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2026 Committees

The AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter relies on volunteer committees to develop and manage programs that provide value to its membership, including Professional Development, Accreditation, National Philanthropy Day, Mentorship and Scholarship and more.

Gain Valuable Professional Experience – Volunteer for a Committee!

To learn how you can apply your skills and experience as a member of an AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter committee, please see our list of current Volunteer Opportunities.

Communications Committee

The goal of the Communications Committee is to inform AFP Greater Vancouver members of valuable chapter programs, activities and events through regular and meaningful updates that keep them connected to their local chapter and each other.

The Communications team also supports fellow committees by assisting with content updates on the chapter website, providing communication support through social media and email updates and coordinating a chapter communication schedule.

Chair

  • Deborah Smith – Communications and Social Media Coordinator, North Shore Division of Family Practice

Members

Government Relations Committee

The Government Relations Committee’s primary role is to educate members regarding public policy issues which impact membership. The committee also has a role to make advocacy on behalf of the sector and government relations work of AFP relevant to the Chapter membership. The committee leads engagement with government officials, especially those holding elected office in the Lower Mainland.

The committee actively monitors the issues and legislative changes at all levels of government that could both potentially impact membership and develops strategies and plans to advocate on behalf of membership, including mobilizing the membership. The committee also serves as a resource to government officials connecting to, and providing, relevant industry expertise.

Chair

Members

IDEA Committee

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Committee supports the implementation of inclusive practices by AFP Greater Vancouver and its members at the philanthropic and organizational levels. Working in partnership with Chapter committees, members, and community stakeholders, we ensure that diverse communities are engaged, represented, and supported in philanthropy through leadership, membership, mentorship, and professional development activities.

Co-Chairs

Members

Membership Committee

Membership Committee focuses on ensuring that members have a full understanding of the benefits of membership in AFP Global and the local AFP Greater Vancouver chapter. We work to find ways to promote membership with both new and returning members through effective marketing and member feedback. We encourage individual membership that represents a broad spectrum of local charities and non-profits.

Co-Chairs

Member

  • Aisha Ismail – Executive and Development Coordinator, Hogan’s Alley Society
  • Oyin Fagbenro – Advancement Officer, Leadership Giving, SFU
  • Ranil Prasad – Annual Giving Officer, BC SPCA
  • Vishakha Uppoor – Development Officer, Monthly Giving, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
  • Actively recruiting more committee members.

Mentorship & Scholarship Committee

The Mentorship and Scholarship Committee runs both the Mentorship and Scholarship Programs for the AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter. In the mentorship program, the volunteer committee works to match experienced fundraising professionals as mentors with less experienced fundraisers as mentees for a one-year partnership. As part of the program we offer support to the pairs and at least two professional development events to participants, an intake session and a roundtable event. The committee also solicits and reviews applications for scholarships to various local, national, and global AFP professional development opportunities.

Chair

  • Christine Harris – Director of Advancement | Faculty of Environment, SFU

Members

  • Brenda Ulmer – Vice President, Fund Development and Special Events, YWCA Metro Vancouver
  • Christian Hill – Donor Relations Specialist, The Nature Trust of British Columbia
  • Laurina Wong – Development Officer, Leadership Giving, BC Cancer Foundation
  • Milo Dron – Director of Mission Advancement, Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association
  • Morgan Won – Senior Philanthropy Officer, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation

National Philanthropy Day Committee

The National Philanthropy Day (NPD) Committee plays a pivotal role in organizing our annual
National Philanthropy Day celebration and the Giving Hearts Awards, a premier event in the
Greater Vancouver area that celebrates philanthropy and recognizes the exceptional contributions
of individuals, organizations, and volunteers in the nonprofit sector. This highly anticipated event
brings together hundreds of philanthropists, volunteers, fundraisers, and support staff from local
nonprofit organizations.

Co-Chairs

Members

  • Katie Miller – Director, Major Gifts, Science World
  • Kelly Shea – Registration Manager, Mel Jr. & Marty Zajac Foundation
  • Lisa Sanchez – Manager, Philanthropy, Family Services of Greater Vancouver
  • Tara Alexander – Senior Philanthropy Officer, Heart & Stroke
  • Actively recruiting more committee members.

Partnerships Committee

The Partnerships Committee works to build meaningful partnerships with businesses that touch our industry and support positive change in our communities. Our partners support the work of the AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter by helping professionals in our industry connect with other caring humans, build their networks, create a sense of belonging, receive valuable coaching and mentorship as well as provide education specific to fundraisers.

As a non-profit association we seek support from industry partners that share in this passion and goal to create positive change in our communities and those professionals in our industry working to create that change. We seek to create a meaningful connection with companies to partner with us on our mission to further support those that work hard in this rewarding profession.

As a committee member you would be an integral part of a dynamic team of fundraising professionals creating the magic that happens when we create meaningful partnerships with community minded organizations. You will find yourself immersed in a world of like-minded people who share passion and drive to create the healthiest communities possible.

Co-Chairs

Members

Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee plans and organizes educational, training and networking opportunities throughout the year for AFP Greater Vancouver Chapter members and others working in the fundraising sector. We focus on offering events that address current issues in fundraising as well as issues that affect the local fundraising community in particular. Membership has its benefits as all events offer a discount rate to members and some events are members only.

For a listing of AFP Greater Vancouver professional development activities, please view the Events Calendar.

Chair

  • Tor Smith, CFRE, PhD – Director of Philanthropy, The Greater Vancouver Food Bank

Members

  • Debbie Roche – Annual Giving Program Lead, Knowledge Network
  • Ethan Clow – Manager, Community Giving, Rick Hansen Foundation
  • Lori Muñoz – CEO and Founder, BrokersofGood
  • Rachael Zapp – Manager, Signature Programs, Canadian Cancer Society
  • Randi Obenauer – Project Manager
  • Tori Behie – Senior Development Officer, Corporate Partnerships, BC Cancer Foundation
  • Actively recruiting more committee members.

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