VEF Welcomes New Board for 2023-2024 Season
[Vancouver, BC, Canada, October 31, 2023] The Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum (VEF) is excited to announce its Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 Season. The VEF is Vancouver’s premier networking forum for technology entrepreneurs, whose thirty year legacy continues to inspire technology entrepreneurs, ecosystem champions, and investors across industries. VEF aims to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals and build long-lasting relationships that will support their journey towards success.
As a non-profit organization, the VEF relies on a volunteer-run board to both operate and govern the organization. The board’s focus is on growing the membership base, developing meaningful partnerships, and delivering compelling events that connect entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders, helping to unify and strengthen Vancouver’s innovation ecosystem.
Since inception the VEF has attracted some of Vancouver’s most prolific technology leaders to serve on its board and committees, including Mike Volker, CEO WUTIF Capital; Brent Holliday, CEO, Garibaldi Capital; Tea Nicola, CEO & Co-founder, WealthBar (acquired by CI Financial); Heather Conradi, Director, Impact Investing, Vancity; and Bryan Buggey, Executive Vice President, Invest Vancouver (formerly acting CEO, VEC), to name a few. The leaders who have helmed VEF have a proven track record as ecosystem builders, collaborators and champions of Vancouver’s vibrant entrepreneurial community.
As VEF continues to grow and thrive, it will do so with this esteemed Board of Directors:
Kookai Chaimahawong (Chair), Executive Director, UBC Sauder’s Centre for Climate and Business Solutions
Kari LaMotte (Vice-Chair), CEO & Co-Founder, Kite Company Creator
Bonnie Mah (Treasurer), Director, Canadian Corporate Tax, BDO Canada LLP
Tony Rautava (Secretary), Investor, Pender Ventures
Michelle Sklar (Events Director), Head of Venture Growth &EIR, entrepreneurship@UBC
Heali Thirlwell, (Partnerships Director) Senior Associate, Office Properties, CBRE
Amy Rae, Partner, Vanedge Capital
Angie Schick, Executive Director, New Ventures BC
Brad Bycraft, Vice President, Operations, Sanctuary AI
Dean Rockwell, Executive Vice President, Vecima Networks
Elizabeth Thorsen, Vice President, Operations, Foresight Canada
Heather Tanaka, Investment Principal, InBC Investment Corp.
Jon Conlin, Partner, Fasken
Lindsay Chan, VP Corporate Advisory + Technology, H+K Strategies
Matt Carlson, Founder & Executive Managing Director, Floorspace
Mitch Richardson, Senior Associate, Rhino Ventures
Sherry Zhao, Regional Director, Pacific Business Development, Mitacs
Tim Swanson, Executive Search Consultant, Corporate Recruiters
Vivian Wang, Associate, Nimbus Synergies
William Johnson, Founder, Vancouver Tech Journal
“VEF is an organization that is for the community, by the community, and we are so thrilled to welcome such an illustrious group of people that is representative of Vancouver’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Kookai Chaimahawong, VEF Chair. “Our mission is rooted in the belief that a strong community fosters innovation. We are dedicated to shaping the ecosystem that nurtures these connections and drives forward momentum that will help propel BC’s technology sector forward.”
About the Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum
The Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum (VEF) is a non-profit society and Vancouver’s premier networking forum for technology entrepreneurs across various sectors. Founded in 1988, VEF has been bringing together entrepreneurs and investors alike to cultivate meaningful connections and create conversations that catalyze innovation and drive ideas forward.VEF organizes a series of eight impactful events throughout each calendar year, offering a robust and engaging platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaborative innovation.
Media Contact:
Kookai Chaimahawong, Board Chair