Bruce Hurst
Board Chair, Foundation Board of Directors
Bruce Hurst is one of the founding shareholders of Reid Hurst Nagy Inc., Certified General Accountants. His extensive experience in managing and directing many of RHN’s Not-For-Profit audit engagements as well as small enterprise advisory services. He has also served on a number of committees for CGA-BC and on the CGA Canada Board of Directors. He served as CGA Canada’s auditor for 5 years. Outside the office, Bruce has been an active volunteer for the First Aid Ski Patrol for over 30 years and was presented the Harold Clarke Award in 2005 from CGA-BC for his continued volunteer efforts and contributions to the community. Bruce is a Langara grad from the Finance & Investment Diploma (1975) and received Langara's Outstanding Alumni Awards, in 2011.
Michal Jaworski
Member – Langara College Foundation Board
Michal Jaworski is a partner and co-chair of the higher learning practice group at Clark Wilson LLP, and a member of the Board of Directors of the UBC Staff Pension Plan. Active in the legal community, he was previously an adjunct professor for the Allard School of Law and Sauder School of Business. He currently volunteers as member of the executive of the charities and not-for-profit subsection of the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, and a mentor to first year law students. Mr. Jaworski completed his Bachelor of Laws and his Bachelor of Arts in psychology at UBC.
Charlene Taylor
Member – Langara College Foundation Board
Charlene is a trailblazer. She has had many firsts in her career. Charlene is the first female internal auditor hired at West Coast Energy. She is the first Indigenous person to earn the Chartered Accountants (CA) designation in BC and the first Indigenous woman in Canada. In 2011, Charlene received the prestigious Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) designation. In her role with the government, she worked on a number of high-profile performance reports, many of which have contributed to changes in the areas of education and child and family services, applying her experience and knowledge to benefit her First Nation culture. Charlene credits much of her success to her strong connection to her culture and family and continues to participate in cultural sharing events and potlatches. Charlene graduated from the Arts & Science program at Langara in 1979 and received the Outstanding Alumni Awards in 2019.
Stephen Lee
Member, Foundation Board of Directors
Stephen Lee has a strong connection to Langara. After starting his post-secondary education at Langara, Stephen went on to earn his CPA, CMA and subsequently was honoured with the FCPA, FCMA designation in 2009. Stephen is the CEO of Musqueam Capital Corporation. Musqueam Capital Corporation is a wholly owned entity of Musqueam Indian Band and was formed to manage and develop the Band’s business assets and key land holdings. Stephen’s past experience spans 25 years in senior leadership roles in a variety of private and public companies. In addition to serving on other boards and committees, he is a past Chair of the CMABC Board. Stephen is also an adjunct professor for UBC’s Masters of Health Administration program. He was also a facilitator for the CMA Executive Strategic Leadership Program. While at Langara, Stephen met his wife Carol, and they now have three daughters together.
Alec Maclean
Member, Foundation Board of Directors
Alec Maclean is the Vice President & Investment Counsellor of RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc. and has worked in the financial services and investment industry since 1997. Prior to joining RBC Wealth Management – PH&N Investment Counsel, Alec worked with RBC in Commercial Banking. He has also worked in the accounting and finance department of a major shipping company in the United Kingdom and has also worked in Japan. Alec holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the Chartered Financial Analysts Institute and an Economics degree from the University of Victoria.
Jas Sandhu
Member, Foundation Board of Directors
President and Founder, Brixton Properties
Previous to his role with Brixton Properties, Jas worked with Colliers International as Vice President and National Leaders, Canada India Client Services. Prior to this, he was a Real Estate Development Consultant, International Trade Consultant and a member of the Prime Minister's Team Canada Mission to India.As a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Community Achievement, Jas has strong community ties and is a well-respected contributor to a number of community organizations. He is a member of Simon Fraser University - India Advisory Council; member of the City of Surrey's Development Advisory Committee; and Advisor to the Canada India Business Council (CIBC). He serves as Vice-President of the Association of South Asian Professionals – BC (ASAP); and served as President and is currently a Board member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE). Jas was also Chair on the Langara College Board of Governors.
Yusuf Varachia
Member – Langara College Foundation Board
Yusuf Varachia has over 15 years of experience working in the Canadian educational sector. He joined Langara College as the Vice President, External in February 2020 to lead the College’s diverse external portfolio. Prior to joining Langara, he was the Director, Global Engagement at Simon Fraser University. In that position, he was responsible for promoting and enhancing SFU’s profile domestically and internationally through the strategic management of SFU’s international partnerships, international visitors, and local diplomatic corps. He also has extensive experience managing international and domestic student recruitment at SFU. Before joining SFU, Yusuf worked in Student Services at the University of British Columbia. Prior to moving to Vancouver, he was a teacher for the Toronto District School Board. Throughout his career, Yusuf has developed programs designed to recruit and retain diverse student populations and has worked to ensure that they are represented within educational institutions. Yusuf holds a Master of Education degree from Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor of Education degree from OISE/University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from McMaster University.
Dr. Paula Burns joined Langara College as its fourth President and CEO on May 30, 2022. Paula brings a track record of over 25 years of demonstrated innovation in leadership that prioritizes diversity and inclusivity, collaboration and community building, and the ability to cultivate a progressive, positive, respectful and welcoming culture..
Paula comes to Langara from Lethbridge College where she served as President from 2013 - 2022 and NAIT, where she was the provost and vice president academic. While at Lethbridge College, Paula built strong relationships with the Indigenous community, culminating in the College being gifted an honour song, and a name (Stone Pipe) bestowed in 2018 by the Blackfoot Nation. She also secured an increase in applied research funding of over 200% in five years, including a $400,000 grant for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. In 2018, Lethbridge College conducted the largest fundraising campaign in its history.
Paula invests her commitment, passion and energy to advance education and to support and create a safe and respectful learning environment for students, faculty and staff. She faces leadership challenges head on by connecting, listening, and strengthening relationships through respect, empowerment and accountability.
Paula has established herself as an active and energetic leader locally, provincially, and nationally. She is also board chair of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). Paula previously served on their National Indigenous Education Advisory Committee that worked to develop CICan's Indigenous Education protocol; was chair of their governance committee; and was previously chair of the Presidents Advisory Committee on Sustainability, a committee of Presidents who advises CICan and its members on their role with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Paula got her own start in higher education as a college student at Fanshawe College in London,ON, where she earned her Respiratory Therapy diploma in 1987. From there she went on to the University of Waterloo, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in 1996; Central Michigan University, where she earned a Master of Arts in Education in 1999 with a specialization in community college leadership; the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto, where she earned her PhD in 2005; and Royal Roads University, where she earned her executive MBA in 2010 with a specialization in leadership.