Governance

Shanni Eckford is President and CEO of a privately held international real estate investment company. She has extensive experience in capital planning, capital improvement execution, operational budgeting, team management, and creating reporting systems that maximize operational efficiency. Shanni completed her BA and Urban Land Economics at UBC and her MBA in business strategy at the Sauder School of Business.

During her tenure on the Society Board since 2018, Shanni was Vice Chair for four years and has been Chair of the Advancement Committee, Chair of the Properties and Facilities Committee, a member of the New Buildings Task Force, and an ex-officio member of the Foundation Board for six years. Shanni began her tenure as Chair of the Society Board of Directors in 2023.

She and her husband Michael have two sons currently attending St. George’s (’25, ’27). Her sons are the third generation of her family to attend Saints, joining their father, uncle, grandfather, and great-uncle as alumni. Shanni graduated from Crofton House, giving her a longstanding connection to and understanding of Independent Schooling.

Mike Mackay '04 is a member of our St. George's Alumni Association, graduating as a "Lifer," and lives in Vancouver with his wife, Sophia, and their two children, Willa and Theo. Mike is the president of a local real estate company and believes that to whom much is given, much will be required. He is passionate about serving his community, particularly that of St. George’s School, which has afforded him so much. Some of Mike's most rewarding life experiences have been realized through volunteer opportunities. In addition to St. George’s School, he sits on the boards of the Urban Development Institute and Arts Umbrella. He has also represented BC and Canada in rugby.

Owen Cameron '99 is a proud "Lifer" and alumnus of St. George's School and serves as the Chair of the Strategic Planning and Partnerships Committee. He proudly watches his sons, Bryce '30 and Braeden '33, attend St. George's School while his daughter, Tenley '36, enjoys her time at Crofton House. Owen is a dynamic entrepreneur, investor, and advisor with a proven track record of founding and leading successful ventures in technology, investment, and business advisory. His entrepreneurial spirit is matched only by his passion for philanthropy, evident in his current roles as Co-founder & Board Vice-Chair of the Plunge for the Cure Foundation and as a member of the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation's Leaders Council & Co-Chair of its Vitality Gala. Owen's unwavering commitment to St. George's School and tireless support for various charities exemplify his dedication to making a meaningful difference in both the School and the broader community. When he's not championing these causes, you will most likely find him coaching his children's soccer, baseball, and other sports teams.

Karen Grant is a proud member of the Musqueam Indian Band and an advocate for the growing relationship between Musqueam and St. George's School. A proud mother of two Saints boys, Felix '22 and Owen '25, Karen is a consistent advocate for the great work of the school community. Mrs. Grant is currently the Office Manager of the Musqueam Indian Band and a member of the Finance and Admin Committee for her nation. Her time served in these roles is to help achieve the vision of her community, ensuring success for each individual. During her spare time, Karen can be found playing competitive soccer within the Indigenous soccer circuit and participating in community cultural events. Her family has many ties to leadership roles in Musqueam, and she looks forward to sharing her strong skill set with the St. George's working group.

Cynthia Jagger is Executive Vice President at CBRE in Vancouver, focusing on the sale of large-scale commercial real estate properties in BC. Cynthia previously held key leadership roles at a local boutique firm and as a director at the global firm, Altus Group. She has earned a professional designation as an AACI (Accredited Appraiser Canadian Institute) and a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University, where she played Div. 1 Field Hockey. She sits on the board and executive of the Urban Development Institute, is Vice-Chair of the Rental Housing Issues Committee, and is a frequent speaker and moderator at real estate industry conferences and events, as well as in the media. Cynthia was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, and, with husband Ryan, has two children, one of whom attends St. George's School and will graduate in 2031.

Laura Jeffery is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with over 20 years of experience providing tax advisory services to private and public companies across a wide range of industries. Laura obtained her CA designation at KPMG LLP and practiced international tax in the Vancouver and Luxembourg offices before moving in-house to lead the tax function of MOSAIC Homes, a real estate development company. Laura is currently the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Tax at WELL Health Technologies Corp., a publicly traded international healthcare technology company and Canada’s largest owner and operator of outpatient health clinics. Laura was born and raised in Vancouver and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia. Laura has a depth of experience working with organizations that support the development of youth in the Lower Mainland, and she currently serves on the Board of Big Sisters of B.C. Lower Mainland as Treasurer. Laura’s daughter, Amelia ’29, attends West Point Grey Academy and her son, Jack ‘31, attends St. George’s School.

Karen Kwan is Aritzia’s Chief People and Culture Officer, overseeing all aspects of the People & Culture Department. Prior to joining Aritzia in 2017, Karen began her HR career in banking and Lululemon Athletica, where she held key global HR leadership roles. She is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Simon Fraser University, majoring in English Literature and minoring in Sociology. Karen was born and raised in Vancouver, BC, and has two children, one of whom attends St. George's School and will graduate in 2033.

