Seniors First BC is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and the Executive Director. The Board of Directors is recruited from the membership and consists of individuals with a wide range of professional and practical experience. The board meets ten times per year and separate executive meetings are held ten times per year.
Edward Macaulay is an experienced estate litigation lawyer. In addition to his more than two decades of work representing clients in estate issues, Mr. Macaulay is a prolific writer of legal materials, for members of the legal profession as well as for a general audience. He is a former co-chair of the Elder Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association.
Sam Zeitoun, BHM, has over thirty years of experience in the hospitality industry. He held many positions in the hospitality industry including Vice President, Regional Director of Operations, General Manager and Director of Operations with various companies such as Marriott International, Renaissance, Delta, Fairmont, Mayfair Hotels & Resorts and Retirement residences companies, which include Tapestry Senior Living, Revera and Leisure World (now Sienna).
After his last position with the hotel industry, he joined Vancouver Premier College to teach hospitality topics such as operations, human resources, hospitality law and business communications. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in hospitality management in Vancouver, British Columbia. He considers himself a well-balanced leader, and has strengths in operations, human relations, sales & marketing and finance
areas.
Sam has also volunteered on a number of different boards and also drives cancer patients with VCDS in the lower Mainland. He has a passion for serving and helping seniors in his community.
Nicole Krige is a litigation lawyer in the Trusts, Wills, Estates and Charities group at Fasken. Born of a Portuguese immigrant family in South Africa, she practised extensively as a barrister in South Africa for over ten years before immigrating to Canada. As a granddaughter of immigrants and now an immigrant herself, Nicole is particularly sensitive to the vulnerabilities of elder immigrants and the unique challenges they are confronted with. Nicole is proud to work and live in beautiful BC and eager to dedicate her time, knowledge and experience to serving her community and advancing the valuable work of Seniors First BC.
Christabelle Zhang holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Designation. She has been working in the financial services industry for over 15 years, with experience in commercial banking, shareholder communication and regulatory reporting. Christabelle has volunteered for multiple non profit organizations and has held positions such as the treasurer. Her current role as a commercial relationship manager at RBC enables her to obtain up to date knowledge on cyber security and fraud prevention. Causes that Christabelle is passionate about include climate change, mental wellness and education.
Andrea Rolls lives in Port Moody and had a career with provincial government, including the Corrections Branch and Victim Services and Crime Prevention Division. A focus on responding to family violence, inter-agency protocol development and restorative justice, led her to see the essential role of community to make justice accessible and service delivery effective. One of the best experiences in this regard was to work on practices and training to implement Section 3 of the Adult Guardianship Act. In retirement Andrea has served on the board of the BC Law Institute and Canadian Centre for Elder Law, 2010 to 2019, chairing the advisory committee for the Older Women’s Dialogue Project. This addressed structural barriers impacting the lives of older women in the Lower Mainland and resulted in new tools, policy recommendations and promising practices. Andrea currently enjoys her faith community and engaging with a growing number of grandchildren.
Pam has worked in software development and management consulting since 2000 across public, private and international sectors. Her PhD research in business intelligence and service-dominant logic explored how applying technology in new ways can create value, an approach she continues to follow today.
She was drawn to serve on the board of Seniors First BC through a long-standing commitment to volunteering and her belief that technology can be a powerful tool for reducing isolation. After seeing how a colleague helped his isolated father reconnect with his culture through music streaming, Pam was inspired to join him in visiting senior homes to teach residents to use simple tools like video calls and social media, which opened doors for seniors to stay connected.
Pam has volunteered since her teens, including reading onto tape for people who are blind, helping at a children’s orphanage, and walking and photographing dogs at the SPCA. She also revived the DevOps Vancouver Meetup with a client in 2018, growing it from a group of 300 to a community of over 1,000 members.
Tom has been working in Healthcare IT for 20 years as a Project and Program Manager managing system deployments in Radiology, Cardiology, Pathology, Oncology, and Hospital Informations Systems for medium and large healthcare organizations in Canada, the US, and Europe. Tom currently works for Island Health managing a large project to upgrade the Medical Imaging System covering Vancouver Island and other Island Health facilities. He has a passion for working with the elderly and with his background in Healthcare IT, he'd like to use his skills to provide support for the Board to help seniors access the programs offered by Seniors First BC.
