Meet the Board

The Board of Directors for Hostelling International-Canada-Pacific Mountain Region is comprised of up to 10 members. Each year, as various seats become available, members are elected for a two-year term.

Biographies

Click on a board member's name to read their biography.

Kelly, Brian Chair Edmonton, AB 2 yr term, expires 2013 AGM

Brian is currently Chair of the Pacific Mountain Region Board and has served on the Board for three years. Before joining the Pacific Mountain Region Board, Brian had served on the Northern Alberta Regional Board since 1992. He has extensive board and policy governance experience and has been actively involved in many initiatives to advance hostelling in Canada through his work at the regional and national level. Brian's continuing commitment is to ensure that a range of hostelling opportunities can be provided in Western Canada now and in the future.

While on the Northern Alberta Board, he played a major role at the Board level in fundraising for hostel development; the acquisition of the new Edmonton hostel; improving wilderness hostels and had significant involvement in the merger of Northern Alberta with Pacific Mountain Region.

Brian has a strong interest in conservation and outdoor recreation management. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a Master of Science degree in Geography and has over 20 years of public sector management experience. Brian has most recently traveled more extensively in Canada and enjoys a range of outdoor interests including camping, canoeing and downhill skiing as well as curling.

Wyatt, James 1st Vice Chair Vancouver, BC 2 yr term, expires 2014 AGM

Having set foot on every continent except Antarctica, James has extensive travel experience and his passion for travel has always been present in his life. Born in England and raised in Canada from a young age, James has both British and Canadian citizenship. Currently residing in Vancouver where he works as a French teacher, he is well aware of the degree to which traveling and the subsequent socio-cultural experiences can enrich people’s lives. He holds a B.P.E. from the University of Alberta, a B.Ed. from the University of Calgary, and a Diploma in French Language and Civilization from Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier, France. In addition to studying in Montpellier, he has worked in France as a teacher, an administrator, an athlete, a coach and a tourist guide. He has teaching, coaching and guiding experience with children and adults of all ages and has traveled in all of these roles in addition to his own personal adventures.

James has enjoyed hostels all across Canada and throughout Europe and strongly believes in the mission statement of Hostelling International. He is a long-standing member and current volunteer for HI-C in Vancouver. His most recent support of volunteerism has led to involvement with the 2010 Olympic Games and the Vancouver French Cultural Center. He believes that in addition to being accessible to everyone and immensely enjoyable, hostelling is an activity that broadens one’s horizons and ultimately galvanizes the global citizen. He is excited to have the opportunity to assist the board of directors in continuing to improve hostels and hostel services. He is committed to broadening the appeal of hostels for all members.

Neudorf, Lenore 2nd Vice Chair Sherwood Park, AB 2 yr term, expires 2013 AGM

Lenore first became interested in the hostellign movement in 1995 when she did volunteer work for Hostelling International - Northern Alberta. Her involvement with that Board soon evolved into Lenore becoming president of HI-C-NA - a postition she held for 3 years. Much of her time as President was focused on the development and implementation of a governance model for the Board and the planning of a new hostel in Jasper.

Since becoming actively involved in hostelling, Lenore has taken every opportunity to visit hostels across Alberta, British Columbia and Europe, often with her family. For Lenore, staying at a hostel means much more than inexpensive accommodation! She takes great satisfaction in introducing family, friend (and even complete strangers) to the open an interactive lifestyle that hostels provide.

As a member of the PMR Board of Directors, Lenore will commit her extensive leadership and goverance experience plus her love of hostelling to support all who enjoy the hostel experience.

Lenore is employed as a labour and employment lawyer with the public sector in Alberta. She has also had extensive experience on non-profit Boards and Advisory Committees, most recently the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund Advisory Committee for the Province of Alberta.

Demers, Jason Calgary, AB 2 yr term, expires 2014 AGM

The Pacific Mountain Region has over the years developed a very strong hostelling membership that continues to strive today. PMR is entering a new decade on a high and it is important that this momentum continues. There are a number of projects on the slate that will ensure that PMR continues to provide a comprehensive hostelling network that will benefit members and showcase our unique destinations.

As a lifetime member and active hosteller I am familiar with many of Alberta’s and BC’s hostels. I also served two terms as a board member of HI-C-Northern Alberta giving me relevant governance experience that will be an asset to our member based association. Aside from hostelling I also serve on the Board of Green Calgary Association and I have worked for over 10 years as a Fundraising Professional. I have the skills and knowledge to successfully maintain and grow our existing hostelling network. Furthermore, I also have the passion and commitment to continue to grow on the great momentum the previous board has initiated.

When not working or volunteering I can be found cycling, playing soccer or squash. I also enjoy traveling throughout the world and enjoy planning for my next trip.

I look forward to representing the membership on the board so that hostelling in Western Canada continues to be as strong if not stronger ten years from now when we enter another new decade.

Ng, Cindy Vancouver, BC 2 yr term, expires 2014 AGM

It is a pleasure to be re-elected and to serve PMR board again this term. I had served from June 2009 to September 2011 when I assisted with improvement of the Governance policies and chaired the Audit Committee. During my involvement I supervised a clean audit of financial statements and took the lead in engaging a Consultant to review the organization’s insurance policy. Overall my time served on the Board was a rewarding experience having had the opportunity to work with such a dedicated Board with a great wealth of knowledge and I have learned a lot more about hostelling and its mission.

