Meet the board.

The Vancity Board of Directors is your voice at Vancity. Nine directors, elected by you, each serving a three-year term. Directors can serve up to four consecutive terms if re-elected by the membership.

Rita Parikh, Board Chair

Rita Parikh, Board Chair

Elected in 2016
Serving a third term (2022-2025)
Bill Chan

Bill Chan

Elected in 2018
Serving a third term (2024-2027)
Christie Stephenson

Christie Stephenson

Elected in 2020
Serving a second term (2023-2026)
Heather O'Hara

Heather O'Hara

Elected in 2023
Serving a first term (2023-2026)
Joel DeYoung

Joel DeYoung, Board Vice Chair

Elected in 2019
Serving a third term (2024-2027)
Kristen Rivers

Kristen Rivers

Elected in 2022
Serving a first term (2022-2025)
Opreet Kang, Board Member

Opreet Kang

Elected in 2023
Serving a first term (2023-2026)
Patrick Nangle, Board Member

Patrick Nangle

Elected in 2020
Serving a second term (2022-2025)
Juvarya Veltkamp, Board Member

Juvarya Veltkamp

Elected in 2021
Serving a second term (2024-2027)

The Vancity Board believes embracing diversity involves continually seeking to learn, engage, reflect, and act in order to meet the needs of our members, employees, and communities.

We acknowledge systemic barriers of discrimination and inequity, and power imbalances related to privilege. We recognize we must work to address these issues. The inclusion of people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, aligned with Vancity’s values of integrity, innovation, responsibility, and reconciliation, helps us to be more courageous in our efforts to achieve the transformative change our vision demands.

Connect with the Board.

Email us

Send us a message at board_directors@vancity.com

Mail us

Board of Directors
Vancity Centre
183 Terminal Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6A 4G2

Board responsibilities.

Audit Committee.

Assists the Board to fulfill its oversight responsibilities, including accountable management of funds, efficiency and effectiveness of controls and the safeguarding of assets and member deposits. The Committee also ensures reliability of external financial and non-financial reporting.

Committee members:

  • Bill Chan (Chair)
  • Christie Stephenson
  • Joel DeYoung
  • Heather O’Hara

Equity and People Committee.

At a strategic level, ensures appropriate programs, training, policies and processes are in place to support Vancity in terms of recruitment, performance management, benefits and pay for all employees (including the Chief Executive Officer).

Committee members:

  • Christie Stephenson (Chair)
  • Patrick Nangle
  • Opreet Kang
  • Rita Parikh
  • Kristen Rivers

Governance Committee.

Ensures the Board fulfils its legal, ethical, and functional responsibilities through policy development, monitoring of board activities, and evaluation of directors’ performance.

Committee members:

  • Bill Chan (Chair)
  • Kristen Rivers
  • Heather O’Hara
  • Rita Parikh
  • Lily Grewal (non-director committee member)

Nominations and Election Committee.

Oversees the annual Board of Directors’ Election.

Committee members:

  • Kristen Rivers (Chair)
  • Christie Stephenson
  • Kevin Huang
  • Theo Lamb
  • Sam Otim
  • Azmina Manji

Risk Committee.

Provides effective oversight and advice to the Board in relation to current and potential future risk exposure and future risk strategy, including determination of risk appetite and tolerance.

Committee members:

  • Joel DeYoung (Chair)
  • Bill Chan
  • Opreet Kang
  • Patrick Nangle
  • Rita Parikh

Technology Committee.

Provides the leadership and oversight necessary to advance the digital strategy work, ensuring continued growth, with impact, consistent with Vancity’s vision and values.

Committee members:

  • Patrick Nangle (Chair)
  • Joel DeYoung
  • Opreet Kang
  • Heather O'Hara
  • Jessie Adcock (non-director committee member)

Good Governance in practice.

The most effective Board relies on its Directors to:

  • Understand their own roles and legal obligations
  • Be able to share in, and continue to progress, Vancity's vision, values and commitments
  • Acknowledge that they are accountable to Vancity's diverse membership

Not all directors will have the attributes and experience necessary to be fully effective at the beginning of their terms, so it's important to provide them with the tools and education they may need to do their best work.

Even before they start.

Clear guidance regarding the attributes and experience required in a director is shared with potential candidates to help them best frame their experience and knowledge so they can demonstrate how they will contribute to the Board, if elected by members.

At the beginning of their term.

A director must adhere to professional standards as established under the Vancity Rules and legislation.

New directors participate in a structured orientation program that introduces them to the credit union’s business, culture and their role as Vancity directors.

Terms of Reference provide further context to directors and the Board with regard to their roles and responsibilities.

Professional development throughout their tenure.

If Vancity is to continue its success as a market leader, it is important for its directors to understand the numerous issues that affect Vancity’s day-to-day business, the credit union and co-operative systems, and the financial industry as a whole.

All directors are therefore required by law to complete Level A of the Credit Union Directors’ Achievement (CUDA) Program. Directors are also provided with an annual allowance of $5,000 towards registration fees for conferences or professional development courses related to their duties as a Vancity director. Other educational opportunities may arise from a director’s participation at both board and committee level, depending on emerging business issues.

Commitment to Vancity's success.

Good governance doesn’t just depend on the professional development of individual directors. The Board too demonstrates its commitment to Vancity’s success by regularly monitoring and evaluating its own role, composition and performance, as well as that of its committees.

BC Financial Services Authority.

The BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) released its Goveranance Guidelines Services to all credit unions in BC.

Read the Guideline