Beauty Night Board Members
Fergus McCann – Co-Chair
Currently Manager-Media & Community Relations for BC Housing. Prior to joining BC Housing, Fergus worked for 5 years at CTV BC and nearly 20 years at CKVU (Channel 13 – now Citytv) on programs as diverse as The Vancouver Show, the Laurier La Pierre talk show and in the newsroom on the assignment desk. His early years in broadcasting included working in radio in Salmon Arm and Kelowna. Born and raised in South Vancouver, Fergus and family have been living in Burnaby since 1984. His community service has included time on boards such as the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, the Family Support Institute and most recently, the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion. He was recognized as a City of Burnaby Local Hero in 2005.
Sheryl Williamson – Co-Chair
Sheryl has been a Vancouver resident for 15 years now. With a strong belief in building community, Sheryl and her family give many hours of volunteer time. She holds key positions in several community organizations and has participated in many initiatives.
She is currently a Vancouver Police Board Member, On the West End Citizens’ Action Network (WECAN), Chair (since 2003), Family Services of Greater Vancouver (1134 Burrard Project), Community Advisory Committee Member, Our House Recovery Society, Board Member Four Pillars Coalition. She has previously been on West End Integrated Neighbourhood Network (WEINN), Steering Committee Member and Working Group Lead , Immediate Past Chair Safe Streets Coalition, Member Justice Review Task Force (Street Crime Working Group), Past Participant.
Sheryl is also the Chief Operations Officer and a founding partner of a privately owned business in Vancouver and holds several industry designations. She is a Certified Marketing Executive with a Diploma in Sales and Marketing from the Sauder School of Business at UBC. Sheryl’s passion is in building potential: both that of individuals and organizations. She is married with one child.
Sarah Mah – Secretary
Sarah Mah has a bachelors degree in genetics, and interested in promoting women’s rights and equality. She was introduced to Beauty Night when she accompanied her mother to some of the events. Sarah became very interested in the Beauty Night cause and saw how the program contributes to the physical and emotional health for women experiencing severe poverty in the DTES. It was not until after she had completed an accelerated high school education and most of an undergraduate degree that she was able to devote time to the program. Sarah started on the BNS board one year ago and looks forward to continuing to serve on the board as secretary, in addition to her role as an amateur manicurist at the events!
David Chen – Treasurer
David Chen, BSc., BA, CSA (Certified Senior Advisor) is Complete Financial’s owner and primary financial advisor.
David is a technical scuba diver, motorcyclist and family man with a very mixed background of education, real world experience and financial services training. Born and raised in Vancouver, David has built strong relationships with friends, colleagues and clients. Everybody knows if they have a problem and need a solution, they should contact him, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with money. “I am always available to help or find help” is David’s favourite saying.
David specializes in investment, insurance, and leveraging strategies for personal and corporate cases focusing on preventing financial shrinkage and encouraging growth. Through stop-loss plans and low tax investments, he has helped many families meet their financial challenges, particularly those with disabled children. He has been in the financial field since January 2004.
- -Received a B.Sc. in human physiology from McGill University and a B.A. with awards and honours in bio-psychology from UBC.
- -Certified Senior Advisor, 2 year Order of Merit qualifier, currently working towards his certified financial planner designation.
- -Worked in a variety of professions including heavy machinery operator, light commercial scuba diver, and business manager.
- -Currently one of a handful of technical-diver instructors with PADI-DSAT and well respected life support equipment technician
- -Director and newsletter editor with Barnet Rifle Club since 1995.
- -President to his 530 unit, residential strata council, 3 years running.
- -Guest business psychology speaker for UBC’s Social Psychology Department.
- -Job Interview Process coach and Work Experience mentor with Fraser Heights Secondary School
- -Guest lecturer for Financial Matters with Fraser Heights Secondary School
- -Workshop presenter for the Disabilities Association of British Columbia
- -Workshop presenter for the North Shore Connexions society
- -Workshop presenter for Community Living BC North Shore division
- -Entrepreneur mentor for Canadian Youth Business Foundation
Amanda Bonella – Board Member
Amanda Bonella is a 33 year old mother of a (fantastic) 15 year old daughter. Her work in the Downtown Eastside began in 2001 when she began PEERS Vancouver and in less than two years, raised over 1.5 million dollars through proposals to government and private foundations. In 2003 she began going around the country speaking on the issue of sexual exploitation as an expert who had not only exited the sex trade herself but also worked alongside women who were on that journey as well, creating curriculum and developing programs for them in partnership with them.
Amanda went on to develop workshops for professionals on how to engage target populations from the bottom up and is an activist for the rights of women, particularly those who suffer from systemic marginalization. In 2006 She started Surrey Girlz, a by us for us sex worker organization in Surrey whose major funding came from t-shirt sales in Vancouver and Kitsilano (SurreyGirlz Fashions…fashions from the frontlines).
In 2007 Amanda was recruited by the One Man Army firm (an association of Red Seal Journeymen Tradesmen) to assist in the incorporation, system development and management of the company. In 2008 she bought a house in Bella Coola while on a writing sabbatical and formed the first ever “by us for us” monthly and yearly youth events, on New Year’s Eve more than 300 residents from the small town came out to support the youth’s first ever sober New Year’s Eve Ball.
Amanda continues to provide some administrative support at One Man Army, continues her website development at Vancouver’s IT Girl and is opening a frozen yogurt restaurant (Yogiberry) on the corner of Carrall and Cordova (June 2010).
