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Board of Directors
Technical Safety BC is governed by a board of twelve directors that provides oversight and ensures that we are safe, transparent and collaborative in our practices. They have the fiduciary responsibility of overseeing the conduct of the business and ensuring that all major issues affecting the business and affairs of the organization are given proper consideration. In performing its functions, the Board also considers the legitimate interests of industry, communities, and government.
Directors are appointed on the basis of merit; they must meet the qualifications established in the Safety Authority Act and abide by a code of conduct and our governance manual.
The work of the Board is supported by committees that provide additional focus on matters such as:
- financial affairs, audits, insurance and investments;
- governance and nominating functions, CEO performance evaluation and recruitment, compensation and other human resource issues;
- technical and enterprise risk oversight;
- regulatory development and compliance; and
- strategic advice and oversight.
Committees of the Board
The committee structure includes the:
The Finance and Audit Committee
The Finance and Audit Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to Technical Safety BC’s financial reporting, accounting systems, budgets, internal controls, and audit process. The Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee is required to be a financial expert.
The Chair must:
- understand accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations;
- be experienced in preparing or auditing financial statements of comparable companies;
- have experience accounting for estimates, accruals, and reserves;
- understand internal accounting controls; and
- understand the functions of an audit committee.
Governance and Human Resources Committee
The Governance and Human Resources Committee assists the Board in oversight responsibilities relating to Technical Safety BC’s governance, compensation, and human resource policies and strategies. This committee also serves as the nominating committee.
Strategic Advisory Committee
The Strategic Advisory Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing management’s recommendations. It also provides advice and assistance to the Board in the areas of strategic planning, implementation of key strategic initiatives, regulatory responsibilities, stakeholder consultation, and safety oversight.

Location: Victoria, BC
Director since: January 6, 2014
Latest date for retirement: April 1, 2027, not eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held:
Ex officio, Governance & Human Resources Committee
Ex officio, Finance & Audit Committee
Ex officio, Strategic Advisory Committee
George Abbott is a veteran politician with a PhD in political science at the University of Victoria. First elected as an MLA for the Shuswap in 1996, George has served as Minister of Education, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Minister of Health, Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services, and Minister of Sustainable Resource Management.
George was Deputy House Leader for the Official Opposition and critic for municipal affairs and forests. He was Deputy Chair of the select standing committees on Forests, Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and was a member of the select standing committee on Aboriginal Affairs. Additionally, he sat on the Official Opposition Caucus Committee on Crime.
Before his election to the Legislative Assembly, George was a political science instructor at Okanagan University College. He also owned the oldest and largest berry farm in the Interior.

Location: Whistler, BC
Director since: April 2, 2017
Latest date for retirement: April 1, 2023, not eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held: Chair, Finance & Audit Committee
Jeremy Black is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA) and business executive with nearly 30 years of varied business, financial, and leadership experience.
Jeremy is the Chief Financial Officer of Metrie, a large, privately-owned manufacturer and distributor of specialty building products. Before Metrie, he was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Whistler Blackcomb where he led finance, investor relations, information technology, and strategy development initiatives for the largest and most visited four-season mountain resort in North America.
Prior to joining Whistler Blackcomb in 2013, Jeremy was the Vice President, Business Development & Corporate Secretary of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. In addition to bringing significant financial expertise to the board, he brings an in-depth knowledge of safety and risk management, including experience as an asset owner responsible for multiple technologies overseen by Technical Safety BC.

Location: New Westminster, BC
Director since: July 3, 2019
Confirmed date of voluntary retirement: July 3, 2022
Appointed by: Minister
Positions Held:
Member, Governance & Human Resources Committee
Member, Strategic Advisory Committee
Judy Cavanagh is currently a consultant with The Cavanagh Group. Previously she was an executive director for Operations and Strategic Initiatives with the Office of the Premier, former Deputy Minister of Government Priorities and Women’s Equality, and Assistant Deputy Minister with Intergovernmental Relations, Human Resources and Women’s Equality.
She has also served as a Director of AgSafe BC and Oxfam Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and anthropology from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver.
Judy lives in New Westminster, BC.

