The Abbotsford Hospice Society Board of Directors

The Abbotsford Hospice Society has a governance Board with a minimum of ten community members drawn from a range of expertise and skills. They are elected annually by the membership of the Abbotsford Hospice Society at the Annual General Meeting, and they assume fiduciary and philosophical responsibility for the charitable entity legally registered as the Abbotsford Hospice Society.

2007-08 Board Members

VIVIENNE CHIN
Chair

Vivienne Chin is an international justice consultant and a principal of Dandurand, Chin and Associates. She is a Senior Associate of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (Vancouver), a part of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network of Institutes. Her previous experience includes three years as Secretary General of the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association in London, UK, and eight years as a Senior Commonwealth Fraud Officer, for the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, an intergovernmental organization based in London, UK.

She is or has been involved in municipal, regional, national and international projects which have included areas such as drugs and human security, crime and drug prevention, marijuana grow operations, corruption and bribery, money laundering, transnational organized crime, terrorism, trafficking in human beings, violence against women, victims and witnesses, juvenile justice, and the evaluation of law enforcement programs as well as operations. She is currently involved in a project on prison reform in Southern Sudan.

Vivienne served on the Board of Directors for the BC Coalition for Safer Communities from 1999 to 2001. She currently Chairs the Board of Directors for the Abbotsford Hospice Society. She is a Member of the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Pacific Institution/Regional Health Centre (Corrections Service of Canada). She was also a volunteer organizer with the British Columbia Summer Games of 2004 as well as Director of Culture and Special Events for the 2006 BC Seniors Games in Abbotsford. Vivienne is currently President of the Central Fraser Valley Fiddlers.

CRAIG CARMICHAEL
Vice Chair

(Bio to follow.)

CINDY BOURY
Secretary

Cindy Boury has been the Branch Manager of Dundee Securities Corporation in Abbotsford, BC for the past 5 years. She has also been an Investment Advisor and Financial Planner since 1998. Cindy has completed her FCSI licensing, a highly regarded level of licensing in the Securities and Investment environment, along with her Financial Management Advisor. She also holds her CSA, Certified Seniors Advisor, which enables her to aid seniors with their estate, tax and real life issues.

Cindy is an advocate for women in business and is a leader in her field. Intellectual information to encourage people to make the right choice is part of her everyday training time spent with clients, brokers, and other staff in her branch.

Cindy has been involved with the Valley Women's Network for nine years. She has served on the board as Chair from 2002-2004, as board member from 1999-2004, and is presently a member of the Chamber of Commerce. She currently also sits as Chair of Fund Raising with the Abbotsford-Sumas Rotary Club and has been active on the committee since 2000, and has been a Rotary member since 1998. Presently, Cindy serves as a Member of the Board of Directors for the Abbotsford Hospice Society and the Abbotsford Museum.

LESLIE McCONNELL
Past Chair

Leslie lived on the Sunshine Coast for twenty-three years. She moved to Abbotsford with her husband and two daughters in 1996.

Leslie a Certified General Accountant and is Manager of Assurance Services at Meyers Norris Penny, where she currently specializes in Agriculture and owner-managed businesses.

Over the last ten years, Leslie has focused on her family and on furthering her education. Now that her daughters are older and more independent, Leslie has found that she has the time to get involved in my community. The offer to become a member of the Board of the Abbotsford Hospice Society came at a perfect time in her life.

Leslie enjoys golfing and spending time with family and friends. She and her family have vacationed and traveled extensively throughout the interior of B.C.

JOHN RICHARDSON
Member at Large

Born in a small lumbering town with access to Pacific waterways through the Alberni Inlet, Port Alberni became home during John's early years. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, he moved to Vancouver with his parents. It was in the east end of this city that he began his education at Lord Nelson School.

In 1950, John's family moved back to the Alberni Valley, where he completed high school at Alberni District High. Following a five-year apprenticeship, he worked for three years as a machinist, then felt called called into ministry with The Salvation Army. He attended The Salvation Army College, served Army congregations across Canada for eighteen years, then spent fifteen years in Public Relations and Development work, raising funds and making known the Army's story to the private and corporate world. He gleaned a broad spectrum of education, during those years, through many conferences and life experiences.

John's work was not carried on alone. One year following graduation from The Salvation Army College and appointment to a small northern town of 5000 in Peace River, Alberta, his life partner, who also graduated the following year from the same Toronto institution, joined him in ministry. Their journey together, John believes, has been the greatest experience of his life. He and his wife were able to share the many areas of ministry presented to them as a couple. Now, five children later, scattered across North America, with nine grandchildren to add to the richness of life, John and his wife feel truly blessed.

Since their retirement in 2002, the skills of two careers are redirected into this, their chosen community.

FIONA HARRIS
Member at Large

Married, with one son and has lived in the Fraser Valley for over 33 years. Fiona is the Advertising Manager of The Abbotsford News and has been an active member of the Abbotsford Community for many years.

Fiona has held numerous volunteer positions with the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, including Chair of the Service to Members Committee, 1995 Vice President, and 1996 President of the Chamber of Commerce. Currently, she sits on the Abbotsford Chamber Business Excellence Committee. Fiona is a member of the Abbotsford-Matsqui Rotary Club, and has served in numerous executive positions, including President. She has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellow by the Abbotsford Matsqui Rotary Club. She also serves on the Board of the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre, and is currently Board President on the School District #34, Superindent's Community Circle Committee, the Cultural Diversity Awards Committee, Canada Day Committee and Community Leader Awards Committee. She has previously served on the Board of the Abbotsford Symphony, the Board of the Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation of British Columbia, the Langley Hospital Capital Campaign Committee, the Cabinet of the United Way of the Fraser Valley, and on the Abbotsford Matsqui Fire Safety Society. She was a member of the Advanced Speakers Club of Vancouver and holds a Toastmasters CTM designation as well as a CAAP designation (Certified Advertising Agency Practitioner) from the Institute of Canadian Advertising.

JOHN SMITH
Member at Large

John Smith was a career banker for 42 years, and worked with HSBC Bank Canada for 27, retiring in 2006. His community involvement has been extensive. John served as President of the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce for 3 years in the early '90s. He was elected as School Trustee and served on the Abbotsford School Board for 24 years, and as Board chair for 12. He is a Past Director of the Career Technical Centre (a member of the founding Board). He was Commissioner on the Abbotsford Parks, Recreation and Culture Board for many years, and currently remains a Commissioner. Effective December 2005, he was elected for a 3-years term as Councillor for the City of Abbotsford. John also serves on many communities of the Council, including Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, Finance & Audit, Social Committee, By-Law Committee, CIDAC, etc. In December 2005, he was appointed Director of the F.V. Regional District Board and F.V.R.D. Hospital Board.

John was awarded the Governor General's Canada 125 Medal and the Queen's Jubilee Medal for community service. He is a Rotarian with the Abbotsford Rotary Club, and has been the recipient of two Paul Harris Awards (Rotary medals) for community service. He is also a Charter member of the Abbotsford Executive Association and President of the Friends of UCFV, a non-profit society of business people, citizens and community leaders working to advance UCFV to full university status.

REX LEONARD
Member at Large

Rex is a long-time resident of the Fraser Valley. He has been involved with the Abbotsford Hospice Society since 1998, serving in various positions on the Board's executive committee, most recently as Chair of the Board of Directors. He is a chartered accountant, and is a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Thank you to Pat Driediger for past service to the AHS Board of Directors. Pat will continue to volunteer in other capacities with the Abbotsford Hospice Society.