Board of Directors
The Strathcona Community Centre Association (SCCA) and Vancouver Parks Board jointly operate the Strathcona Community Centre. The SCCA is governed by a locally-elected Board of Directors made up of residents, community agency representatives and members at large. The SCCA is a provincially registered not-for-profit society and a federally registered charity.
We are currently recruiting Board Members for 2-3 year terms. Please email strathconacc@gmail.com for more information.
The SCCA Directors meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month, and several times a year on active committees, including:
- Executive Committee
- Program Committee
- Food Security Committee
- Childcare Committee
- Facilities Committee
- Human Resources and Governance Committee
- Finance and Fundraising Committee
- Sustainable Funding Strategy Working Group
If you would like to contact the SCCA Board, please email strathconaCC@gmail.com.
Retained earning for 2018 can be found here.
Dawn Hoogeveen
Dawn has lived in Strathcona since 2006 and is passionate about community. She takes a collaborative approach to her work and sees the importance of recognizing all communities as unique, including Strathcona.
On the SCCA Board of Directors Dawn has served on the Childcare, Governance & Human Resources, and Facilities Committees.
Dawn holds a PhD in Human Geography from the University of British Columbia and works at Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Health Sciences where she is cross appointed with the First Nations Health Authority. Dawn is of Dutch and British ancestry and grew up on Williams Treaty lands near Peterborough, Ontario.
Read More
Deb Miller
Deb is a long time resident of Strathcona who put down roots in the hood because of a desire to live somewhere with a strong, vibrant sense of community that embraced and honored the diversity, income levels and ways of being of its citizens.
Work wise, Deb has extensive experience working in hotels and resorts, particularly in sales, marketing, revenue management and operations. Her first career was as a graphic designer and design of all sorts is still a big passion. Along the way there’s been many side gigs including gardening, cleaning, cooking, bar tending and party organising.
Deb has volunteered with many organizations including Big Sisters of the Lower Mainland, We Day, Dress for Success, Glastonbury Festival and Kelowna Apple Triathlon.
Read More
Holly Alyea
Holly is big on community and that is why she is on the Board at the Community Centre. It is an opportunity to give something back to a community that keeps on giving so much – to her, her business, her family, her neighbours and friends.
Since 2016, her involvement at the Centre has included participation on the Childcare Committee, the Facilities Committee (leading a Needs Assessment Study), the Program Committee.
With an MA in Urban Planning, she is a now business owner of a planning office in Strathcona which conducts pre-design space planning services – the new Strathcona Library Branch was one of her projects!
She has lived for ten years in Strathcona with her husband and two children.
Read More
Fari Maghami
Fari was originally born in the Islamic Republic of Iran and moved to Canada in the year 2000. In 2006 he got married and today has two beautiful young girls. In 2008 Fari graduated with a Bachelor of Theology and very soon after started working at the Union Gospel Mission on the outreach team serving some of the most hurting and marginalized members of our community in Downtown Eastside.
In 2010 he returned to part-time studies at Carey Theological College for his Master of Divinity. Fari now works at Coastal Church as one of the pastors helping to make our city a better place.
Fari and his family live in the neighborhood and enjoy being part of a diverse and unique community. When he is not working or studying Fari loves to hang out with his family, enjoy good food and workout at the gym.
Read More
Caitlin Jones
Caitlin Jones is a resident of Strathcona/Chinatown and passionate about issues of equity, justice and advocacy in the community. She is the Executive Director of BC Artscape. Previously she was the ED of the artist-run centre the Western Front in Vancouver where she spearheaded programming, policy and dialogue around issues of urban development and the roles of artists within it.
Read More
Osaro Obaseki
Osaro grew up in the Strathcona area as his family moved to the neighborhood in 2006. He started playing with the Strathcona Dragons basketball program when he was 11 years old, and briefly coached after graduating from Britannia Secondary. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, and recently graduated from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia.
Osaro is eager to give back to the community that was integral to the health and success of his family. He is passionate about initiatives involving at-risk youth, mentorship, and helping families find their way out of difficult circumstances.