Location: Delta, BC
Director since: February 18, 2020
Latest date for retirement: February 17, 2023, eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held:
Member, Strategic Advisory Committee
Member, Finance & Audit Committee
Jeremy Coughlin is currently the Vice President of Enterprise Analytics for Coast Capital Savings. He oversees all aspects of data management and analytics for the company. Jeremy brings with him a wealth of experience in the data analytics industry.
Prior to joining Coast Capital Savings, Jeremy led the business intelligence practice at Ritchie Bros and transformed how the company uses data, resulting in major customer satisfaction improvements, over a $1B in shareholder value, and national recognition. He holds an MBA in Technology Commercialization as well as a B.Sc. in Psychology, both from the University of Alberta.
Jeremy is a volunteer board director for the Vancouver Analytics Board and for the North Delta Sunfish Swim Club.

Location: Richmond, BC
Director since: March 31, 2016
Latest date for retirement: January 6, 2023, not eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held:
Member, Governance & Human Resources Committee
Member, Strategic Advisory Committee
Neil Cumming is a civil engineer and business leader with extensive experience in civil engineering, business management and project management in BC.
He is a former President and CEO of Levelton Consultants Ltd. where he enjoyed success in a number of technical, managerial and leadership positions.
Neil has been active with numerous business practice and technical committees of the Canadian Standards Association, the American Concrete Institute, Engineers and Geoscientists BC, and the Canadian Construction Documents Committee. He was a Director of the Consulting Engineers of BC (now ACEC-BC) from 2001-05, and served as President in 2003-04. He has also served on the national board of directors of the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories.

Location: Vernon, BC
Director since: April 1, 2018
Latest date for retirement: March 31, 2024, not eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held: Chair, Governance & Human Resources Committee
David Guscott is an experienced and accredited board member having served on eight boards in BC and Ontario. He recently retired as president and CEO of E-Comm911 where he worked with municipalities, fire, police, and ambulance across BC to grow E-Comm to become the largest 9-1-1 emergency call centre in Canada, driven by a strong vision for service and accountability.
David came to BC in 2006 to join VANOC where he was Executive Vice-President for Celebrations and Partnerships for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. He was Deputy Minister of three ministries in Ontario including Transportation, Labour, and Communications.
He brings to the board extensive experience in developing partnerships with municipalities; a strong technical background in public safety, transportation, and environmental management; as well as broad board experience.
David has a Masters of Public Administration from Queen’s University.

Location: Abbotsford, BC
Director since: July 3, 2019
Latest date for retirement: July 3, 2022, eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Minister
Positions Held:
Member, Governance & Human Resources Committee
Member, Finance & Audit Committee
Ivan Limpright is the former President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), the largest private sector union in British Columbia. Previously, he held positions such as secretary/treasurer, director, and union representative with UFCW.
Active in his community, Ivan has also served as Director for BC Forum and Concert Properties Limited, Chair of the Board of Trustees for UFCW’s pension plan, and as Chair of the Board of Trustees for UFCW’s Health and Welfare Benefits Plan.
He studied labour relations at the Labour College of Canada and attended the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School.
He lives in Abbotsford, BC.

Location: Vancouver, BC
Director since: April 1, 2018
Latest date for retirement: March 31, 2024, not eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held:
Member, Finance & Audit Committee
Member, Strategic Advisory Committee
Nancy Olewiler is an economist and professor in the School of Public Policy at Simon Fraser University. She holds a PhD in economics from the University of British Columbia and her areas of research focus on public policy, including energy and climate policy, regulation and risk, ecosystem services, and transportation.
She has published in academic journals, edited books, provided reports for governments, and has written two widely used textbooks. Nancy has served on the Board of Directors of BC Hydro, Powertech, and TransLink, is currently on the board of the Institute for Research on Public Policy and Genome BC. She is Co-Chair of the Climate Solutions Council for BC and the Chair of the Macroeconomic Accounts Advisory Committee for Statistics Canada.

