Board of Directors | WestShore Chamber of Commerce

Mike Reilly | President. Mike was raised in Kitchener-Waterloo, and graduated from the University of Victoria with a degree in biology. He worked for several years as a habitat consultant for forest companies in the BC Interior but gradually shifted to more IT management as the industry changed. After working as a project manager with a division of Hewlett-Packard, Mike changed careers to become a financial advisor with Freedom 55 Financial. Mike is excited to help his clients achieve peace of mind for themselves and their family’s future. Mike and his wife Karen are busy with six kids, three boys and three girls, ranging from middle school to post graduate students. His non working hours are spent at dance recitals, animal husbandry activities, parent teacher interviews and other domestic engineering tasks

Ingrid Vaughan| Vice President. Ingrid owns and operates Smart HR, a consulting service geared towards helping business owners create and sustain strong leadership and HR practices. As an HR consultant, author and leadership coach, she assists businesses with achieving success by leading well. She is also the founder of the Smart Leadership Academy, a cohort-based program that brings business leaders together to grow their leadership skills. Ingrid is a former manager of the WestShore Chamber of Commerce and has extensive experience in helping Chamber members grow their businesses. She previously served as President of the board of South Island Centre for Counselling and Training, and on the board of Worklink Employment Society. Ingrid has served on the WestShore Chamber Board since 2016. When not working she enjoys cooking, writing and reading and is an avid Canadian Football League fan.

Todd Troyer | Treasurer. Todd is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a principal at Baker Tilly Victoria Ltd. He leads the practice at the Westshore office and assists client in practices in accounting, auditing, and taxation services in both the public and private sectors. Todd is an avid curler and has played competitively for many years. He is a former Canadian Junior Curling Champion having won the title in 1988 and was silver medalist at the 1989 World Junior Curling Championships. Todd has volunteered as a coach for youth curlers for many years and from 2009 to 2019 coached teams to B.C. Provincial Curling Championships. Several of these teams won the provincial title and represented B.C. at the Canadian Junior Championships. Todd is born and raised in Victoria and has lived in Colwood for 15 years with his wife Teresa and daughter Robyn.

Sarah Alasaly | Director. Sarah was born in Ottawa and raised in Vancouver. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and practiced as a Registered Nurse for approximately five years before going to law school at the University of Ottawa. As a Registered Nurse, Sarah worked in both Labour and Delivery and Acute Medicine in two of the busiest hospitals in BC. Now as a lawyer, Sarah practices in the area of Family Law, Wills and Estates, and Personal Injury with Alasaly Law Group. Sarah is passionate about helping people and believes it is her duty to give back to the community. She is excited about joining the WestShore Chamber of Commerce and hopes to bring a unique and diverse perspective to the economic development of businesses in the WestShore. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and truly wants to see the people around her succeed. When Sarah is not working, she can be found doing yoga, cycling or playing tennis with her husband and family.

Paula Blazina | Director. Paula Blazina has 20+ years’ banking experience with Coastal Community Credit Union and has been managing in the CRD for 5 years now. She is currently Branch Manager of the Eagle Creek Village Branch. Paula has been a WestShore Chamber member representing Coastal Community Credit Union for four years and joined the Board in 2018. Coastal Community Credit Union is Vancouver Island’s largest island based Credit Union, employing nearly 600 people tip to tip – coast to coast with 24 retail branches, 16 insurance offices as well as Business/ Commercial services and Wealth and Personal Insurance.

Chris Burdge | Director. Chris is the owner of bWEST Interactive, an award winning online marketing firm based in Langford. Chris is also the founder and CEO of SOHO Victoria, an annual conference designed to help small and home office business owners succeed by empowering them to manage and grow their business, through workshops, 1-1 Expert Advice and networking. Chris is an avid supporter of the West Shore community and JDF Minor Hockey. When not working he can be found playing hockey, cycling or paddle boarding with his kids.

Rachelle Dallaire, BSW/MSW/RSW | Director. Rachelle is from the Montagnais people in lower Quebec. She brings more than 15 years of management and leadership experience to her work as Indigenous Perspectives Society’s Executive Director. Rachelle’s credentials include BSW, MSW, RSW and she has extensive front line service experience that informs her leadership. Her early work includes experience with at risk communities including women in the sex trade, corrections, and the homeless community. Her current areas of expertise include non profit leadership, governance, public speaking and project management.

Michele Hansen | Director. Originally from Ontario, Michele joined the Board in 2016 and is a successful entrepreneur, organizational improvement consultant, and Personality Dimensions® facilitator. With over 30 years of experience building and managing Signs of the Times – Canada’s award-winning sign and display company, Michele’s strengths include business development, team leadership, strategic planning, project and change management, as well as team training and development.

Michele is deeply committed to moving reconciliation forward and creating mutually beneficial business opportunities in her current role as Business Development Manager with ABM Indigenous. As a consultant, Michele focuses on improving communication, human resource development and strategically increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of each business. Dedicated to life-long learning Michele was certified as a Personality Dimensions® facilitator in 2019. She also holds certificates in Workplace Conflict Resolution, Guiding Change, and Records & Information Management.

Sharon Mitchell | Director. Sharon specializes in working with women who are facing a major life transition such as widowhood, divorce, downsizing or retirement. A certified Financial Planner, Sharon has worked in the financial industry since 1993, joining the Dividend Value Partners team of Raymond James in 2014. She holds two bachelor degrees: a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta. In addition, she completed her Financial Management Advisor (FMA) designation in 2007, her insurance licensing in 2014, and is now US licensed to assist US citizens with their finances and investments. She enjoys analyzing her clients’ entire financial situation including investment management, and advising on areas for potential improvement. Sharon first joined the Board of Directors in 2018.

Annette Siewertsen | Director. Annette is born and raised in Victoria, BC and now lives and works on the Westshore. She has worked at Royal Roads University since 2005 and completed her Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching in 2012 through the university. Annette is passionate about moving people forward so also spends time coaching people in small business or career transitions in her coaching practice, SeaStar Coaching. One of Annette's values is giving back to her community and has made volunteering in her local and global community a priority in her personal and work life.

Bruce Simpson | Director. Bruce is the Family Services Director with Hatley Memorial Gardens Cemetery & Cremation Centre in Colwood and with Sands Funeral Chapels. He moved to the Westshore 9 years ago from Calgary where he held a number of positions including being a Television News Reporter & Anchor for the CTV affiliate CFCN to being a Senior Fundraising Coordinator with the Canadian Cancer Society. He has previous experience as the Manager of Medicine Hat’s Downtown Business Revitalization Zone, and as a National Coordinator with an environmental group “Kids for Saving Earth”. Family is very important to Bruce. He and his wife Debra have a blended family with 4 adult children. They also provided primary parental care for their granddaughter for over 10 years. He loves his work saying he is able to drive home and the end of each day with the satisfaction of having helped somebody through a difficult time. As he says, “He’ll be the last person to ever let you down”.

Left to right: Director Sharon Mitchell, Director Rachelle Dallaire, Director Michele Hansen, Executive Director Julie Lawlor, Treasurer Todd Troyer, President Mike Reilly, Director Paula Blazina, Vice President Ingrid Vaughan, Director Annette Siewertsen, Events & Communications Coordinator (Interim) Alysha Hoogestraat, Secretary Kelly Darwin, Membership & Administrative Coordinator Clarisa Greene, Events & Communications Coordinator Sarah Henderson, In Front: Director, Chris Burdge, Absent: Director Sarah Alasaly, Director Bruce Simpson, Membership Ambassador Martin Newham