Board of Directors

Gerry Humphries, Chair - Gerry was born and raised in West Vancouver, attending Pauline Johnson and West Vancouver Secondary Schools in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He has been involved in the community most of his life through sporting activities and as a member of several Boards. He currently is also a member of the Boards of West Vancouver United Church, YMCA Endowment Fund and as a Canadian Trustee to the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes. Gerry and Linda have raised their family in West Vancouver for the last 27 years

Fanny Patterson, Secretary - Fanny has lived in West Vancouver since 2001.She is a past director of the West Vancouver Memorial Library.  She has been involved in a number of community initiatives and brings her legal background to her role as director.  Fanny founded BOOKtopia, the West Vancouver Children's Literature Festival, and the Friends of Whytecliff Park, a group dedicated to the removal of invasive species at the park.

Helen Vanee, Past Chair - Helen has lived in West Vancouver since 1974. She has been a board member since 2005 and believes strongly in the goals and ideals of community foundations.  Since her retirement as a secondary school principal she has served on the Northshore MS Committee, is a Friend of the Garden at UBC and is currently a member of the Youth Services Review Committee for the District of West Van .

Ronald W.  Royston, CA, Treasurer - Ron is a retired Chartered Accountant. He is a director of a number of not-for-profit organizations to which he provides financial guidance. Named the 1995 CA of the Year for B.C. for his service to the community, Ron is also a Knight in the Order of St. John and the recipient of the Canada 125 and Queen’s Jubilee medals. He enjoys skiing, mountain rescue, and fly fishing and is a Life Member of both the North Shore Rescue Team and the First Aid Ski Patrol. Ron is married to Katy and has two daughters, one a Chartered Accountant, and the other becoming a Veterinary Doctor.

Peter Ackhurst - Peter is the Manager of the Whistler Community Forest and Chair of the Board of Directors.  He has been involved with the Rotary for many years and was the Past President of the Community Foundation of Whistler.

Tom Allison - Tom is a life-long resident of West and North Vancouver.  His sense of commitment and belonging to the community has compelled him to serve on the Foundation.  Tom is a twenty-six year veteran of the real estate industry and currently plies his trade with Angell Hasman & Assoc. Realty.  He has previously served as a Divisional Director for the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and as a long-time member of Capilano Golf Club, served on the clubs’ Board of Directors as Vice-Captain, Vice Chair of Greens Committee and Vice Chair of the Match Committee.

Mark Ballard - Mark is one of the top real estate agents for Remax Western Canada.  He serves as a member of both the West and North Vancouver Chamber of Commerces and is a mentor to young business students at Capilano University.

Nancy Farran - Nancy is the Vice President and Investment Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities.  Nancy currently sits on the board of St. Andrew's Hall and is the Past President of the Women's Committee at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.

Bill Harvey - Bill has resided in West Vancouver for over 35 years. He and Ellen have raised their two daughters here. He is Director of Development for Performing Arts Lodges – Vancouver and has served the Canadian Association of Gift Planners in several volunteer capacities, recently chairing their 2008 national conference. Bill chaired the opening of the new Magee Secondary in 2000, and is a member of the school¹s 2014 centennial committee.  He recently established an endowment fund to match monies raised by Magee students to benefit the wider community.

Geoff Jopson - Geoff is a long-time resident of the Community.  He has recently retired as Superintendent of Schools in West Vancouver and is a director of the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation, a trustee of the West Vancouver Memorial Library Board and a member of the BC School Superintendents’ Association.

Kristin MacMillan - Kristin has lived in West Vancouver since 1992.  She has served on the board of Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and her children’s school PAC.  Kristin is a chartered accountant and has been a part owner and director of operations at Imprint Plus, a lower mainland manufacturing company, since 2000.   Kristin is married to Randall Johnstone who is a lifetime resident of West Vancouver and they have two children who attend Sentinel Secondary School.

Valorie Pawson - Valorie received her law degree from the University of Victoria in 1989.  She clerked with the Supreme Court of British Columbia and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1991.   After her call to the B.C. Bar, Valorie worked in the estates trusts and wealth preservation group of a major Vancouver law firm followed by a stint in the personal trust department of Royal Trust as both department manager and trust officer. Her experience in the wills, estates and trusts area was solidified by practicing for over 10 years with Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP where she focused exclusively on domestic estate planning including incapacity planning, wills, inter vivos trusts and estate administrations. In July 2005 Valorie started her own boutique practice in West Vancouver which is restricted to estate planning and estate administration. Valorie works closely with accountants, tax lawyers, insurance advisors and other professionals to ensure that her clients receive the best possible advice in their estate and succession planning. She is a member of the Wills and Trusts Subsection (Vancouver) of the B.C. Branch of the CBA, STEP Canada and a regular instructor for Continuing Legal Education Society on wills, estates and trust issues.

Pat Shannon - Patrick has lived in West Vancouver since 1991.He is/has been active in a number of community organizations including West Vancouver Library Foundation, Rotary Club of West Vancouver, Public Practice Advisory Committee – CGA BC, Value for Services Committee –District of West Vancouver. He is a certified General Accountant and specializes in providing management services to a variety of clients including several charities in the lower mainland.