As part of its leadership of Beacon Community Services, our volunteer Board of Directors regularly meets to oversee the society’s affairs, performance, service quality, and strategic direction. Please click here for the Board’s current meeting schedule.

The Board of Directors also establishes (and oversees adherence to) Beacon’s Mission, Vision and Values and oversees the CEO in the execution of her duties, supporting our charity’s commitment to excellence in delivering programs and services that help people in our community.

To support the Board in effectively meeting its governance responsibilities, each director also actively participates on two or more committees. Each standing committee has specific roles and responsibilities and reports to the Board of Directors, presenting recommendations for the Board’s consideration and decision:

Executive Committee Terms of Reference

Finance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference

Human Resources and Volunteer Engagement Committee Terms of Reference

Nominations Committee Terms of Reference

Policy, Regulations and Bylaws Committee Terms of Reference

Quality Assurance and Improvement Committee Terms of Reference

Joan joined the Board in 2020, after retirement from more than 30 years of service with the Province of BC, where she developed and implemented a broad range of important public policies and initiatives.

Her most recent professional experience includes several years as an Executive Director with the Ministry of Agriculture (working to expand the agrifood and seafood sectors) and as an Executive Director with the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

In the latter role, Joan led the development of a provincial Early Years Strategy to help support and improve wellness for young children and families, provided secretariat support to the Provincial Child Care Council, and oversaw the development and implementation of quality assurance policies to improve services for children and youth including those with special needs.

Her professional background also includes a variety of strategic planning, policy development and research roles — including with the Ministry of Forests, Deputy Ministers’ Policy Secretariat, and the Ministries of Finance and Economic Development.

Joan holds an honours Bachelors of Science degree in Economics from the University of Victoria and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of British Columbia.

A watercolour artist, she also serves on the executives of Studio 30 and the Oak Bay Community Artists Society.

Joan and her spouse, Doug, are long-time residents of Oak Bay.

They enjoy travelling and spending time with family and friends — and in her spare time, Joan is trying to learn bridge and do more plein air painting.

Fiona joined the Board in 2021. She’s a Registered Nurse with extensive health care experience, particularly in seniors’ care. She holds a Master of Health Science and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, diplomas in General Nursing and Psychiatric Nursing, and has held Gerontological Nursing Certification from the Canadian Nurses Association.

Among other things, Fiona’s professional background includes 30 years of experience as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (gerontology) and Director of Care at long-term care homes in Victoria.  She has a particular interest in dementia care. Career highlights include research visits to examine housing and care for persons with dementia in Sweden and Scotland.

Fiona has been recognized with a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, received the Registered Nurses Association of BC’s 2001 Award of Excellence in Nursing Practice, and has widely presented on healthcare in various local, national, and international forums.

She has also taught in healthcare facilities under the auspices of McMaster University and the University of Victoria, has wide experience with Accreditation and quality improvement initiatives in healthcare settings, and currently serves as a long-term care consultant.

Fiona resides in Esquimalt with her spouse David. She enjoys cycling and playing the piano.

A Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCMA), Diana was elected to the Board in 2018 after retiring from a successful career as Chief Financial Officer/General Manager of Finance and Corporate Services with the Capital Regional District.

She also served on the Municipal Pension Plan’s Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2019 and recently earned her Masters in Trust Management Standards (MTMS). She is also currently a trustee with the Municipal Retiree Benefits Trust Board.

In addition to a variety of other Board experiences, her community service includes serving as chair of the BC and Western Canada Government Finance Officers Association board, serving on the Board of the Society of Management Accountants of BC, and serving as presenter and committee member of the Municipal Administrator’s Training Institute.

Diana’s professional background also helped her acquire a vast knowledge of local government leadership, involved extensive liaising with numerous local non-profit groups, and included coordination between multiple First Nations and the CRD (including treaty-related matters). Diana also played key roles in major organizational transitions/mergers, and led an international capacity-building project in Ghana, West Africa.

An avid genealogist, Diana enjoys visiting her grandson on the lower Mainland and also finds time to volunteer at Government House and to create family books.

She and her partner, Jay, live in the City of Victoria with their playful and curious cat Jumper, and have made Greater Victoria their home for over 45 years.

Rob was elected to Beacon’s Board in July 2022, having recently retired after a long and successful career in the Information Technology industry.

