Governance

The Board of Governors is comprised of between 12 and 18 Governors, including three ex-officio members: the Head of School, the Chair of Parents’ Council, the Chair of the Alumni Association, and between 9 and 15 additional Governors are elected or appointed in accordance with the Bylaws. The Board will determine from time to time how many Governors are to be elected or appointed to serve on the board. All Governors must be at least 21 years of age and at least one half of the Governors must have themselves been, or must have a child or ward who is, a student at the School.

Board Powers and Duties

All Board members are unpaid volunteers who give generously of their time and resources in support of the school. Pursuant to the Societies Act the Governors must manage, or supervise the management of, the affairs of the Society. The Society’s Bylaws stipulate that Governors must govern the Society and provide the Board with the following specific powers:

hire and terminate the employment of the Head of the School as the Board may deem necessary or desirable from time to time;
oversee and approve the level of fees to be charged for tuition; and
review and approve the annual budget for the School, as well as any proposed material changes to an approved budget; and
delegate to a senior manager of the Society or a committee of the Board such of the powers exercisable by the Board for such time and for such objects and purposes and upon such terms and conditions as they think fit and may from time to time revoke, withdraw, alter or vary any or all of such delegated powers.

In keeping with the membership requirements of the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), the Board oversees the school but remains removed day to day operations.