As a life-time member, I have enjoyed staying in hostels in Canada, South East Asia, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. I had not utilized hostels until my sister introduced me to the wonderful ways of hostelling six years ago. During these years, I discovered hostelling is a great way to meet new people, to share different cultural experiences, to gather new tips for travelling and to make friends along the way. Whenever I can, I encourage my friends and family to experience the hostelling ways.

I am a Certified General Accountant with undergraduate in Accounting and Finance from Simon Fraser University with 18 years of financial/accounting experience. I currently work as a forecasting/budgeting manager with a Global Commercial Real Estate Company. Given that travelling and community contribution continues to be my passion, I look forward to working with this Board again for more enriching experience and contribution to the Hostelling mission. 

Nietresta, Peter Edmonton, AB 2 yr term, expires 2013 AGM

It has been my honour to serve as the Chair of your Board of Directors during the past year leading your Board in continually improving its governance mandate. The Board’s relationship with you, our members, is something that is invaluable to creating a successful association. As such, I have also continued to serve on the Linkage Committee whose mandate is to listen to members. With the help of engaged members from across the region we have embarked upon initiatives that include strengthening participation and volunteerism by members as well as increasing the utilization of our Wilderness hostel facilities so that more members and guests can experience these unique and special places. We have also opened a new hostel in Whistler that I hope you will all soon discover. Hostelling has deep roots in western Canada and I want to ensure that we celebrate and respect the history of the association while we move forward to provide enriching hostelling adventures throughout our network of hostels.

I am a hosteller. I have enjoyed hostels throughout our region as well as across Canada and around the world. This spring I hostelled in both Vietnam and Switzerland; pretty contrasting experiences! Hostelling is special. It is the interaction and experiences that one has at hostels that make one’s stay so magical! In addition to hostelling, I enjoy cycling, both for transportation and for recreation. I also serve on a municipal citizens’ advisory committee that seeks to advance sustainable transportation initiatives. In my free time I enjoy hiking, camping and skiing.

I am a lawyer by profession, a graduate of the University of Alberta Law School and a member of the Law Society of Alberta. I feel that my skills and my experience, both within our region and on the national hostelling stage, will allow me to continue to effectively serve you, our members. While we have made substantial progress, we have much more to accomplish both as a Board and as an association. We continue to improve and refine our governance leadership and oversight while allowing our CEO latitude to be creative in running the association and improving our hostel network. I remain committed to listening to you; please vote, come out and participate at our AGM or Town Halls as well as through our Linkage opportunities!

Trepanier, Meghan Vancouver, BC 2 yr term, expires 2014 AGM

Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the HI-PM Region Board. I am very enthusiastic about dedicating my skills and passion for hostelling to assist the Board in advancing all its initiatives.

Having grown up in the Thompson-Okanagan, I became involved with hostelling during family trips to the wilderness hostels in the Rocky Mountains. Over the years, I have continued travelling and hostelling across Canada and around the world. I know the HI-PM Region well, having been to all but one of the hostels.

When unable to travel myself, I continue to enjoy interacting with fellow hostellers as a volunteer guide with the local HI hostels in Vancouver, where I currently reside. My travel and volunteer experiences with HI have taught me that hostelling is more than affordable accommodation; it’s a unique opportunity to interact and exchange ideas in an open, safe environment.

I am a French, Spanish and ESL teacher and have taught in Kamloops, Vancouver, Quebec City and Mexico. I continue to work in education on a part-time basis as I pursue a degree in Law at the University of British Columbia.

In addition to my Bachelor of Education from UBC, I have a degree in International Studies and Modern Languages from Laval University and a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from York University and the University of Barcelona. I have worked in program monitoring and evaluation with the Government of Canada as well as a national non-profit organization in Toronto.

In addition to travelling and hostelling, I also enjoy cycling, hiking, camping and skiing.

I look forward to representing the members of the HI-PM Region and am honoured by this opportunity to contribute.

Willgren, Sue Saanichton, BC 2 yr term, expires 2013 AGM

Having been raised in Calgary, AB, Sue gained a strong respect and love for the mountainous region that was her backyard and playground.

From her earliest memories, she has been involved with hostelling, with both the school system and with the Girl Guides of Canada who utilized the Alberta hostels for camping trips.

As Sue grew to an adult and had children of her own, she continued to utilize the Alberta Hostels finding it a safe and affordable way to enjoy the wilderness without concerns for her children’s safety in the backcountry; she has stayed with her children in most, if not all of the HI-PM Region Hostels in Alberta and a few in British Columbia.

With her children grown, Sue continues to enjoy the hostelling experience and choose hostels before hotels in many of her travels including, having stayed in hostels in Moab, UT while mountain biking, San Francisco, CA while attending a conference, while enjoying a beach vacation in Waikiki, Hawaii and New York, NY while exploring the many offerings (and shopping) that that City has to offer.

Sue looks forward to bringing a West Coast perspective to the Board.