Ayeesha Lalji is Vice President at Larco Investments Ltd., a real estate investment company with assets across Canada. She was a Lifer at Crofton House School and has a BA from Stanford University. Ayeesha also holds a JD/MBA from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law & Rotman School of Management and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2017.

Ayeesha is deeply involved in her local community, currently serving on the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s Governance & Nominating Committee (former Chair), Leaders Council (Chair), and the Property Development Taskforce. She previously served on the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation Board of Directors for six years. Ayeesha is also a National Committee Member of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, a longstanding volunteer, and the previous Chair of the Stanford University Undergraduate Admissions Office for British Columbia.

In her spare time, Ayeesha enjoys spending time with her husband, Nejeed Kassam ’04, and two sons, Kiyan ‘38 and Ilaan. Kiyan ’38 is the second generation on both sides of his family to attend St. George’s School.

Mark Lewis '89 is a partner at the law firm Bennett Jones LLP, where he is Co-Head of the firm's National Real Estate Group. He has served on the Foundation's Board since 2017 and became Chair in 2023, at which time he joined the Society Board. He has been a member of the Foundation Board’s Audit & Risk Management, Properties & Facilities and Nominations & Governance Committees. Mark is a current Director of the Urban Development Institute a member of the Campaign Cabinet of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, and a former President and Director of both BC Rugby and the Vancouver Rowing Club. Mark's son Carter graduated from Saints in 2020.

Allan is a lawyer with a focus on business law and serves as the Chief Legal Officer of Corix, a leading district energy business with operations across North America. Allan has a BComm and JD from Queen’s University.

Allan entered St. George’s School in Grade 4 and fondly remembers his entrance interview with Steve Hutchison, who was the Principal of the Junior School at that time. During his school years, Allan primarily focused his efforts on academics and rugby. Allan is tremendously grateful for his time at St. George’s School and for being part of the St. George’s community.

Allan enjoys spending his spare time with his wife Julia, daughter Becky, and dog Bernie. They also have a cat.

Hao Min has been serving as a Board Member since 2023. Having graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Engineering (2009) and an MBA (2013), Hao currently leads a team of passionate real estate development professionals at Bold Properties, focused on providing housing solutions in Greater Vancouver. Together with his wife Sabrina, they have a son, Mario ‘32, who attends St. George's School, and a daughter named Mira, who attends York House School.

David has over 35 years of experience working in various industries in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Strategically oriented with a strong operational focus, he has experience in real estate, professional services, telecommunications, and other sectors. David has a strong client service focus and is passionate about people and organizational sustainability.

Along with his wife, Natalia, they have two boys at St. George’s School, Nicholas in Grade 11 and Christopher in Grade 8. They also have an older daughter who graduated from Crofton in 2024 and is currently at the University of Notre Dame.

Chris was previously the Chief Financial Officer of Bailey Nelson, a multi-national direct-to-consumer eye care brand, which he helped scale to over 90 stores.

Prior to that, Chris spent nine years at Lululemon, holding a variety of leadership positions, including International CFO, where he led Lululemon’s Asia Pacific and EMEA financial operations and SVP Finance, where he led the financial planning, investor relations and indirect procurement functions. Chris has also held senior finance roles at Intrawest, the former owner of Whistler Blackcomb, which he helped take private in 2006.

A born and raised Vancouverite, Chris obtained his Bachelor of Commerce from UBC Sauder School of Business and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Chris enjoys playing ice hockey and getting into nature with his family. His son, Cory, attends St. George's School and is in Grade 6.

George Zhao brings to Saints his past independent school philanthropic experience, having previously served on the Headmaster’s Circle of Meadowridge School, where he advised the headmaster on their capital campaign, facility expansion plans, and engagement with the school’s large Chinese parent population. Furthermore, he initiated the school’s Audacity Campaign committee and construction committee. Rooted in his own experience as a serial entrepreneur and founder of a security system software and hardware integration company, his particular interest in education lies at the intersection of STEM and socially responsible entrepreneurship, as he sees these as crucial elements for the world of today and tomorrow. Since 2008, he has given to education charities in rural China near Sichuan and Tibet, providing educational resources directly to several schools. In addition to his record of supporting education, he feels fortunate to have a global perspective, having been educated in China and, for his graduate diploma, in Toronto. Having joined the Saints community in 2020, George and his wife, Annie, have two boys in the Junior School: Marshall ‘30 and Mark ‘32.

Peter Wilken has been closely involved with St. George’s School as a parent to Paolo ‘13 and Jack ‘21, husband to Regina, who sat on the SGPA Board and was co-convenor of the Saints Fair two years running, and as a Strategic Advisor to the school Leadership Team for 16 years. He is an ex-Adman, and Canada is the 11th country he has lived and worked in. He is a Brand Management Consultant, author, speaker, and brand-building coach. Peter was privileged to serve on the board of CAIS (Canadian Accredited Independent Schools) from 2019 to 2024.