Meet our Board
As CEO of Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon, Richard Pass has dedicated his career to serving families throughout BC and Yukon who are facing the serious illness of a child.
Raised in Manitoba, he is a graduate of Brandon University. In 1990, Richard moved west to Vancouver and joined the YMCA where he held various roles, including General Manager, overseeing facilities, programs and fundraising. He spent more than 15 years refining his portfolios and supporting the strategic imperatives of the growing organization. A highlight of his tenure was his key role in the rezoning and redeveloping the Downtown YMCA, a community hub that helps Vancouver residents thrive and reach their full potential.
Since joining Ronald McDonald House BC in 2006 as CEO, Richard has redefined the organization and led it through significant growth and expansion. In 2012, he led the capital campaign to build a new Ronald McDonald House, the second largest in Canada and fifth largest in the world. The campaign raised more than $32 Million dollars and the new House, which offers accommodation and support to more than 2000 families annually opened in July of 2014. In addition, he opened the organization’s first Family Room in Surrey Memorial Hospital, a 2000 square foot facility serving families of children from the lower mainland who are being treated in hospital.
As a leader, Richard is driven by excellence and compassion and plans to continue to grow the organization to better serve families in BC and Yukon. Recognized for his deep expertise in the non – profit sector, Richard has provided leadership and counsel to several organizations in Asia and the USA.
Linda Lemke is an executive leader with over 35 years experience in the BC healthcare landscape, and is an ambitious senior leader who is passionate about the patient experience and working better together. Linda is known for leading people, engaging patients and families, and moving programs, systems and organizations from good to great with award recognition for collaborative change management, operations achievements, and quality outcomes in the adult, perinatal, neonatal and pediatric care settings. Throughout her career, Linda has applied clinical, business and leadership knowledge to making transformational change in the health system to improve delivery, access and quality outcomes. Linda is an active mentor and supporting leaders in Canada and Australia. Previous professional roles include Vice President Engagement & Quality Improvement at Doctors of BC and Chief Operating Officer BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children. In 2021 Linda was guest speaker at the Vancouver Women in Leadership Conference, leading a session on setting goals and getting results. Linda has had the privilege of being an active board member of the Ronald McDonald House British Columbia and Yukon for several years, and has been Board Chair since 2022. Linda holds a BSN and M Ed from UBC.
Andy is a Franchisee with McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada. Andy and his wife Jas, own 12 restaurants in Vancouver. They purchased their first 5 restaurants in 2007.
Prior to becoming a Franchisee, Andy worked with McDonald’s Restaurants on the Corporate side. Past positions included Director of Operations for Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Operations Manager Vancouver, and Manitoba/Saskatchewan.
Andy is the longest serving person in McDonalds Western Canada with 46 years of experience in the Business. From Fry Person in 1977 to Franchisee today.
Andy and Jas have two Daughters who have been volunteers at RMH over the years. He has also served as a past Board member in Winnipeg and in Vancouver.
Anita is an associate at Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP. Prior to joining the board of directors of RMHBC, Anita volunteered at the House in Vancouver for several years. What draws Anita to RMHBC is its mission – to keep families close during difficult times – because she understands that when a child is sick, the whole family is deeply impacted. Her goal is to see RMH BC’s programs continue to grow, not just in terms of capacity, but also the breadth of services provided to the families that stay at the House. Anita currently also serves on RMHBC’s Governance Committee.
Catherine is an executive leader who has spent her career using technology strategically to scale and sustain global business growth. She was most recently the Chief Technology Officer at Canada Goose and prior to that, held executive technology positions at the City of Vancouver, Mitacs and Seaspan. Her strategic vision is centered on using technology to differentiate a business and foster transformative change, while being mindful that success relies as much on organizational change management as it does on delivery and operations. Catherine is an active member of the CIO community, as a member of the IDC Global CIO Research Advisory Board and an active member of the CIO Association of Canada. Her early career started in management consulting and this role created opportunities for her to work in Seattle and Toronto in addition to Vancouver. She also worked extensively in program management to deliver complex projects before she transitioned into technology management and CIO roles. She is now embarking on the next phase of her career as an independent advisor, specializing in strategy, digital transformation, and team development. She is committed to building communities and supporting women in technology, STEM in early education and diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Catherine has a B.Sc. in Microbiology from UBC and an MBA from McMaster University. She and her family are avid skiers and enjoy using the parks and trails in our beautiful province.
