Who We Are

Mary Lee was led by a summer job to Northern Canada where she spent 8 years doing a variety of non-traditional jobs, built two log cabins, and lived off the grid for four years. Returning to Vancouver, she first worked for Indigenous Affairs as a local government advisor helping First Nations with setting up a style of government that would mesh with Federal objectives, followed by a 35 year career in Interior Design, the last 25 years operating her own business. Burns has her private pilot’s license and as a member of The Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women pilots, served in all positions of the local chapter’s executive and spent two terms as the Governor of Western Canada.

Bev is a retired corporate director and executive. In addition to her corporate board experience, Bev has served on a number of not-for-profit boards. Bev currently serves on the Arts Club of Vancouver board of directors and chairs the Audit and Finance Committee. Over the past 35 years Bev has also served on a range of not-for-profit organizations including the UBC Board of Governors, the Simon Fraser University Community Corporation board, the Simon Fraser Beedie School of Business Dean’s Advisory board, the International Women’s Forum (Vancouver Chapter) board, the Vancouver Opera Association board (Chair), the Vancouver Opera Foundation board, Science World’s Advisory board, the BC Business Council Board and Executive Committee, the United Way of the Lower Mainland board, the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation board, and the YWCA Metro Vancouver board (Chair). Prior management roles include a range of executive roles with TimberWest Forest Corp, and various finance and accounting roles at BC Hydro and KPMG. Bev is an FCPA (FCA), has an MBA and a BComm.

Diane is a retired lawyer and has lived on Gabriola since 2010. During this time she has served on the Board of the Gabriola Historical and Museum Society and the Village Vision Committee. She was also on the Board of Kuterra LP, a 'Namgis First Nation company that built a closed containment salmon farm in Port McNeil. She is currently treasurer of the Gabriola Recreation Society.

Audra Davies retired to Gabriola after a fulfilling career in the nutrition products industry. She has spent much of her career focused on leading business strategy, research, product formulation and performance substantiation for wellness products based on natural plant materials. In addition, she has served on both industry and non-profit boards including a California based non-profit, Giving Children Hope, where she focused on food sufficiency programs. Audra is passionate about making a difference in the health of people around the world through nutrition and is excited to make a difference here on beautiful Gabriola Island. Beyond nutrition, Audra is passionate about healthy living, healthy aging and promoting healthy communities.

Shiela’s island life started on Galiano in 1995, where she worked as an Insurance Broker and then the Medical Office Assistant at the Galiano Health Care Centre. Shiela moved to Gabriola when her daughter was six months old in June of 2006. For a few years, she performed bookkeeping services for several small Gabriola businesses until she found a full time position as a Corporate Secretary/Office Administrator for a company on the TSX-V. For four years, Shiela was the Treasurer of the Gabriola Elementary Parent Advisory Committee and the Gabriola Recreation Society for one and a half years. Shiela was also a Girl Guide Leader for four years and is a proud member of the Nunatsiavut Nation.

Roger has coordinated large arts organizations and activities in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and served as Executive Director of a Community Controlled Health Centre, including the development of a facilities plan for apartments and services for low-income seniors. Christie acted as the Executive Director of the Home Support Association of Nanaimo for many years, including the development and funding of two buildings. More recently he operated a café on Gabriola for over ten years and has specialized in the performing arts at the café and other island venues such as the Roxy Theatre.

You may know of Dawn from her days as Manager of the Museum. Or from her cakes/baking, catering and cooking classes. She has taught English in Korea and China, as well as for VIU and the Vancouver Island Multicultural Society. She enjoys Gabriola not least because she can be close to her parents and grandchildren.

For 22 years, she specialized in supporting hope and the transformational growth and development of individuals with complex trauma histories in provincial and federal prisons across Canada. Alison was part of a multi-disciplinary, community-based, action-oriented research team that initiated the founding of the Collaborative Centre for Prison Health and Education at UBC. Alison recently retired after twelve years of delivering management and leadership training to a diverse range of organizations, always with a trauma-informed lens. This was primarily in the western provinces and Nunavut, where she collaborated with Legal Services, providing training and writing life history reports for defence attorneys. Alison moved to Gabriola in 2015 and began living here full-time in 2020. Though she is a relatively new Gabriolan, she treasures the precious gift of life on the unceded territory of the Snʊˈneɪməx (Snunéymux) Nation. She acknowledges the responsibility of contributing to this community that comes with this privilege.