Board of Directors

Our volunteer Board of Directors help to build a connected, collaborative, inclusive and sustainable community. Directors serve for two year terms, and are active and committed members of the Fairfield Gonzales community.

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Quinn Fletcher

Vice President

Quinn grew up on Moss St and spent the majority of his youth around the trifecta of Moss Rocks, Dallas Rd and Chapman Park. He spent many years living in different parts of the country for school or work and is now grateful to be back in Fairfield to raise a family. Like so many others in Victoria, Quinn is a dedicated public servant working to ensure that the provincial government maintains a high standard of accountability and transparency. In addition, he brings a variety of board experience including,a music festival and environmental non-profit. He is ultimately quite grateful to be able to live in a place like Fairfield and provide support to the community through the FGCA’s programs and opportunities. Quinn has been on the Board since 2020 and is the current Vice President.

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Carrie Fuzi

President

Carrie has lived in the Cook Street Village in Fairfield for the past 12 years with her husband while restoring their 1907 home. She has two grown children with her daughter living in Gonzales with her husband and two grandchildren. She has an Executive Management Business diploma from Simon Fraser School of Business with experience in senior management as well as experience in real estate and a long history of renovating homes with her husband. In the past, Carrie ran a support group for individuals with pain through the People in Pain Network and was on the patient advisory committee for Pain BC. When the Fairfield Area Plan was created, she was part of a neighbourhood group that engaged with the community to provide input to the City of Victoria. It is important to Carrie that all voices are heard, respected and that through debate we can produce excellent outcomes for the community while remaining united and respectful in our neighbourhoods. Carrie has been on the Board since 2022 and is the current chair of the Neighbourhood Improvement Committee.

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Vanessa Gelhaar

Treasurer

Vanessa has a background in environmental sciences and renewable energies, with several years of experience working in communications and event management for an environmental non-profit in her hometown of Berlin, Germany. After a brief stint in Toronto, she moved to Victoria in the summer of 2018 and settled in Cook Street Village. She loves living close to the ocean, finding new ways to use seasonal island-grown produce, and contributing to a sustainable, resilient community. In her day job, Vanessa is the Senior Program Manager at the Local Government Management Association, building community and supporting knowledge-sharing between municipalities across BC.

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Daniel Powell

Secretary

Daniel earned a doctorate in English from the University of Victoria in 2016, and from 2014 – 2017 held a European Union-funded fellowship at King’s College London in the United Kingdom. Since returning to Canada in 2017, he has worked as a digital systems strategist in the nonprofit sector, as an innovation researcher in the BC Public Service, and as nonpartisan administrative staff at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia; his current focus is on information management and the publications, collections, and records of the Assembly. Daniel has come and gone to and from Victoria several times and rented in multiple neighborhoods; in 2021 he and his partner bought a condo in Northwest Fairfield adjacent to Cook Street Village, the AAA cycling network, and the Downtown Core. They live there with their two children and many, many books. Daniel believes in working to improve our neighborhood (and our city) not only for his boys, but for all residents and the generations to come after us.

Daniel currently serves as Treasurer on his building Strata Council, and has a deep interest in urbanism and land use, stemming partially from living abroad for several years and encountering first hand the many viable ways to structure our urban fabric for better access to services, safer communities, and happier residents. 

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Peter Hawker

Peter has a background as an electrical engineer and, though he now works in the tech sector as a product manager, he remains a clean energy systems enthusiast. Born and raised on the island, Peter moved back to Victoria in 2021 to be closer to family. Since moving to Fairfield with his wife Robin, and daughter Quinn, at the end of 2023, Peter has loved the neighbourhood’s strong community feel and got involved with the FGCA to help nurture that sense of community. During his university days, he was involved with student government as president of the engineering student’s society and loves being an active contributor to his community. In his spare time, Peter loves learning everything there is to know about coffee and is an avid cycle commuter. You’ll spot him cycling Quinn to daycare on their cargo bike every weekday morning so, if you’re out, please wave back back when you see two animated red-heads zooming by.

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Johanna Henderson

Johanna Henderson currently works as a planner with the BC Public Service, and lives in Fairfield with her husband and son. Johanna’s background includes time working in communications, engagement, facilitation and research, both as a consultant and employee. Her past clients/employers include BC Healthy Communities, Fernwood NRG, Victoria’s Community Social Planning Council, BC Non-Profit Housing Association, Community-Based Research Canada, Pacific Housing Research Network, and UVIC’s Institute for Studies and Innovation Community-University Engagement. As a volunteer, Johanna has served on the board of Girl Gang (the largest media and communications professional development network for women in Western Canada), the West Shore Arts Council, and Mount Pleasant Community Centre Society (Vancouver). Originally from Charlie Lake in Northern BC, Johanna has lives in Fairfield on and off for over 20 years, with stints in Vancouver, Ottawa and Calgary in between. In her spare time, you can find Johanna spending time in nature or taking part in local environmental restoration and research initiatives.

