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.

Ajay Patel has served as President and CEO of Vancouver Community College (VCC) since 2020. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia and worked in leadership roles in amateur and competitive sport before transitioning to post-secondary education.

Ajay Patel has served as President and CEO of Vancouver Community College (VCC) since 2020. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia and worked in leadership roles in amateur and competitive sport before transitioning to post-secondary education. Under Ajay's leadership, VCC continues to evolve to meet changing labour market demands, preparing job-ready graduates who contribute to their fields from day one. He is currently leading VCC's Campus Plan, including the development of the new $300 million Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation (CCEAI). Ajay represents VCC nationally and internationally through leadership roles with World Education Services, Colleges and Institutes Canada, and University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific, advocating for access, equity, and reconciliation. He serves on the province's anti-racism committee and the Invest Vancouver Management Board, and holds leadership roles with Sport BC, the BC Recreation and Parks Association, and the Vancouver Sport Strategy. For his contributions to the Canada Games movement and Canadian sport, Ajay was inducted into the Canada Games Hall of Honour. He has also been recognized with the City of Vancouver Volunteer of the Year Award, the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award, the King Charles III Coronation Medal, and inclusion in Vancouver Magazine's Power 50.

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.

Carol is recently retired partner at KPMG after a 35-year career. She served as leader of KPMG's Not-for-Profit practice for over 15 years and was a senior member of KPMG Not-for-Profit and Public Sector network bringing thought leadership in financial reporting and sector specific issues to government and other not-for-profit and charitable organizations operating in British Columbia.

Carol is recently retired partner at KPMG after a 35-year career. She served as leader of KPMG's Not-for-Profit practice for over 15 years and was a senior member of KPMG Not-for-Profit and Public Sector network bringing thought leadership in financial reporting and sector specific issues to government and other not-for-profit and charitable organizations operating in British Columbia. In her role as NPO sector leader, she led the growth of KPMG as a market leader in the sector and championed the professional development/networking for clients and KPMG staff alike. Carol served as a local champion for KPMG's CommunityShift executive-level leadership development program at Ivey Business School, responsible for putting many leaders in the BC government and charitable sector through this program. Carol also developed and taught courses on not-for-profit accounting standards, was actively involved in ensuring consistency in auditing across KPMG's various not-for-profit organization clients and in providing technical guidance on the application of the not-for-profit standards. In addition to her client responsibilities, Carol served over many years in leadership positions in the KPMG GVA people management and women in leadership programs. Carol enhances her professional experience through volunteer work with community organizations and NPOs serving on boards and audit committees. Carol leveraged her position to benefit the communities around her. She organized KPMG's participation in charity and fundraising events for groups such as Union Gospel Mission Christmas, Ocean Wise/Vancouver Aquarium, Surrey Food Bank, Coast Mental Health Foundation, and many more. Furthermore, she chaired the KPMG Foundation for more 4 years, a role in which she led the Foundation philanthropic strategy in providing grant funding to support Canadian charities to better education, health and well-being, to reduce inequalities, and in advancing climate action.

Jill Earthy is a seasoned executive and governance leader whose experience spans the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. As the inaugural CEO of InBC Investment Corp., she led the launch of British Columbia's $500 million strategic investment fund, a first-of-its-kind Crown corporation with a triple-bottom-line mandate to generate economic, social, and environmental returns for communities across the province.

Jill Earthy is a seasoned executive and governance leader whose experience spans the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. As the inaugural CEO of InBC Investment Corp., she led the launch of British Columbia's $500 million strategic investment fund, a first-of-its-kind Crown corporation with a triple-bottom-line mandate to generate economic, social, and environmental returns for communities across the province. Jill's entrepreneurial career began in the tourism sector, where she built her first company, a national event staffing business. She then spent more than two decades championing inclusive economic growth in B.C. and across Canada, holding leadership roles in finance, innovation, and economic development. Her experience includes positions with The Forum, WeBC (formerly Women's Enterprise Centre), Female Funders, and FrontFundr, where she supported entrepreneurs in every region of the province. In addition to her role on the Destination BC Board of Directors, Jill serves on the boards of Vancouver Foundation and EasyPark. She also serves on the advisory boards of the SFU Beedie School of Business, the UBC Sauder School of Business's Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, SFU's Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, and the University of Victoria's impact investing hub. Through her advisory practice, Verge Advisory, Jill continues to work with organizations at the intersection of finance, economic development, and innovation. She enjoys exploring British Columbia and is passionate about promoting the province to visitors while supporting the small businesses that help shape its communities and visitor experiences.

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.

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).