2022 Victoria Foundation Board of Directors, Committee, and Staffing Changes
Victoria, B.C. – The Victoria Foundation is pleased to announce changes for the board of directors, committees, and staff.
The people serving on the board of directors and committees for the Foundation do so on a volunteer basis. We are thankful to our volunteers for their time and commitment to the community.
Board of Director Updates
Our volunteer board of directors serve for a three-year term for a maximum of two terms. The Victoria Foundation was created through an Act of the BC Legislature, and all new board members are appointed by a majority of the appointers as stipulated by the Act. These appointers include a judge of the Supreme Court sitting in Victoria, the Mayor of the City of Victoria, the President of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Greater Victoria, the President of the Victoria Medical Society, and the President of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.
A full list of our board of director is available here: https://victoriafoundation.bc.ca/about-us/board-of-directors/
New Board Chair – Rajiv K. Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi starts his two-year term as board chair in January 2022.
Rajiv’s bio:
Rajiv is originally from the east coast of Canada, having been born and raised in Nova Scotia. He obtained a Bachelor of Science from Dalhousie University in 1994 and his law degree from the University of Victoria in 1997. He was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1998. Rajiv lives in Victoria with his wife and daughters. He represents clients throughout British Columbia and beyond, with a focus on corporate and commercial financing, wealth planning, high technology transactions and land development. Rajiv also advises a number of institutional, commercial and academic organizations in the areas of intellectual property (including copyright and trademark registration and enforcement, technology acquisitions, cooperation agreements and technology transfers), employment law, restructuring, governance, financing and cross border transactions.
Outgoing Board Chair – Zaman Velji
Zaman Velji completed his two-year term as board chair and remains a member of the Victoria Foundation Board of Directors. Zaman played an integral role with the Foundation, especially during the response to COVID-19. We thank Zaman for his time and contributions to the Victoria Foundation.
New Board of Director – Tamara Napoleon
Tamara Napoleon is joining the Victoria Foundation Board of Directors to start their term.
Tamara’s bio:
Tamara is a member of Saulteau First Nations, and she co-leads Miller Titerle + Co’s Indigenous Law Group. Tamara’s Indigenous law practice focuses on economic development, government-to-government agreements, corporate structuring, the implementation of Indigenous rights and title and natural resource regulation. Her previous legal experience in general corporate commercial law and infrastructure projects provide clients with a more expansive business perspective.
Tamara shares her skills with the BC Cancer Foundation Board of Directors and her own Nation’s economic development entity, the Mistahiya Group of Companies. She is also former Vice President of the Aboriginal Mothers Centre Society, director of Vancouver Native Health Society and Governor of the Justice Institute of BC. Tamara was recognized in 2020 as a Lexpert Rising Star, one of the leading lawyers under 40 in Canada.
End of term for Board of Directors – Carey Newman
Carey Newman has concluded the maximum six-year term on the Victoria Foundation Board of Directors. The Foundation thanks Carey for his contributions to the community.
Honorary Governors President
Former board chair Dr. Grace Wong Sneddon is starting her term as the Victoria Foundation Honorary Governors President. Grace takes over the role from Rasool Rayani, also a past board chair of the Victoria Foundation, who has come to the end of his term. We thank Rasool for his time and commitment.
Committee Updates
Changes to the Victoria Foundation’s committee members are listed below:
- Victoria Pang leaves the Victoria Foundation Finance and Audit Committee having completed her maximum six-year term.
- Clark Lawrence has joined the Victoria Foundation Finance and Audit Committee.
- Ruth Young is joining the Victoria Foundation Community Engagement Committee.
- Carey Newman leaves the Victoria Foundation Community Engagement Committee after completing his maximum six-year term on the board of directors.
A full list of the Victoria Foundation’s committee members is available here: https://victoriafoundation.bc.ca/about-us/committee-members/
Staffing Updates
In 2021, the Victoria Foundation welcomed the following new staff members to the organization.
- Hayleigh Chafe – Granting Initiatives Associate
- Jaime Clifton-Ross – Marketing and Communications Coordinator
- Jonathon Dyck – Director of Communications and Community Engagement
- Karen McMillan – Philanthropic Services Administrator
- Karen Ng – Senior Accountant
- Maria Campos – Administrative Assistant, Special Funds
- Roxann Corpuz – Graphic Designer and Multimedia Specialist
- Scott Antaya – Special Funds Administrative Assistant
The Victoria Foundation sends its best wishes to the following to the following staff who have moved onto other opportunities since the start of 2021:
- Cindy Dunphy
- Kate Donahue
- Kyle Wells (last day February 18, 2022)
- Patrick Makokoro
A full list of the Victoria Foundation staff team is available here: https://victoriafoundation.bc.ca/about-us/staff/
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Background
Established in 1936, the Victoria Foundation is Canada’s second oldest community foundation and the sixth largest of nearly 200 nation-wide. The Victoria Foundation manages charitable gifts from donors whose generosity allows them to create permanent, income-earning funds. The proceeds from these funds are then distributed as grants for charitable or educational purposes. To date the Victoria Foundation has invested over $269 million in people, projects and non-profit organizations that strengthen communities in BC and throughout Canada.
Media contact:
Jonathon Dyck, Director of Communications and Community Engagement
Victoria Foundation
C. 250.883.9431 E. jdyck@victoriafoundation.bc.ca