Kenneth (“Ken”) Armstrong KC is a senior trial lawyer who lives in New Westminster and practices law in downtown Vancouver. He has served the legal community as past President of the New Westminster Bar Association and the Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, and has served on the national Board of Directors for the Canadian Bar Association. He is also very active in youth sports as a coach and baseball umpire. Ken hopes to bring his governance and advocacy skills and knowledge learned from his time serving the CBABC, as well as his time as an (unsuccessful) candidate for public office, to further the work of BC Seniors First. His interest in advocating for seniors arises from having to help his elderly, hearing impaired mother navigate the health system while she battled terminal cancer during the pandemic.
Curt Van Ardenne is a retired professional and has worked in retail for over forty years with experience on both the selling and vendor sides of the business. His roles have included sales, systems training, marketing presentations, and people management. As a result, he developed a strong understanding of the Canadian marketplace.
Curt worked for Clarins Canada during the last twenty years of his career. Clarins Canada is a subsidiary of a family-owned French cosmetic company. Respect is one of its core values with focus placed on respect for women, children and nature. The company has had a long commitment to international, national and regional charities which his team and retail partners were invested in. He has a long-standing experience in the execution and coordination of special events at store level, trade shows and at outbounds to support the development of business and foster lasting relationships with the company’s retail partners. He is a well-respected person in the cosmetic and retail industry with a passion to support, mentor and nurture people.
Curt offers his experience to assist Seniors First BC in continuing to build its exposure and accessibility for the valuable services that it offers the seniors' community.
Abdul Sana has a diverse career journey including private and public sector experience and impactful contributions to non-profit organizations. He has served a diplomatic tenure and has gained experience in the private sector managing contracts with international agencies. Since his move to Canada, Abdul has made significant contributions to various programs in the non-profit sector. These roles reflect his dedication to community welfare and his ability to lead and facilitate meaningful initiatives. Abdul's educational journey includes a Master of International Service from the American University and a graduate degree in political science and public administration from Indra Gandhi University. His values are deeply rooted in promoting strong, equitable institutions that champion social justice and equal opportunities for all.
Sarah Beddoes is a longtime Vancouver resident who has dedicated 26 years to the Federal public service, specializing in Income Security Programs. Her work provided critical support to diverse communities, with a particular focus on seniors, and involved managing complex files related to CPP, OAS, and Public Trustee services. Her expertise extended to assisting newcomers, First Nations, and individuals with disabilities.
Beyond her administrative role, she was a key figure in public education, conducting informative seminars for a wide range of audiences, including banking financial planners, provincial and private partners, non-profits, and immigration settlement services. Her commitment to service also took her beyond the office, as she led impactful traveling outreach programs that served communities across British Columbia and the Yukon.
This deep professional background, combined with her personal experience as the proud daughter of a 97-year-old mother, gives her a unique perspective on the issues facing Seniors and in navigating both the public and family caregiving systems.
Ali Etezad (P.Eng., M.Eng., MBA.C, P.GSC, PMP) is a Professional Engineer with over a decade of experience managing complex projects across public and private sectors for organizations such as TD Bank Group and CBC/Radio-Canada. As Co-Founder of MEUS Science and Weekly Performance Science, he leads a globally recognized newsletter that delivers wellness and leadership insights to over 16,000 leaders weekly. Ali brings proven expertise in communication, audience building, and strategic planning to drive systematic change. Ali has continuously demonstrated an unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion by his active mentorship to underrepresented groups with The Prosperity Project and the BC Construction Association. Through his extensive professional network and passion for mental health advocacy, Ali is dedicated to advancing Seniors First BC's strategic priorities: enhancing organizational sustainability and ensuring equitable access to legal services throughout BC's diverse communities.
Shawn Hasselaar has had the privilege of partnering with impactful organizations within the community throughout his professional development, including Big Brothers, the City of Surrey, and the Boys and Girls Club. Most recently, he has contributed over seven years to The Kettle Friendship Society; a non-profit focused on mental health, where he served as the head of People & Culture. With 15 years of experience in Human Resources (in both unionized and non-unionized, multi-site and various industry environments), he’s implemented numerous initiatives to support Kettle’s growth and enhance the well-being of employees. This included efforts focused on physical and psychological safety. Additionally, he’s served as an employer board trustee on the Joint Community Benefits Trust (JCBT), where the Board supported over 11,000 members regarding their health benefits, which was an incredibly rewarding experience. He has personally witnessed and felt the impact of the isolation that Covid-19 has caused among seniors, which has deepened his interest in joining Seniors First BC. Shawn is passionate about supporting vulnerable seniors and their families in the community, a cause he finds extremely meaningful and would be honoured to contribute to. He brings enthusiasm, empathy, and a willingness to learn, as well as a strong commitment to helping others thrive.
