Join a Chamber Committee
Every year, there are a few openings on our committees for new members.
Committee members begin their terms on Jan. 1, for at least a two-year term. We do recruit year-round if spaces on the committees are available.
To express your interest in joining a Chamber Committee, please connect with the staff liaison listed under each committee below.
Chamber Committees
Ambassador Committee
This dedicated team of Chamber members from various professional backgrounds fosters meaningful participation and connection-building as a way of increasing member engagement.
- Chair: Josue Dubon, Partner, DesignWealth
- Vice-Chair: Rose Arsenault, Branch Manager, Agilus Work Solutions
- Staff Liaison: Christine Lewis, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
- Andrew Peebles, Senior Business Consultant, BAASS Business Solutions
- Danielle Mulligan, CFRE (she/her), Manager of Events & Annual Giving, Victoria Hospitals Foundation
- Hailie Masters, Co-Founder, Compass Massage Therapy
- Ian Batey, Principal, IPB Consulting Services
- Juan Cuesta, Work Intergrated Learning Job Developer, Royal Roads University
- Paul van Koll, Partner, Dusanj & Wirk
- Rebecca Kemle, Events Coordinator, Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites
- Salman Almishari, Sales Executive, Myra Systems
To contact or learn more about the Ambassador Committee, please email Christine Lewis.
Emerge Committee
With a mission to foster authentic connections and a vision to cultivate an inclusive business community full of opportunity, Emerge runs inclusive, casual and fun bimonthly networking events, as well as a mentorship program.
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- Chair: Kelly Somogyi, Principal & Architectural Technologist, York Brooks Design
- Vice-Chair: Usman Afzal, Portfolio Manager
- Staff Liaison: Christine Lewis, Sr. Manager Events & Sponsorship, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
- Alexa Tremblay, Consultant, Wirk Consulting
- Amanda Hill, Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Victoria
- Angella Velarde, Marketing Manager, Tecnet Canada Inc.
- Brett Macdonald, Workshop Designer & Facilitator, Team Building Thru Improv
- David Eso, Owner, Fine Line Edits
- Frumsa Ibrahim, Regional Director, Scandinavian Building Services
- John Shukin, Creative Director – Owner, Shape Design
- Kara Udell, Executive Director, Oak Bay Volunteer Services
- Mary Lou Newbold. CEO, Mayfair Optometric
- Neil Parkinson-Dow, Staff Officer to the Assistant Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard, Western Region
- Nicole Linuzzi, Account Manager, Pattison Media
- Shourav Mahbub, Co-Founder and Director of Operations, VPBC Consulting Inc.
To contact or learn more about the Emerge Committee, please email Christine Lewis. Or click here to find out more about Emerge.
Executive & Governance Committee
Acts on behalf of the board between board meetings, monitors board development, reviews The Chamber’s bylaws and acts as a nominating committee for external appointments. This committee is made up of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Past-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Executive Officer. The Executive Committee may also include up to 2 members of the Board at large, as selected by the Executive Committee, at their discretion. To contact or learn more about the Executive and Governance Committee, please email The Chamber CEO John Wilson.
Finance & Audit Committee
Advises The Chamber’s Board of Directors on financial and audit issues to ensure Chamber finances are run in a professional and transparent manner.
- Chair: Spencer Walker, Director & Team Lead – Commercial Banking, CIBC
- Vice Chair: Mary Lou Newbold, CEO, Mayfair Optometric
- Staff Liaison: Julia Banks, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
- Cameron Reid, H2 Accelerator
- Chanel Rawcliffe, CPA, Doane Grant Thornton
- James Gatsi, Chief Growth Officer, Tecnet Canada Inc.
- Judith Ethier, Chief Administrative Officer, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
- Kris Wirk, Partner, Dusanj & Wirk CPA
- Paul van Koll, Partner, Dusanj & Wirk CPA
- Ryan Gerwing, Director, Commercial Banking, Island Savings Credit Union
- Usman Afzal, Portfolio Manager, Alitis Investment Counsel
To contact or learn more about the Finance and Audit Committee, please email Julia Banks.
Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Advancement (IDEA) Committee
Offers advice and guidance to The Chamber to create a more inclusive and welcoming business community that truly represents the diversity of the Greater Victoria business community we aspire to have.
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- Chair: Christina Clarke, Christina Clarke & Co. (Chair, Chamber Board)
- Vice Chair: James Gatsi, Tecnet Canada Inc.
- Staff Liaison: Julia Banks, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
- Ann Squires Ferguson, Western Design+Build
- Ashka Wirk, Principal, Wirk Consulting
- Billie Tess, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
- Carlene Thompson, Lifetime Networks
- Elizabeth Brown, Victoria Airport Authority
- Inderbir Singh, Western Canada Security
- Jessica Stigant, Ocean Networks Canada
- Kabir Hosein, Sport for Life
- Kim Dillon, Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre
- Mabel Marin, Beacon Community Services
- Neelam Pahal, Connections Place Society
- Patty Lavakittichaiyant, Neil Squire Society
To contact or learn more about the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Advancement Committee, please email Julia Banks.
Public Policy & Advocacy Committee
Identifies systemic and emerging advocacy priorities for business and meets with community leaders to advance those priorities on behalf of members.
- Chair: James Gatsi, Business Development Manager, Tecnet Canada Inc.
- Board Chair: Christina Clarke, Owner, Christina Clarke & Co.
- Staff Liaison: Corrie Delisle, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
- Al Hasham, President and CEO, Maximum Express Courier & Freight
- Ashka Wirk, Principal, Wirk Consulting
- Brian White, Division Manager, McElhanney
- Chris Horbachewski, Vice-President External Relations, University of Victoria
- Darlene Hollstein, General Manager, Bay Centre
- Elizabeth Brown, CEO, Victoria Airport Authority
- Inderbir Singh, Western Canada Security
- Jason Arruda, Government Relations (British Columbia), CSA Group
- Jeff Bray, CEO, Downtown Victoria Business Association
- Josue Dubon, Partner, DesignWealth
- Kara Udell, Executive Director, Oak Bay Volunteer Services
- Captain (Navy) Kevin Whiteside, Base Commander, CFB Esquimalt
- Spencer Walker, Director & Team Lead – Commercial Banking, CIBC
- Tony Joe, Broker-Owner, RE/MAX Island Properties Victoria
- Wendy-Sue Andrew, Executive Director, Lifetime Networks
To contact or learn more about the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee, please email Corrie Delisle.
From the days before Confederation, the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce — through the work of its board and committees — has helped shape much of what we now take for granted. We campaigned for the Canadian Pacific Railway to build the landmark Empress Hotel, worked to attract national retailers such as Canadian Tire, advocated for the growth of the University of Victoria and much, much, more.
Comprised of experienced business and community leaders, committees advise Chamber leadership on what is needed to improve business conditions in Greater Victoria. Many of The Chamber’s current and past successes have resulted from the work of its committees, tapping into the influence and expertise within the local business community to get things done and to generate new ideas.
The Chamber’s committees have come and gone, some dissolving with their mandate complete, others spinning off from The Chamber as their mandates evolved. In fact, all of the following had their origins with The Chamber:
- Downtown Victoria Business Association
- Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
- Destination Greater Victoria
- Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission
- Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council (VIATEC)
- South Island Prosperity Partnership
The Chamber and its committees will continue its long history as the voice of business in Greater Victoria. Our people have the expertise and influence to identify what needs to be done, and get those wheels in motion.