Advisory Council

Haleigh Callison is the founder and CEO of both Takoda Consulting and Takoda Industrial Supplies. A member of the Hwlitsum First Nation, Haleigh currently resides in Vancouver, BC, on the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. She grew up in Smithers, BC, with her three older brothers and completed her Human Kinetics Degree while playing Varsity Ice Hockey for the UBC Thunderbirds. 

Before transitioning to a career in the Lumber and Forestry industries, Haleigh was the GM and Strength & Conditioning Coach for Twist Conditioning, a high-performance training centre in North Vancouver, for 14 years. Her hockey career also took her around the world, playing professionally in over 15 countries—a journey that gave her the chance to experience diverse cultures through the sport she loves. 

Her personal motto, “Make a positive impact on people’s lives every chance she gets,” resonates through her community involvement, including organizing charity events and her longstanding commitment to the Canucks for Kids Foundation, where she is entering her 19th season. 

Haleigh graduated with a dual MBA from Cornell and Queens in May 2023, and was honoured with the “Community Builder” award by her cohort. She currently serves as a director on the BC Hockey Board, is a member of the UBC Alumni Advisory Council, and continues her part-time work with the Canucks for Kids Foundation. 

Outside of work, Haleigh enjoys spending time with her niece and nephews, reading, and playing just about every sport under the sun. 

Takoda Consulting, an Indigenous female-owned business, works with male-dominated industries on how to better recruit, retain & support women. The company focuses on helping organizations create an intersectional and inclusive environment through workshops and training. Takoda Consulting believes in fostering respect and safety for everyone in the workplace, regardless of gender, race, sexuality, or class, and strives to build long-term relationships with clients by ensuring they feel supported and empowered through their services.  

Fred is a retired partner of Ernst & Young Canada, having retired in 2014 after 37 years with the Firm. His various roles prior to retirement were as Chief Development Officer for Canada (2011 to 2014), Managing Partner Western Canada (2005 to 2011), Managing Partner British Columbia (2001 to 2005) and Program Director for the Ernst & Young Pacific Region Entrepreneur of the Year Program (2001 to 2010). 

Fred has been active at the University as a member of the Sauder School of Business Faculty Advisory Board (2004 to 2014) and served as Vice Chair of the Board from 2007 to 2014. He chaired the Opening Worlds Campaign, a campaign for the major redevelopment of the business school facilities. 

In the community, Fred serves as Vice-Chair of the Vancouver Symphony Foundation and is a board member of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. He is a past chair of the Vancouver Symphony Society, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, and Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs of Greater Vancouver, a past co-Chair of the Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame, and a past vice chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade. Fred is married to Dr. Kathy Jones (BSc’80) and together they are the proud parents of 4 daughters. 

Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Amal was covered head to toe since third grade and in a fixed marriage at the age of 18. After filing for divorce, she moved to Canada in 2013 and has transmuted the pain into her power. Today, she’s a social justice advocate and a leadership somatic coach. She was recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 when she had just turned 30, gave a TEDx Talk, was featured on Nasdaq as a Woman Leader to Watch, and had the privilege of being a guest on Oprah Winfrey’s show. 

After 5 years of entrepreneurship and working as an independent consultant, she joined forces with Tandem Innovation Group, a dream team and a dream organization (a dream Amal didn’t know she had!). Currently working as the People & Culture Manager supporting the Tandem team as well as Tandem clients to build and nourish their diverse leaders, establish equity practices and policies, and create a culture of psychological safety, belonging and inclusion. She does this through keynotes, customized training development and facilitation, storytelling and interactive discussions. Amal also has offered transformative inner work coaching to over 100 women and non-binary leaders, established and rising, to find their voice, and unlock their full potential for power, pleasure and impact. 

Amal experienced UBC from both campuses and is currently enrolled in an online program with UBC Extended Learning. Upon first arriving in Canada, she began her studies at UBC’s English Language Institute (ELI) on the Vancouver campus, before moving to Kelowna to join the Faculty of Management. During her time at UBC Okanagan, Amal served as VP of External Affairs, became the first female President of the UBC Students’ Union Okanagan, and acted as Campaigns Coordinator for the BC Federation of Students. In these roles, she worked with Provincial and Federal governments, advocating for the affordability and accessibility of post-secondary education on behalf of BC students. She proudly graduated with a BMgt in 2019 and is currently pursuing her Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Certificate through UBC. 

On any given day, you can find Amal writing her memoir, working title “From Burka To Bikini”, procrastinating by reading other memoirs, dancing, gardening, spending time in nature, and most likely planning her next dinner party. 

Jacquie was a 1994 recipient of a UBC Dean of Science Scholarship Award and graduated from UBC with a degree in Computer Science (Co-op Program) in 1999. 

Jacquie grew as a software professional in startups in Vancouver, making a move in 2010 to the Okanagan to join The Walt Disney Company. As a Director, Technology Jacquie was responsible for a variety of technology initiatives across Disney Games, Streaming, Parks, and Consumer Product projects for licensing and shopdisney.com. She now works for Amazon, driving projects that materially improve the consumer experience across a variety of products and services.  

As a proud woman in tech, Jacquie finds great joy in mentorship, having been a mentor for UBCO’s Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE), through the UBC Alumni Association, and the OKGN WMAN group with the goal to build an empowered community of female entrepreneurs. 