Christy is a Registered Nurse with over 25 years of health care experience in child health. Her current role is Executive Director, Clinical Operations at BC Children’s Hospital and she is responsible for providing senior leadership to the following programs: Children’s Development and Rehabilitation (Sunny Hill Health Center); Orthopedics, Neurosciences, Emergency & Trauma; Access, Utilization & Nursing Resource Team; Nursing Support Services, Complex Care, and Oncology, Hematology, Bone Marrow Transplant. Christy began her career in nursing at BC Children’s Hospital working as a General Duty Nurse on the surgical inpatient unit, caring for children/youth and their families from across the province and Yukon Territory in the areas of general surgery, including orthopedics, trauma and burns. Over the past 26 years, Christy has had the opportunity to work and lead many areas of BC Children’s and BC Women’s Hospital and Health Science Center. She has always been a strong advocate for family centered care and interprofessional collaborations, which include the family as the key partner in the care team. Since 2008, she has successfully participated and led programs to receive Exemplary Standing in Accreditation Canada each survey. Christy has been an active member on provincial ministry of health committees, including past co-chair for the provincial Emergency Services Advisory Committee. She has led and actively participated in many programs within BC Children’s hospital, provincially and nationally through Children’s Healthcare Canada. Some of these accomplishments are implementation of Child Health BC Tiers of Service model and successful opening of the Teck Acute Care Center in 2017 and in 2020, the move of Sunny Hill Health Center for Children programs to the Oak street campus.
Christy holds a Bachelors of Science in Nursing, a Master’s of Science in Nursing and certifications in lean leader methodologies, leadership and change management, leadership coaching, Indigenous cultural competency and is a Resilience in the Workplace facilitator. Christy is also an adjunct professor with the UBC School of Nursing and acts as a mentor to students in graduate programs.
Christy has devoted her nursing career to improving the health care system to enhance supports for children, youth and their families. She feels extremely blessed to serve this population across our health care system.
Don Davies is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway. He was first elected in 2008, and re-elected four times since.
Don holds a B.A. in Political Science and an L.L.B.. After being admitted to the Alberta Bar in 1989, Don served as Executive Assistant, Policy and Communications, in the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition of Alberta.
Don and his family moved to British Columbia in 1991. From 1992 to 2008, Don worked as the Director of Legal Services for Teamsters Canada, Local 31, where he represented workers and the union in arbitrations, mediations, collective bargaining and before both provincial and federal labour tribunals. In addition to gaining extensive knowledge in human resources and labour law, Don also developed policies on a wide variety of employment and economic issues, including occupational health, transportation and privacy.
Don is currently the federal NDP Critic for Health, a post he has occupied since 2015, and Deputy Critic for Foreign Affairs and International Development. Prior to that, he served as Official Opposition Critic for International Trade, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and Public Safety and National Security. He serves on many Parliamentary bodies, including on the Executives of the Canada-Europe and Canada-China Parliamentary Associations and as a delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He sits on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health and is a Privy Council appointee to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.
Don has introduced more legislation in the House of Commons than any MP in the country. These include detailed plans for a national school nutrition program, a pan-Canadian perinatal mental health strategy, and free post-secondary tuition for students with special needs. As Health Critic, Don drove the concept of universal Pharmacare onto the Parliamentary agenda in 2016 and is the architect of the current plan to provide access to dental care for all low-income Canadians without insurance coverage.
A strong proponent of public healthcare and comprehensive services, Don passionately believes in head-to-toe healthcare, the value of prevention and in the team-based approach to healthcare delivery.
Don has extensive experience in governance as a director on multiple non-profit and for-profit boards. These include serving as a trustee on a multi-employer pension plan, secretary-treasurer of a society providing childcare and community space, and as a member of many electoral district associations.
Don is married to Sheryl Palm, a Speech-Language Pathologist at BC Children’s Hospital, and they have three lovely children and a much doted-upon granddaughter.
