Our Board and Leadership Team

Kirsten is the Managing Partner of EY’s Canadian Government and Public Sector practice. Prior to this appointment she served as the firm’s Global Government and Public Sector Advisory leader where she sat on the global sector executive team and drove solution development and investment strategy in the public sector in over 100 countries. Her personal passion and specialist expertise is in supporting governments and public entities through complex public policy change and transformation.

She has nearly 25 years of experience in advising clients around the world on designing and executing complex transformation programs. She brings a combination of strategy, hands-on complex program execution experience, and a deep understanding in the role of human capital in driving change.

Previous experience includes serving the Province of British Columbia as a Deputy Minister reporting to the Premier’s Office responsible for driving public sector modernization. She led a portfolio of over $2.4B worth of projects which delivered over $500M in savings as well as service transformation to the Province.  Prior to that she was the Vancouver Managing Partner for Korn/Ferry and recognized thought leader and frequent speaker on trends in executive talent management and leadership, board diversity, and public sector governance and transformation. Kirsten also serves on the board of Smart Prosperity, a national think tank and research centre dedicated to accelerating Canada’s clean innovation and growth.  

John is Vice President of W.P.J. McCarthy and Company Ltd. where he is responsible for all leasing and management of the firm’s privately held real estate portfolio. He also represents selected third-party clients as a broker and consultant and is active and experienced in all real estate asset classes.

John currently sits on the Burnaby Hospital Fundraising Cabinet Committee and was appointed to the BC Cancer Foundation Board of Directors in 2018.

John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (with distinction) and a Diploma of Technology in Marketing Management, both from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). John holds Fellow of the Real Estate Institute and Certified Leasing Officer designations through the Real Estate Institute of Canada, holds the RI designation as a fellow of the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia, and is a Real Estate Trading Services Licensee through the Sauder School of Business at UBC.

In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He enjoys several sports, most notably basketball, and is passionate about reading and traveling. John lives in Burnaby with his wife Alaiza.

Alex Blodgett operates BK Capital, a Vancouver-based investment banking boutique that sources growth capital and advises companies on mergers and acquisitions.  His capital markets exposure has been augmented by experience operating a number of both public and private manufacturing, technology and service companies.

Alex has been a long term supporter of BC Cancer. In the midst of that support tenure, he, his wife and his five sons became intimately familiar with BC Cancer when he was diagnosed with Stage IV non-hodgkin’s lymphoma.  With a very poor prognosis, the Blodgett’s developed a very deep and personal appreciation for the thoroughness, thoughtfulness and professionalism of everyone at BC Cancer, and understand the value, first-hand, how research saves lives.

Alex has participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer in each of the last six years, the most recent two with Daryl’s Heidelberg Hope team, who have raised money and awareness with a clear intent to bring radioligand therapy to North America as the fourth weapon in the cancer arsenal.

Michael serves as Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management Ltd (PH&N) having joined PH&N’s Fixed Income team in 1994. Michael currently overseas a $7.0B mortgage investment program at PH&N. Michael began his career in Toronto as a financial analyst within the investment department of Canada Life. Subsequently, he spent nine years in the pension investment department of Shell Canada; the last five of which were as the Senior Fixed Income Specialist. He has been a Director of CMLS Financial Ltd since 2002. Michael is a Chartered Financial Analyst and obtained a B.Comm degree with Honours from the Queens University. 

Michael is an ardent supporter of the Foundation having participated in the Vancouver Ride to Conquer Cancer for the past decade and having attended numerous special events in support of the work being done at BC Cancer. In 2008 Michael’s mother passed away from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and when the Ride for 2009 was announced it was his three daughters that convinced him to do the Ride with them. Michael has ridden each year since with at least one, if not all, of his daughters riding as well.

Neil is a geologist with 25 years of extensive international experience in exploration, mining and resource evaluation. He is currently the Vice President of Technical Services at Wheaton Precious Metals where he is responsible for the technical review of potential precious metals stream financing opportunities. He has been with the company since 2008 and prior to Wheaton, Neil held numerous positions with mining and consulting firms.

Neil holds a master’s degree in mineral exploration from Queen’s University and is a registered Professional Geologist with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia.

Neil is an avid cyclist and has participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer every year since 2010 and is a founding member of the Silver Bullets team.

Jessica is Portfolio Manager at CIBC Wood Gundy who holds her Chartered Investment Manager and Personal Financial Planner designations. As a portfolio manager, Jessica focuses on the wealth management needs for individual, foundation and business clients. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Royal Roads University and a Business diploma from Camosun College.

Jessica has been an active volunteer in her community since a young age. As a child she spent weekends visiting seniors in Long Term Care and during college she volunteered at the Victoria Women’s Transition House. Jessica also spent four years as a Police Reserve Constable with the Victoria Police Department. Jessica and her family are passionate longtime supporters of BC Cancer. Both of Jessica’s parents are cancer survivors and, in an effort to give back and give thanks, she became involved with the Foundation in 2018, serving on the advisory council.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys hiking, cycling, the occasional family kitchen dance, and spending quality time with her family and friends. Jessica lives in Victoria with her husband Ian and two young children, Charlie and Ophelia.