Stacey Dallyn – Board Member
Stacey Dallyn started volunteering for Beauty Night Society in August 2009. Her production skills and contacts developed through over 20 years experience in fashion, media and film made her a dynamic part of the All I Want for Xmas Production Team, Beauty Night’s Annual Xmas Stocking Drive and Knit Fit. Solution-focused, Stacey comes up with fresh angles to show case media friendly end product. Her experience as Fashion Editor of Vancouver Magazine and Western Living Magazine shows her keen eye, ability to stick to a budget, team build and come up with innovative ways of coming up with workable solutions. Through her experience on the PTA for her sons’ school, Stacey has been heavily involved with school-based grass roots fund-raising on a local and international level.
Kevin Day – Board Member
Kevin Day is a social entrepreneur with experience running both private and public companies. In 1998, Kevin founded Riskebiz Internet Services Inc., a company that helps entrepreneurs in the developing world establish and grow local businesses by connecting them with micro-finance services through the mobile web.
In 2002 Kevin helped establish Feed Me Sports Inc., a company which published sports related content for mobile phones. Under Kevin’s leadership, Feed Me Sports acquired Mobilized Entertainment in 2008, a public company that trades on the over the counter market in the United States. Mr. Day has experience raising money for start-ups and he is also an experienced computer programmer developing many of his company’s mobile applications.
Kevin was a Director of the British Columbia Captive Insurance Association for 10 years and is currently a Committee Member of the Canadian Captive Insurance Association. Kevin obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 1994. After university and prior to starting his first business, Kevin worked for several years in the insurance industry as a property and casualty insurance broker. Kevin is an avid runner and enjoys movies, documentaries, and reading biographies of business icons.
Kristy Delorme – Board Member
Kristi Delorme has worked as a Social Worker supporting Aboriginal children and families since 2008. She began her career working within the Aboriginal community after volunteering at the Urban Native Youth Association homework clubs in Vancouver in 2003. After being successful in her application to become the Program Coordinator with the First Nations School Success Program, Kristi moved into a Program Coordinator position for the Aboriginal Mentorship Program that connects First Nations youth with positive role models and mentors. Kristi was reminded each day of the negative affect colonization, residential schools and high child removal rates by the government had on the ongoing cycle of addiction, abuse and violence in the Aboriginal community. This experience motivated Kristi to return to university in 2006, where she obtained her second degree, a Bachelor Degree in Social Work, specializing in Aboriginal child welfare.
In 2008, Kristi began work with the Ministry of Children and Family Development in Burnaby, where she connects children and families to culturally appropriate support services.
Dave Dickson – Board Member
Dave was born and raised in Vancouver area, joined the Vancouver Police Department in May,1980 and became an Advocate for street workers and youth. He spent his entire VPD career working in the Downtown Eastside. Over the years Dave received a number of awards :
- · 2003-Recognition Award from Native Health Society
- · 2004-Police Officer of the Year
- · 2004-Federal Justice Dept. Award for working with Youth
- · 2004-International Safety Award for working to keep High Risk Women safe
- · 2005-City of Vancouver “Youth Ally Award”
- · 2005-Solicitor General’s Community Policing Award
- · 2006-B.C. Civil Liberties Award
- · 2006-Queen’s Jubilee Medal for Community Policing
- · 2006-Premier’s B.C. Community Achievement Award
Dave left the Vancouver Police Department in August 2008 and is currently working with another organization as an outreach worker in the Downtown Eastside so that he can continue his work with the street workers and youth.
Pamela Lelong – Board Member
Pamela has over 22 years experience serving on non-profit boards. She is one of the founding members of Beauty Night Society and in this capacity, Pamela served as the Secretary/Treasurer and wrote the original constating documents for Beauty Night. She has also volunteered on many occasions for the Society. She is a past board member of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors where she served as Vice-president of the Vancouver region, briefly as Co-chair of the Ethics Committee, and as Chair of the Legislative Review Committee. Pamela added the values and duties of clinical counselling to their constitution and re-wrote the BCACC bylaws during her role as Chair of the Legislative Review Committee. She also served as the Secretary/Treasurer on the board of the Greater Vancouver Employment Strategy Society.
Pamela is a member (inactive status) of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and a past member of the Canadian Counselling and Guidance Association. Pamela’s work experience includes delivering companion services; coordinating non-profit employment programs, delivering one-to-one/group counselling, information and life skills training sessions; writing instructional media, funding proposals, reports and programs; drafting leases and word processing lands claims settlements; acting as clerk of the court; and delivering secretarial and cosmetology services. Pamela has also supervised college and university student practicums and appeared on television, radio and in other media to represent the needs of the unemployed.
Pamela currently works in the position of companion for a large health care organization which is one of the 50 best managed in Canada.
Bill Nevison – Board Member
Writer/producer for Citytv Creative Services, promotion & commercial production. Previously worked as a writer/producer at Global TV. Bill won various broadcast awards, including gold medals from Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) Promax/BDA, and International CrimeStoppers. He has been on the Beauty Night board of directors for 3 years. His role on the Beauty Night Media Committee includes writing and editing Beauty Night press releases, media packages, and media guidelines. Has been involved with the annual Beauty Night stocking drive, and has also documented the event.
Darren Reiter – Board Member
Darren Reiter is the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Board of eMedia Networks International Corporation, a sonic branding company listed publicly on the Canadian Venture Exchange (TSX.EMM) Darren has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia (1992), a Masters in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh (1995) and a Certificate in Journalism from Langara College (1997) In partnership with award winning producers and directors including Braemar Court Productions and Bowen Arrow Productions, Darren has produced several short movies including “The River of Jordan” which screened at the Atlantic Film Festival in 2007 and “Amazon Falls,” a feature length drama currently in post production. Darren resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.