Nini Baird

C.M., Chair

Nini Baird has long been recognized as arts administrator and advocate, with management experience in the arts, post-secondary education and educational broadcasting, as well as corporate and private philanthropy. She has worked on the municipal, provincial, federal and international levels. A former Canada Council Board member and Chair of the BC Arts Council, she currently serves as Chair, Knowledge Network Corporation; Chair, TELUS Vancouver Community Board; and Chair, TELUS Fund, a national independent production fund focussing on health and wellness content for multiple platforms.

Ms. Baird’s BC post-secondary career spanned Simon Fraser University (Director, Centre for Communications and the Arts); Emily Carr College (now University) of Art and Design (Director, Outreach Programs); and Open Learning Agency/Knowledge Network (Director, Programming).

In 1993 she was named a member of the Order of Canada and in 2012 received the Diamond Jubilee Medal. She has received numerous awards including in 2015 an LL.D.(Hon.) from Simon Fraser University, the 2013 Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award (Arts and Communications category) from the Women’s Executive Network (WXN); the Keith Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership from Canadian Conference of the Arts and the President’s 40th Anniversary Award from Simon Fraser University. She holds a BA in Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.

Appointed for a two-year term ending July 31, 2018.

Wendy Heshka

Vice Chair

Wendy Heshka is a business, marketing, and communication consultant to public and private sector clients across Canada. She is known for guiding strategic response to organizational challenges, building relationships with diverse audiences, and helping to achieve measurable outcomes. Ms. Heshka holds a master’s degree in educational leadership, professional accreditation from the International Association of Business Communicators, certification by Facilitation First, and numerous international awards for marketing communication strategies. In addition to Knowledge Network, she also serves on the Board of Directors for Thompson Rivers University Alumni Association. In 2009 Canadian Business Magazine named her one of Canada’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs.

Appointed for a seventeen month term ending December 31, 2017.

Chamkaur Cheema

Chamkaur Cheema has a broad range of experience in both the private and public sector. He has been an Instructor with the School of Business at Kwantlen Polytechnic University since 1997. Besides teaching in the Entrepreneurial Leadership program, Mr. Cheema serves on the University Senate. His current and past board experience also includes the Insurance Council of BC, B.C. Original Minds Association, the governing body of Destination Imagination B.C, CMABC, Leadership Vancouver, and the Langara College Foundation Board.

Besides post-secondary education, Mr. Cheema has substantial experience in several industries including; finance, real estate, technology, retail marketing, and consulting. In addition to his teaching duties, he is the Principle of Chip Properties, a holding company that specializes in small multifamily apartments. In the past, Mr. Cheema was the Principal of HeadStart Business Solutions, a Senior Manager with HSBC Bank Canada, President of Great Ideas Marketing, and a marketing representative with IBM Canada.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria and a Masters of Business Administration from Queen's University.

Appointed for three year term ending December 31, 2019.

Jan Lindsay

Dr. Jan Lindsay has an extensive career in B.C. post-secondary system as both a faculty member and College administrator.  Dr. Lindsay began her career as a faculty member at Langara College.  She subsequently moved to Selkirk College where she taught and served as Department Head before returning to the lower mainland in 2000 to take on the positon of Dean of the Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies at Douglas College.  In 2004 Dr. Lindsay became Vice President Education at Douglas College.  In this role Dr. Lindsay led the transformation of Douglas College from a diploma granting college to a degree granting college. This was a period of extensive program development which resulted in development of nine applied degree programs and 16 new certificate, diploma or post degree diploma programs.  In September 2009 Dr. Lindsay took on the role of President at North Island College.  In this capacity she led the development and implementation of a new Strategic Plan for the College. This Plan produced increased post-secondary education opportunities for people living in the College region through formation of key partnerships with regional, national and international post-secondary institutions, expanded programming for aboriginal and international students and the development of new programs and research opportunities.

Dr. Lindsay retired from North Island College in September 2013 and is currently serving as a Director on the Knowledge Network Corporation Board and as a Trustee on the Board of Governors for the Professional School of Psychology University based out of Sacramento California.  Dr. Lindsay is also involved with consulting work relative to Executive Coaching, Leadership Development and Strategic Planning.

Appointed for a three-year term ending July 31, 2018.

Tony Knox

Tony Knox is a barrister and solicitor, who has practiced business, mining and aboriginal law in two of Canada's largest law firms, Borden & Elliot in Toronto, now Borden, Ladner, Gervais LLP, and McCarthy Tetrault LLP. He now practices law under the name Knox & Co. Mr. Knox is the former Chairman of both Committee 3 (Indigenous Peoples and Development) of the International Bar Association and the Business Law Section of the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. He is Past President of the Vancouver Oxford and Cambridge Society, President of Early Music Vancouver and a Director of the Tribal Resources Investment Corporation. He has published a number of articles relating to topics in aboriginal law and is currently working on a book about the Canadian Law of Reconciliation. Mr. Knox holds a BA from the University of Victoria, an LLB from Dalhousie University and a PhD from Cambridge University.

