Board of Directors
The ZEIC Board of Directors consists of twelve elected members representing a broad range of sectors and expertise, including elected officials, Indigenous representation, local government, non-profit, finance, and climate action professionals.
Bob Elton
ZEIC Board Chair
Bob Elton
ZEIC Board Chair
Bob Elton has held a range of leadership roles, including serving as CEO of BC Hydro and in several executive positions at Vancity. He has also contributed as a board director with organizations such as the Minerva Foundation, BCI, and Simon Fraser University, where he served as board chair. In addition, he has taught leadership as an adjunct professor at the Sauder School of Business.
He currently chairs the Energy Advisory Board for YVR and recently served on Canada’s Electricity Advisory Council.
Chih-Ting Lo
ZEIC Board Vice-Chair
EELO Solutions
Chih-Ting Lo
Board Vice-Chair
EELO Solutions
Chih-Ting is a strategist, entrepreneur, and board member committed to making the global net-zero carbon future a reality targeting high-impact industries. A professional engineer with deep sectoral knowledge, expertise in environment, social, and governance (ESG) performance, and an innovation leader, Chih-Ting’s data driven approach uniquely compliments exercising governance best practices and overseeing risks. After years in research and commercialization on a novel hydrogen storage technology followed by consulting, she founded EELO Solutions in 2011, building bold strategies and supporting their implementation. With global experience in mining, marine, energy, and international financial institutions, she has enabled $100M+ private sector investments and raised $45M+ for innovation and decarbonization projects in recent years.
Chih-Ting is collaborative, deliberate, and authentic. She believes that technologies and investment in novel ideas are necessary to reach climate action targets. She is on the Advisory Board of clean tech companies and is an Executive in Residence in cleantech accelerators.
Outside of work, Chih-Ting enjoys everything outdoors, snowboarding, cycling, and growing her own food. She builds and lives in a certified passive house with her partner in the City of Vancouver.
Jackie Cook
Morningstar
Jackie Cook
Director, Stewardship, Product Strategy & Development
Morningstar
Jackie has worked within the investor stewardship movement for the past 25 years to advance sustainable business practices. Between 2007 and 2018 she founded, led, and sold a “proxytech” business that supported investor voting analytics and campaigns. In her present position at Morningstar - a global financial research, data, and services provider - she leads a team of ESG specialists who represent institutional investors in proxy voting and direct engagements with large multinational companies on topics of corporate governance, climate, and sustainability. Previously, within Morningstar, Jackie focused on fund and asset manager research as a subject matter expert on investor stewardship. Throughout her career, Jackie has published widely to both academic and professional readerships on corporate form, investor active ownership, and energy governance. Her work is motivated by a belief in the power of financial markets to move the dial on pressing environmental and social challenges.
Jackie grew up under the African sky and is a graduate of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School as a Rhodes Scholar. She is married with four teens and a house full of pets and plants.
Kira Gerwing
Sacha Investments Ltd
Kira Gerwing
Chief Real Estate Investment Officer
Sacha Investments Ltd
Kira is committed to a practice that brings visionary, compassionate, and strategic leadership to the systems that drive how we own, steward, and develop land. In her current role as Chief Real Estate Investment Officer for Sacha Investments Ltd, she sources impact investment opportunities in Western Canada, focusing on social purpose real estate that delivers affordable housing, green buildings, sustainable agriculture, and forestry-based carbon sequestration.
From 2012 to 2021, Kira was the Senior Manager in Community Investment at Vancity Credit Union. There, she led a strong team of community investors who craft opportunities in affordable housing, reconciliation and Indigenous business development, and meaningful climate action in finance. She has a passion for finding creative ways to realise everyone’s fundamental right to flourish. Kira believes in the power of local economic development and is innovative in how she invests skills and resources to deliver high impact, scale-able enterprises. Prior to Vancity, Kira was an urban planner with the City of Vancouver in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhoods. She’s married to an entrepreneur who works with her to parent two teen-aged children. She loves downhill skiing and riding her bike to get around the city.
Chris Gilmore
BC Government Observer / Ex-officio position
Government of BC
Chris Gilmore
BC Government Observer / Ex-officio position
A/Assistant Deputy Minister
Electricity and Utility Regulation Division
Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions
Chris has more than 20 years of experience holding progressively more senior roles in both the provincial and federal governments.