Daniel Lee is a corporate development and strategy executive with deep experience in infrastructure, sustainable finance, and governance.
He currently serves as Chief of Staff & Director of Corporate Development at EverWind Fuels, where he leads cross-functional strategy, commercial partnerships, and regulatory workstreams for a multi-phase clean fuels platform. Previously, Daniel was with Atlas Corp (parent of Seaspan and APR Energy), executing complex structured financing and acquisitions.
He brings board and advisory experience with the NRCan Youth Council, the Canadian Hydrogen Association, and the Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre. A graduate of Simon Fraser University (BBA, Dean’s Honour Roll), he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
Daniel is committed to strengthening Seniors First BC’s governance and stewardship so older adults can access trusted legal, advocacy, and victim-support services across the province.
Eva Wadolna's educational background includes an MA in Philology at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, UBC Community Planning, Continuing Education in MBA and Gerontology programs and she's been a long-term member of CARP and AARP.
Combining ongoing gerontology training with extensive volunteering, she served 3 terms on the City of Vancouver Seniors Advisory Committee, 2 terms on the Board of the West End Seniors Network and on the Board of SFU Lifelong Learning, also volunteered for the Louis Brier Home and Hospital, and most recently served on the Governance Committee for the Brock House Society for 55+.
Eva has extensive experience dealing with corporations and various levels of government from her professional background as Senior Planner in the Edmonton Planning Department and as a planning consultant in Calgary and in Vancouver. In her Management Consulting company in Vancouver with her team she focused on strategic planning, marketing and human resources. From 1989-95 she worked in Poland, e.g. on a contract with the Canadian External Affairs as an Advisor to the Minister of Privatization, later - on the EU contract as an Advisor to the President of BRE bank and provided restructuring and cultural transformation consulting to many organizations.
As a patient/public advisor, Eva has also been contributing toward transforming the BC healthcare system, e.g. VCH Patient Voices Network, CEAN - Community Engagement & Networking, MAID Implementation Committee, reviewing medical research, technology and AI impact on elders, and mentoring UBC med students to sensitize them in the seniors’ life realities using her own “invisible disability” - impaired vision.
Penny Bain (LLM) is a retired member of the BC Law Society and a former Executive Director of Seniors First BC. Her career was largely in management of legal services and legal policy development (Legal Services Society of BC) and management of not-for-profits addressing violence against vulnerable persons (BC Institute Against Family Violence and CEAS). In retirement, she serves as the Secretary of the Board of CEAS and the Vice-Chair of the Board of WAVAW (Women Against Violence Against Women). She is also active in the Liberal Party of Canada and serves on the Executive of the Vancouver Quadra Electoral District Association.
While delivering a legal information counseling service on the North Shore in the 1980s, Pearl McKenzie developed educational materials about legal issues that affect seniors, writing “Guide to Legal Issues in Elder Abuse Intervention” in 1992. Pearl was a member of the BC Task Force on Family Violence (report 1992) and the Advisory Committee to the Federal Panel on Violence Against Women (1993) and, during this period, worked with senior citizen counsellors and health and social services workers throughout BC to develop a community response to problems of isolation and lack of services so often linked to abuse and neglect. This same group of people went on to found BC CEAS and Pearl volunteered her time to be the first executive director. She was a member of the joint government/community working committee which drafted recommendations for new adult guardianship legislation in BC; helped to implement Part 3, which safeguards the rights of adults who are abused and neglected; and develop a provincial policy framework for designated agencies and police working together. Living in the Comox Valley, Pearl volunteers with a local wildlife rehabilitation centre, serves on a local residents association and an area advisory planning commission and enjoys retirement.
Seniors First BC is a charitable, non-profit society that provides information, advocacy, and support to seniors across BC who are dealing with issues affecting their well-being.
