Regional Advisory Councils

CPHR BC & Yukon is divided into eight geographical regions to maximize our ability to address the needs of our membership and to create an efficient and effective model to offer services and networking opportunities.

Each region is represented by an Advisory Council, who works closely with a Member Relations Manager, and is committed to the delivery of member services as identified through the strategic and operational goals of the association.

For regional breakdowns, please refer to Regional Breakdown By Community.

Central Interior Advisory Council

The Central Interior Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Tim Read

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Tim Read for more information regarding the Central Interior Advisory Council.

Jamie Noakes

Chair & Post-Secondary
Jamie is Co-op Coordinator at Thompson Rivers University. This is her fifth year on the council.

Shirley Nguyen, CPHR Candidate

Administration & Post-Secondary
Shirley is on the council for the fourth year in 2023. She is Director of Human Resources and Staff Development at Axis Family Resources

Chelsea Tuyttens, CPHR Candidate

Vice Chair & Roundtables
Chelsea is a Senior Specialist, Organization Development at the British Columbia Lotteries Corporation and is in her third year on the council.

Connie Georget, CPHR

Mentoring
Connie has over 25 years of experience in human resources. Having been on the advisory council previously, she is currently in the fifth year of her current term in the Central Interior.

Kayla Kapelari, CPHR

Networking
Kayla is Senior HR Generalist at New Gold Inc. and is in her sixth year on the council.

Christine Carlson, CPHR

Membership & Communications
Christine is the Director, Human Resources at the City of Merritt and is in her third year on the council.

Mayuri Arora, CPHR

Membership & Communications
Mayuri is Human Resources Generalist at New Gold Inc. and joins the council for the first time this year.

Please contact Tim Read for more information regarding the Central Interior Advisory Council.

Coastal Vancouver Advisory Council

The Coastal Vancouver Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Quinne Davey

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Quinne Davey for more information regarding the Coastal Vancouver Advisory Council.

Lorelei Russell, CPHR

Chair/Networking
Lorelei Russell is the Director, People Services with Vancouver School District 39.  This will be her third year on council and her first year as advisory council chair.

Vivienne Ho, CPHR

Membership
Vivienne Ho is a People Operations Specialist at PayByPhone . This is her first year on the council as lead for the membership portfolio but her third year volunteering with the membership committee.

Isabelle Godsy, CPHR

Volunteering
Isabelle is a Human Resources and Organization Development Consultant. This will be Isabelle’s third year on the advisory council supporting the volunteering portfolio.

Please contact Quinne Davey for more information regarding the Coastal Vancouver Advisory Council.

Greater Vancouver Advisory Council

Greater Vancouver Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Quinne Davey

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Quinne Davey for more information regarding the Greater Vancouver Advisory Council.

Liana Chang, CPHR

Chair
Liana is HR Director at CloudMD Software & Services Inc. This is her third year on the advisory council and her second year as advisory council chair.

Crystal Pitt, CPHR

Membership
Crystal Pitt is the Director of People and Talent in GolfBC Group. This is Crystal’s third year on council leading the membership portfolio.

Heidi Cheung, CPHR

Mentoring
Heidi is a Senior Clinical Project Manager at Vancouver Coastal Health. This will be Heidi’s third year on council supporting the mentoring portfolio.

Devin Sharma, CPHR Candidate

Networking
Devin Sharma is the Manager of Human Resources for the Musqueam Indian Band. This will be Devin’s second year on council leading the networking portfolio.

Dimpy D’Souza, CPHR

Post-Secondary
Dimpy is currently the Director of HR & Admin with Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre.  This is her second year on council leading the post-secondary portfolio.

Laetitia Lim, CPHR

Volunteers
Laetitia is currently an HR Analyst at BC Hydro.  This will be Laetitia’s first year leading the volunteer portfolio.

Please contact Quinne Davey for more information regarding the Greater Vancouver Advisory Council.

Fraser Valley Advisory Council

The Fraser Valley Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Quinne Davey

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Quinne Davey for more information regarding the Fraser Valley Advisory Council.

Christine Palak, CPHR

Chair
Christine Palak is an Instructor for Kwantlen Polytechnic University and a Strategic HR Business Partner for Simon Fraser University. This will be Christine’s third year on the Fraser Valley Advisory Council and her second year as advisory council chair.

Stacey Pittakidis, CPHR

Membership
Stacey is the Assistant HR Advisor with the Township of Langley. This is Stacey’s second year leading the membership portfolio.