Location: Mission, BC
Director since: April 11, 2021
Latest date for retirement: April 10, 2024
Appointed by: Board
Daniel Smythe is an Associate Professor, Electrical Instruction at the University of the Fraser Valley and is actively involved with Advisory Groups and Committees within the University. He has been in the electrical contracting industry since 2007, both as a past owner and operator of Zimcan Electrical Contracting, and as a licensed Red Seal Construction Electrician.
He holds a Field Safety Representative certification. As an active member of the BC Electrical Instructors Articulation Committee and past Chair of the Curriculum Sub-committee, he supported collaboration among training providers related to apprenticeship training programs across BC.
He is actively involved with Skills Canada BC, having served as both the BC Technical Chair and BC Representative on the National Technical Committee for Electrical Installations. Daniel brings with him a wealth of knowledge of safety and technical issues within the safety system which Technical Safety BC regulates. He holds a Bachelor of Integrated Studies from the University of the Fraser Valley.

Location: Victoria, BC
Director since: December 7, 2017
Latest date for retirement: December 7, 2023, not eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Minister
Positions Held:
Chair, Strategic Advisory Committee
Gail Stephens brings more than 20 years of experience leading large, complex organizations to the Technical Safety BC board of directors. Her past experience includes serving as CEO of the British Columbia Pension Corporation and as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Winnipeg and City Manager for the City of Victoria.
Most recently, Gail was the startup Chief Operating Officer, then interim President and Chief Executive Officer for the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, where she led the museum and its management departments through its first few years of operation.
Gail has sat on numerous boards, including Coast Capital Savings, the David Foster Foundation, Via Rail Canada Inc., and the BC Industry Training Authority. She is currently the President of Gail Stephens Consulting, which provides management consulting services.

Location: Merritt, BC
Director since: January 7, 2020
Latest date for retirement: January 6, 2023, eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held:
Member, Finance & Audit Committee
Member, Governance and Human Resources Committee
Ken Tourand is President and CEO of the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT), BC’s Indigenous public post-secondary institution.
Prior to taking on this role in 2010, he worked in a variety of senior management and leadership roles with NVIT, where he has worked since 1995.
Ken serves on the board of directors for the BC Association of Institutes and Universities and is past chair of the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICAN) Indigenous Advisory Committee where he led a national committee responsible for development of a national Indigenous protocol for post-secondary Institutions. He currently sits as an Advisory member for the BC Aboriginal Business Awards.
Ken has an undergraduate degree in business administration from Simon Fraser University and a Master of Arts in leadership and training from Royal Roads University.

Location: Terrace, BC
Director since: January 7, 2020
Latest date for retirement: January 6, 2023, eligible for renewal
Appointed by: Board
Positions Held:
Member, Governance & Human Resources Committee
Member, Strategic Advisory Committee
Angela Wesley started Wes-Can Advisory Services in 1992—a consultancy which provides advisory and facilitation services to First Nations and other governments throughout British Columbia in the areas of strategic planning, land management, community development, communications, community engagement, and capacity building.
She has extensive board experience, having been appointed to the BC Treaty Commission by the Province of BC in December 2018; serving as President/Chair of the HFN Group of Businesses since 2010; and Director of the BC Land Title and Survey Authority since September 2017.
Angela also has extensive experience working within First Nations and between First Nations and governments. She represents signatories to the Maa-nulth Treaty; served as legislative chairperson for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations; and was land claims manager for the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in Port Alberni. Angela has a certificate in aboriginal governance from the University of Arizona, and has held the Institute of Corporate Directors Director designation since 2016.