Board Of Directors

As the first-ever female President and CEO of the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA), Ingrid is an industry powerhouse who has spent the past three decades directly contributing to building the tourism sector across BC and Canada.

Her impressive resume spans leadership roles at organizations like Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Boutique Hotels and Resorts, and Watermark Beach Resort. Her involvement in resort development work tied to destination development has been significant in all regions of the province, along with her volunteer work in leadership positions on several tourism boards including the Hotel Association of Canada, Canadian Hotel and Lodging Association, Tourism Victoria, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and Destination BC, where she served as Vice Chair of the Tourism Marketing Committee. Ingrid was also one of five members of the Tourism Task Force working on behalf of industry in the creation of Destination BC. Ingrid currently sits as Co-chair on the Hotel Development and Infrastructure Task Force. Her deep knowledge of brand, demand drivers, marketing, business growth, and strategy sets her apart. Ingrid has channeled her extensive knowledge and acute insights into supporting, and advocating for, members of the hotel industry province-wide. She has been instrumental in leading the hospitality sector out of crisis caused by COVID-19, delivering hundreds of millions in financial relief, while also rebuilding the sector’s workforce and providing solutions for long-term tourism growth.

Amy Blakeney is the CFO & COO of Sun Peaks Resort, a four-season tourist destination and the second largest ski area in Canada.

Amy joined Sun Peaks Resort in August 2015, where she is responsible for the management of the resort and its associated mountain, real estate and hotel operations. Prior to joining Sun Peaks, she was the Vice President, Finance with a major real estate development company in Halifax. She has over 20 years of public and private sector experience in senior financial roles in commercial real estate, insurance, healthcare, and tourism. Amy and her young family live in the community of Sun Peaks and are avid skiers and mountain bikers. Amy is a member of Financial Executives International and is a member of the Board of Tourism Sun Peaks.  Ms. Blakeney is a Chartered Professional Accountant, receiving her CGA designation in 2001, and holds a Master of Business Administration from St. Mary’s University.

Annita McPhee is from the Tahltan Tlingit First Nations located in Northwestern British Columbia. As the former three-term President of the Tahltan Central Government, Annita served three terms as the President of the Tahltan Central Council, and is the recipient of numerous awards for her vision and leadership.

Annita has served as an Advisor and Director on several national and provincial boards including the Legal Services Society, Prospector’s Developers Association Canada, BC Hydro's Strategic Aboriginal Engagement Committee and the Minister of Aboriginal Relations Advisory Council on Aboriginal Women and the BC First Nations Justice Council. The recipient of many prestigious awards, Annita has been honoured with the Indigenous National Native Role Model in 2000 for her passion and commitment to community, service and Aboriginal youth.  Annita founded Annita Mcphee Strategies in 2015 quickly establishing the organization as a leading conference provider and community facilitator for First Nations, Indigenous women, industry, and governmental bodies. Annita holds a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria. She also specialized in Public Relations and Communications at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. To strengthen her work with prevention of violence against Indigenous women, Annita recently earned her diploma from Columbia University in International Human Rights and Advocacy with the United Nations Indigenous Women's Global Leadership School in New York. The entire Destination BC team welcomes Anita and expresses gratitude for her support for our organization and BC’s valuable tourism industry.

Bob is an independent consultant specializing in the areas of government relations and community economic development.

He served two terms as Mayor of the City of Quesnel (2014-2022) and led the community through a highly successful rebranding initiative and the development of a community transition strategy which included an increased emphasis on amenities investments and tourism marking and promotion. He was elected MLA for Cariboo North for two terms (2005-2013), serving as Opposition Critic for Forestry in his first term and then Critic for Aboriginal relations during the first part of his second term. These two roles saw him travel the province extensively multiple times, meeting with community leaders and discussing economic development and transition strategies in many communities across BC. The vast majority of these deliberations involved thoughtful discussions about the role that tourism could and would play in the province’s future. Prior to entering politics, Bob was the Corporate Manager for Organizational Effectiveness, Change Management, and Leadership Development for a large forest products company that had operations in BC and Alberta. He is an avid mountain biker, competitive road cyclist and triathlete, whitewater canoeist, ocean kayaker, and loves both downhill and cross-country skiing. His outdoor interests have seen him take advantage of BC’s major resorts, parks, and wilderness areas.

Brian Friesen is the Principal of Friesen Consulting Ltd, a strategic advisory firm based in Victoria, British Columbia that specializes in port development and large-scale infrastructure projects.

