David Brown, President

Lawyer, Ascent Employment Law Corporation
david@ascentemploymentlaw.ca

Professional & Community Development:
David practices as a trial lawyer, with a focus on employment law, human rights law and immigration law.

Personal Info:
Originally from Elkford, British Columbia, David completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics at the University of Alberta. During his undergraduate degree, he had the opportunity to participate in a full-year exchange program to the Université Catholique de Lille, in Lille, France. Upon graduation, David worked briefly as a heavy equipment operator in an open-pit coal mine before moving to New Brunswick in 2006. David is an avid outdoorsman and loves hiking, biking, running, camping and snowboarding.

Bill Thompson, Vice President

Manager, Grant Thornton LLP, CPA, CA
bill.thompson@ca.gt.com

Professional & Community Development:
Bill is a Chartered Professional Accountant with experience in working with small business clients, personal tax clients and providing assurance services.

Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
KCR provides an opportunity to be involved with an organization that strives to provide information and services to the people of the Okanagan region with the intent of creating a better community for everyone.

Personal Info:
Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Bill has slowly transitioned westward before settling in Kelowna with his family full-time in 2010. He enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and staying active outdoors.

Michele Rebiere, Treasurer


Chief Commercial Officer, Pacific Rim Brands




Professional & Community Development:

Michele has over 25 years experience as a Corporate Finance executive / CFO with public companies, private corporations and start ups. She has worked in several rapid growth sectors including consulting services, technology, renewable energy, esports and wellness. Michele is passionate about mentioning entrepreneurs and early-stage career individuals.




Reason & Role on the KCR Board:

As a recent transplant from Toronto, Michele has been doing her part to build the business community in Kelowna. She is delighted to be able to serve on the KCR board to broaden her contribution to the community and ensure it is welcoming and supportive to newcomers and families.




Personal Info:

Michele moved to Kelowna in late 2019 after spending most of her adult life in Toronto. She embraces the work/life balance the Okanagan offers by fitting in one of her favorite activities (hiking, paddleboarding, kickboxing, tennis) before or after working at the Kelowna Innovation Center each day.

JoAnne Adamson, Secretary

Director of Development, Stober Group

Professional & Community Development:
JoAnne has over 19 years experience in the real estate development industry. Her expertise spans a broad spectrum of real estate functions, from strategic partnerships and development management to customer service and administration. She has a passion for creating spaces that resonate with buyers and tenants, and thrives in the multifaceted challenges of real estate development, consistently seeking innovative ways to enhance the living and working environments. 

Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
As someone who benefited from KCR services many years ago, through the adoption service program, I feel privileged to be part of this incredible organization and give back to the community.

Personal Info:
Raised in the Okanagan, JoAnne enjoys all that Okanagan has to offer. When not working JoAnne enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and two kids either skiing in the winter or camping in the summer.

Peter Boyd, Director

Owner, Peter’s Your Independent Grocer

Professional & Community Development:
Owner of Peter’s Your Independent Grocer. 27 years in the retail food industry in Kelowna.

Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
I have followed KCR through my years in Kelowna and I am so impressed with the support it provides for our community and being asked to be a Board member is a true honour.

Personal Info:
Peter was born in Whiterock, BC, but moved to Kelowna in 1989. He enjoys golfing, baseball and spending time with his family.

Eric Li, Director

Professional & Community Development:
Eric is currently an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Management of the University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus. He is also the Principal’s Research Chair (Tier 2) in Social Innovation for Health Equity and Food Security, and the Co-Lead, Rural Health Equity Eminence Research Cluster at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus. His research includes social enterprise and social innovation, not-for-profit marketing, pro-social behaviour, multicultural marketing and consumption, consumer well-being, health promotion, consumer privacy, food economy and market system, fashion and popular culture, and digital marketing and social media marketing. His work has been published and presented in a number of academic journals and conferences.

Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
As an immigrant myself, Eric is actively seeking ways to ensure equity and inclusiveness in our multicultural society. Eric is honoured to be a part of the KCR community and will continue support various community engagement activities within and beyond the Okanagan region. He is looking forward to bring his academic perspectives to support KCR’s ongoing commitment to build a better community for all.

Personal Info:
Eric was born and raised in Hong Kong, China. He moved to Kelowna in 2011. He enjoys music, hiking, spending time with his family, and supporting great community initiatives. He is currently one of the Tubists at the Kelowna City Band.

Karen Graham

Regional Marketing Manager, MNP LLP
karen.graham@mnp.ca

Professional & Community Development:
Karen is the Regional Marketing Manager at MNP, one of Canada’s leading professional services firms. Her role involves driving the firm’s regional growth by building the brand, promoting team members, and offering tailored accounting, consulting, and tax solutions to local business owners, not for profits and Indigenous communities. She takes pride in the MNP team’s dedication to giving back to our regional communities through volunteer and fundraising initiatives.

Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
Karen’s familiarity with KCR over the years has impressed her, seeing the team’s outstanding efforts to support vulnerable families and connect the community. She feels honoured to serve on the KCR Board and help promote their valuable contributions within the community.

Personal Info:
Karen, originally from Ontario, has been living and working in the Okanagan for over 20 years. She embraces the Okanagan lifestyle, engaging in activities such as hiking, biking, and skiing, and loves supporting the arts and culture of the region with her friends and family.

Jasmine Somal, Director

Lawyer, Ocana Law
jasmine@ocana.ca

Professional & Community Development:
Jasmine practices as a solicitor lawyer in Kelowna, with a focus on Canadian immigration law.

Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
As a child of immigrant parents, Jasmine is extremely passionate about assisting individuals immigrate to Canada. One of her main reasons for choosing to be on the KCR board is that KCR provides a strong sense of community, resources and support to new immigrants settling in the Okanagan region.

Personal Info:
Born and raised in the Okanagan, Jasmine completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology locally at UBCO. After completing her Bachelor of Arts degree, Jasmine attended TRU in Kamloops to complete her legal studies. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys staying active outdoors, working out, exploring the Okanagan and travelling the world.

Jamie Neeham, Director


Branch Manager, Beem Credit Union

Professional & Community Development:
Jamie Needham is the Branch Manager for Beem Credit Union and an accomplished leader with 29 years of experience in the credit union industry, including 17 years in leadership roles throughout the Okanagan. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to several local associations and is passionate about leveraging his extensive financial knowledge to support the mission and initiatives of the KCR Board.




Reason & Role on the KCR Board:
Jamie’s involvement with KCR began by supporting and attending numerous initiatives over the years, including The Family Hub and Volunteer Leadership events. Witnessing the meaningful impact of KCR’s work in the community inspired him to get more involved, and joining the Board gives him the opportunity to contribute to an organization he deeply values.




Personal Info:
Originally from Dauphin, Manitoba, Jamie moved to Kelowna in 1996. He, his wife, and their family fully embrace the Okanagan lifestyle and spend much of their time exploring the region’s vast outdoors.
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