Brent Wolverton, Chair
	Brent is the CEO of Pacific Investment Corp. and is a third-generation Vancouverite who is carrying on his family’s long-standing tradition of involvement in western Canada’s investment industry. In addition to his participation in the investment business, Brent has interests in restaurants, breweries, commercial and residential real estate. Brent studied at both UBC and BCIT, majoring in economics, finance and computer science, before graduating from BCIT. He enjoys fishing, boating, and skiing. Brent and his wife live in West Vancouver with their four children—all of whom are proud Collingwood graduates.
Dr. Haneef Alibhai
	Haneef practices aesthetic medicine and is currently the medical director of MD Cosmetic & Laser Clinics in Abbotsford and Port Moody. He obtained his Bachelor of Science from UBC his medical degree from McGill. Haneef is a past president of the Canadian Association of Aesthetic Medicine and is a clinical instructor for the UBC Faculty of Medicine and Langara College. He is an internationally recognized speaker and author in the field of aesthetic medicine and frequently appears in the media as an expert in his field. Haneef has held various positions in the community, including several leadership positions within the Ismaili Muslim community— as Honorary Secretary of the Ismaili Council for BC and currently as a leader of the Ismaili community on the North Shore. Haneef and his wife Yasmin live in West Vancouver and have three children –two past graduates of Collingwood, and a third who graduates in 2019.
Etienne Bruson
	Etienne is the Managing Partner for Deloitte in British Columbia. He is the former B.C. Leader for Tax and the former National Leader for the International Tax Service Line at Deloitte.Etienne has over 25 years at the firm serving both large, global public companies and private companies and helping them deal with their most important business issues. He has a vast expertise helping companies design, understand, and optimize their tax planning strategies, and has been involved in many large cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Education and learning are important to me because they are at the heart of the creation of an inclusive society in which every individual has an understanding of the world we live in, it’s history and different cultures, and uses that understanding to have a positive contribution to our collective well-being.
Debby Carreau
	Debby is the founder & CEO of Inspired HR. She is a serial entrepreneur, media personality and author. Inspired HR supports the human resources business needs for almost 300,000 employees across North America. Debby’s passion is creating great workplaces and all things human capital related. Born in South Africa and raised in West Vancouver, the Carreau family just moved back after 11 years in Alberta. Debby is a board member of Elevation Group, Young Presidents Organization BC Chapter and Chair of the global YPO Business Networks Council. She is an Advisory Board member for The Women’s Executive Network and a Platform Partner for Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In foundation. Her former board roles include Chair of the Advisory board for Respect in The Workplace, Chair of 1000 Women Rising, Chair YPO Women and Westside Recreation. Debby and her husband Todd have two children at Collingwood.
James Clay
	James is the President and CEO of J.T. Insurance Services (Canada), Inc. a boutique insurance brokerage based in Vancouver. He entered the insurance industry from the Toronto Dominion Bank in 1991 and was responsible for handling the firm’s major real estate and construction accounts. James holds a Fellowship in Insurance (F.I.I.C.) and a Fellowship in Risk Management (FRM). He also holds an Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D) in addition to his undergraduate degree in Business majoring in Accounting. He is a graduate of St. George’s School (a “lifer”) and was President of the Old Boy’s Alumni Association. James has served on a number of organizations in various capacities and is involved in the community. James and his wife Sheri reside in West Vancouver and have two daughters at Collingwood.
Patti Daum
	After nearly 25 years in public practice—with 8 as a partner of Grant Thornton's advisory practice in Vancouver—Patti formed Daum Valuation and Financial Services Ltd. Patti is a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Business Valuator. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan. Patti is from Saskatchewan and moved to Vancouver nearly 25 years ago, where she subsequently met her husband, Gordon Bird. Patti has served as a volunteer on Collingwood’s Finance Committee over the past year. Patti is treasurer of the Collaborative Divorce Society of Vancouver and is a former director of Hollyburn Country Club and Bard on the Beach Society. She was also the treasurer of the West Vancouver Soccer Club for five years. Patti and Gord reside in West Vancouver and have a son and a daughter who attend Collingwood.
Fiesal Ebrahim
	Fiesal is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and the Law society of British Columbia. He presently practices law with the Open Door Law Corporation where he serves as President and Managing Director. He has held executive positions with a host of private enterprises including as Strategic Advisor, Legal Counsel, and Chief Executive Officer. Fiesal was educated at York, Windsor and Harvard University. He is a committed volunteer and has meaningfully contributed to the Immigrant Service Society of BC, Big Brothers of Canada, Serve Canada, the Ismaili community of BC, Collingwood School, and others. In addition to practicing law, Fiesal is involved with real estate in Western Canada, as is his extended family hold interests in various hotel properties in Canada including the Pan Pacific Vancouver and the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Fiesal is married to his wife Zahra who graduated from Collingwood during its nascency. Collingwood is in their DNA and they have enrolled their two children as second generation Cavaliers.
Richard Harris
	Richard Harris is an accomplished businessman who chairs several North American businesses, as well as being a Board Director of Tennis Canada, and an Advisory Board Member at UBC Sauder School of Business. He went to high school at The Manchester Grammar School and obtained his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Oxford and M.B.A. from Imperial College at the University of London. Richard lives in West Vancouver with his wife Ailsa, and has two children who graduated from Collingwood.
Nicolas Jimenez
	Nicolas is the President and CEO of ICBC. In his 15 years with the company, he’s held a number of senior positions in insurance, business transformation, corporate strategy and road safety. Prior to that, he worked in strategy, management and policy roles for a number of organizations, including IBM Global Business Services, BC Hydro and the federal government. He holds graduate degrees in Public Administration from Harvard University and the University of Victoria and an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University. Nicolas currently serves on the boards of the United Way of the Lower Mainland, the Canadian Geographic Enterprises Management Board and the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. He and wife Christa have two sons, Beckett ad Zachary, both in Grade 4 at Collingwood School.
Karon Wan
	Prior to settling back in Vancouver, Karon was a senior partner with Deloitte Consulting in the China/HK office. He was the former executive committee member for the Deloitte consulting function and the leader of the technology practice. Karon was also the managing partner for the public sector service for HK/China practice and the consulting quality and risk management leader for Asia pacific. Karon has over 20 years of professional experiences in advising both private and public companies in strategy and technology business matters. Karon was the chairman of the audit committee for one of the most prestigious independent schools, Independent School Foundation, when he was working in Hong Kong. Karon was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Vancouver and graduated from the University of British Columbia. Karon’s wife, Alice Kim, is the Chair of the Korean Parents’ Association for Collingwood School since 2015, and their son Eden is attending the Collingwood School since Grade 4.
Ashlee Lewis
	Ashlee has been a committed volunteer at Collingwood for many years. Ashlee was Chair of Parents' Council from 2009-2012, during which time she also was a member of the Board of Governors as the appointed representative from Parents' Council. Ashlee has co-chaired three Collingwood Galas, been a member of countless other Gala, Spring Fair, Fashion Show and golf tournament committees. Ashlee and her husband, Bob, have been Collingwood parents since 2003 and have two children who both graduated from Collingwood.
Doug Mason, Vice Chair
	Douglas Mason is Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors for Collingwood School. Married to Carla Mason, they have a son who attends Collingwood. Douglas is currently President and CEO of a number of TSX Venture Exchange companies, and is past Chair and a member of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Foundation and fund raiser for the Rick Hansen Institute.
Christopher Philps
	Christopher Philps is the President of Fairborne Homes Limited. Fairborne is a multi-family homebuilder with concrete and frame development projects throughout Greater Vancouver. Christopher holds a BA in Geography and a Diploma in Urban Land Economics from UBC and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. In 2008, Christopher was appointed by the Premier to the Economic Advisory Council of BC. Christopher and his wife, Shelley, reside in West Vancouver and have two children—one who graduated a Cavalier and one who still attends Collingwood.
Ali Pirbhai, Secretary
	Ali is the managing director of a privately held commercial/industrial real estate investment company. Ali holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the UBC Sauder School of Business, and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia (ICABC) and a Certified Public Accountant designation from National Association of State Boards of Accountancy in Illinois while working with Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP. He was the recipient of the ICABC Early Achievement Award in 2007 and the ICABC Community Service Award in 2006. Ali was a founding student at Collingwood; he attended the school for twelve years from 1984 to 1996, and was awarded the Collingwood School Mackenzie Award in 2010. Ali and his wife, Reem, reside in West Vancouver. They have two young children—one of whom is already at Collingwood and the intention that both will attend and graduate with the Class of ’31 and ’33 respectively.
Dan Sander, Alumni Association Chair
	Dan Sander joined the Alumni Executive Committee in 2015. He was a Collingwood student from 1991-1995, and attributes his success in life to the foundations taught in the school. Dan has many fond memories of his time as a Collingwood student in the early 90's and especially enjoyed his time in the rugby program under Coaches Hatch and Speirs. Dan completed his undergraduate degree at UBC in 2001 and his MBA at SFU in 2010. He worked at CB Richard Ellis from 2002 to 2008 specializing in commercial property sales. Dan is currently a principal at Hollyburn Properties Ltd., a national apartment and commercial real estate company with operations in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Ottawa. He is also a member of the Young President’s Organization in the BC Chapter. Dan is a parent of a son and daughter in Collingwood.
David Smith
	Dave is a Corporate Director and financial executive with more than 35 years of career experience. He currently sits on several public company boards and previously was the Chief Financial Officer of Finning International Inc. and Ballard Power Systems Inc. and held various executive roles with Placer Dome Inc. Dave has a broad range of industry experience including mining; construction equipment distribution and service; and clean energy technology. He attended California State University at Sacramento and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Accounting degree. Dave started his career at Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) in San Francisco where he became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has also completed the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Directors Education Program (ICD.D).Dave and his wife, Carey, reside in West Vancouver and have two children attending Collingwood.