Since May 2024 he has served as the A/Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for Electricity and Utility Regulation in the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions. Before that he was the Executive Director of Electricity Policy at the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. Previously he served as the Executive Director of Climate Partnerships & Engagement within the Climate Action Secretariat in the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
Since moving to B.C. in 2007, Chris worked in the economic development and jobs ministry until 2018. There he worked on files such as head of the DM/Cabinet Policy Committee on Stronger Economy, green economy; innovation policy; Federal/Provincial relations, industrial development and Indigenous Economic Development.
In Ottawa, he worked within the departments of Industry Canada and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) providing advice on competitiveness, innovation, regional development, trade and investment, and workplace skills issues.
Chris holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration (UNB); a graduate degree in Development Economics (Dalhousie) and is a certified Economic Developer (Ec.D) (University of Waterloo).
Chris is married with two daughters that keep him busy outside of work and driving them to soccer and softball games – and the barn (one is a horse rider).
Deborah Harford
Senior Systemic Climate Consultant (independent)
Deborah Harford
Senior Systemic Climate Consultant (independent)
Deborah Harford is a systems change leader with experience in the non-profit, academic, and corporate sectors. She co-founded ACT (the Action on Climate Team) at SFU, North America’s first think-and-do tank developing policy guidance for climate challenges spanning energy, infrastructure, water, food, and biodiversity, and served as EVP, Global Strategic Partnerships and Head of Sustainability at tech start-up Legible, where she led multi-capital accounting strategy while forging partnerships with multinationals. A trusted advisor to governments and non-profits, Deborah consults on low carbon resilience strategy with federal ministries, and is a Climate Solutions/Technology & Society Fellow at SFU’s Centre for Dialogue, where she is building an initiative examining intersections between AI and climate change. She served on the expert adaptation panel of the Canadian Climate Institute, the federal Expert Panel on Adaptation and Climate Resilience Results (EPCARR), and the Council of Canadian Academies’ expert panel on Top Climate Risks for Canada, and has authored numerous reports and articles including a book on the Columbia River Treaty.
Deborah holds a Master of Education in Contemplative Inquiry and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Communications and English, both from SFU, and a certificate in AI and Ethics from the London School of Economics.
Gail Hochachka
University of British Columbia
Gail Hochachka
Research Manager
Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) & Cities and Communities Pillar, MeridaLabs, Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia
Gail Hochachka, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia (UBC), in the Forests and Communities in Transition (FACT) Lab, Faculty of Forestry. She studies the human dimensions of climate change and transformations to sustainability. Her current research focuses on the meaning-making, worldviews and values that shape climate perceptions in BC. Her previous postdoc research at UBC looked at how to accelerate urban climate action using novel transformative-change heuristics to assess key barriers and untapped opportunities for climate action. Her work has been widely published and includes novel insights for climate policy design, communications, and engagement. She facilitates learning in non-academic settings such as through workshops, webinars, leadership trainings, and conferences, and she has also taught in academic institutions, including a graduate course on Climate Communications and Engagement at UBC. Prior to this, Hochachka did her PhD research at the University of Oslo with a focus on climate change adaptation and transformations to sustainability.
She maintains professional connections with researchers in Norway, at University of Oslo as well as the Western Norway Research Institute, with collaborations on climate change, nature-based solutions, and transformations to sustainability. Gail has substantial experience working in sustainable development in Latin America and Africa, and this global perspective continues to deeply influence her research questions and her approach.
Councillor
Sarah Kirby-Yung
City of Vancouver
Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung
City of Vancouver
Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung is committed to a liveable and vibrant Vancouver and believes that arts and culture are a vital part of a great city. She is currently serving her second term on Vancouver City Council.
Previously, she was elected to the Vancouver Park Board where she served as Chair. As a Commissioner, she was a strong advocate for the protection and expansion of parks and green space. During her tenure she brought forward public art projects, supported revitalization initiatives in Vancouver's Chinatown including renewal of the public courtyard adjoining the Vancouver Chinese Garden, and collaborated with the Vancouver Symphony at Sunset now slated to become an ongoing Vancouver favourite summer tradition.