Jacquie is also a retired competitive curler, having represented BC at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian Women’s Curling Championships four times, and a participant at the 2009 Olympic Canadian Curling Trials. Jacquie was profiled in the UBC Science article “From Curling to Coding”. 

Danial Asif is a fourth-year computer science student at UBC Okanagan and currently serves as the president of the Students’ Union of UBC Okanagan (SUO). He acts as the spokesperson for the SUO and has been an active and passionate advocate for student welfare at UBCO with a particular focus on affordability, accessibility and improving the student experience at UBC Okanagan. His leadership is instrumental in shaping policies and initiatives that benefit students and reflect student voices.  

Danial’s former role as VP Campus Life at the SUO gave him a chance to make a difference at UBCO and he acted on it by bringing campus life and in person events back to the campus post pandemic.  He played a vital role in revitalizing campus life and fostering a sense of community on campus via in person events. His efforts have contributed significantly to student engagement and rebuilding a vibrant campus atmosphere.  

Today, Danial continues to champion student perspectives and demonstrates a strong dedication to both the present and future of UBC Okanagan.  

Kwame is a graduate of the UBC Okanagan campus, receiving a Bachelor of Management in 2013. Since then he has become both a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI®), and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).  Kwame has worked with Odlum Brown Limited. since graduating in 2013. He is currently a Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor at the firm. Kwame is also an Adjunct Professor at UBC Okanagan, periodically teaching an upper-level Investments course during the academic year.  

Kwame is engaged both with UBC Okanagan as well as the broader Okanagan community.  He is currently President of CFA Society Okanagan; an extension of CFA Institute designed to provide support and create value for the local membership on a national and global scale. Additionally, he serves on the Organizing Committee for MOTIONBALL: Marathon of Sports in Kelowna. As a national non-profit that empowers young Canadians to be leaders in their communities, MOTIONBALL raises funds and awareness for Special Olympics through integrated social and sporting events. 

Tara is the Deputy Director, Competence & Practice for Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC). She is responsible for managing the Continuing Professional Development program, ensuring high standards of competence in practice among FPBC registrants. She also oversees the annual audit program which assesses FPBC registrants’ ethical and professional conduct.   

Previous to FPBC, Tara’s career spanned urban forestry, wildland fire management and silviculture through positions in government and consultancy. She brings critical thought and innovation to all facets of her work, and is currently pursuing a PhD focused on improving alignment between strategic plans for urban forest and wildland-urban interface management. 

Tara holds credentials as a Registered Professional Forester (RPF), a Cert. Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture, and Certified Urban and Community Forester (CUCF) with the Society of American Foresters. She is currently appointed Chair of the FPBC-BCWS Wildland Fire Joint Panel and sits on the Fuel Management Prescription Advisory Panel. 

In balance to her professional life, Tara has co-founded a small business in the construction industry and is an avid cyclist and runner. 

Originally from the Philippines, Ian Caguiat is a sixth-year Political Science student at UBC Vancouver, and currently serves as President of the UBC Student Alumni Council. With over five years of leadership experience, Ian has held key roles including AMS VP Administration, where he oversaw 400+ student clubs, sustainability initiatives, and operations of the Nest, and President of UBC Kababayan, where he fostered cultural pride and community among Filipino students on campus. More recently, he served as VP Media Production for the Student Alumni Council, leading a digital strategy that garnered over 1.2 million views and introduced resource-driven content to support students.

Ian is passionate about storytelling, student engagement, and building inclusive communities. His commitment to public service and student development has taken him beyond campus organizations — from completing a parliamentary internship in Ottawa with the Hon. Rechie Valdez, former Minister of Small Business, and serving on the FILCASA Board of Directors, to supporting students in their career journeys as an Associate Career Advisor at UBC.

In his role as SAC President, Ian is committed to strengthening student-alumni connections and championing student success across UBC. Outside of his campus involvement, he enjoys watching cooking tutorials, playing board games, and catching up with friends over happy hour.

Nancy Cho graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation (BSR’82), educated as both a physiotherapist and occupational therapist, and an MBA’94.

At Vancouver Coastal Health, Nancy was the Regional Practice Lead, Physical Therapy providing professional practice leadership to 400 physiotherapists and rehabilitation assistants. Along with her team she ensured safe, competent physiotherapy services by developing best clinical practices across the continuum of care. She retired from this position in June 2020 and now works casually on the frontline.

Since 1994, Nancy has been a UBC Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine. Nancy has been an active alumnus assisting with several fundraising projects, including establishing the Rehab Alumni bursary in 1982, that has since dispersed over $ 92,000, fundraising for other scholarships, bursary funds, and the Friedman Building renovation project. She was a recipient of a UBC 75th Anniversary award, 20 year Long Service Honour in 2018, and a UBC Alumni Builder Award in 2018-19.

Other professional activities include Chair of the BC Physiotherapy Leadership Council Chair (7 yrs), and Chair of the Canadian Physiotherapy Written Test Construction and was recognized by the Canadian Association of Physiotherapy Regulators with an Award of Distinction in 2017 after 25 years of service. The Canadian Physiotherapy Association recognized her in 2014 with an Excellence in Leadership award. Provincially she was recognized in 2009 with the BC Leadership award and in 2017 for the Professional Contribution award.