Dr. Kim Nguyen Chi is Vice President & Chief Medical Officer at BC Cancer. As a medical oncologist and clinical researcher, his research is in the area of genitourinary cancers with a focus on prostate cancer and investigational new drugs, including outcomes, Phase I-III clinical trials, neoadjuvant studies and mechanisms of treatment resistance. He has had peer-reviewed grant funding from the Canada Institutes of Health Research, National Cancer Institute of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, the US Department of Defense, Movember and the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada.

Described as an extraordinary philanthropist and volunteer, Lynda has worked professionally in the public service, and has considerable experience in the private and non-profit sectors. A Victoria resident, Lynda has recently been co-chair of two significant fundraising campaigns on Vancouver Island and has also worked with the Ministry of Health. 

Lynda has been recognized in her community with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and she and her husband were recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce in 2016. Lynda and her family have been longtime supporters of the BC Cancer Foundation.   

Neil is the Vice President of Operations at A & W Food Services of Canada, the second largest quick service hamburger chain in Canada.  Neil began his career at A & W while in high school and over the past 40 plus years has worked in various roles and cities before settling in Vernon, B.C. in 1998. 

Neil has worked in marketing analysis and operating system creation prior to assuming his current role where he leads a team of 50 people providing operations support to 900+ restaurants across Canada.  Since 2014, Neil has served on the business advisory board at The Centre for Services Leadership, a part of the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

Geoffrey Glotman, Managing Principal of Glotman•Simpson, is a senior engineer with more than 30 years of experience in structural engineering and business administration. Since 1984, Geoffrey has provided strategic planning, direction and leadership for the firm.  He has worked on many of British Columbia’s largest projects including the Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver Olympic Village, our own BC Cancer Research Facility, The Gordon + Leslie Diamond Health Centre at VGH, Electronic Arts (Canada) Inc.’s Canadian Headquarters, One Wall Centre and numerous West Coast Reduction projects.

Geoffrey’s expertise, dedication and commitment to quality extends well beyond business and into community. He is the founding sponsor of the Glotman•Simpson Cycling Club, whose vision is dedicated to supporting research in finding a cure for pancreatic cancer. The annual fundraising event, The Cypress Challenge, a hill climb up Cypress Mountain, has raised more than $2.5M since its inception in 2007 and is the largest community event in BC for the BC Cancer Foundation.

Lana is a Chartered Professional Accountant and is currently an assurance partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where she has been since 2000.  In her role, she works with companies to complete annual financial statements audits, as well as assisting with debt and equity financings, acquisitions, securities filings, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and IFRS application. 

Lana has been a director for the Mining Suppliers Association of B.C. since 2013. 

In 2015, Lana was honoured by the Association for Women in Finance with a PEAK Rising Star award.

Alice Laberge is currently a corporate director of the Royal Bank of Canada, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Russel Metals and the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB). She previously was chair of SilverBirch Holdings Inc. and a director of Delta Hotels, BC Hydro, Catalyst Paper and Fincentric Corporation.

In addition to her role as director with the Foundation, Alice is currently also on the committee of the Institute of Corporate Directors (BC Chapter).

Alice was President and Chief Executive Officer of Fincentric Corporation until 2005 and prior to this appointment she was its Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Fincentric in 2000, Alice was Senior Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer at MacMillan Bloedel Limited and was with MacMillan Bloedel for more than 18 years. 

Alice has been honoured with the PEAK Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association of Women in Finance, received the Influential Women in Business Award and presented with the Institute of Corporate Directors 2015 ICD Fellowship Award.

Murray is Executive Vice President and Director at Odlum Brown, a full-service investment management firm headquartered in Vancouver. As a Chartered Financial Analyst with over 25 years of investment industry experience, Murray formulates the firm's economic outlook and equity investment strategy, in addition to running the Research Department and covering individual companies. Murray serves as Chair of Simon Fraser University’s Investment Advisory Committee, and is a member of SFU’s Responsible Investment Committee. He is an external advisor to the Vancouver School of Theology Foundation and is on the Board of Cloverdale Paint.

Benoit Morin, President and CEO PHSA, is a senior executive leader with more than 20 years’ experience working in health care, academia and research. He brings with him a rich and diverse formal education: He holds an executive MBA from Queen’s University and a Ph.D. in health ethics and law from the University of Toronto, has a CPA designation (Certified Professional Accountant) and is trained in mindful leadership. 

Benoit is frequently described as a humanist leader with talent for building strong, highly engaged teams. He is experienced in navigating the challenges related to health care administration, including transformation, consolidation and service integration, and creating space for innovation through both technology and authentic human connection. 

Ju has been involved with the Foundation since 2015, serving as one of the founding members of the Hope Couture Committee.  She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and has experience in the hospitality as well as the property development industry.  She has previously served on the Advancement Committee at St. George’s School. 

Born and raised in Singapore, Ju has lived in Vancouver for over 30 years. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, music and traveling the world with her husband and two teenage sons. 

Rachel was most recently Senior Vice President, Corporate Development for O’Neill Hotels & Resorts and was responsible for investments, acquisitions, dispositions and corporate development for the company and its portfolio of companies. Prior to joining O’Neill Hotels & Resorts,  Rachel was the Senior Director Business Development and Asset Management with Vancouver Airport Services, and prior to that, Director of Acquisitions for Intrawest. Rachel qualified as a Barrister (England and Wales) and was an Investment Banking Associate with KPMG Corporate Finance, and then Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in London, prior to moving to Canada in 2004. She is the immediate past chair of the Vancouver Club. Rachel has been involved with the Foundation since 2014, serving on the Inspiration Gala Committee.