Prior to launching his own practice, Brian served as the Vice President of Trade Development & Real Estate at the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) where he spent over a decade advancing one of Canada’s fastest-growing trade gateways. During his tenure, he led initiatives that supported $60 billion in annual trade, generating over $1.4 billion in economic activity in Northern BC, and supporting thousands of jobs. Brian was responsible for investment attraction, business development, marketing, strategic planning and commercial real estate. Brian was directly involved in attracting $3 billion of port related infrastructure investments, including leading the CANXPORT project, a large-scale export logistics facility. During his time at PRPA, Brian and his team focused on growing Prince Rupert into a leading cruise destination within the Alaska cruise theatre, working with renowned terminal operator Global Ports Holdings to grow industry capacity locally. Brian has worked in numerous roles across the tourism landscape, including with the Oak Bay Marine Group at various sport-fishing lodges along the BC coast and as the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria.

Lori is CEO of SPAL General Constructors Inc, a company wholly owned by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation that manages partnerships in the construction industry.

Lori Simcox is a leader in Indigenous economic engagement, negotiating local involvement on large projects and successfully securing multi-million dollar contracts throughout British Columbia with over 50 prime industry leaders. She is also on the Executive Board for the Indigenous Tourism Association of BC as Treasurer. She has made several presentations at leadership and economic development conferences including the National Aboriginal Business Opportunities Conference. She has been involved in several interviews and articles in Western Investor, Business in Vancouver and the Vancouver Sun, and BC Business Magazine. Lori has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and an MBA from Royal Roads University. She is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with the Canadian Association of Management Consultants. As an independent consultant, she has led several consulting projects for the Federal government, worked on projects for small business and works as a management consultant in several sectors of First Nation economic development. Further work in community economic development involves participation on an application review committee for Pacific Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (PICFI) for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. As a member of the Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation, Lori sits on the Board of Northern Vision Development LP on behalf of her community's Trust and is appointed by them to the board of Chief Isaac Inc. in the Yukon. She recently served her full term as a Lieutenant Governor in Council appointee to the board of Royal Roads University and sat on the Board of the BC Construction Roundtable.

Mike Riediger brings over 20 years of experience in the British Columbia tourism sector, focusing on assisting small businesses and nonprofits, particularly in rural BC, with marketing, public relations, strategic planning, risk management and crisis management.

As the former CEO of the Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association, Mike has collaborated with global partners to enhance accessibility to nature and promote inclusive cycling. Under his leadership, the organization achieved several world firsts in adapted mountain biking and developed resources to support inclusive cycling and recreation throughout North America, Australia and Europe. Beginning his journey in the BC tourism community in 2002 within Fernie's ski industry, Mike transitioned from small business owner to consultant for rural businesses and nonprofits. After moving to the West Kootenays in 2018, he expanded Kootenay Adaptive’s vision to include accessible outdoor recreation programs and accessible tourism initiatives. In 2024, Mike founded Waypoint Strategies, where he consults with CDMOs, tourism businesses, and nonprofits, further extending his industry impact. His extensive background in advocacy, tourism, and marketing has led him to serve as vice-chair of Kootenay Rockies Tourism and previously on the Minister's Tourism Engagement Council. In recognition of his contributions, Mike received the Accessibility Award at the 2022 BC Tourism Conference. He resides in Nakusp, BC, with his family, where he remains actively engaged in supporting his community through various volunteer roles.

Randy has over 40 years of experience in the travel, tourism, and marine business. He is the former President of the Harbour Air Group.

Randy was born and raised in Victoria. He began his career on the dock at the Oak Bay Marina, where his passion for the industry moved him through the ranks of management and into the position of President of the Oak Bay Marine Group and he then moved on to the Harbour Air Group and has had over 20 years experience overseeing the operations and business development of the company that welcomes more than 500,000 passengers annually. Randy has a consulting business and continues to work in the industry. Randy works, lives, and plays in Victoria with his wife and 2 young children who all share his passion for the outdoors and the island community.

Rebecca is an associate professor in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management and program head for the MA in Tourism Management at Royal Roads University.

Drawing on her education and personal and professional experience, she strives to create participatory and inclusive approaches to learning and problem solving. Wilson-Mah is an award-winning case writer and reviewer. She researches and writes cases that convey real life organizational problems for students to analyze and resolve. Rebecca’s research interests include communities of practice, collaborative learning, and regenerative tourism experiences. Prior to joining Royal Roads University, Rebecca held leadership roles at Tourism BC, The Fairmont Empress Hotel and Camosun College. These experiences in tourism, hospitality and education amplify her commitment to applied, accessible and authentic education at all stages of life and career. As a young person, Rebecca came to Victoria, Canada in 1992 and she is grateful to live here with her family. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Birmingham, an MSc in Human Resource Management from Sheffield Hallam University, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Liverpool. Rebecca is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR).