New Appointments to Victoria Foundation Board

For Immediate Release
February 14, 2018

Victoria, B.C. – 2018 brings some new faces to the Victoria Foundation Board as Patrick Kelly completes his term as Board Chair and Dr. Grace Wong Sneddon takes over the role. Meanwhile, James Darke has been appointed Vice Chair, and three new community members have joined the board as Directors, including Lori Elder, Michael Cridge and Zaman Velji.

Born and raised in Victoria, Dr. Grace Wong Sneddon is the Director of Academic Leadership Initiatives at the University of Victoria, responsible for professional development for senior leaders. She is also the Adviser to the Provost on Equity and Diversity, tasked with creating a campus-wide culture of respect that values diversity, equity and inclusion. She has an Interdisciplinary PhD in Anthropology and Pacific and Asian Studies and is an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Art History and Visual Studies and an associate fellow in the Centre of the Studies of Religion and Society, both at UVic. She also volunteers as vice-chair of the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation, treasurer of the Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association and member of the Triumf Management Board.

Lori Elder is a communications professional with over 25 years of experience in public relations, project management, and business development in the government, corporate and non-profit sectors. She is the Principal of PR4Good, and Marketing Lead, Digital / Online Media for BC Colleges. An avid volunteer, she currently sits on the Board of TLC Fund for Kids and is the Victoria Community Leader for a social enterprise called Mealshare.

Michael Cridge joined the Bank of Montreal in 1980 and is currently Director & Senior Private Banker with BMO’s office in Victoria. Michael has been active in the business and non-profit field in Victoria for a number of years and is currently President with the Cridge Centre for the Family (on the board since 1997) and member of the Victoria Capital Club, as well as being active on the boards of other charities. Michael has been a member of the Victoria Foundation Finance Committee since 2013

Professionally, Zaman Velji focuses on the oversight and governance of private company investments in the infrastructure sector for the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation. Previously, he was a consultant with McKinsey & Company serving institutional investors including foundations and also worked in international development as part of the Aga Khan Development Network.

New board members fill the positions recently vacated by Jo-Ann Roberts, Karen DeMeo and Rasool Rayani. Patrick Kelly will remain on the board as Past Chair, while Deirdre Roberts remains president of the Foundation’s Honorary Governors. Other continuing board members include Vice Chair James Darke Treasurer Kyman Chan, Mia Maki, Mary Mouat, Carey Newman and Ian Wong.

The Victoria Foundation’s 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.

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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 almost $200 million in people, projects and non-profit organizations that strengthen communities in BC and throughout Canada.

Photos

Available to download for publication: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/gzo9uhmd20af8tp/AAD46RV5WFS0vfqd4Dad-l8La?dl=0

Media contact:
Robert Janus, Director of Communications
Victoria Foundation
250.381.5532      C. 250.886.6112 E. rjanus@victoriafoundation.bc.ca