Natalie Cook Zywicki is a member of the University of British Columbia’s development and alumni engagement leadership team. As the Executive Director/AVP for alumni UBC, Natalie plays a key role in leading efforts towards establishing a strong, sustainable and growing culture of alumni engagement at UBC and building a robust, strategic partnership between the alumni association and the university.

Natalie served as the Associate Executive Director at alumni UBC during UBC’s highly successful start an evolution alumni engagement and fundraising campaign, which concluded in September 2015. This dual-goal campaign was unique in Canada and exceeded expectations by raising $1.624 billion and engaging 130,005 alumni (more than doubling the annual rate of engagement since its launch).

In 2009, Natalie was appointed the Director of University Partnerships at alumni UBC and was tasked with the unique challenge of establishing a cohesive campus-wide alumni engagement program. Today, as the result of Natalie’s leadership, UBC has a highly effective cross-campus alumni engagement program that works collaboratively.

Over the past 30 years, Natalie has enjoyed successful careers in student recruitment, alumni engagement and fundraising in the post-secondary sector. Prior to joining UBC, Natalie launched her career in student recruitment at Brock University and then served six years at McMaster University successfully leading the DeGroote School of Business alumni and development program. In 2004, Natalie joined UBC as the Manager of Development and went on to lead the Faculty of Medicine’s alumni and development program, as well as the annual giving program.

Natalie, holds a BA and an MBA and has presented at several Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) national conferences and is currently serving on the CCAE National Board.

Sameer Esmail is a rising professional in the aviation industry with a passion for advancing the next generation of mobility and transportation. Sameer works with InterVISTAS Consulting in Vancouver, where he supports the Aviation Commercial/Policy team with air service development, aviation policy, strategic planning, and cross-border facilitation.

Sameer is deeply dedicated to community service and global citizenship, having served as Vancouver Branch President of the UN Association in Canada (2022-2025) and a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Leader of Tomorrow (2023-2024). Sameer has served as Canada’s Head Delegate to the G20 Youth Summit in Indonesia (2022) and a Canada-Asia Young Professional Fellow with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (2023-2024). While completing his dual Bachelor of Arts and Master of Management, Sameer was actively involved in the UBC community as President of the Student Alumni Council (2022-2023) and a UBC Student Ambassador.

Mentors have played a significant role in Sameer’s career journey thus far, making him a strong advocate for promoting mentorship opportunities between UBC students and alumni. In his free time, you can find Sameer trying out new restaurants, hiking around Metro Vancouver, and planning to go on more flights on his aviation bucket list.

Mosope Fagbongbe, LL.B, LL.M, Ph.D., is an Associate Counsel at Bekkering York Barristers LLP. She began her legal career as a litigator at a law firm in Lagos, Nigeria. In academe, her responsibilities involved teaching and facilitating continuing legal education programs for legal professionals in both the public and private sectors. She doubled as Special Adviser to the Director-General of the premier legal Institution until her move to pursue further studies in Canada. Before commencing legal practice in Canada, Mosope had a brief stint as Sessional Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia. She is a member of the Alberta Bar and the Law Society of British Columbia.  Mosope is committed to giving back to her community through volunteering with various organizations across the Lower Mainland. She was appointed member of the Patient Care Quality Review Boards in 2023.

Gurleen Gang is a registered Professional Civil Engineer and Project Manager based in Kelowna, BC, currently serving as the Civil Team Lead at Ecora Engineering & Environmental Ltd. He brings over 8 years of experience leading municipal infrastructure projects across the Okanagan, with a strong focus on sustainable design, team mentorship, and community impact. Gurleen is a proud UBC Okanagan alumnus, Okanagan College alumni, and a recipient of the ACEC-BC Young Professional Award – 2025. Passionate about creating inclusive opportunities in engineering, he is actively involved in mentoring students and advancing Indigenous partnerships in infrastructure.

Ross Gilmour has over 40 years of experience as an executive or senior manager on major design-build infrastructure projects in the heavy civil construction industry across Canada and the US.

Ross is currently the Principle of Gilmour Infrastructure Consulting (GIC) in Vancouver, where he provides value engineering, constructability reviews, shadow bids / affordability estimates, critical path scheduling, risk assessments, contract administration support and other services for both public and private clients on major design-build (DB), CMGC, and P3 infrastructure projects and pursuits across Canada and USA. Noteworthy projects include the Pattullo Bridge Replacement, George Massey Tunnel Replacement, Roberts Bank Terminal Two Expansion, and Cambie Street Bridge Seismic Upgrade, Vancouver, BC; Trans-Canada Hwy Four-Laning Projects, BC; Gordie Howe International Crossing, MI – ON; Sound Transit Link Extension Projects, Seattle, WA; and Francis Scott Key Bridge Replacement, Baltimore, MD.

Ross attended the University of Washington in Seattle before subsequently graduating from UBC in Vancouver where he received a BASc in Civil Engineering in 1983. During his time at both UBC and UW, Ross participated as a member of their varsity rowing teams, competing across Canada, the US and Europe. He is a professional engineer registered in the provinces of BC, Alberta, PEI, and states of Washington and Hawaii.