Tanya Tortorella, CPHR

Volunteers
Tanya Tortorella is currently the Human resources Manager for Penfolds Roofing and Solar. This is Tanya’s third year leading the volunteer portfolio.

Pardeep Brar, CPHR

Awards
Pardeep currently holds a Human Resources management position within the local government.  This is her second year on the advisory council and third year supporting the awards portfolio.

Margaret Tam, CPHR

Post-Secondary
Margaret is Vice President, Operations at Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. This is her second year with the council as lead for the post-secondary portfolio.

Please contact Quinne Davey for more information regarding the Fraser Valley Advisory Council.

Northern Advisory Council

The Northern Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Tim Read

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Tim Read for more information regarding the Northern Advisory Council.

Andrea Born, CPHR

Chair
Andrea is Director of Human Resources at School District #57 . She is in her second year a Chair and fourth year on the council.

Kathleen Soltis, CPHR

Membership
Kathleen has wide experience in many areas of human resources and now consults in the field.  This is her second year on the council.

Renata Hammond, CPHR

Membership & Post Secondary
Renata is Manager of Human Resources at the Regional District of Fraser Fort George. She joins the advisory council for the first time this year.

Binny Johal, CPHR

Networking 
Binny is a Human Resources Specialist at Carrier Sekani Family Services and is in her fourth year on the council.

Sherrie Little, CPHR

Communications
Sherrie operates the HR consulting firm Bear Human Resource Services, and joins the advisory council for the fifth year.

Sherri Lamothe, CPHR Candidate

Advisor 
Sherri is the Human Resources/Safety Manger at TW Industrial Group and joins the council for the first time this year.

Please contact Tim Read for more information regarding the Northern Advisory Council.

Southern Interior Advisory Council

The Southern Interior Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Tim Read

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Tim Read for more information regarding the Southern Interior Advisory Council.

Tricia Deere, CPHR

Chair, Membership & Communications
Tricia is Owner of Pick of the Crop Consulting Ltd.. Having been on the advisory council previously, she is in her third year of her current term on the council and first as Chair.

Adrianna Stange, CPHR Candidate

Vice Chair, Post Secondary
Adrianna is a Managing Consultant for VX Search Group Inc. Having been on the advisory council previously, she has rejoined for 2023.

Angela McLean, CPHR Candidate

Networking & Post Secondary
Angela is the Compensation Consultant at UBC Okanagan and joins the Advisory Council for the second year.

Dominique Frost, CPHR Candidate

Networking
Dominique is a Recruiter for Interior Health Authority and is in her third year on the advisory council.

Jennifer Van Aller, CPHR Candidate

Membership & Communications
Jennifer is a Recruiter for Interior Health and is in her second year on the advisory council.

Heather Walker, CPHR

Mentorship
Heather is Director of HR & Operations at Dolden Wallace Folick LLP and joins the council for the first time in 2023.

Please contact Tim Read for more information regarding the Southern Interior Advisory Council.

Vancouver Island Advisory Council

The Vancouver Island Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Carolyne Taylor

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Carolyne Taylor for more information regarding the Vancouver Island Advisory Council.

Tammy Khanna, CPHR

Chair + Membership
Tammy is the Executive Director at the Independent Living Housing Society in Victoria, BC.  She has been on the Vancouver Island Advisory Council since 2019.  Member Profile.

Ilka Bene, CPHR

Awards
Ilka is a seasoned HR Pro holding her CPHR since 2002, and was recognized as the HR Professional of the Year in 2017. She has been on the Vancouver Island Advisory Council since 2019.

Jocelin Caldwell

Mentoring
Jocelin is an HR Consultant, Workplace Facilitator and Career Coach with Reimagine Work. She has been on the Advisory Council since 2018.

Crystal Wood, CPHR Candidate

School Liaison
Crystal has been a member of CPHR BC & Yukon since 2012 and on the VI Advisory Council since 2017.

Sharde Long, CPHR

Volunteering
Sharde is the Head of People Operations at Power to Be Adventure Therapy.  She has been on the VI Advisory Council since 2019.

Megan Bailey, CPHR

Advisor + Nanaimo Liaison
Megan is an HR Advisor with Vancouver Island University (VIU) and has been on the Vancouver Island Advisory Council since 2020.

Dale Samsanoff, CPHR

Advisor
Dale is the Chair of the Management and Human Resources Department at Camosun College and has been on the Vancouver Island Advisory Council since 2020.

Bryan Webber, CPHR

Advisor
Bryan is Assistant Dean of Business at the Vancouver Island University and has been on the Vancouver Island Advisory Council since 2017.