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Shannon Geer

Shannon and his wife Donna have lived at their current address in Gonzales for almost 25 years. They have been co-captains of Block Watch for approximately 15 years and have been involved as volunteers with various community associations including the GNA. Shannon has been a member of the FGCA for approximately 2 years. He and Donna are both committed to building a strong community. 

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Hayley LaPalme

Hayley Lapalme is founding Co-Executive Director of Nourish Leadership, a national charity harnessing the power of food in health care for planetary health. Hayley is a systems thinker and facilitator who has spent a decade working with public institutions on pathways to more sustainable futures. Drawing on a background in adult education, community development, and systemic design, she weaves collaborations that rebuild connections to land, health, and each other.  Hayley is a graduate of McGill and the University of Toronto, where she earned an M.Ed in Leadership, Adult Education, and Community Development. After traveling back to Victoria for fifteen years with husband Scott, Hayley is thrilled to be making a perch under Moss Rocks in her family’s home and is invested in building strong community. 

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Helen McDonald

Helen has lived in Gonzales for the past eleven years, as a homeowner, after retiring from her career in Ottawa. She has enjoyed firsthand many of the FGCA’s programs, including yoga classes, repair cafes, various community events and the Moss Street Market. She also appreciates the many other services the FGCA offers to individuals and families in our neighbourhood. Helen has a great deal of expertise in non-profit governance and has used that knowledge as a valued member of the FGCA’s Governance Committee over the past two years. She hopes to use that knowledge for the benefit of her community association and thus her community.

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Lori Charvat

Lori, who recently moved to Victoria from Kamloops, is looking forward to meeting new people and contributing to her new community as a FGCA Board member.  Lori brings over 30 years of human resources and labour relations experience and is currently a Senior HR Associate with a HR consulting firm. Previously, she served as HR and Safety Director with the City of Kamloops.  She holds an MSc in Human Resource Management and Training from the University of Leicester and has taught as a sessional instructor at Thompson Rivers University. Lori has also been actively involved in diverse volunteer and community service throughout the years—everything from producing community theatre to serving on various nonprofit Boards, including for her profession. Locally, she currently volunteers with the Friends of Government House Gardens Society and the Monterey Centre in Oak Bay. A contributing author to textbooks on HRM, organizational development, and leadership, Lori is also the co-creator and co-host of the podcast "Talking HR with Lori and Lisa", where leaders and entrepreneurs share insights and inspiring people practices. She looks forward to contributing to the important work of FGCA in our community. 

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Christian MIles

Christian holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Maths & Computer Science from the University of Bristol and has spent over a decade in the tech industry working as a sales professional and software engineer. During this time he’s developed his skills in team leadership, strategic planning, and stakeholder management. He's comfortable with financial analysis and enjoys the challenge of complex negotiations. He is interested in applying these skills to board governance and community advocacy. 
 
Christian has a particular interest in urbanism, including neighbourhood design, walkability, public spaces, and how built environments shape community life. 
 
Originally from the UK, Christian and his partner relocated from Ontario to Victoria in 2019 and have since started a family in beautiful Gonzales. 

 

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Lori Rilkoff

Lori, who recently moved to Victoria from Kamloops, is looking forward to meeting new people and contributing to her new community as a FGCA Board member.  Lori brings over 30 years of human resources and labour relations experience and is currently a Senior HR Associate with a HR consulting firm. Previously, she served as HR and Safety Director with the City of Kamloops.  She holds an MSc in Human Resource Management and Training from the University of Leicester and has taught as a sessional instructor at Thompson Rivers University. Lori has also been actively involved in diverse volunteer and community service throughout the years—everything from producing community theatre to serving on various nonprofit Boards, including for her profession. Locally, she currently volunteers with the Friends of Government House Gardens Society and the Monterey Centre in Oak Bay. A contributing author to textbooks on HRM, organizational development, and leadership, Lori is also the co-creator and co-host of the podcast "Talking HR with Lori and Lisa", where leaders and entrepreneurs share insights and inspiring people practices. She looks forward to contributing to the important work of FGCA in our community. 

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Patricia Ward

Patti retired to the Fairfield Gonzales neighbourhood over 10 years ago. She has a background in management, health and safety, not-for-profit boards, planned giving, onsite disaster relief and law enforcement. She has been involved in the Place as both a volunteer and a director.  As a former board member, Patti has served on committees, as well as working with CALUC and VCAN. Patti is most familiar with the workings of the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association. Her loves are gardens, children and critters of all types. 

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Date: Generally, the first Monday of the month (unless it’s a holiday)

Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Location: 1330 Fairfield Rd (in the Arbutus Room)

All are welcome!