 About BCICBoard of Directors Derek Lew, ChairDerek Lew is a Partner with Initio Group, a Vancouver, BC-based early-stage angel investment firm, and a lawyer experienced in the areas of corporate, commercial and real estate law. Active in his community, he is a Director of the Frank and Joan Lew Charitable Trust and the FJL Housing Society, which focuses on matters related to social housing in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. He is also an active member of the technology startup community in Vancouver. Professionally, he is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia. Derek holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta.  Robin CiceriRobin Ciceri is the President of the Research Universities' Council of British Columbia. She joined the Council in November 2009 after a long and distinguished career in the BC government where she held a number of leadership positions including Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Human Resources and of the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue. Prior to joining BCIC's Board of Directors, she was the Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and also the CEO of the Public Sector Employers' Council Secretariat. Robin's experience also includes senior positions in health, economic development and intergovernmental relations. Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, a Professional Certificate in Secondary Education and a Master's of Public Administration degree. Robin is currently also on the Boards of LifeSciences BC, the BC Council for International Education and the Immigrant Employment Council of BC.  Roger HardyRoger Hardy is the founder and CEO of Coastal Contacts Inc., the world's largest online retailer of contact lenses and eyeglasses. A graduate of Bishops University, Roger founded Coastal Contacts in 2000, rapidly developing it into the largest online retailer in Canada and an international Internet retail giant. Roger has been honoured with many awards including Business in Vancouver's Top Forty under Forty, the Pacific Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (business-to-Consumer) and Bishops University's Top 10 after 10 Award. His charitable activities include establishing the Hardy Endowment Fund at Bishops University to pay the tuition for a student in need every year. Along with his team at Coastal Contacts, he has contributed countless hours to causes such as Easter Seals, the Ride to Conquer Cancer, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, ORBIS Canada and the Red Cross.  Lorraine LarkinLorraine Larkin is a Partner with Larkin & Nast Chartered Accountants, specializing in accounting, taxation and business consulting services for individuals, estates and corporations. She previously articled with Coopers & Lybrand Chartered Accountants. Lorraine holds her Certified General Accountant designation and her Chartered Accountant designation.  Cheryl SlusarchukCheryl Slusarchuk is a Partner in the Corporate Group with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. She practices in the areas of financings, mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing and commercialization arrangements for technology, clean technology and renewable energy companies with an emphasis on US/Canada cross-border and international transactions. Ms. Slusarchuk has been consistently ranked among Canada's top information technology lawyers. Before joining Blakes, Cheryl was a partner at another leading national law firm and was a Partner in a national the Technology/E-commerce Group of a large, international firm in the U.S. Prior to that, Cheryl was general counsel of a NASDAQ-listed international provider of technology and outsourcing solutions. Her responsibilities included an initial and secondary public offering, as well as significant outsourcings and international acquisitions. Ms. Slusarchuk also worked for six years in Australia, focusing on corporate and commercial transactions in the Asia-Pacific region. She has served as the Chair of a Green Energy Advisory Taskforce, Chair of the CleanTech Taskforce of the BC Premier's Technology Council, and Chair of the BC Climate Action Team. She also serves on the board of the British Columbia Innovation Council. Ms. Slusarchuk received her Bachelor of Laws from McGill University and her J.D. from Chicago Kent-College of Law (Order of the Coif). Ms. Slusarchuk is licensed to practice law in Colorado, Illinois, British Columbia and Ontario. |
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