Chair

Mr. Doug Purdie

Doug is a Chartered Professional Accountant with Ernst & Young LLP specializing in servicing private businesses and advising on financial issues and business operations in a variety of industries. Doug has over 33 years of experience with “Big Four” professional services firms, including 15 years serving as a partner.

Doug has also served in senior roles with S.U.C.C.E.S.S., including two terms as Chairman of the Board of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. between 2013 and 2015, and again as a Board Member and Treasurer of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society beginning in 2019.

Vice Chair

Mr. Jim O’Dea

Formerly the co-founder and principal of Terra Housing, Jim has been involved in the housing and community sector for over four decades. His employment portfolio includes several prominent positions, including the first full-time Chairman of the BC Housing Management Commission, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Community Development, President of the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation, founding board member of the Homeowner Protection Office, and Manager of Housing Programs and Operating Agreements at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). In 2012, Jim was the recipient of the CMHC National Award for outstanding contribution to affordable housing.

Jim has served in leadership capacities on the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society and Foundation Board of Directors since 2015.

Treasurer

Mr. Donnie Wing

Donnie is currently the Vice Chair of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, a Board member with Canadian Blood Services, and a Board member with the B.C. Financial Services Authority. Donnie was the past President & CEO of the Healthcare Benefit Trust. Prior to that, he held a number of senior executive positions at ICBC including Senior Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, Senior Vice-President of Insurance, Marketing and Underwriting and Chief Financial Officer and was also a Trustee for the joint ICBC union pension plan. He also had many senior leadership roles in large, complex government agencies and Crown Corporations with responsibilities spanning strategic planning, government relations, corporate law, actuarial services, investments and regulatory affairs. Donnie is also a chartered accountant (CPA CA). Donnie has been a member of the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Board of Directors in 2012-2019 and had served as Treasurer, Vice Chair and Chair.

Board Secretary

Ms. Lauren Liang

Lauren is a Partner with the law firm of Clark Wilson LLP, and specializes in litigation, including estate & trust litigation and commercial litigation especially those involving international elements. Born and raised in mainland China and a long-time Canadian,. Lauren is one of a few English-fluent and native-Chinese litigators practicing within a major law firm in Vancouver. Her cross-cultural background and cross-disciplinary experience between business and law allows her to assist a wide range of clients. She is committed to giving back to the community, including but not limited to offering legal seminars to business and financial professionals on philanthropic activities.

In addition to her service on the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society Board of Directors, Lauren also serves as an Advisory Committee Member for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Immediate Past Chair

Mr. Terry Yung

Mr. Yung has spent the last 20 years dedicating his time and skills to a wide variety of causes, including Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, the Vancouver Cambie Lions Club, the Classical Chinese Garden and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. His contributions have ensured that new Canadians fulfill their professional aspirations, that youth have opportunities to become future leaders, and that neighbourhoods are safer and more connected.

Terry is a recipient of the British Columbia Medal of Good Citizenship and a Melvin Jones Fellow.

Directors

Ms. Erin Brandt

Erin is an employment and human rights lawyer. In 2020 Erin cofounded PortaLaw, a law firm focused on helping employers and employees create meaningful employment relationships and resolving conflict where those relationships break down. Erin has held leadership roles with the Canadian Bar Association, including with the Young Lawyers subsection executive and the Employment Law subsection executive. She has also acted as a supervising lawyer with the UBC Law Students’ Legal Advice Program and volunteered with the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee and Congregation Beth Israel.

Dr. Mark Fok

Dr. Fok is a Clinical Assistant Professor from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine. He graduated from the UBC Internal Medicine Program and subsequently completed two years of fellowship at the UBC Geriatric Medicine program, where he served as chief resident of both programs. He completed his Masters in Patient Safety and Quality Care at Johns Hopkins University in 2022. He is a specialist consultant in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at Vancouver General, Mount St. Joseph and St. Paul’s Hospitals. He does home geriatric visits for the frail seniors in the South Community Health Unit area.

Ms. Rebecca Clapperton Law

Rebecca is Principal of Clapperton Consulting, where she specializes in organizational culture and leadership development, strategic communications and change management. As a Certified Association Executive, she served as Executive Director at Family Services of Greater Vancouver Foundation, Community Volunteer Connections, and currently NatureKids BC. She has held a variety of senior roles with BC Hydro with responsibilities in Diversity & Inclusion, Indigenous Relations, as well as Engagement and Learning.

In addition to her role as S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society Board Member, Rebecca also has served as Director for the Minerva Foundation for BC Women, Leadership Vancouver, Mount Pleasant Family Centre, and Canadian Club.

Dr. Tanya Petraszko

Dr Petraszko is a hematologist with expertise in transfusion medicine. She has held several medical leadership positions at Canadian Blood Services over 25 years and currently serves a senior medical director at Canadian Blood Services where she is accountable for medical and laboratory services and the stem cell program. She has also served as medical director for the BC Provincial Blood Coordinating Office and program director for the UBC Royal College Area of Focused Competency in Transfusion Medicine. She is an associate clinical professor at UBC in the division of hematology in the department of medicine and has recently completed a two-year term as Western Director on the board of the Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine.

Gary Pooni

In his role as president, Gary drives Pooni Group’s growth and guides major client projects as strategic lead. With over twenty years of planning-related experience, he has spearheaded some of the country’s most significant projects throughout Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Sea to Sky corridor, Alberta and Ontario. His expertise includes strategic guidance, policy planning, public consultation and entitlement negotiation. Often recognized as the man behind the Lower Mainland’s most complex projects, Gary was listed as a “change-maker and power player shaping our world” in Vancouver Magazine’s 2022 and 2023 Power 50 List.

Gary sits on the board of the Urban Development Institute Membership Committee, both in Vancouver and the Capital Regional District, and is an annual instructor for the UDI School of Development. He is also passionate about his community, and has been part of several charitable boards including the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Foundation, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, LiveBIG Society, and PacWest Academy Soccer. Gary also has a family non-profit group that works on several community initiatives annually.

Gary holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Design (Planning) from the University of Calgary and a B.A. in Geography from Simon Fraser University, and is a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners

 

Directors

Ms. Helen Song

Helen is a principal of O’Dea Song & Associates, a development management corporation based in Vancouver BC that specializes in social purpose real estate projects namely affordable housing. Her career of the last two decades include such projects as Vancouver’s single largest heritage conversion, multi high rise tower project in Surrey BC, and affordable home ownership condos in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Helen serves on S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society Board of Directors, as well as on the Board for City Opera Vancouver.

Dr. Sandra Song

Dr. Song is an experienced Public Policy Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry and government sector. She has over 10 years’ experience in working in the federal government, enhancing her skills as a Policy Expert, and a vibrant Public Speaker. As a strong public service professional Dr. Song currently resides as Chair of the graduate programs at Adler University overseeing Leadership, Public Policy, and Public Administration programs in Vancouver and Chicago.

Dr. Song serves on the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society Board of Directors since 2022.

Ms. Kathleen Wong

Kathleen is a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Accountant, and is an accomplished finance professional with over two decades of experience in audit, risk management and planning. She is currently the chief auditor for a private North American utility company and prior to this position, held a number of senior management roles with Vancity and ICBC.

In addition to her service on the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society Board of Directors, Kathleen has also served as Trustee for the Credit Union Foundation of BC and as Director for the Vancouver Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Mr. Terry Wong

Terry is a Chartered Financial Analyst and currently the Vice President of Treasury at the Vancity. He leads a team of professionals who manage the finances, investments and financial risks for Vancity and its subsidiaries. He has had a number of other senior roles in finance, and also led in the development and growth of a foreign exchange business after starting his finance career as a junior foreign exchange trader. Prior to joining Vancity, Terry was a treasury analyst with the City of Vancouver where he managed the city’s investment portfolio and its banking relationships.

Terry serves on S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Society’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Bryan Yu

Bryan is Chief Economist at Central 1 and leads a team that provides macro- and regional- economic analysis and forecasting for Central 1 and its member B.C. and Ontario credit unions. With nearly two decades of experience, Bryan regularly advises credit union executives and treasury analysts across Canada on the state of the economy, and often speaks at industry conferences and events. He is frequently contacted by local and national media to provide economic and housing market commentary. Bryan also manages Central 1’s IFRS 9 national loan loss platform. Prior to joining Central 1, Bryan was an economist with the BC Real Estate Association and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and also spent time as an immigration researcher.

Bryan also volunteers his time as a board member of the BC Paraplegic Foundation and as a committee chair with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.