Appointed for a two-year term ending July 31, 2018.

Debbie MacMillan

Debbie MacMillan is an independent consultant whose area of expertise is event organization and management with a focus on supporting charitable organizations. Previously, she worked as a Training and Methods Analyst for the Bank of Montreal travelling throughout Western Canada. Active in the community, Ms. MacMillan has volunteered her time with various organizations including, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Ballet Kelowna, The Nature Trust of BC, the Rotary Centre for the Arts, Mission Creek Greenway, the Fire Recovery Task Force and the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is currently a member of the Okanagan Chefs Association (OCA) and is Chair of Chefs in the Classroom – edible education, an initiative of the OCA.

Appointed for a seventeen month term ending December 31, 2017.

Gerry Martin

For 36 years Gerry Martin and his partner owned Northern Drugs Ltd. a chain of independent drug stores operating in Northwestern B.C. Gerry is a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and has served on the Board of the B.C. Pharmacy Association and is a Past President of the Chain Drug Association of B.C. He was awarded Pharmacy’s Bowl of Hygeia Award for outstanding service to his community. Throughout his business career Gerry has been active in a number of community endeavors both at the local and provincial level. He received a Paul Harris Fellowship for his service in Rotary and is a Governor and Fellow of the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Gerry is a past member of the Premier’s Technology Council, was a member of the B.C. Jobs and Investment Board, on the Advisory Council to the B.C. Agenda for Shared Prosperity, is the former Chair of the British Columbia Progress Board, is a member and Past Chair of KTIDS Northwest and presently serves on the Resource Works Advisory Council.

Appointed for a one-year term ending December 31, 2017.

Anne McMullin

Anne McMullin is the CEO of the Urban Development Institute Pacific Region (UDI). Previously she was the President and General Manager of the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Before that, Ms. McMullin was Director of Communications at what is now Port Metro Vancouver, President of the BC Salmon Farmers’ Association, she was a reporter BCTV which is now Global TV in Vancouver, and a reporter and broadcaster Mountain FM in Squamish. Active in her community, she volunteers time as a member of the board of trustees of the Jack Webster Foundation, which recognizes journalistic excellence. Her other volunteering includes coaching field hockey and volunteering as a ski instructor with BC Adaptive Snow Sports. Ms. McMullin studied political science at the University of British Columbia, and holds a journalism diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

Appointed for a three-year term ending July 31, 2018.

Sheila Orr

Sheila Orr is a businessperson, an independent Financial Planner and consults on Personal Financial Management. Currently Sheila is a Member of the Board of ICBC and Member of the Premier's Women's Economic Council. She is also a political strategist and was formerly a Political Pundit on CBC Radio.. She is President of a small Residential Development Company. Ms. Orr is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Victoria-Hillside, including four years as Member of Treasury Board and a former two term Municipal Councillor and Director for the Capital Regional District.

Active in her community, her previous volunteer worked spanned over two decades and included a multitude of organizations. Ms. Orr was Vice President of The Victoria Film Commission, Founding Member of Sporthost Victoria and Director-Victoria Tourism. Her commitment to those less fortunate also include establishing an organization called PEERS (Prostitute Empowerment Education and Resource Society) working with CRAT (Capital Regional Action Team on Sexually Exploited Youth) and with The Mary Manning Centre for Sexually Abused Children.

Ms. Orr has an extensive and successful business background and has worked in the private sector since 1967. She was educated in England, Singapore and Cyprus, she studied design and business management in both London and Cyprus.

Appointed for a two-year term ending July 31, 2017.

Stacy Shields

Stacy Shields is the Vice President, Human Resources for the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE). She has held several positions on various boards, including the Chair of the Compensation Committee at ICBC. She has also served on the Board of Directors for Vancouver Coastal Health, as a member of the Audit and Finance Committee as well as the Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

Active in the Community, Ms. Shields has volunteered her time with the YWCA “Women of Distinction Awards” and has been a volunteer mentor through the Human Resources Management Association (HRMA). Ms. Shields studied Human Resources management at BCIT and is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). She also graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology.

Appointed for a seventeen month term ending December 31, 2017.

Eric Watt

Eric Watt is a retired Senior Audit Partner at KPMG LLP. Mr. Watt has held numerous positions on several boards including Audit Committee Chair of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC, Audit and Finance Committee Chair of the Rick Hansen Foundation, Finance Committee Chair of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music and Founding Trustee of the Children’s Arts Umbrella Foundation. Previously, he was Board Chair of the Canadian Captive Insurance Association and a Trustee for the Vancouver Opera Association. Mr. Watt was a member of the judging panel for the BC 2014 and 2013 Chief Financial Officer of the Year Awards. He is a Chartered Accountant, a Certified Financial Planner and an ICD.Director.

Appointed for a two-year term ending July 31, 2018.