Read More
Carrie Bercic
Carrie is a community social justice activist, and focuses much of her time on advocacy and trying to use her own privilege and social agency to affect overall positive change in Vancouver. Areas close to her heart include public education, housing and food security, LGBTQIA2S+ activism, BIPOC allyship, Indigenous rights and reconciliation, and disability rights. She couldn’t be more excited to share her passion for strong, vibrant, inclusive communities with her fellow Strathcona Community Centre Association directors. She is looking very forward to working on the SCCA Sustainable Funding working group and the Facilities Committee.
As a former Vancouver School Board trustee, Carrie was part of a Board that was in charge of governance for a large and complex school district. While she very much enjoyed working on overall governance for public schools in the district, her favourite part of the job was working directly with students, teachers, school staff, and families at the neighbourhood level. Carrie was the trustee liaison for the Britannia family of schools which included Britannia Secondary, and Britannia, Grandview, Seymour, and Strathcona Elementary Schools. Working with the Strathcona community was a highlight of her time as trustee. This is what drew her to a position on the SCCA Board.
Carrie has worked in the community with a number of different groups, including the West End Seniors' Network and the Immigrant Services Society of BC. She also greatly enjoys volunteering at three schools in the district, including Seymour Elementary in Strathcona.
Carrie is currently the Vice-President of the Vancouver-Kingsway NDP riding for her MP Don Davies. She is a 27-year resident of East Vancouver and she and her husband are proud parents of two adult children, ages 23 & 26. She has a background in graphic design, fundraising, and event planning.
Read More
Dan Jackson
Dan Jackson has been a resident of Strathcona for 10 years. He has been the president of the Strathcona Residents Association since 2016. Professionally, he oversees the production of documentary television series.
Read More
Lazara Retana
Hello, my name is Lazara Retana and I was born in Miami Florida. I attended Britannia Secondary School. I live in the Strathcona area so I would attend the community centre quite often. I have helped many times doing community service. I was really wanted to join the board, and I finally did.
Read More
Julia McKnight
Julia McKnight has lived in Strathcona since 2007 with her partner, daughter, and two cats. Raising a family in this amazing community has been a gift which she is honoured and excited to pay forward by supporting the incredible work of the Strathcona Community Centre. Julia is the Assistant Manager of Teen Services at the Vancouver Public Library and sits on the Board of Directors at Mau Dan Gardens Housing Cooperative in Strathcona. She advocates for reducing barriers to access, prioritizing equity and inclusion, and supporting positive youth development.
Read More
Katie Lewis
Katie is a proud Strathcona resident, who uses the Strathcona Community Centre often, and has seen the positive force it creates in the community. Professionally, Katie is a freelance journalist who has worked for outlets including the Ottawa Citizen, the CBC, NPR, The Toronto Star and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Katie has reported/lived in a number of countries: Uganda, South Sudan, DRC, Somalia, Colombia, China and more. She has also worked in a senior communications role with Canada’s largest investment bank.
These days, she runs a freelance writing/editing/consulting business located in Strathcona, and her interests include photography, boxing, ballet and playing at the park with her 6-year-old twins. She is passionate about community advocacy, equality and food security.
Katie holds both a Bachelor and Master of Journalism Degree, with a focus on Indigenous studies, from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada
Read More
Tristan James
Tristan is a resident of Strathcona, passionate about social and legal justice, and community. He moved to Strathcona a few years ago, after finishing his bachelor's degree in Political Science at the University of Victoria, and quickly grew to love the community. He is just finishing his law degree in Alberta but is eager to move back home soon.
Tristan volunteers in a number of capacities and is passionate about supporting the community and its residents whenever possible.
Read More
Danielle Lewis
Danielle is a proud Strathcona resident and joined the Board of Directors to give back to the community she loves and is thrilled to support the important work of the Strathcona Community Center. Professionally, Danielle works as the Director of People and Organizational Development at the Pacific Pilotage Authority, a federal crown corporation, and prior to that worked as the Human Resources Manager for Coast Mental Health, one of the largest mental health non-profit organizations in Canada. Danielle has a BA in Arts and Literature, a Post-Diploma in Human Resources, and recently attained Queen’s certificates in Mental Health Leadership and Labour Relations.
Professionally, Danielle is especially passionate about creating psychologically safe workplaces, providing compassionate leadership, and ensuring that people development, employee engagement and diversity and inclusion programs are robust. Danielle lives in Strathcona with her husband and dog Ziggy.
Read More
