Elections

Board Director, Vancity,
Board Director, VCIB,
Director, Vancity Community Foundation

Executive Director - BC Association of Farmers’ Markets 

About Heather O’Hara

As a current Vancity Board Director, I am honoured to serve our members from all walks of life and lived experience. As an Executive Director for 20 years in the non-profit sector, I have committed my professional life to strengthening our communities. Under my leadership, BC Farmers’ Markets delivers deep impact, nourishing people while supporting entrepreneurs and local economies across all regions of BC. An MBA graduate with diverse governance experience including Vancity Audit Committee Chair, Global Alliance for Banking on Values Governance Academy, ICD and founding Chair of HxBIA known for social innovation in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. 

• Vancity member for 20 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

Vancity is extraordinary, embracing possibilities grounded in community values. As a lifetime credit union member and current Vancity Board Director, I have experienced this commitment to impact and investment in people, projects, business and non-profits, while growing a strong and resilient financial institution for future generations. I bring 20 years of non-profit leadership in strengthening communities and local economies. Currently, as Executive Director at BC Farmers’ Markets, representing 145+ farmers’ markets and 6,000+ entrepreneurs across BC. Previously, as Executive Director at Potluck Café Society, creating jobs and healthy food for people in the Downtown Eastside. I remain deeply committed to issues that matter to Vancity members, including affordable housing, equity and financial inclusion, mental health, food security and climate action. I believe in healthy, reciprocal relationships with all people including my personal commitment to Indigenous ReconciliACTION. An MBA graduate with diverse governance experience including Vancity Audit Committee Chair, ICD+. 

Independent Consultant. Former Tech Executive (CEO, COO, CTO, VP). 

Digital Transformation. SaaS, Cloud and Compliance. Past P. Eng. BSc. Electrical and Electronic Engineering

About Parminder Virk.

I have built a career at the intersection of technology, strategy, and governance, serving in executive roles across startups, public companies, and dynamic enterprises. I’ve led corporate strategy, managed multi-million‑ dollar P&Ls and guided organizations through mergers, acquisitions, and global team development. My consulting work focuses on digital innovation, SaaS, and workflow automation—helping organizations adapt to change with clarity and resilience. Beyond business, I contribute to civic life through volunteer leadership with Evergreen Senior Care and Surrey Police Services, strengthening accountability and engagement. Together, these experiences equip me to serve Vancity with vision and discipline. 

• Vancity member for 19 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

I bring a proven record of executive leadership and community service that uniquely positions me to serve as a Director. Over the course of my career, I have held C suite roles across startups, public companies, and high growth ventures—leading corporate strategy, securing multi-million dollar investments, and driving operational transformation. My expertise in global team development has consistently delivered growth, efficiency, and innovation. Equally important, I am deeply committed to community impact. Through volunteer leadership with Evergreen Senior Care and Surrey Police Services, I have strengthened governance, accountability, and engagement. These experiences reinforce my belief that strong boards balance fiduciary responsibility with social purpose. In today’s environment, digital transformation is no longer optional, it is essential. Boards must evolve to be digitally literate, operationally aware, outcome driven, and adaptive. My hands on experience guiding organizations through technology adoption, compliance, and workflow optimization equips me to serve Vancity with disciplined vision. 

Board Director, Vancity 

Director, BC Hydro 
Co-Founding Partner, Core Firm

About Opreet Kang.

I bring over 25 years of strategic leadership, governance and community impact across healthcare, utilities, financial services and the non-profit sector. As Board Chair of Fraser Health Authority, and a Director at Vancity and BC Hydro, I provide oversight on complex organizations serving millions of people. My career spans executive consulting, public sector leadership, major infrastructure projects, and co-founding Core Firm, a strategic advisory collective. Deeply engaged in community initiatives—from youth services to cultural organizations—I have a long-standing commitment to equity, social justice and inclusive growth. This breadth of experience equips me to serve Vancity members with strong, values-driven governance. 

• Vancity member for 32 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

I’ve been a Vancity member for over 30 years because of its commitment to cooperatives, climate action and communities. These values also guided my career, where I’ve led major organizational and cultural transformations in complex environments, including helping organizations adapt to emerging digital and technological change.

It has been an honour to serve my first term on the Vancity Board during a pivotal period, including strengthening the credit union’s

resilience, sustainability and impact leadership. This builds on 25 years of governance, financial and executive experience, including roles as Fraser Health Authority Board Chair and BC Hydro Director.

As we continue to face significant social, economic and environmental disruption, I am committed to ensuring Vancity leads with its values—advancing equity and reconciliation, climate action and innovative tools that meet members’ needs.

With your support, I will continue strengthening Vancity’s financial foundation to grow healthy, vibrant and equitable communities for all. 

Board Vice Chair, Vancity 

Executive Director, UBC Sauder Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics Certified director (ICD.D)

About Christie Stephenson.

In addition to being a director and vice chair of the Vancity board, I have two decades of diverse governance experience, serving on the boards of non-profits, university senates, pension plans, values-driven private companies, and several cooperatives, including Central 1 and the Cooperators.

My 25-year career has been at the intersection of business and progressive values generally and specifically related to responsible and impact investing. For the past ten years, I’ve been the executive director of the UBC Sauder Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics and have long been active in labour as well as social and environmental focused organizations. 

• Vancity member for 15 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

Like so many of you, I care deeply about Vancity’s success - as a place to do our banking, a community partner, where great people work, and as a model for how business can thrive embracing environmental, social, and cooperative values.  

