Board of Directors

Deirdre Roberts, Chair

Deirdre has enjoyed a successful career in radio and television broadcasting which started in London at the BBC and continued at CBC in Vancouver.  In 25 years at CBC she was involved in many areas of arts and documentary programming.  Currently Deirdre is a full-time artist exhibiting with the Winchester Gallery.  Deirdre has been involved with the Victoria Foundation for several years serving as a valued granting committee member.  Deirdre’s other community involvement has included Victoria Hospice, and she is currently involved in The Partnership Walk for Global Poverty and Friends of UVic Libraries.

Steve McKerrell, Past Chair

Steve is the Executive Chairman of Swiss Herbal Remedies Ltd., a Canadian company founded over 30 years ago with the vision of improving the quality of life through the advocacy of naturally sourced nutraceuticals.  An avid supporter of the arts and collector of Canadian contemporary and historical art, Steve is one of the founders and a board member of Arts Sustainability Victoria. He has been on several volunteer boards and committees over the past 20 years, including serving on the board of The Victoria Foundation since 2006.  

Gloria Back

Following her retirement from the BC Government in 2009 as Executive Director Employment Programs in the Ministry of Housing and Social Development, Gloriahas been working as a project consultant in the social/human service arena and has expanded her volunteer activities with community organizations in the region. In the past, Gloria has served on numerous Victoria Foundation grants committees, as well as on the Boards of the United Way, the Oak Bay Police and various community arts and theatre organizations.

Karen DeMeo

Karen DeMeo has worked for the provincial government for over 14 years. She is currently working in the Premier’s Office, in Cabinet Operations.  This dynamic office acts as the bridge between elected officials and the professional public service. Before Cabinet Operations, Karen had extensive senior experience with business planning, performance management and policy development in a number of program areas such as internal trade, film, First Nations and oil and gas development.   

Sandra Harper

Sandra has called Victoria home since 1984. After joining McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson in 1985, Sandra became a partner in 1988. Eleven years later, she established Harper & Company. Sandra’s volunteer history is extensive and includes time as Chair of the following local organizations: the University of Victoria’s Board of Governors, the Innovation and Development Corporation (a  subsidiary of UVic) and Victoria Women’s Transition House Society.  Sandra has also served as a Board Member for the lsland Pacific Institute Foundation, the UVic Alumni Association, the UVic Faculty of Law Alumni , Heritage Realty Properties Ltd. (a UVic company that manages the properties bequeathed to the University by Michael Williams) and UVic Properties Investments Inc.  

Andrew Jackson, CA

For the past 25 years, Andrew has been a partner with Victoria-based Chartered Acccountants Trenholme & Company. Raised in the Cowichan Valley and educated at the University of Victoria, Andrew has developed a keen sense of understanding for the region and enjoys being involved in his community.  Andrew has a history of volunteerism in the local charitable sector that includes past Board Chair for the Greater Victoria Public Library and Treasurer for the Greater Victoria YM-YWCA.    

Mark Litwin

Mark is a third generation Victorian currently working as a Commercial Real Estate broker in the Capital Region. Mark brings practical skills and a breadth and depth of local exposure and experience to the Victoria Foundation. Mark is a founding member of the Prodigy Group, a local membership organization aimed at providing a networking and community involvement arena for Victoria's young professionals and up and coming leaders. Over the past two years, Mark has mentored young men with Big Brothers Big Sisters and recently started committee chair work for the annual Victoria Leadership Awards.

Peter Malcolm

Peter Malcolm is a former Portfolio Manager and Partner with Phillips, Hager & North, Investment Managers. In addition to a tenure as a Sidney Alderman, Peter was also the Mayor of the Town of Sidney. Peter has held leadership roles with the Certified General Accountant’s Association of BC, Family Services of Greater Vancouver and is a past-Director of the GVRD, Special Olympics BC and the Vancouver Aquarium. In addition to Peter’s volunteer commitment with the Victoria Foundation, he also serves as a Director with the Victoria Hospice Foundation.

Judy Pryce, CA, CMC

Judy Pryce is is president and principle consultant of Pryce.ca Consulting Inc. With over 20 years experience, she leads teams to successfully deliver large transformational change projects. In addition to her consulting work, Judy is co-owner of The myo Clinic in Victoria. Judy’s past experience includes positions as Executive Project Director at the Ministry of Housing and Social Development, Principal Consultant and Associate Partner at IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting and Executive Director of Finance for the BC Provincial Government.  

Heather Raven, QC

Heather is a member of the Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation. Prior to her appointment to the Faculty of Law at UVic in 1992, she practiced employment and labour law in Vancouver. As a Senior Instructor, her teaching areas are Labour, Employment, Contracts and Secured Transactions Law. She is active in community affairs and has served on the boards of the British Columbia Police Commission, the British Columbia Public Service Appeal Board, the Canadian Journal of Women and the Law, the Law Foundation of British Columbia and she currently serves on the Honourary Governor’s Council of the Vancouver Foundation.

Bob Worth, CA

Bob is the retired Executive Director, Finance for the University of Victoria and a current Trustee for its Faculty and Professional Employees pension plan, who brings a wealth of financial expertise to the Board.  For six years he was a Director and Chair of the Board of Heritage Realty Properties, the company established by the University of Victoria to manage the properties generously bequeathed by Michael C. Williams. Bob’s career has taken him to Vancouver at Price Waterhouse, CANA Construction in Calgary and Laurentian (now AXA) Pacific Insurance in Vancouver.

Honorary Governors

Chuck Burkett, CA, CFP, TEP, President
Peter Burchett
Bonnie E. Campbell
Dr. Joyce Clearihue
Geoffrey Craven
Nick Gudewill
Sheila Henley
Richard Holmes
Mark Horne
Barbara Housser
Shirley Hunter
Michelle Isherwood
Ian Izard, QC
Muriel Kovitz, CM, LLD
Vicki Kuhl
May Lou-Poy
Dennis Madden
Ian Mair
John McEown
Howard Petch, OBC
Arthur Roberts, QC
Ralph Roberts
Joan Walton
Georgina Wong

Honorary Governor Emeritus

Mel Cooper, CM, OBC
Gordon Denford
Ted Hughes, OC, QC, LL.D 
George Jones, QC
Grania Litwin
Ann Nation
Gillian Stewart
Patrick Stewart