Please contact Carolyne Taylor for further information regarding the Vancouver Island Advisory Council.

Yukon Advisory Council

The Yukon Advisory Council handles the planning and implementation of local CPHR BC & Yukon activities and is made up of members representing a broad range of HR experience levels and areas of practice.

Rita Koeller, CPHR

Member Relations Manager
Please contact Rita Koeller, CPHR for more information regarding the Yukon Advisory Council.

Roxane Larouche, CPHR

Chair
Roxane was one of the first Yukoners to get her CPHR designation and has over 25 years of experience in the Human Resources field in both private and public sectors. She retired as Director, Human Resources at Yukon Hospital Corporation in 2017 and is currently the President of RJ People Consulting, a human resources consulting company in Whitehorse, Yukon. Roxane is also the Co-chair of the Recruitment & Employee Retention Committee. She also serves as an adjudicator for the Yukon Human Rights Commission Panel of Adjudicators.

Lisa Beck, CPHR

Lisa is the Director of Human Resources at Northwestel, she has a BA in Liberal and Business Studies from SFU with a focus on post-graduate studies in Strategic HR Management and Values-Based Leadership. She has a diverse background in both public and private sector companies globally. Lisa is excited about continuing to enhance professional development opportunities that deliver results for the HR community in the Yukon.

Jillian Hardie

Jillian Hardie is the Executive Director and CEO for Challenge Disability Resource Group and Career Industries. She has a background in Special Education from Okanagan University and Human Resource Management and Labour Relations from Athabasca University and is passionate about coming in the two fields. Overseeing the operations of Yukon’s largest NGO dedicated to supporting persons with a variety of disabilities gives Jillian an unique perspective on disability management, staff training and development and Policy implementation.

Kirk Malach, CPHR

Kirk is a Human Resources Consultant with the Department of Education in the Yukon Government. He has been working in the Human Resources field since 2012 in a variety of capacities including Recruitment, Disability Management, and Labour Relations. Kirk holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce majoring in Human Resource Management from the University of Saskatchewan and obtained his CPHR designation in 2016. He has been a member of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Saskatchewan (formerly Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals) since 2008 and recently became a member of the CPHR BC & Yukon chapter after moving to Whitehorse in 2017. Kirk looks forward to bringing his experiences and ideas to the Yukon Advisory Council.

Sasha Sywulsky, CPHR

Sasha is the Corporate Accommodation Staffing Consultant with the Public Service Commission of Yukon Government. She has been directly involved in the field of Human Resources for five years, but brings several years of management and union representation experience prior to that. In her current role, she specializes in out-of-occupation accommodations and disability management, and also has extensive experience in recruitment, labour relations, collective bargaining, and strategic planning. Sasha holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership as well as a Graduate Certificate in Leadership. She looks forward to promoting CPHR as the organization of choice for HR professionals and leaders.

Uche Okpalugo, CPHR

Uche is the Human Resources Superintendent at Goldcorp Coffee Project, he has a Bachelor of Management in Human Resources & Labor Relations, University of Lethbridge and an MBA from the University of Bradford, England. He has a diverse mining, public and private sector experience, both locally and globally. Uche possess the CPHR and SHRM-SCP designations and his experience in the Northwest Territories will be transferable in contributing to the development of Human Resources in the Yukon.

Silvia Richards

Silvia is a Human Resource Consultant with the Department of Justice of Yukon government. She is in the process of completing her HR degree this spring but has several years of HR experience in Yukon and Alberta, in both the private and public sector. She is passionate about her work and the future of HR in Yukon and has an appetite for continued professional development. Silvia is very excited to be a part of Yukon’s Advisory Council and the work to come.

Brittni Dieno, CPHR Candidate

Brittni recently moved to the Yukon and is working as a Human Resources Generalist with the City of Whitehorse as of January 2019. Passionate about people and business, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree specializing in Human Resources Management and a Bachelor of Arts concentrating in Psychology and Sociology.  Since 2014, she has a range of knowledge and experience across many HR disciplines as an advisor and generalist within government, the performing arts and the construction industry from Alberta, British Columbia, and now the Yukon! She is results oriented, energetic, and excited to be part of the Yukon Advisory Council.

Please contact Rita Koeller for more information regarding the Yukon Advisory Council.