Climate change increasingly threatens our planet and disrupts lives. There are accelerating social and economic pressures on individuals and communities. Institutions are grappling with the legacy of colonization and advancing reconciliation. The pace of technological change has profound implications on everyone. All of these forces present both risks and opportunities for Vancity, the communities in which we operate, and our members.

I’m seeking a third term on the Vancity board because I believe businesses fundamentally committed to cooperation, diversity, inclusion, sustainability and reconciliation are crucial to creating the kind of economy and world in which we all thrive. I hope to have your support to continue this work. 

About Brett Collins.

I am, by trade, a data & digital professional, managing and creating digital infrastructure for data-informed decision making. My commmunity work focuses on governance and inclusive support, including: current co-chair of the BC College of Oral Health Professionals’ Quality Assurance Committee, trustee (auditing) of my union local, a former co-chair of the BC NDP’s SOGI Caucus (and therefore a member of the BC NDP Executive), the former President and former Treasurer of the Tri-Cities Pride Society, and a former president of a constituency for the BC NDP, and a riding association for the Federal NDP. 

• Vancity member for 7 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

I am a non-binary settler, focused on giving back to the communities I work and live in. My work focuses on reducing and erasing barriers for members of our communities — I hope to be able to bring this to the Vancity Board.  I hope to bring a worker-centered focus that elevates the needs of the membership, while assuring the long-term viability of the credit union. I have been responsible for financial oversight (as my union local trustee, and as a non-profit’s treasurer), change management (as co-chair of the Quality Assurance Committee for a health regulator), and for high-level steering (as president of a non-profit, as well as president of several political boards). 

Artistic Executive Director, Indian Summer Festival

About Am Johal.

I am a community and cultural leader with experience in government, non-profit, policy, advocacy, environmental movements and arts and culture. I have been Chair of the Vancouver International Film Festival, Indian Summer Festival, 221A, Co-Chair of the Vancity Community Foundation and is a past member of the Vancouver City Planning Commission. For fourteen years, I was the Director of SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement. With collaborators, I published four books and taught in SFU’s Graduate Liberal Studies, School for Contemporary Arts and the Semester in Dialogue. in 2007, I took part in Vancity’s Bologna Cooperative Leadership program. 

• Vancity member for 15 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

I am running for Vancity’s Board of Directors because I believe credit unions play a crucial role in building just and equitable, communities. For three decades, my work in community engagement, social and environmental justice, and cultural leadership has focused on bringing people together to address complex urban challenges. As past Director of SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement and Chair of the Vancouver International Film Festival, I have experience in collaborative governance, public dialogue, and forging partnerships between institutions and grassroots communities. As Executive Artistic Director of the Indian Summer Festival, I value the role of the arts in bringing people together and forging new solidarities.

I bring a values-driven approach grounded in inclusion, environmental responsibility, and economic justice. My background in public policy, community development, and social innovation equips me to contribute critically to Vancity’s strategic direction—ensuring members’ needs remain at the center of decision-making. 

BA, JD, CRM, ICD.D

About Lindsey LeClair.

I am a lawyer by trade and have worked with many different companies through my law firm and as an in-house lawyer over the past 20 years. My scope has expanded beyond legal leadership to include compliance, regulatory and governmental affairs, corporate governance/secretarial services and enterprise risk. I have served as a board member and the chair of the governance committee and advocacy committee for multiple organizations in the past 15 years. I understand the importance of strategic leadership among the executive and board for the success of the organization they serve. I also secured my ICD.D designation in 2024. 

• Vancity member for 13 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

I am a proud Western French Canadian who grew up in Maillardville, the French speaking neighbourhood in Coquitlam, BC. In Maillardville, everyone did their banking with the Caisse Populaire de Maillardville, which later merged with Vancity. Co-operative financial services are in my blood, and I believe credit unions represent the socially responsible and profitable way to bank. I’ve spent my 20-year career enabling my clients’ success, developing expertise in strategic corporate governance, and serving my community. I want to support Vancity and its members in their pursuit of success and being a financial force for change. I believe my expertise and my education make me an excellent candidate to do so. I am fortunate to have family, friends, colleagues and mentors who support my dreams and sucesses. I would be honoured to do the same for my fellow members by ensuring Vancity continues to champion their dreams and successes. 

ICD.D — Director, Canadian Real Estate Association; Past Chair, Vancity Director Remuneration Committee

About Phil Moore.

I bring more than sixteen years of board and governance experience, supported by the ICD.D designation. I have served six years as a Director with The Canadian Real Estate Association, chairing the Audit & Risk, ESG, and REALTOR® Code Committees, and nine years on the Board of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, where I was elected President in 2018. I previously chaired the Director Remuneration Committee for Vancity, gaining direct experience in cooperative governance and accountability. A former Vancouver Police Officer, I have spent my career in service to others, and today I am a REALTOR® and community mentor working with at-risk youth. 

• Vancity member for 36 years.
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Why are you running for the Vancity Board of Directors?

I believe financial institutions have the power to drive meaningful change when decisions are guided by purpose, not profit. I want to serve on the Vancity Board because I share its commitment to equity, sustainability, and community-focused leadership. With sixteen years of governance experience, I understand accountability, fiduciary duty, and the responsibility to act in the best interests of members. I have chaired the Audit & Risk, ESG, REALTOR® Code, and Governance-related committees at the national level, and I previously chaired Vancity’s Director Remuneration Committee. My background as a former Vancouver Police Officer taught me the importance of integrity and public service, and today, as a REALTOR®, I continue that commitment by mentoring at-risk youth through Camp Choice British Columbia and the East End Boys Club. I bring a strong voice for transparency, collaboration, and constructive challenge. I will work to ensure Vancity continues to be a financial force for positive, lasting change.