experience including award-winning CFO performance as a financial leader for business transformation. She has an established consulting practise that provides strategic corporate and financial services to a portfolio of privately held companies. Janice recently joined the board of a public cannabis company and prior to that was the Board Chair of the Land Title and Survey Authority.

Pamela Martin

Co-Chair Engagement Committee

Pamela Martin is a trail-blazing and renowned veteran for women in news broadcasting in British Columbia, Canada.  She is an award-winning news anchor and journalist who brought critical issues into the homes of British Columbians for over 30 years, and is recognized as a source of fair and accurate information.

Subsequently, Pamela served as Director of Outreach in the Office of the Premier and engaged with stakeholders around the province.

Pamela has served as honourary chair of the United Way and Canadian Cancer Society campaigns and is currently a director of Coast Mental Health Foundation, an organization that supports the recovery of people affected by mental illness, and also on the board of the Pacific Autism Family Network Foundation, supporting BC families affected by autism.

Kristin Vekteris

Chair Communications Committee 

Kristin Vekteris is Chief Brand Officer at Earls Restaurants, overseeing 70 locations across Canada and the United States. She is responsible for the revitalization of the Earls brand, many first to market innovations, and is a key driver of Earls rapid expansion in the US. She is a passionate champion of women and has mentored dozens of women at all stages of their career. Kristin was named one of Vancouver’s top 50 Women Leaders in 2024.

Elva Kim

Chair Fellows Committee 

Elva is the Chief Operating Officer at Anthem, and President of Anthem Realty. A values driven leader, she is responsible for the organization’s core advisory services. Anthem is a team of 750 people, with a residential portfolio that includes 31,500 homes complete, in design or under construction, 10 million square feet of commercial and 9,000 acres of land across North America. Elva also serves as the Board Chair of Atira.

Mary O’Callaghan

Member at Large

Since retiring as a partner with KPMG’s Management Consulting team in Vancouver, where she led the People and Change practice, Mary continues to provide Advisory Services to clients throughout BC. Her practice focuses on business performance improvement including strategy, governance, organization development, and change management. She also provides continuity planning services for family businesses as they transition from generation to generation.

Catherine Holt

Member at Large

Catherine has had many leadership roles in the public and private sector including: Chair, ICBC; Chair, Finance and Audit for Royal Roads University; Chair, BC Transit, CEO, Grea​ter Victoria Chamber of Commerce; Owner and Principal, Sage Group Management Consultants, She led intergovernmental relations and cabinet operations for the B.C. Premier’s Office, cabinet communications for the Yukon Government, and was a producer for CBC Radio and TV Current Affairs in Toronto and Whitehorse.

Marlie Oden

Member at Large

As a strategic communications expert, Marlie began her career in Edmonton and managed Tourism British Columbia at McKim Advertising in Vancouver, elevating its global presence. In 1995, she founded Bridge Communications, leading impactful initiatives for organizations like The College of Registered Nurses and City of Vancouver. A respected facilitator, Marlie contributes to her community, serving on boards including Vancouver International Wine Festival and Bard on the Beach.

 

Mary Waring

Member at Large
Mary Waring  is the owner, and Chief Executive Officer of a specialized furniture transportation firm, Western Logistics Inc.   Founded here in British Columbia in 1990, the firm now spans with service coverage throughout North America and parts of Europe.
Previously Mary has  served on the  national board of the CITT ( Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation),  as well as the Act West Foundation,  founded locally by Diane Dupuis and now transitioned to IWF BC Foundation.

 

Jennifer Price

Member at Large

As President & CEO of McElhanney, Jennifer brings over 26 years of leadership experience in the Engineering Consulting industry. She is committed to driving strategic growth, advancing digital innovation, and fostering an inclusive culture through the development of her leadership team. Her approach is defined by big-picture thinking, decisive action, and empowering others to succeed.

With her passion for community, Jennifer has served on Global Diversity Councils and as past Chair of both Leadership Tomorrow and Futurewise; non-profits in Washington State. She holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Washington, where she also completed the Women Board Directors Development Program.

 

Jessie Kaur Lehail

Member at Large
Jessie Kaur Lehail is an award-winning social impact and communications leader dedicated to women’s advocacy and health equity. As CEO of the Kaur Collective Foundation, she empowers Sikh women globally, focusing on storytelling, faith, language, health equity, food security, and gender based violence advocacy. Jessie’s groundbreaking work includes co-creating “The Bridging Language and Health: A Gender-Sensitive Translation Framework for Punjabi Women’s Health Education.” She serves as a UBC community health researcher  investigating cultural influences on South Asian women’s decisions regarding hereditary ovarian cancer testing. As Vancouver Chapter Director for Shelter Movers, Jessie leads efforts across British Columbia to provide free moving services to survivors of gender-based violence. She also serves on the Board of Directors at Fraser Health Authority, contributing to overseeing a multi billion budget and co-leading governance to address systemic racism. With over 15 years of experience in advancing women’s advocacy, Jessie is also a professional contemporary abstract painter.

 

Brittany Manulak

Member at Large