Ross previously worked for Peter Kiewit Sons for 14 years as a VP and Area Manager, and prior to that for the SCI / Strait Crossing / Aecon group of companies for 20 years. During these periods, he held executive or senior management roles on the pursuit and/or delivery some of the largest and most technically diverse design-build, bid-build and P3 infrastructure projects in North America. These projects included the Confederation Bridge Project, PEI-NB; Port Mann Bridge, Pitt River Bridge & Mary Hill I/C, Millennium Line SkyTrain Elevated Guideway, Cambie Street Bridge, and Vancouver SkyTrain Expo Line in Vancouver, BC; H-3 Windward Viaduct Project in Oahu, HI; Seattle Sound Transit LRT Tunnel Project in Seattle, WA; and Calgary 1988 Winter Olympic Speed Skating Oval and NW LRT Bow River Bridge in Calgary, AB.

Ross is past chair of the Construction Sector for B.C. Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association, and a participant in the Mentoring Program for the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists British Columbia (APEGBC). Ross has been a board member at Shawnigan Lake School since 2021, having graduated from there in 1977.

In 2016, Ross was a recipient of UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science 100th Anniversary Dean’s Medal of Distinction.

Ross and his wife, Andrea, have three daughters that are currently all attending Queen’s University in Kingston, ON, after each graduated from Shawnigan Lake School, like their father.

In his spare time, Ross enjoys road cycling and skiing, with recent trips to ride the alps in France and ski the deep powder in Japan.

Alex is passionate about ecosystem building and learning and development. She has worked the last eight years at Accelerate Okanagan, a technology accelerator that supports entrepreneurs with the mentorship, connections and community they need to build tech-driven ventures. Her role as Community Manager supports the growth and development of the Okanagan tech sector.  

Prior to Accelerate Okanagan, Alex worked at UBC Okanagan’s Campus as a Manager of Student Housing. She also loved her time as a student at the UBC Vancouver Campus where we completed a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education. 

Alex grew up in the Okanagan, and now her and her family reside in Kelowna. She loves Broadway musicals, skiing, volleyball, board games and trivia, being creative, and can’t pass up a glass of Okanagan wine.  

Mr. Haji is a highly accomplished executive and trusted advisor to private equity firms, with over 25 years of international experience in scaling operating businesses, executing value creation strategies, and driving transformative growth across healthcare, education, real estate, and technology sectors. A seasoned CFO and global leader, he has raised over US $1.5 billion in capital, scaled revenues from US $60 million to US $500 million, and doubled EBITDA margins by deploying targeted operational improvements and strategic capital. Currently leading family office investments at Intercontinental Capital Corporation, he oversees cross-border deal execution, real estate portfolio optimization, and value creation for private equity–backed companies.

Mr. Haji brings deep governance and board experience across sectors including healthcare, higher education, insurance, and investment management. As former Vice President, Finance & CFO of Aga Khan University and Hospitals, he established its real estate unit, managed land acquisitions of over 4,000 acres, oversaw the construction of 18 buildings across multiple countries, and led pioneering sustainability and economic impact initiatives. A recognized thought leader, he has been invited to speak by the World Bank, WHO, IFC, and others, and is widely respected for his ability to bridge operational excellence, capital markets insight, and institutional leadership.

Riley Huntley is President of the Alma Mater Society (AMS), the student union representing over 60,000 students at UBC Vancouver. As chief executive officer, he leads the AMS in overseeing its $35 million operations and ensuring strong advocacy, services, and governance for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Riley earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UBC in 2025. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies from Royal Roads University (2023) and a Diploma in Emergency and Security Management from the Justice Institute of British Columbia (2021). Before joining the AMS, Riley served as President of the Royal Roads University Student Association and was a Director of the Alliance of British Columbia Students.

Currently completing a Master of Science in Nursing at UBC Okanagan, Riley is a CIHR-funded graduate researcher studying emergency department service disruptions in rural Canadian communities. He works as a Registered Nurse in a community emergency department and has prior experience delivering prehospital care as a first responder.

Beyond campus, Riley serves as Vice President of the Emergency Nurses Association of British Columbia and sits on the National Medical Advisory Board for Lifesaving Society Canada. He has been recognized with the Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth Service Commendation and Commonwealth Service Medal for his contributions to drowning prevention, as well as the Royal Roads University Founders Award for his commitment to sustainability, equity, and inclusion.

Peter is a third-year Computer Science student at UBC with a strong passion for applying programming skills to real-world challenges and developing innovative solutions. He is proficient in Java, Python, and JavaScript, and experienced with tools such as Jupyter Notebook, Android Studio, Processing, and VS Code.

Currently, Peter works as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at UBC, where he researches the effectiveness of healthy eating games and apps. His responsibilities include contributing to the development and testing of these applications, utilizing his Android development expertise and knowledge of NoSQL databases. In addition to his academic and research pursuits, Peter is actively involved in student recruitment and residence life, where he demonstrates strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

Peter has recently been elected the President of the Student Union Okanagan for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Romil’s journey is shaped by adaptability, purpose, and a global outlook. Born in India and raised in Myanmar, he came to Canada as an international student and graduated from UBC Okanagan in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. During his time at UBCO, he held prominent leadership roles, including President and Vice-President of Finance and Administration at the UBC Students’ Union Okanagan, as well as serving on the UBC Senate to advance initiatives that prioritized student success and institutional transparency.

