Ross Chilton – Chief Executive Officer
Ross is a long-time leader in British Columbia’s community living sector and brings extensive experience advancing inclusion in social service agencies and on sector boards.
From 2007 until joining CLBC in 2019, Ross served as CEO of Community Living Society (CLS), which provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities and families across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. At CLS, he helped expand employment and support options, and formed the Community Living Housing Society to support innovative, inclusive housing solutions. Ross has previously served on several boards including the Family Support Institute, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, the BC CEO Network and Steps Forward.
Ross holds a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia and has worked as a counsellor and vice president for the Interlock Employee Assistance Program. Ross is also the parent of an adult son with developmental disabilities.
Henry Chen – Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Henry Chen joined Community Living BC in February 2019 and brings extensive financial leadership skills and experience, and a commitment to supporting CLBC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen services for individuals and families.
Henry comes to CLBC from TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre, where he served since 2011 as CFO and Secretary to the Board of Management’s Finance and Audit committees. Prior to that, he served as Treasurer and Controller of the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia, and Comptroller, Financial Planning and Reporting for the Liquor Distribution Branch of BC (LDB). He has more than 30 years of financial experience including retail, wholesale distribution, and national international hospitality management.
He is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting and Management Information Systems, from the University of British Columbia.
Karen Mackay – Vice President, People and Culture
Karen Mackay joined CLBC in 2017 as Director, People Services and Organizational Development. She was promoted in 2021 to Executive Director, People and Culture where she leads the People and Culture division and is responsible for the development and implementation of the People Strategy at CLBC.
Karen has over 20 years’ progressive human resources experience in both the public and private sectors, takes a solutions-oriented approach to HR, and prides herself on partnering with the business to provide expertise in strategic workforce planning, organizational development and design, and talent management. Prior to CLBC, she held leadership and senior advisory roles in Human Resources at BCAA and the City of Coquitlam. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Human Resource Management and a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation.
Sara Miller – Vice President, Information Technology and Project Services
Sara joined CLBC in June 2015 in her role as Vice President, Corporate Services, responsible for Human Resources, Information Technology, Facilities and Administrative Services.
Prior to joining CLBC, Sara served as Director, Business Transformation Operations and Director, Organizational Development at Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). She also served in leadership roles in organizational development and Human Resources at Citizens Bank/VanCity, Accenture Business Services for Utilities and Westech Information Systems, a former subsidiary of BC Hydro.
Sara is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in bringing people together around positive organizational change. She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Westminster, London.
Joanne Mills – Vice President, Quality Services and Indigenous Relations
Joanne joined CLBC in 2021 in the newly created role of Executive Director of Indigenous Relations. Joanne is a member of Fisher River Cree Nation with ties to Skidegate and brings her experience as a parent of an individual who receives CLBC services.
Joanne’s most recent role was Executive Director of the Fraser Regional Aboriginal Friendship Center Association, where she developed new programs that were very focused on Indigenous Peoples with vulnerabilities, among her other accomplishments. She also served on the Board of Fraser Health and the BC Association of Friendship Centers. Her previous roles have included leadership positions with the Provincial Health Services Authority in training services, Interior Health where she was Director of Indigenous Health in the Community Integration Leadership team, and the Kaa Laa Nay House of Healing where she served as Executive Director. She has also provided consulting services for First Nations as well as non-profit and public sector organizations.
Joanne holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree and is currently completing a Master of Business Administration from Thompson Rivers University.
Randy Schmidt – Vice President, Governance and Communications
Randy Schmidt joined CLBC in November 2014. Prior to this he served as Associate Director of Public Affairs at the University of British Columbia for ten years, and as a communications professional in a range of other education, non-profit and government settings in Canada and abroad.
Randy has a passion for strengthening organizational communications to build positive relationships in support of CLBC’s vision for communities of belonging, lives with connection. He has a BA Honours in Economics from Carleton University, an MBA from the University of Ottawa and is an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) with the International Association of Business Communicators.