Most recently, his career role was to lead innovation partnerships for IBM in Western Canada, including partnering with Arlene Dickinson and her District Ventures team. Prior to that Rob was the Director of the Natural Resources Solution Centre for IBM Canada, representing one of three strategic investments by IBM in core industries.

Earlier in his career Rob had the privilege of being Director of Systems Integration for the Victoria Commonwealth Games in 1994, and also the Project Director for the implementation of PharmaNet BC. Before rejoining IBM he was Director of IT Strategy and then VP Applications for ATCO, based in Alberta.  He has also served as an executive with two software start-ups, helping to establish core client service capabilities to enable faster client adoption, growth, and sustainability.

Rob holds a BComm Honours degree, majoring in Human Resources. His community service has included membership with the Personnel Association of Manitoba, the Project Management Institute of Southern Alberta, and IBM project management leaders. He has also served with the United Way of Calgary and as a Westwood Hockey coordinator, a Junior Achievement advisor, Cancer and Brain Tumour Foundation fundraiser, and a Habitat for Humanity Global homebuilder.

Rob lives in North Saanich with his wife Tracey and enjoys forest walks with their dogs, cycling the Peninsula, golfing, exploring the Island, and seeking ways to attain a more sustainable Earth.

He also volunteers as a Beacon Medical Driver.

Carolyn was elected to Beacon’s Board of Directors in July 2022. She is the Director of the Allied Health Policy Secretariat for British Columbia’s Ministry of Health and has previously served as manager of Island Health’s Medical Staff Human Resources program and as manager of Island Health Physician Quality Improvement, in addition to other health management and leadership roles involving the development and implementation of quality and strategic initiatives.

Carolyn holds a Masters in Leadership (specializing in Health), holds advanced certifications in healthcare management from BCIT, and is also a Certified Healthcare Executive (CHE) with the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

In addition to her busy professional career, Carolyn serves on the Victoria Hospital Foundation’s Visions Gala steering committee and likes spending time enjoying all that the south island has to offer with her partner Roberto and her dog Meera.

Darlene was elected to the Board in July 2022. Darlene is a Certified Personnel Consultant and Chartered Professional in Human Resources.

Her professional background includes many years as CEO and President of WCG (a well-known employment and vocational rehabilitation services firm). Darlene was also President of her own full-service recruiting and HR consulting firm. She is a former member of the BC Human Resources Management Association’s (BCHRMA) Audit Committee and has co-chaired an annual BCHRMA conference and served on the boards of the YM/YWCA, the Women of Distinction Awards, and the Victoria READ Society. Darlene holds a BA (honours) in psychology from the University of Victoria, has studied public administration at the post-graduate and has a Volunteer Management Certificate from Camosun College.

She received the 2004 Women of Distinction in Leadership Award and was recognized as a finalist in the 2015 Canadian CEO of the Year – HR Awards.

When she is not having fun with her 9 grandchildren or enjoying the beautiful beaches with family in Ucluelet, Darlene enjoys playing bridge, reading, and pursuing her passion for life-long learning.

She and her husband, Nigel, are long-time residents of Greater Victoria and currently live in Saanich.

BARB WHITTINGTON

Barb has lived in Greater Victoria for many years. Firstly on West Saanich 4 acres, a Garry Oak meadow where she raised her  3 sons. In late 21/22 she moved to Ravens Crossing Cohousing in Sidney as one of two founding members of this progressive Danish model of multigenerational intentional community. A long-held dream, she felt fortunate that 34 other households joined the strata from far away and nearby places to make her dream into reality.

Her career in Social Work and as a University of Victoria professor enabled her to do education, research, and practice in the fields of Child Welfare, Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Mediation, Human Rights and Harassment, and Working with the Media as well as laterly the policy and practice area of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

These research & practice areas took her nationally and internationally to Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Europe, and North America.

After leaving UVic, and seeing the Cohousing project to completion, she could focus more on Restorative Justice, BC Disaster Psychosocial Services, raising her puppy Rookie and being a nana to nine grandchildren, but who’s counting.

Oceanna Hall. B.Sc., M.Div., M.Ed., RCH, Certified Clinical End of Life and Bereavement Specialist – Oceanna is a Certified Specialist with the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care (CASC) (specializing in Palliative, End of Life, MAiD support, Bereavement and Addiction), a Registered Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Usui and Karuna Reiki Master Teacher currently serving as the Clinical Specialist Spiritual Health Practitioner for Island Health Authority at Saanich Peninsula Hospital.  Oceanna also has a private practice as a Death Doula and Sacred Ceremony and Ritual facilitator serving Peninsula and Victoria communities.