Currently, Romil works in tech sales with Deel, helping organizations seamlessly hire and pay global teams while ensuring compliance. Alongside his career, he is building a medical tourism initiative with his family, focused on advancing equitable access to healthcare across borders. He also volunteers with organizations that raise funds to provide prosthetic legs and support patients in rural Myanmar with treatment and medication.

Passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship, and community impact, Romil brings a global perspective to everything he does. A digital nomad and fitness enthusiast, he has traveled to more than 25 countries, channeling his curiosity and energy into building meaningful connections and driving positive change.

Arif is the President & COO of MobSquad, an innovative Canadian company that provides technical and consulting services to North America’s leading start-ups and scale-ups, employing the world’s best technology talent.

Prior to joining MobSquad, Arif led Operations Finance for Amazon in Western Canada and was a Senior Financial Analyst at Procter & Gamble. While at Procter & Gamble, Arif also served as the P&G Charitable Campaign CFO, which delivered over $4.5 million to partner charitable organizations over three years.

Arif is currently an Advisor to The Logic, a digital media publication focused on the innovation economy, and a Board Member at Custom Paper, a BC-based manufacturer. Additionally, Arif is involved as an Alumni Facilitator and Advisor at the University of British Columbia, where he co-facilitates sessions created and led by UBC alumni for fourth year undergraduate commerce students.

Arif holds a BCom with Honours from the University of British Columbia, where he received the Odlum Brown Leadership Award and the Commerce Undergraduate Society Honourable Service Award.

Mona has practiced in various areas in pharmacy including hospital, community, industry, policy, and academia. She received a Bachelor’s of Pharmacy and Master’s of Science from UBC, Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida, and a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University.  She has an Industrial Pharmacy Residency certificate from the University of Toronto. 

Mona enjoys enhancing the quality of patient care, promoting collaborative inter-professional teams, and is passionate in education (public and peers) and mentorship of junior healthcare professionals and students.  

Currently Mona is the Pharmacy Advisor and Director for the Pharmacy Stream of the Interdisciplinary Addictions Fellowship Program for BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU), clinical pharmacist consultant at Infinity Medical Specialists Clinic, and is the managing partner of an independent pharmacy. 

Professionally, she remains involved in various interprofessional groups. She has BCPhA Board and the College of Pharmacists of BC Board experience, and committee experience with health professional regulatory colleges. 

Mona has presented in local, national and international seminars and has received awards for practice, leadership, and research. 

Melanie Lantz is a seasoned professional with a deep-rooted passion for agriculture and a wealth of experience in the field. She is currently the Vice President, CFS Agriculture at RBC, where she leads the Commercial Agriculture team. Throughout her career, Melanie has been deeply involved in various facets of agriculture, including roles as a Field Service Representative with the BC Milk Marketing Board and various roles in the animal health industry.

Melanie graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) majoring in Animal Science in 2001. Additionally, she earned her Professional Agrologist (PAg) designation from the BC Institute of Agrologists in 2004. Currently, Melanie is engaged in the community as a member of the External Advisory Committee for University of the Fraser Valley School of Business, as a Director at Large on BC Agriculture In The Classroom Foundation Board, and as a member of the Nomination Committee for the British Columbia Institute of Agrologists (BCIA).

Currently, Melanie is engaged in the community as a member of the External Advisory Committee for University of the Fraser Valley School of Business, as the President of the Board of Directors for BC Agriculture In The Classroom Foundation, and as a member of the Nomination Committee for the British Columbia Institute of Agrologists (BCIA).

Caleb graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Sciences in 2006, and went on to train and work in a variety of fields before focusing on English-language education. He then returned to UBC to pursue a Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language, graduating in 2016, and taught as a sessional lecturer in UBC’s department of Language and Literacy Education (LLED) for three years. In 2019, Caleb moved into organizational learning, where he now works as a senior advisor for communications and learning at SRK Consulting, a global mining consultancy. 

Marina graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics before joining her family business group. She started her own business as property developer in Hong Kong and China in 2008 and is now the owner of Sofitel Sanya Leman Resort Hotel. While working hard to develop her business in Mainland China during the past 30 years, she is keen to contribute to the community. She is currently a board member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society, a court member of Lingnan University, and an Honorary President of the Hong Kong University Foundation. 

Marina has maintained a close connection with her alma mater while residing in Asia. She is a member of the alumni UBC Hong Kong Leadership Council and has been contributing to strengthening the presence of UBC in Hong Kong. Marina is passionate in education and youth development and is committed to helping out the youth community and fostering future generations. 

Serena Lusk (she/her/hers) is currently the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Richmond.  She has been with the City since 2005 – holding a variety of leadership roles during this time.  Serena is directly responsible to City Council and provides executive team leadership to the organization – a $3.5B corporation with a $700M operating budget, $1B capital budget and over 2600 union and management employees.  She also acts as the Chair of the Regional Administrators Advisory Committee for MetroVancouver.  Prior to joining the City of Richmond, Serena was the Associate Athletic Director for Finance and Administration at Simon Fraser University and her formative work experience was with Swim BC.

Active outside of work, Serena is the Past Chair of the Recreation Foundation of BC, a former director for Tourism Richmond and board member of the Society of Richmond Children’s Centres. She holds a Bachelor of Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Oregon.  She lives in Richmond with her husband and two children.

Throughout his undergraduate degree, Linkai has been deeply engaged in a variety of on-campus and off-campus activities. His diverse experiences in both business and science, along with being on the SAC Career Development Committee, highlight his dedication to fostering interfaculty collaboration. Over the years, Linkai hosted events such as the 2023 UBC BizChina Forum and the SAC Networking Night, which united students, professionals, and academics to discuss critical issues of student development both locally and globally. He also worked as a research assistant at the Vaccine Evaluation Centre, driven by a keen passion for pediatric health equity in BC. 

Krista Mallory is the manager of the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission (COEDC), a service of the Regional District of Central Okanagan based in Kelowna BC.  A believer in the power of working together, Krista supports Canada’s fastest growing metro area by developing and nurturing relationships and connecting newcomers, businesses and entrepreneurs to community resources and networks. In addition to acting as a connector, Krista leads a team of seven highly skilled professionals and a 45-member Advisory Council in advancing workforce development, business retention and expansion and investment and talent attraction initiatives.

Krista joined the Commission in 2016 after a decade of experience in the financial sector and nonprofit sector supporting female entrepreneurs as a loans analyst and business advisor. She also serves on a variety of boards and committees including the Community Futures Central Okanagan Board, Accelerate Okanagan Board and YLW Air Route Task Force.

Aaron attended UBC in the school of Human Kinetics from 1995 to 2000, with a focus on exercise science. He also participated in many extra-curricular activities, including varsity rugby, intramural sports, Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Storm the Wall, Arts County Fair and of course countless BZZR gardens.  After UBC he moved back east to start a career in software sales and start a family. Twenty amazing years followed in Toronto but with the onset of COVID lockdowns it was time to move back to the best coast. Aaron presently lives in East Van with his wife, two kids, and works for Oracle Corporation running a sales team.

Lana is a student representative from UBC’s Student Alumni Council and passionate advocate for building connections and community at UBC. With a strong interest in clinical and cognitive psychology, she is committed to understanding people and fostering inclusive, engaging environments. Over the past two years, she’s brought this commitment to the Student Alumni Council’s Internal Committee, where she helped plan socials and professional development workshops. Now serving as VP Internal, she continues to lead initiatives that connect students with each other and with the broader UBC community. Lana is eager to bring the student voice to the Advisory Council by offering insights, sharing perspectives, and learning from alumni leaders. Outside of her academic and leadership work, she enjoys sketching, painting nails, singing, and curating the perfect outfit!

Desmond Ng has over 43 years of management and technical experience in Bids & Proposals, Business Development, Branch Office Management, Project Management, and Software Engineering. He has a BSc in Computer Science from UBC and holds a PMP designation from the Project Management Institute.

Desmond was a Director, Bids at  Hitachi Rail GTS Canada, where he was responsible for leading multi-million-dollar proposals with complex contractual and organizational structures in response to domestic (Canada) and international (US, Europe, Asia Pacific, China, India, South America, Australia, Middle East) Signalling & Train Control RFPs and Tenders.

At Hitachi Rail GTS Canada, Desmond was the Vancouver Branch Office Manager accountable for the overall administration, growth, and operations of an 80+ person office consisting of Project Managers, Engineers, and Functional Departments who implemented and deployed real-time transit rail signalling systems worldwide. Prior to  Hitachi Rail GTS Canada, Desmond worked at various high-tech companies including Digital Dispatch Systems and MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates, where he held increasing senior technical management positions in project management, product development, software engineering, systems integration, and post-revenue Customer support.

Desmond’s volunteer activities included an 8-year term at the BC Centre of Ability (BCCFA) as the President of the BCAA Foundation Board, BCCFA Foundation Board Director, and member of the BCCFA Association Board Governance Committee. Desmond was also a 9-year Industry Mentor at UBC’s Computer Science Tri-Mentoring Program.

Debbie graduated from the Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE) program at UBC in 2018, where she was awarded the prestigious MasterCard Foundation (MCF) Scholarship. 

She is a Senior Economist at the BC Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation, focusing on building data frameworks for rural and often overlooked communities within the province. With extensive experience as an Economist, Debbie previously held the role of Data and Regulatory Manager at the BC Vegetable Marketing Commission. She has also worked with the research team at Vancity and the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce. 

Over the years, Debbie has consistently made strong contributions to her community in various ways. She is currently the oldest serving board member of FarmFolk CityFolk, BC’s oldest and largest food and agriculture non-profit organization. She actively contributes to strategic planning, governance, and stakeholder relationship-building, and leads the Finance Committee as Treasurer. Debbie is widely recognized for her commitment to the BC food system and significant community involvement. 

Originally from Nigeria, Debbie relocated to Canada seven years ago. She lives in Clayton, Surrey with her husband, two children, and her father. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, experiencing new diverse cultures, and volunteering in her local community. 

Suchin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate in Executive Research from the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC). With a blend of experience in executive search, agency recruitment, and in-house talent acquisition, he brings a comprehensive approach to identifying and developing senior leadership prospects in the Canadian market. 

Suchin has a diversified background working with a range of private and public sector clients, including some of the largest organizations in British Columbia. He has successfully engaged with leading entities such as BC Hydro, ICBC, the City of Vancouver, UBC, Vancouver Coastal Health, YVR, and TransLink to help build their senior leadership teams. 

Leyla graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Science, double majoring in biology and Spanish in 2016. Leyla then pursued a law degree from the University of Victoria. Leyla now practices construction litigation at a regional law firm in Vancouver.

During her studies at UBC, Leyla was actively involved with student initiatives including Peer Programs, the UBC Student Conference, and the UBC Trek Program. Leyla also participated in the on-campus work-learn program working for the Faculty of Dentistry, the UBC Tandem Language Learning program, and as a student coordinator for the UBC Jump Start program for incoming international students.

Leyla is keen to give back to her community and looks forward to this opportunity.

Gaurav Sandhar is the President of SanCo Management Corporation, his family office specializing in real estate private equity and venture capital. SanCo focuses on lending, financing and developing within British Columbia and Alberta.

Previous to his time at SanCo, he was a co-owner and Sales Head at FT Synthetics, a manufacturer of building products. During his time at FT, he helped lead the growth and eventual sale of FT Synthetics to GAF Materials Corporation. The transaction was awarded as a “Deal of the Year Finalist” by the British Columbia chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth. Gaurav also has international experience with the European Union and the Government of Canada including Western Economic Diversification and Global Affairs Canada.

Gaurav graduated in 2020 from the Faculty of Arts as a Graduating Student Leader majoring in Political Sciences. He received his Master of Science in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Southern California in 2023.

His current volunteer activities include a current term at the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation (FVHCF) along with running a charitable foundation, the Sandhar Foundation.

Jas Sangra is an associate attorney with the San Francisco office of Venable LLP where he advises high-net-worth individuals and their related business entities on intricate wealth planning strategies, with a focus on cross-border tax, trust, estate, and probate law.

Jas is licensed to practice law in both California and British Columbia and has managed complex cross-border transactions for multinational clients, aligning their business objectives with international laws and regulatory requirements. He is experienced in devising and executing measures to minimize income, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, safeguarding family assets from undue risk. He also advises businesses on cross-border expansion, including the tax aspects of immigration and emigration planning.

Jas holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC and a law degree from the University of Victoria. For several years, Jas has served as a facilitator in the CPA Canada In-Depth Tax Program, a comprehensive training program offered to aspiring tax professionals by the national organization representing the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) profession in Canada.

Before starting his legal career, Jas worked with two of Canada’s largest financial institutions, providing sound financial and investment advice to his clients. His extensive financial, legal, and business knowledge benefits individuals and corporations seeking innovative and pragmatic solutions. In his spare time Jas enjoys volunteering his time to mentor undergraduate students, law students, and young lawyers.

Jane Shackell has practiced business law for over 30 years, advising senior executive teams and corporate boards on mergers and acquisitions, partnership and shareholder agreements, franchising, and owner succession. Jane provides practical and timely counsel as a trusted adviser to clients in diverse industries. She is also one of British Columbia’s foremost Fairness Advisors for public sector procurement, advising owners on fairness issues related to public-private partnerships and conventionally-procured projects.

Dr. Kenji Shimizu graduated in 1979 at the top of his class from the U.B.C. Faculty of Dentistry and was awarded the College of Dental Surgeons of B.C. Gold Medal. He declined two Medical Research Council of Canada Fellowships and positions in two Ph.D. programs, one in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry and the other in the Department of Pharmacology at the U.B.C. Faculty of Medicine, opting instead for a long, enjoyable, and successful career in the Lower Mainland as a “family dentist.” 

Immediately upon graduation in 1979, Dr. Shimizu was invited by his former professors to join the part-time dental faculty.  Over the past 45 years, Dr. Shimizu taught courses in preclinical and clinical prosthodontics, operative dentistry, oral diagnosis, periodontics, communications skills, and dental hygiene and mentored numerous small group learning and problem-based learning sessions.  Presently, he continues to teach in the U.B.C. D.M.D. program as a Clinical Assistant Professor and Prosthodontic Consultant. 

Since 1994, Dr. Shimizu has performed the duties of a dental consultant for several insurance companies, reviewing claims for validity and uncovering cases of fraudulent billing.  He has also served as a complaints reviewer and remedial educator for the College of Dental Surgeons of B.C., as well as an independent dental examiner in personal injury cases for the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C. and the Insurance Corporation of B.C. 

Dr. Shimizu has enjoyed a great deal of professional and personal satisfaction from the wonderful profession of dentistry, the warm friendships with his patients, students, and colleagues, and his long association with the University of British Columbia. 

Originally from Saskatoon, Emily Tang is the President of the Graduate Student Society and a Master’s student in the School of Kinesiology. She is excited to contribute to the Alumni Advisory Council by bringing a graduate student perspective.

Emily’s Master’s thesis explores the influence of social media on sexual health education for first-generation Chinese immigrant women. She is passionate about sexual health and reproductive rights and aims to empower youth with knowledge while helping to destigmatize conversations around these topics in traditionally taboo Asian family settings. She also serves on the Youth Advisory Board of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, where she helps develop youth-oriented resources for knowledge dissemination.

In her spare time, Emily enjoys performing stand-up comedy and fangirling over the various artists holding concerts in Vancouver.

