Board of Directors
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.
JoAnne Adamson
Vice-President
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.
Jen Crookes
Treasurer
Senior Manager, Doane Grant Thornton LLP
Bill Thompson
Secretary
Manager, Doane 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.
Peter Boyd
Director
Previous Owner, Peter’s Your Independent Grocer
Professional & Community Development:
Owner of Peter’s Your Independent Grocer. 37 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.
Joyce Brinkerhoff
Director
Executive Director, Global Citizen Kelowna
Professional & Community Development:
Joyce Brinkerhoff is a certified ESL instructor and has taught English in community
settings, including with KCR Community Resources. She has been actively involved
with Global Citizen Events since 2003, organizing educational events and building
community partnerships. Her leadership experience includes serving as a Trustee with Central Okanagan School District and on boards and committees supporting vulnerable individuals, affordable housing, and community services.
Reason and Role on the KCR Board:
Joyce is a long-time Kelowna resident, educator, community advocate, and dedicated volunteer committed to building inclusive and welcoming communities.
Personal Information:
Joyce has also volunteered internationally in Asia, Africa, and Mexico, supporting
community development initiatives and local leaders.
Karen Graham
Director
Regional Marketing Manager, MNP LLP
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.
Jeanne Legua
Director
Public Affairs Consultant
Professional and Community Development:
Jeanne is a public affairs professional specializing in government relations and
community informed policy. Drawing from her experience working in both in-house and consulting roles, she advises teams on government and stakeholder engagement, advocacy strategy, and policy development. Jeanne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Relations from the University of British Columbia and actively contributes to non-profit governance supporting community wellbeing and youth initiatives across the Okanagan.
Personal Information:
In her spare time, she enjoys food trips, hiking, and looking for the next adventure to spend quality time with her partner.
Eric Li
Director
Associate Professor, UBCO
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, 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.
Jamie Needham
Director
Branch Manager, Beem Credit Untion
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.
Tanya Tarlit
Director
Associate Dean, Trades and Apprenticeship
Professional & Community Development:
Tanya Tarlit is an experienced educator and community leader with more than 20 years of experience in post-secondary education, program development, strategic leadership, and community engagement. She currently serves as Associate Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship at Okanagan College, where she supports program growth, workforce development, and partnerships with industry, Indigenous communities, and government.
Reason and Role on the KCR Board:
Tanya holds a Master’s Degree in Community Development and has a longstanding connection with KCR, teaching Volunteer Management since 2005.
Personal Information:
She is also an active community volunteer and board member, bringing extensive
experience in volunteerism, education, collaboration, and organizational development.