Advisory Council Background & Volunteer Requirements

The purpose of an Advisory Council is to combine the skills and talents of CPHR BC & Yukon members and staff to:

  • Align regional initiatives with the overall strategic direction of the provincial Association.
  • Identify and meet the needs of local members by ensuring Association services are tailored to meet any regional needs, while striving to achieve a provincially consistent member experience.
  • Act as a conduit of information between the members and the Association to consistently deliver effective member services.
  • Enhance the growth of the CPHR BC & Yukon and the membership within the geographic regions.
  • Interface with business and local community to increase the profile of both the Association and the human resources profession.

Each Advisory Council is comprised of an executive and a number of portfolios.

  • Chair – leads the regional Advisory Council to fulfill the mandate of CPHR BC & Yukon.  Plays a key role in planning, implementing and evaluating initiatives in their region.
  • Vice-Chair – is the Past or Incoming Chair.  Assists the Chair.  Acts as a Mentor/Coach for first year Advisory Council members.
  • CPHR BC & Yukon Member Relations Manager – responsible for the regional delivery of all CPHR BC & Yukon programs and services to the membership and relevant community stakeholders.  Works to maximize member value, enhance membership growth and raise the profile of the Association, the CPHR designation and the HR profession.
  • Awards – Support the promotion of the CPHR BC & Yukon provincial awards program by creating awareness of awards program and nomination procedure/information.
  • CPHR & Professional Development – Contribute to the identification of member development needs.  Assists with the provision of products and services to meet identified needs.
  • Membership – Support the execution and development of initiatives to increase membership through the combination of new member recruitment, orientation and member engagement activities.
  • Mentoring – Provide on-going support to the program participants in the CPHR BC & Yukon Professional Mentoring Program.
  • Networking – Create and work with others in the delivery of opportunities that allow for meaningful connection, information sharing, celebration and recognition.
  • School Liaison – Promote the profession of HR to students and encourage students to connect with the HR community.
  • Volunteering – Work with AC member to create meaningful volunteer opportunities for members.  Recruit place, and retain volunteers to support program and service delivery in the region.

All Advisory Council volunteers are expected to:

  • be a CPHR BC & Yukon member in good standing.
  • make a commitment to the council for at least one year.
  • attend monthly meetings and a variety of regional events.

actively participate in the Council’s initiatives by leading and supporting a team of volunteers to meet their portfolio requirements.

Expression of Interest – Advisory Council Member

The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia and Yukon (CPHR BC & Yukon) regional Advisory Councils strive to expand and improve services offered to CPHR BC & Yukon members within the association’s regions. In order to represent the broader membership, each Advisory Council aims to have representatives from a variety of industries, organizations and communities.  

Expressions of interest to join the volunteer Advisory Council Members are accepted on an ongoing basis, with new roles beginning, for the most part, in January of each calendar year.

  • Our Vision: Recognized as ‘The Place’ for Leading People Practices 
  • Our Mission: Keep people first in the decisions of leaders 
  • Mandate:  Promote and enhance the profession and advance member value.

Advisory Councils help to support CPHR BC & Yukon in the provision of a variety of professional development opportunities, networking opportunities, and other programs for its members. Events offer peer support, social contact and the opportunities to learn about current human resources issues and legislation.  

Advisory Councils typically meet periodically in-person and are active throughout the year via other forms of communication. Council Members act as ambassadors of CPHR BC & Yukon, lead specific tasks and projects pertaining to their skills and interests, and must be current members of the Association.  

Members of the Advisory Council are expected to attend a good proportion of events operating in the region. There are several benefits of volunteering for council membership, such as discounts on some events in the region, plus time volunteered contributes to CPD credits. A minimum one-year term is expected with a maximum term of six years.

Please refer to our website for more information about Advisory Council regions or if you are unsure of what region you fall in: https://cphrbc.ca/about-cphrbc/regions/ as well as to familiarize yourself with the different portfolios/roles that the AC supports.

The number and type of opportunities open within each Advisory Council will vary regionally. All candidates will be assessed by the appropriate regional Advisory Council members on requisite knowledge, skills, experience, fit to available portfolios, previous engagement and level of activity/involvement with the association, diversity of council (industry, sector, organization, field and level of practice, geography etc.), and the required levels of credibility and integrity.

Please provide a resume and cover letter outlining your relevant work experience, volunteer experience, values, interests, what appeals to you about this volunteering opportunity overall as well as what region you are applying.  Please email your application to membership@cphrbc.ca with the subject line: Advisory Council Application – REGION – YOUR NAME 

Any information provided to the Advisory Council or CPHR BC & Yukon staff as part of this process will be managed in accordance with the CPHR BC & Yukon’s privacy policy and any associated legislation.