Meet the Team

Born in Dawson Creek BC, Valda went through much of her schooling in Kelowna and attended the University of Guelph in Ontario upon graduation.  With a college degree in Voluntary Sector Management, a 40-year career working as a Volunteer Manager in Edmonton’s non-profit and arts sector has led her to bring her skill set to Volunteer Kamloops.

Valda has come back “home”. Being a new resident to the Kamloops area community, she, along with her husband Dave, settled in Cherry Creek on a 20-acre parcel.  With a love of the arts and music, she is finding her “tribe” in two choirs in Kamloops.  A strong belief that at the heart of public service is the desire to improve the lives of those we serve (including our family, friends, Neighbours, and the greater community/city) She is also dedicating some time to volunteering at the Kamloops Hospice.

Born in Vancouver, lived in Victoria and then moved to Kamloops in 2022. Over 40 years experience in a variety of business venues, managing various sized teams. Background encompasses business development and improvement, design and new services, project management and personnel leadership as well as local, province wide and abroad volunteering and giving back to communities. She has a passion with regards to being part of the program and contributing to the growth and development of the community which is very important to her. Utilizing leadership, organizational and communication skills to improve the lives in the greater community and assisting Kamloops in making it a better place for everyone. Looking forward to contributing to society and being part of this important cause.

Originally from Pakistan, I moved to Kamloops in 2023 and quickly developed a passion for giving back to the community I now call home. With a diverse background spanning engineering, applied data science, hospitality, and guest experience, he brings both technical expertise and people-first leadership to the Volunteer Kamloops Board of Directors.

He holds a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Applied Data Science from Thompson Rivers University and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, providing him with a strong foundation in analytical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation. His career also includes engineering experience in Kuwait, where he worked across diverse teams and cultures—an experience that deepened his commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and values-driven leadership.

Beyond his professional life, Hassan has been actively involved in volunteer initiatives locally and abroad. He strongly believes in the power of service, diversity, and connection to build stronger communities. As a board member, he looks forward to applying his leadership, organizational, and communication skills to support Volunteer Kamloops’ mission and to help create opportunities and connections across Kamloops.

With over 20 years of experience serving communities in various development sectors including education, health, agriculture and lands, fisheries, trade and industry, and immigration services. I hold a deep commitment to enhancing community livelihoods through respect for all, inclusion, teamwork, and delivering results.

Since growing up as a young boy on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean, I have been an ardent supporter of giving back to my community. As a teenager, I joined a community development club that supports many community development initiatives. Later, I got much more involved in community activities by joining several church and school-based organizations. This to a great extent influenced teaching as my first choice of career. I taught both primary and post-secondary students for about nine years, further deepening my community connections.

With this deep desire to serve, I then joined the mainstream public service in Grenada where I served at the senior and executive level (as Permanent Secretary), in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, Ministry of Health and Social Security, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Trade and Industry for over 19 years. Throughout those years, I held many stakeholders’ engagements and served numerous communities while advising, developing, and implementing major government policies and programs.

I currently hold a Master’s degree in International Trade Policy and Bachelor’s degree in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies and both a Certificate and Diploma in Teacher Education.

In 2020 I moved to Canada. After spending two years in Ontario, my wife Kimberly and I had the opportunity to relocate to the beautiful community of Kamloops

Born in Edmonton AB but lived in Fort McMurray, AB for 41 years. This is where she began her career in municipal government, obtained a diploma in Business Administration and Leadership and started a family. She has two sons, who live and work Richmond BC.

Volunteering started when she was a young adult on a Helpline and as a Peer Counsellor. Just before retirement she was a Director with the Touchstone Family Association and facilitated strategic planning sessions for Volunteer Richmond Board and a strategic planning presentation for the youth volunteers.

Her career spanned over 27 years in Parks & Recreation, 15 years in the Fire Service advancing into progressively more responsible management positions. The promotions throughout her career included areas such as: leadership, financial management, project management, planning and coordination of small and large events up to departmental strategic plans. In July 2017, Kim retired as a Deputy Fire Chief, moved to Kamloops in 2020 and is now fully enjoying this phase of her life.

David is originally from Quito, Ecuador. He has called Kamloops home since 2019. Drawn to Canada for its welcoming culture and values.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador, a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from the Escuela Politécnica del Ecuador, and a Postgraduate degree in International Business from Thompson Rivers University. David enjoys the outdoors, running, cycling, and exploring nature.

He has embraced his new community with warmth and enthusiasm. He is excited to learn more about Kamloops. Always looking for ways to contribute positively through his adaptability, teamwork, and personal experiences. To help with the growth of the community.

Peter was born in Kamloops and raised in Chase.  After high school he attended TRU (then named UCC) where in completed his Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics.  Having been in the Kamloops area his entire life to this point, he felt the need to get away!  To that end, he moved to Halifax, NS where he started is graduate studies at Dalhousie University and then to Kingston, ON where he graduated from Queen’s University.  Afterwards, he moved to Ottawa, ON where he served as a federal public servant.  During his six years away from Kamloops, he realized that there’s no place like home.  With his parents, siblings, and niblings all in BC, he needed a path home to be closer to them.  TRU provided that path where he has been teaching in the Department of Economics since 2009. 

Along the way Peter gained an appreciation for the economic and social value of volunteerism.   As a student, he volunteered in various student organizations at UCC, Dalhousie, and Queen’s where he helped to ensure students had access to services, academic resources, and additional learning opportunities.  In Ottawa, he volunteered with the United Way as a campaign fundraiser.  Upon his return to Kamloops, Peter spent a decade as a volunteer foster parent for the Kamloops SPCA during which time he cared for over sixty kittens with various medical and socialization needs.

His personal interests include hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, camping, paddle boarding, and more.   He considers himself incredibly fortunate to be able to share these activities with his wife, Jordan, and daughter, Jane.

Clare has worked in community engagement since 2018 with a special interest in place management and events. Originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, Clare has been in Canada since 2015, and most recently in Kamloops to serve as Executive Director and develop the newly formed East Kamloops BIA. Clare brings experience in public events, streetscape enhancement, public art and community engagement, previously as Manager of Public Spaces and Placemaking of the Downtown Van team in Vancouver. She is passionate about people, places and pets and anything that brings those pieces together is where you will find her spending her time and focus. She has previously volunteered for festivals such as Lumiere in Vancouver, as a Canine Companion and Dog Walker for the SPCA, and as a board member for the Vancouver New Years Eve Celebration Society.