John Stinson – Vice President, Service Delivery and Innovation
John joined CLBC in June 2020. He previously served as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Disabilities, Inclusion and Accessibility Division of Alberta Community and Social Services. Past roles include Chief Executive Officer of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, CEO of the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, Vice-President of Acute Care and Planning with South Eastman Health, as well as senior positions within Manitoba Health and Manitoba’s Treasury Board Secretariat. John started his career as an outreach worker in Winnipeg’s community services sector and spent 17 years working in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
John takes pride in being transparent, accountable and authentic in his communication style and is committed to working collaboratively with individuals, families, service providers and community groups. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Social History from the University of Manitoba and a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Queen’s University School of Business. John is a lifelong learner and has also completed course work in journalism, adult education, human resource management and wine and spirits education.
Jerry Stanger – Director, Strategic Operations
Prior to joining CLBC, Jerry worked with Fraser Health for 14 years (as Director, Special Populations, Lifeline, Community Respiratory Services, Home Health contracts, Provincial Medical Consulting Service; Director, Residential Care & Assisted Living). Jerry was previously with Vancouver Coastal Health and the Ministry of Children and Families. His education includes an Associate Degree in Sociology, Bachelor of Social Work, and Masters in Health Administration. He is certified with the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CHE), BC College of Social Workers (RSW), and with Prosci Canada (Change Management).
Jerry has experience collaborating with community partners and stakeholders on the development of new programs and services, including day programs, supported housing / apartment programs, clinical services, and transitional services. He is currently a volunteer with Scouts Canada, and past volunteer with North Langley Baseball, and the Canadian College of Health Leaders, Lower Mainland Chapter Executive.
Fred Ford – Regional Director, Vancouver Island
Fred joined CLBC in May 2020. He has four decades of experience working in community living and social services fields, including roles as a service provider, administrator, educator, researcher, project manager, policy advisor and advocate. His work has focused on service delivery, disability rights, disability studies, child welfare, child and youth sexual abuse therapy and victim services and adult education. Most recently, Fred was the Executive Director of Thompson Okanagan Community Services Co-operative in Kamloops.
Fred has been a member of the People First of Canada-Canadian Association for Community Living Task Force on Deinstitutionalization, a Board Member of the BC Family Support Institute and the A Way Home Kamloops Society and Co-Chair of the BC Coalition to End Youth Homelessness.
George Sartori – Regional Director, South Fraser Region
George has been with CLBC for many years, first as an Analyst in the Vancouver Coastal Region and then as the Integrated Service Manager (ISM) for the Burnaby-Richmond Team. George has also served as an Acting Director in both Vancouver Coastal and in the North Thompson-Cariboo.
Previously, George worked for 15 years as a social worker in the child protection area for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). He was recognized for 25 years of public service in 2022.
Jody Stuart – Regional Director, North / Thompson Cariboo Region
Jody has been a resident of northern communities her entire life and completed her M.Sc. in Psychology from University of Northern BC. She brings over 15 years of consulting experience for a wide variety of community organizations and service agencies.
Specific services have included the development of adaptive/agile leadership teams, large scale organizational change, stakeholder engagement, community governance, program and policy development, strategy and direction setting, process sustainability, performance management, negotiations, research and evaluation.
Jennifer Terwoord – Regional Director, Southern Interior Region
Jennifer has been part of the CLBC team since the very beginning, where she started as a front line staff member and then in 2009, became the Integrated Services Manager for the Kootenay Region.
Jennifer believes in a strong team environment and supports her staff by working together to ensure that families and individuals are always treated fairly and with respect. Jennifer has been a positive role model throughout the Kootenays by helping to accelerate positive change in attitudes, awareness and acceptance of people with diverse abilities.
Bob Youssef – Regional Director, Vancouver Coastal Region
Bob has a Masters in Counselling Psychology and has been the QS Manager in Upper Fraser since 2013. He has been with CLBC since 2007 and has worked as an analyst and SCC previously.
Prior to CLBC, he worked with children with Autism and also facilitated groups for children with developmental disabilities. Since joining CLBC, Bob has worked closely with his team in Upper Fraser to increase collaboration with the service provider network, and participated in numerous committees in key areas such as resource allocation, quality of life, and innovation.