Her professional background is in marketing and communications, and she has held senior management roles in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Director
Jen McCutcheon
Metro Vancouver,
Electoral Area A
Director Jen McCutcheon
Metro Vancouver, Electoral Area A
Dr. Jen McCutcheon serves on the ZEIC Board as the appointed director for the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD). Jen is the elected representative for Electoral Area A (all non-municipal areas of Metro Vancouver) on the MVRD Board of Directors and TransLink’s Mayors’ Council. In addition, she serves on the Metro Vancouver Climate Action Committee, EComm’s Board of Directors, the Ocean Watch Action Committee, as well as a number of other Boards and committees within the region.
Jen is passionate about the environment and about decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Her perspectives are guided by a commitment to a better world for her children and future generations, as well as her academic and professional background in public health. She holds a doctorate degree in global public health and has worked for a decade on strengthening health systems in low-income countries.
Jen approaches her decisions and policy making from a social justice and climate lens, and is passionate about issues such as climate action, affordability, reconciliation. She brings a regional perspective to the ZEIC Board, as well as her expertise in strategic thinking and facilitation.
Brett Sparrow
Indigenous Strategies and Relationship Manager, Hungerford Properties
Brett Sparrow
Community Member
Musqueam Indian Band
Brett Sparrow (ʔəy̓xʷa:tsəmqən) is an elected councillor and member of the Musqueam Indian Band. His council portfolio includes all on-reserve land use planning, capital projects as well as updating the Land Code – Musqueam’s governing law over the management of lands and resources. He graduated from UBC twice with a Bachelor’s of Arts specializing in Economics as well as a minor in Commerce from Sauder School of Business, and holds a Master’s of Community & Regional Planning specializing in Indigenous Community Planning.
Brett brings a wealth of experience in government-relations with Indigenous peoples. He worked as an Indigenous Governance Analyst at the First Nations Fisheries Council of BC, leading internal coordination, communication design and relationship management among First Nations fisheries organizations and governmental bodies. He also served as an Indigenous Community Liaison with the BC Ministry of the Attorney General, developing cultural awareness training and facilitating community engagement strategies within Indigenous justice programs in the Okanagan region.
He currently works for an Indigenous-owned Real Estate Developer and Investment Firm, Hungerford Properties, as the Manager of Indigenous Relations and Strategies. His responsibilities include developing and implementing frameworks and strategies for Indigenous community engagement, community profiling, project identification and planning.
Grounded in the sustainability and stewardship principles of his Musqueam ancestors, who have stewarded these lands in Vancouver since time immemorial, Brett brings a combination of governance and land-use planning experience as well as an important perspective around green buildings, renewable energy and transportation.
Curtis Thomas
Tsleil-Waututh Nation,
Warrior Plumbing
Curtis Thomas
Councillor
Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Warrior Plumbing
Curtis was born and raised in the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and is very proud to call it home. He is an elected councillor and active member of the TWN Community Climate Action Committee. He has been a mechanical contracting professional for nearly two decades. He is a Red Seal certified plumber and a “B” level certified gas fitter, gaining both certifications from BCIT.
He owns and operates Warrior Plumbing, providing mechanical services for new, multi-family residential developments for builders and Indigenous landowners, employing a dozen tradespeople.
Elaine Wong
Treasurer
Pine Street Ventures
Elaine Wong
Pine Street Ventures
A seasoned financial executive with thirty years of corporate and not-for-profit experience, Elaine Wong, CPA, CA, has worked with various organizations in high growth, transformative sectors such as cleantech and renewable energy. She currently sits on the Board of Greenlane Renewables (TSX: GRN) and previously held various leadership positions including Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Strategic Development, with Westport Fuel Systems (NASDAQ/ TSX: WPRT).
Elaine began her professional career at KPMG and then joined ISM-BC, an information technology joint venture between TELUS and IBM. Elaine has also served on the Boards of the David Suzuki Foundation, the Natural Step Canada, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility, and on CPA Canada’s Sustainability Advisory Board. In 2010, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women. A lifelong Vancouverite, Elaine is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Chartered Accountant), and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of British Columbia.