A proud UBC graduate of both the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Business Administration, Eon currently works at AstraZeneca Canada as the Director of Evidence and Health Economics, supporting healthcare systems and helping patients have access to critical new medicines. With almost two decades of experience in the life sciences industry, Eon is driven by his interest in health systems, scientific innovations, and the role that economics and evidence can make in healthcare decision making. Aside from his work at AstraZeneca, Eon also volunteers his time to support other academic organizations in Canada and internationally. Eon is a board member of the Canadian Association for Population Therapeutics (CAPT), a Health Technology International (HTAi) committee member, and an expert reviewer with the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

Eon is excited to be a part of the UBC Alumni Network both in Toronto and in his hometown of Vancouver.

Dr. Katherina Tarnai-Lokhorst, P.Eng., FEC, FGC(hon), graduated from UBC with her Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1987. A Professional Engineer in BC specializing in aerodynamic design, aircraft manufacturing and leadership, Katherina is an award-winning educator who began instructing as Faculty at Camosun College in 1994 and as Adjunct Professor at UBC Mechanical Engineering, in 2017.

Katherina holds a Master of Business Administration (UofPhx’07) and a Doctor of Social Sciences (RRU’18). Her dissertation explores the perceptions of gendered careers in high school with the goal of increasing gender diversity in engineering. Her current major project is The Edge, a series of vignettes, blog posts and infographics designed to support those who wish to explore the edge of their understanding on how their own behaviour impacts workplace culture, with the focus of enhancing inclusion and belonging in the professions.

Katherina has served on several academic and corporate governance committees and is a Fellow of Engineers Canada and an honourary Fellow of Geoscientists Canada, recognition for her years of exemplary service and commitment to the profession of engineering and geoscience.

President and co-Founder of the Lokhorst Group Ventures, Katherina serves on several boards including as Chair of both BCalm (the BC Association for Living Mindfully) and AGC (the Artisanal Gold Council).  Currently, Katherina sits on the UBC Alumni Victoria Leadership Council, is Music Minister and Cantor at her parish in Saanich, BC, sings in a semi-professional jazz trio, and ensures she holds time to share with her husband, parents, children and grandchildren.

Stephanie Warner, obtained both her BSc in Biochemistry and PhD in Experimental Medicine from UBC Vancouver.

In 2014, Stephanie was recruited to the University of Calgary as an Eyes High postdoctoral researcher in the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. She has since held a variety of roles at the University of Calgary, including Career Development Specialist for PhD Students in Career Services, Sessional Instructor of immunology and cell biology, and Research Officer in the Office of the Vice-President (Research). She has also had a private practice as a career coach.

Since November 2021, she has been the Manager, Knowledge to Impact in Research Services at the University of Calgary. In this role, she provides strategic planning for the portfolio’s initiatives including community-engaged research, knowledge exchange, open science and research assessment across the University of Calgary.

Stephanie is a longtime member of the alumni UBC Calgary Leadership Committee.

In her spare time, Stephanie embraces the Calgary weather by cross-country skiing, running, and cycling.

Born and raised in the unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, Althea is a General Partner at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, the first venture fund to invest in Indigenous- and Native American-led startups. As the first Indigenous woman to be a partner at a venture fund and a member of the Gitxsan First Nation, Althea dedicates her personal and professional time to work in service of underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Prior to Raven, Althea had a tech career spanning entrepreneurship (former co-CEO of Koble Health, which sold to Dialogue Technologies in 2023), investing (former Associate at Panache Ventures), and educating (former Instructor at the Schulich School of Business).

A BCom grad at UBC Vancouver and a Ch’nook Scholar, Althea is excited to work along the alumniUBC advisory council to support the next generation of graduates.

Althea now resides in New York City with her husband and dachshund, and can often be found reading, biking, and exploring the boroughs.

Asha Young is Legal Counsel at UniUni, a rapidly growing logistics technology company, where she advises on a broad range of legal matters including commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance. Prior to joining UniUni, Asha practiced law at a leading national firm in downtown Vancouver, supporting clients across a variety of industries with complex legal needs.

A proud double alumna of UBC, Asha earned a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies from UBC Okanagan in 2014 and a Juris Doctor from the Peter A. Allard School of Law in 2019. Having studied on both the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses, she brings a unique perspective to the alumni community and is passionate about strengthening the ties between UBC’s diverse campuses and graduates.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Asha is passionate about giving back to her community and supporting the next generation through mentorship. She also finds creative balance through painting, which she pursues in her spare time. Through her role on the Alumni Advisory Council, she looks forward to contributing to UBC’s ongoing impact and fostering meaningful connections across the alumni network.

Originally from Winnipeg, MB, Ben is entering his fifth and final year of the Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience program at UBC. With previous experience in the Student Alumni Council’s Campus Engagement and Career Development committees and as the Science Undergraduate Society’s Associate Vice-President External, Ben brings his commitment to getting students involved and supporting them in their student-to-alumni journey to his role as the President of the SAC, as well as his role on the alumni UBC Advisory Council. 

Outside of his role in the SAC, Ben is passionate about contributing to the implementation of evidence-based solutions to the quality of patient- and family-centred health care within our province and beyond, as is evidenced by his current roles at the Providence Breast Centre and Prostate Cancer Supportive Care Program as a member of both clinical research teams.  Additionally, he was previously a member of UBC’s Behavioural Neurogenetics (Rankin) Lab, where he contributed to research on the genetic underpinnings of Parkinson’s disease. 

In the remainder of his free time, Ben can be found volunteering at VGH’s Emergency Department, tutoring for Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, running, and enjoying the great outdoors.