Our Board

Board of Directors

BCPIAC's Board of Directors consists of community advocates, service providers and legal professionals who are passionate about anti-poverty and creating systemic legal advances benefiting low and fixed income BC residents.

ela-esra-gunad

Ela Esra Gunad

Chair

Ela is a human rights and social justice advocate. She has worked with a variety of local and international organizations as an educator, campaigner, strategic partnership and fundraising lead. Continue Reading Ela Esra Gunad

Photograph of Matt Granlund

Matt Granlund

Vice Chair

Matt the Vice Chair of the BCPIAC Board. He is a legal advocate at the Women’s Contact Society in Williams Lake, BC. Matt has degrees in Arts and Laws from the Australian National University. Continue Reading Matt Granlund

Photograph of Audrey Schwartz

Audrey Schwartz

Treasurer

Audrey Schwartz is the Treasurer of the BCPIAC Board and is an anti-poverty advocate in Prince George, BC. She has been Executive Director of Active Support Against Poverty (ASAP) since 1987. Continue Reading Audrey Schwartz

Photograph of Rose Henry

Rose Henry

Director

Rose Henry is a First Nations activist and educator who works on social justice issues affecting all communities. Continue Reading Rose Henry

Photograph of John Lawford

John Lawford

Director

John is Executive Director and General Counsel of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) in Ottawa. Continue Reading John Lawford

Nadine Nakagawa

Director

Nadine Nakagawa is a creative writer, a community-builder, and an advocate and is Director of the BCPIAC Board. Continue Reading Nadine Nakagawa

Board of Directors

Tovah Paglaro

Director

Tovah Paglaro is a Director on the BCPIAC Board. Continue Reading Tovah Paglaro

Photograph of Dianne Phillips

Diane Phillips

Director

Diane Phillips is co-founder of Newton Advocacy Group, past-coordinator of the Surrey Access Network and Peoples Empowerment Program. Continue Reading Diane Phillips

Elton Simoes

Director

Elton Simoes is an accomplished Arbitrator, Mediator, Negotiator, Consultant, Non-Executive Director, and Business Executive and is a Director on the BCPIAC Board Continue Reading Elton Simoes

Stephen Portman

Director

Stephen Portman’s work has always been to advance a rights-based analysis to the challenges posed by needless poverty and is a Director on the BCPIAC Board. Continue Reading Stephen Portman