Executive Committee

IPAC Vancouver Executive Committee

IPAC Vancouver is run by volunteer board members with the commitment and willingness to advance our mission. The programming and events offered by our regional group would not be possible without their time and dedication.

Jonathan Menold, Chair

Jonathan Menold serves as the Chair/President of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC)- Vancouver. Jonathan has been involved with IPAC since 2016. In his work with IPAC Jonathan has taken on various roles on the executive committee including Membership and Institutional Partnerships Lead and New Professionals Co-Lead. Jonathan has worked as a public servant for the Province of British Columbia in a number of roles spanning several departments in two Ministries.

Lisa Nye, Vice-Chair & National/Regional Representative for Western Canada Co-Lead

For the last seven years as the CEO of Pinpoint Consulting Inc., Lisa has engaged with First Nations/Aboriginal groups, stakeholders and communities on a range of issues. Lisa’s experience includes negotiating and achieving agreements, developing practical plans and strategies, advancing economic and social innovation and taking bold steps to translate ideas into achievements. Lisa also has 28 years of experience in a variety of areas within the BC Government. She has received both the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Excellence in the Public Service and the Métis Order of the Sash. Lisa co-led development of the action agenda for First Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders at their historic meeting in Kelowna in 2005. Lisa served as a Director and the Chair of the Mount St. Mary Hospital Foundation.

Victoria Heron, National/Regional Representative for Western Canada Co-Lead

Penny Bruin, Treasurer

Penny has extensive local government finance experience both in Canada and in South Africa. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, leadership, organizational development, succession planning, financial management and interest based problem solving. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration and has a Chartered Professional Accountant designation. Penny is a long term member of the Government Finance Officers Association of US and Canada and provides conference program planning services to the Canadian Association of Government Finance Officers, formerly GFOA of Western Canada. She is also a member of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada and volunteers with the IPAC Vancouver Regional Group. In addition, Penny is a Volunteer Advisor with the Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO) and volunteers in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In her spare time, she loves to hike, go four-wheeling and travel with her family.

Laura Aucoin, Communications & Marketing Co-Lead

Laura Aucoin's current role is to support Community Initiatives for Indigenous Services Canada. Throughout her career she has remained dedicated to supporting community-led development. In addition to her experience in British Columbia and Alberta, she worked in Kingston, Jamaica, as an Advisor through Cuso International to a non-governmental organization. Laura joined IPAC to extend this experience, and further collaborate with diverse communities to develop innovative ideas and approaches to the advancing the Public Service. She has supported IPAC Vancouver as a Co-lead for Programming and will diversify her skills as the Communications & Marketing Lead.

Esther Lee, Programming

Esther is an experienced government professional having worked in a variety of program areas and ministries within the BC Government since 2010. She has built expertise in advising policy makers and executives with the strategic use of qualitative and quantitative data using a range of methods to produce results that drive organizational efficiency and performance. A key component of her current role involves looking at how labour market participation could be increased by underutilized populations and how this can inform programs or policy. Serves as an executive committee member at IPAC and volunteers as a member of the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria. She has studied at University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Victoria (UVIC), where she received an MA in Sociology.

Lizzie Cheung, Incite/New Professional C0-Lead

Lizzie has joined us on the West Coast after living in Fredericton, New Brunswick for more than 13 years. Lizzie has been an active IPAC volunteer after joining the IPAC Fredericton Regional Board in 2011 where she held the New Professional Representative role and later a Learning Events Chair position. Lizzie also volunteered as a Conference Chair at Government of New Brunswick New Wave (New Professional) Executive Committee from 2011 – 2013. She worked as a Team Lead for Settlement and Multiculturalism in the Government of New Brunswick. Lizzie received a BA in Economics from St. Thomas University and MBA in University of New Brunswick. Lizzie is currently a Citizen Services Officer in Service Canada.

Ashley Steuck, Incite/New Professional Co-Lead

Ashley Steuck is an analyst at Health Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia and started in government as a Co-op student in 2013. As a new professional herself, Ashley was inspired to take on the Incite Co-Lead role in order to connect a wide range of new professionals and to provide opportunities for career development. During her spare time, Ashley enjoys: running with her 100 pound Bernese Mountain Dog, Bear; getting lost in a good book; listening to country music; and skiing on the local hills

Blair Polychronopoulos, Membership & Partnerships Co-Lead

Blair Polychronopolous has been involved with IPAC since 2008, holding various Committee roles throughout the years. Blair has worked within the Federal Public Service for over a decade. Currently holding the position of Western Region Senior Manager of Real Property and Asset Management for Employment and Social Development Canada, she has also occupied positions with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as Asset Manager, and previously, with Public Services and Procurement Canada as a Real Estate Advisor. During this time, Blair worked on a wide range of Real Estate projects with a range of federal clients, as well as assignments with P3 National Centre of Expertise and Asset and Facilities Management. Blair holds a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University and will earn a Diploma of Urban Land Economics at University of British Columbia in April 2018.

Minda Richardson, Membership & Partnerships Co-Lead

Minda is a Senior Policy Analyst at the First Nations Health Authority. Minda joins IPAC Vancouver after living in the fly in community of Lutsel k'e, and later Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories the past 1.5 years. While in the North, Minda worked with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Yellowknife Women's Society. Minda has a Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Simon Fraser University. In her spare time, Minda enjoys taking in the outdoors. Her most recent adventure was flying over Nahanni National Park, NWT (picture attached).

Grant Duckworth, Member-At-Large

Grant Duckworth is the founder of Vancouver Strategic & Integrated Research (VSIR), a management consultancy specializing in knowledge mobilization and strategic intelligence. Grant joins IPAC after 17 years with the Government of Canada providing strategic advice and intelligence analysis to senior executives on complex migration, border security, and foresight issues. He has studied at five different Canadian universities including the University of British Columbia (UBC), where received an MA in (Human) Geography.

Sandy Lee, Member-At-Large

Sandy Lee is a Policy Analyst with the First Nations Health Authority, a province-wide organization aimed to improve First Nations individuals’ well-being through direct service delivery and partnership. Sandy has a range of experience, from working with the Ontario’s Ministry of Seniors Affairs on ageism in the labour force to working with the British Columbia’s Ministry of Finance exploring mechanisms in regulating online gambling. Sandy completed a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia and works in clinical research on HIV, sexual health, pharmacogenetic, and cancer research with the BC Women’s and Children’s hospitals. Sandy is completing her Masters in Public Policy at Simon Fraser University’s School of Public Policy to pursue a career where she will incorporate her clinical and research background to inform the policy decision-making process.

Anjum Mutakabbir, Communications & Marketing Co-Lead

Anjum Mutakabbir is an Economist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), where he works in Aboriginal Programs. Prior to working at DFO, Anjum spent time in Ottawa with Statistics Canada, where he conducted economic analysis around agriculture land valuation and producer price indices. Anjum completed a Honours Bachelor of Arts in Economics from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in 2014. In 2016, he received his Master’s in Public Policy from Simon Fraser University’s School of Public Policy, where he conducted research on the role of foreign capital in Vancouver’s housing market.