President Marja de Jong Westman
Marja is a biologist, and her passion for the natural world is an inherent part of her character. After graduating from UBC, this passion found a home for 10 years in her work at the Vancouver Aquarium. In 1984, Marja joined the teaching faculty at Capilano University. She is presently teaching and the head of the Department of Biology at CapU. Outside the classroom, Marja has been active in the world of environmental stewardship, founding the North Shore's most respected environmental stewardship group, The Lighthouse Park Preservation Society. In this role she has been recognized with a Heritage Award from the West Vancouver Municipality and also with the Frank Sanford award for outstanding community achievement bestowed by the Vancouver Natural History Society. Marja feels her Cree roots speak the loudest within her.
Vice President Doug Campbell
Doug, his wife Shirley, and daughters Christina and Georgia, live in Vancouver and have been resident on Valdes for 33 years. Doug is a Judge of the Federal Court of Canada, and prior to his appointment to the Court in 1995, was a Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia for 22 years. Between 1989 and 1994, Doug lead an education program for judges in Western and Northern Canada directed at building knowledge and understanding of people not well served by the justice system: women, Aboriginal People, and members of ethnic minorities. The principal feature of this groundbreaking initiative was to have judicial educators work in partnership with people seeking justice in the design and delivery of intensive education opportunities. In particular, during this period, Doug facilitated a well- supported effort of bringing together justice system professionals and Aboriginal People on South Vancouver Island in a collaborative effort to solve justice delivery problems of mutual concern. The success of these programs in Canada resulted in Doug facilitating similar initiatives with judges in Australia, Fiji, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Palestine between 1997 and 2012. Doug is presently active in assisting Federal Court Judges to effectively mediate disputes brought to the Court by Aboriginal People.
Doug is also the Committee Chair for the VIC's First Nation Committee.
Secretary Bruce Livingston
Bruce has been enjoying Valdes Island since 1975, when he and his wife Janet anchored the site for their cabin, on their honeymoon. A lawyer for 30 years, Bruce changed direction and became a Certified Marine Naturalist, incorporated and operated Steveston Eco Tours Ltd., and also qualified as a professional Whale Watch Captain. One of the founding Directors of the Valdes Island Conservancy, Bruce proudly served as Chair of the Board of Directors for years. His past volunteer community service includes President and Director of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society, Director of the Coast Guard Auxiliary (Steveston), and Director of the Steveston Historical Society. Bruce is currently a Director and immediate Past-President of the London Heritage Farm Society.
Treasurer Doug Cochran
Doug Cochran is an Adjudicator on two Provincial Government Boards as well as being appointed as the Lay Member of the Ethics Committee of the Certified General Accountants Association of B.C. He is a Board member with PLEA Community Services Society. Doug was in private practice as a lawyer in Vancouver, B.C. for thirty years, has published two legal text books and taught in the Institute for Paralegal Studies at Capilano University for nineteen years. He was a Member of the Immigration and Refugee Appeal Board of Canada for six years.
Marja is a biologist, and her passion for the natural world is an inherent part of her character. After graduating from UBC, this passion found a home for 10 years in her work at the Vancouver Aquarium. In 1984, Marja joined the teaching faculty at Capilano University. She is presently teaching and the head of the Department of Biology at CapU. Outside the classroom, Marja has been active in the world of environmental stewardship, founding the North Shore's most respected environmental stewardship group, The Lighthouse Park Preservation Society. In this role she has been recognized with a Heritage Award from the West Vancouver Municipality and also with the Frank Sanford award for outstanding community achievement bestowed by the Vancouver Natural History Society. Marja feels her Cree roots speak the loudest within her.
Vice President Doug Campbell
Doug, his wife Shirley, and daughters Christina and Georgia, live in Vancouver and have been resident on Valdes for 33 years. Doug is a Judge of the Federal Court of Canada, and prior to his appointment to the Court in 1995, was a Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia for 22 years. Between 1989 and 1994, Doug lead an education program for judges in Western and Northern Canada directed at building knowledge and understanding of people not well served by the justice system: women, Aboriginal People, and members of ethnic minorities. The principal feature of this groundbreaking initiative was to have judicial educators work in partnership with people seeking justice in the design and delivery of intensive education opportunities. In particular, during this period, Doug facilitated a well- supported effort of bringing together justice system professionals and Aboriginal People on South Vancouver Island in a collaborative effort to solve justice delivery problems of mutual concern. The success of these programs in Canada resulted in Doug facilitating similar initiatives with judges in Australia, Fiji, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Palestine between 1997 and 2012. Doug is presently active in assisting Federal Court Judges to effectively mediate disputes brought to the Court by Aboriginal People.
Doug is also the Committee Chair for the VIC's First Nation Committee.
Secretary Bruce Livingston
Bruce has been enjoying Valdes Island since 1975, when he and his wife Janet anchored the site for their cabin, on their honeymoon. A lawyer for 30 years, Bruce changed direction and became a Certified Marine Naturalist, incorporated and operated Steveston Eco Tours Ltd., and also qualified as a professional Whale Watch Captain. One of the founding Directors of the Valdes Island Conservancy, Bruce proudly served as Chair of the Board of Directors for years. His past volunteer community service includes President and Director of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery Society, Director of the Coast Guard Auxiliary (Steveston), and Director of the Steveston Historical Society. Bruce is currently a Director and immediate Past-President of the London Heritage Farm Society.
Treasurer Doug Cochran
Doug Cochran is an Adjudicator on two Provincial Government Boards as well as being appointed as the Lay Member of the Ethics Committee of the Certified General Accountants Association of B.C. He is a Board member with PLEA Community Services Society. Doug was in private practice as a lawyer in Vancouver, B.C. for thirty years, has published two legal text books and taught in the Institute for Paralegal Studies at Capilano University for nineteen years. He was a Member of the Immigration and Refugee Appeal Board of Canada for six years.