Jesse is a Partner in KPMG’s Management Consulting group. In his practice, Jesse assists clients with business needs related to capital allocation and decision-making; procurement improvement; technology implementation; and major project management. Jesse specializes in assisting asset-intensive organizations particularly in the healthcare, education, natural resources, and power and utilities industries. He is passionate about serving and growing RMHBC’s mission to help keep families close when children are undergoing treatment.
Lori is a Senior Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor with over 20 years of experience. She is focused on helping people retire with confidence by creating personalized portfolios with a strong focus on risk management, that have achieved long-term stable returns. Having this depth of experience gives her the ability to make efficient decisions on a daily basis. She is dedicated to finding smart solutions in all aspects of the client’s financial situation, including retirement, income projections, the transition of wealth, and tax & estate planning. Lori has a strong commitment to her client’s well-being and believes in the simple philosophy of “say what you do and do what you say”.
A proud mother herself, Lori became involved with the Ronald McDonald House first as a volunteer. Lori has led her team through some of the RMH volunteer opportunities, including volunteering annually at the Vancouver Island Golf Tournament, and the Family Meal Program.
Over the past 13 years, Lori has been educating listeners on Vancouver’s News Talk 980 CKNW with her weekly radio show, Making Cents of the Markets. Every Wednesday at 8:35am, she provides timely insight on market conditions and gives investors straight-up advice to assess their financial health. Additionally, Lori has a podcast called Ready.Set.Retire!, with co-host Jon McComb, where they discuss everything relating to retirement – financial and estate planning, health matters, travel, and much more.
Lori has been recognized with many industry awards including the Globe & Mail’s Canada’s Top Women Wealth Advisors, the Investment Industry Association of Canada (IIAC) Top Under 40 Award, as well as Business in Vancouver’s Forty Under 40. In her spare time, you can find Lori in Pemberton or the Okanagan enjoying the outdoors with her husband Nick, and son Luca.
Lori Podnevar is a results-driven leader with extensive progressive experience in the construction industry. Lori currently holds the position of Chief Financial Officer at Houle Electric Limited and oversees all the financial aspects of Houle and acts as a business advisor to collaborate on strategic and tactical decisions that will drive the business forward. Prior to that, Lori held a number of positions at Ledcor Construction Limited, including Vice President, Finance. Lori is a graduate of University of Toronto and a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA). Lori and her husband Sean relocated from Toronto and live in Burnaby with their son Max. The family loves beautiful BC and enjoys biking, skiing, and golfing together. Board member since 2021.
Jennifer Houle is an experienced People & Culture executive with over 15 years
of leadership in human resources, organizational development, and inclusive governance. She currently serves as Vice President, People Operations at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, where she oversees strategic HR and equity-centred systems across the organization’s venture, philanthropic, and outcomes finance entities.
Jennifer holds a Master’s Diploma in Executive Talent Management and is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and Certified Talent Management Practitioner (CTMP). She is also certified in Indigenous Cultural Competency and Trauma-Informed Practice, and has been recognized as one of the Top HR Leaders in Canadian Tech.
In addition to her executive work, Jennifer is a speaker, mentor, and contributor to national publications including PeopleTalk Magazine and The Globe and Mail.
Jennifer is honoured to serve on the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon. Her personal connection to the organization’s mission deepens her commitment to ensuring all families have access to compassionate care during times of medical crisis.
Mike Rampf was born and raised in South Africa. He was fortunate to move to Vancouver with his family in 1995 and attend Point Grey High school and then the University of British Columbia, where he studied Marketing combined with Real Estate and graduated in 2003. Before starting his career as a Realtor, he travelled the world for a year.
Mike is happily married to Natashia with three beautiful children: Finnley, Lainey and Ziggy. They reside in Whistler, enjoying mountain life. Volunteering is a cornerstone of his family values, and they try to give back to their community as much as possible. Mike and Natashia want their children to understand the importance of volunteering.
Mike owns a Real Estate company, The Next Door Real Estate Group, under the Engel & Volkers umbrella specializing in luxury real estate in Vancouver. He has an office in Yaletown and West Vancouver with six licensed realtors.
