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Meet Our Board of Directors & Team

Committees

TIABC is looking for volunteers from its membership to assist the committees.

Please contact us to inquire.

I feel we must speak with one voice and work hard to unify our tourism industry. This board helps us do just that.

Sandra Oldfield

Policy Committee

The Policy Committee develops and updates fact-based policies that clearly communicate the industry’s current concerns and influence decision makers. The Committee utilizes a range of tools to ensure the policy positions it recommends to the Board of Directors reflect the memberships’ views and are supported by research.

Committee members:
1. Michael J. Ballingall (Committee Chair) – TIABC Director
2. Brenda Baptiste – TIABC Director
3. Beverley DeSantis – TIABC Member
4. Barrett Fisher – TIABC Member
5. Katherine MacRae – TIABC Member (Commercial Bear Viewing Association)
6. Joss Penny – TIABC Member (BC Lodging & Campgrounds Association)
7. Paul Vallee – TIABC Member (Gaining Edge)
8. John Wilson – TIABC Member (Wilson Transportation)

Membership & Communications Committee

The Membership and Communications Committee assists the Board in its role of providing input and strategic direction on membership generating activities and communications strategies to support TIABC.

Committee members:
1. Mike Retasket (Committee Chair) – TIABC Director
2. Brenda Baptiste – TIABC Director

3. J.J. Belanger – TIABC Chair
4. Jamie Cox – TIABC Director
5. Ceri Chong – TIABC Member (Tourism Richmond)

6. Nicole Ford – TIABC Director
7. Dennis Innes – TIABC Director
8. Chris Lewis – TIABC Director
9. Joanne Burns Millar – TIABC Director

Finance & Audit Committee

The Finance Committee assists the Board in its fiduciary responsibilities. The Committee also plays a key role in the sustainability of the organization by overseeing the monthly financial statements and reporting back to the board at each meeting.

Committee members:
1. Sandra van Steijn (Committee Chair) – TIABC Director
2. J.J. Belanger – TIABC Chair
3. Jamie Cox – TIABC Director
4. Sandra Oldfield – TIABC Director

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee acts as a working group to assist the Board in ensuring that the organization has the necessary governance structure and policies, including appropriate bylaws, to be an independent and effective tourism industry association on behalf of operators, sectors, DMOs and key stakeholders.

Additionally, the Governance Committee is responsible for ensuring that the Board includes individuals with the skills, experience and broad industry perspective to effectively govern the organization. The process of recruiting qualified nominees for vacant Board positions is overseen by a sub-committee of the Governance Committee.

Committee members:
1. J.J. Belanger – (Committee Chair) – TIABC Chair
2. Brenda Baptiste – TIABC Director

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Reconciliation Sub-committee

The purpose of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee is to assist the Board in its role to establish key metrics and a path forward to ensure TIABC becomes a fair and equitable association well represented by all underserved parties in the tourism industry. Given the current challenges, the Committee will play a key role in establishing the right path forward of the organization.

Committee members:
1. Sandra Oldfield – (Chair) TIABC Director
2. Jarrett Bachman, TIABC Member (Fairleigh Dickinson University)
3. Lisanne Ballantyne, TIABC Member (Tourism Kelowna)
4. Brenda Baptiste – TIABC Director
5. J.J. Belanger – TIABC Chair / Director
6. Barrett Fisher – TIABC Member (Tourism Whistler)
7. Miranda Ji – TIABC Director
8. Chris Lewis – TIABC Director
9. Sandra van Steijn – TIABC Director

🏆🌟TIABC Director Miranda Ji and CEO Walt Judas celebrate with Madone Pelan, GM of the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and Brian Cant, VP of 4VI who won Business of the Year and the Sustainability Award respectively at the Canadian Tourism Industry Awards gala in Ottawa on Wednesday night.
🎵Music Advocacy Update! 

TIABC CEO Walt Judas catching up with Erin Benjamin, president of the Canadian Live Music Association, who spoke on the value of live music at the TIAC Tourism Conference in Ottawa. Walt and Erin worked together to lobby the federal government for support for the live music industry (which was severely impacted) during the pandemic.
TIABC CEO Walt Judas chaired an all-day meeting with his provincial and territorial counterparts prior to the start of the TIAC Congress this week in Ottawa. 🇨🇦🤝

The PTTIA Committee tackled issues such as business insurance, workforce, debt, and other priorities at a national and provincial/territorial level. The group also spent some time on association best practices and discussed advocacy strategies with Federal Tourism Caucus Co-Chair, Senator Karen Sorensen.
🎉 We are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the 2024 BC Tourism Industry Conference. The conference will take place at the Victoria Conference Centre on March 6 & 7, 2024 

2024 REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Visit our website to view the 2024 registration fees. Early bird rates are available with member and non-member pricing options. Full conference registrations include complete access to all conference sessions, workshops, silent auction, welcome reception, and the awards gala. Register at our early bird rate before January 17, 2024 to save $100 on your registration!

Learn more and register through link in bio! 👆
📸 TIABC CEO Walt Judas with CCCTA director Shannon Landsdowne, CEO Amy Thacker and Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor at the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast AGM & Summit.
🍁🕊️ TIABC's Board of Directors and staff join Canadians nationwide in remembering those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice. We express our gratitude for their service.

🌺 Lest We Forget.