Oceanna also has extensive training and experience supporting individuals experiencing mental health and addiction challenges in inner city environments. Until 2021, Oceanna also worked for five years at Our Place Society in downtown Victoria providing supportive counseling to Victoria’s most vulnerable, unhoused community who are experiencing mental health and addiction challenges.

In her spare time, Oceanna’s alter-ego a blue-haired sassy clown named “Sugar Magnolia” is busy either presenting Laughter Yoga and Health workshops or bringing laughter to both children and adults within the community as a therapeutic hospital clown.

Tom was elected to Beacon’s Board in July 2022.

He is a Professor Emeritus (Health Services & Policy Research), Community Health Sciences and O’Brien Institute for Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. A physician trained in Internal Medicine and Critical Care, Tom holds a Master of Science in Experimental Medicine from the University of Alberta and a Master of Public Health – Health Policy & Management from Harvard University.

In 2005, he received the Alberta Centennial Medal and was named as one of Alberta’s Top 100 Physicians of the Century by the Alberta Medical Association and College of Physicians and Surgeons. In 2007, Tom was appointed to the Order of Canada, for contributions to health policy and Medicare. In 2012, he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2017, he was inducted as a Fellow in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Among his extensive community service, Tom was a founding member of the Canadian Frailty Network. He continues to serve on the Network’s Board and also volunteers as a piano player at Beacon’s Brentwood House and Sluggett House.

An avid hiker and skier, Tom travels to pursue his wide variety of professional and personal interests in BC and Alberta. He and his partner have resided in Sidney since 2010, and Tom regularly commuted off-Island for his professional obligations until his retirement in February 2021.

Godfrey retired after a long career developing Business Intelligence software with clients worldwide. Simply put, it helps organizations to make decisions based on the information gleaned from their data.

Godfrey’s role as Chief Software Architect focuses on understanding customer requirements, translating them to easy-to-use software while constructing an architectural foundation for wide-scale deployments and leading a large software team to implement successful products for the customers.

Since retirement, Godfrey has joined a cohousing community in Sidney in developing a 35-unit Strata from conception to occupancy. This intentional community uses a consensus decision-making process which requires us with diverse backgrounds to work together and meet the challenges. Consensus is about leaving no one behind.

Godfrey is keenly interested in community building that meets the challenges of today. Godfrey has driven an electric car since 2015 and loves it!

Gordon originally joined Beacon as a volunteer driver in early 2021 and was elected to the Board in July 2022.

Originally from Winnipeg, he holds a BA as well as designations of achievement from the Real Estate Institute of Canada, which has designated him as a Fellow.

Gord has over 25 years experience as a player and team leader in the acquisition, due diligence, management, redevelopment, syndication and disposition of commercial real estate. His expertise lies in high-rise office buildings, industrial sites, apartments, parkades, single use sites, shopping centres and malls.

Gord enjoys the outdoors, skiing, hiking, gardening and trying to tame his two Abyssinian cats.

Since moving to the island in 2008, he and his partner have resided in North Saanich.

Paul joined the board in 2023 after retirement from a 40 plus year career In the kitchen cabinet industry. In 1976 he founded his own company which grew to be one of the larger kitchen manufacturers in the province. The company focus was always on multifamily projects some of which would number into hundreds of homes. The company started working in the Lower Mainland in 1985 proudly overcoming the local construction industry perception that nothing could be manufactured in Victoria. The company has kitchen installations in the four western provinces, 5 western states, and even Japan. Today the company continues to thrive under a new generation of leadership.

As founder and president of the company Paul’s responsibilities were varied, allowing him the opportunity to gain experience in many areas from the technical aspects of cabinet manufacture to the functioning of the multifamily construction industry. His general management activities included Human Resources, finance, accounting, and legal matters among others.

Paul is a believer in fitness and is proud to have completed 4 Royal Victoria Marathons. He now splits his time between here and Whistler where for many years he has been an avid skier.

Paul has lived in North Saanich with his partner since 1977. She grew up in Deep Cove, about 10 km from where they live today. They both share and enjoy training responsibilities for their young German Shepherd.

Paul initially gained exposure to Beacon Services as a volunteer driver at the Sidney Shoal Center where he continues to drive today.