In Mike’s off time, you can find him with his family, likely at a playground with the kids, snowboarding, downhill biking, golfing, traveling, learning to skateboard, in the gym, on his Peloton, or watching a movie.
As the National Account Director on the McDonald’s Canada business, one of Niels’ duties is to oversee Coca-Cola’s RMHC national investment. Niels has had an award-winning career with Coca-Cola Ltd for 14 years in variety of key account management positions, with experience overseeing many customers including Save on Foods, Federated Co-op, Buy Low foods, Quality Foods, London Drugs, A&W, Wendy’s, Northlands Properties, Landmark Cinemas, WestJet, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and BC Ferries. Prior to his time at Coca-Cola, Niels spent six years with Labatt Breweries in retail and on-premise sales, culminating in a senior management role. Over his career, Niels has a proven history of success with high stake, complex sales negotiations and is known for his transparent and collaborative style.
Niels is a passionate leader with a history of developing high performing, successful teams. Known for his open mindset and disarming style, Niels leads by example with equal parts tenacity and fun. One of his favorite duties at work is mentoring individuals, helping them to elevate their skills and reach their goals
A long-time resident of North Vancouver, Niels can often be found in the mountains defying gravity on a mountain bike or snowboard. He was very fortunate to have met his wife Faye at the University of Victoria 25 years ago and is a proud father to their two children Malia and Charlotte. Like so many others during the pandemic, the Bednarczyk household grew with the addition of Poppy, an Australian Labradoodle who is never more than 2 steps behind Niels.
Paul is Head of Communications and Reputation with LNG Canada (on secondment from Shell Canada) since November 2019.
A Canadian and Irish citizen, Paul is a seasoned international corporate communications and government relations professional with 20 years of experience working in energy and major projects in Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.
A member of the Corporate Relations and LNG Canada extended leadership team, Paul has held roles spanning reputation, advocacy, media relations and stakeholder engagement. In his career, Paul has tackled some of the energy sector’s most challenging issues and challenges from climate change to litigation, activism and emergency and crisis response.
Paul is a 2019 graduate of Loyola University’s Institute of Politics in New Orleans (a non-accredited lecture series). He graduated from Mount Royal University with a Bachelor of Applied Communications in 2003, also attending the University of Calgary. In 2010, Paul earned his Accredited Business Communicator Designation (ABC) with the International Association of Business Communicators.
Mr. Hagel resides in Victoria with his wife, Paula King, and their children Cooper and Catherine.
Hannah is a practicing lawyer with Ratcliff LLP, where she advises First Nations in British Columbia and the Yukon on a broad range of complex legal matters. A proud member of the Esk’etemc First Nation, Hannah is deeply committed to Indigenous reconciliation, equity, and self-determination.
Her legal practice encompasses treaty negotiations and implementation, inter-governmental relations, and the advancement of governance and jurisdiction. She has extensive experience in Aboriginal rights and title, Indian Act matters, and Indigenous child and family services—key areas in building strong, self-governing Indigenous communities.
Beyond her legal work, Hannah is an active member of her local community of Bowen Island, where she lives with her husband and two kids. Having lost multiple people close to her to cancer, Hannah devotes considerable time to charitable and volunteer work in the health sector and a variety of other areas.
Hannah is a director and audit committee chair of Westhaven Gold Corp. and Nova Capital Ltd. investment firm, and previously served on the board of Atira Women’s Resources Society and Small Business BC.
Vincent is a Partner and Co-Founder of LoganHR, a Vancouver based HR firm specializing in compensation management, performance development and career transition. With over 20 years of experience in reviewing and designing compensation and performance programs, he works with stakeholders including Boards, Executives and Management in the private, public and not-for-private sectors to deliver practical and sustainable solutions. Vincent also conducts the LoganHR Not-For-Profit Salary Survey and provides professional competitive pay information for BC’s not-for-profit community. Vincent holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), a past Chair of the BC region of the WorldatWork Total Rewards Association, and past Chair of the CPHR BC & Yukon Annual Conference. Vincent is also a frequent speaker at BCIT, HR Tech Group, CEO Forums, and many HR conferences. Board member since 2020.