Our board

Joe Reid

Chair of the Board

Joe Reid is the Vice President of Wealth Management at Vancity. He has worked in the Wealth Management industry for over 29 years and is committed to seeing the industry change away from a focus solely on profit to one that reduces barriers to access of advice.

Joe is a board member of the Langley Hospice Society and Foundation and previously sat on the board of Vancity Community Foundation. Joe has participated in the BC Cooperatives Association mentorship program which connects students interested in better understanding the values of cooperatives with a leader in the coop space and was a mentor with Bringing Women Together Mentorship program which connects women and allies across the BWT network.

Joe is Vice Executive Sponsor of the Vancity 2SLGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group. Joe is a “reluctant” rather than avid runner who has completed 5 half marathons, and in his spare time he and his wife enjoy hiking, snowshoeing and travel. Joe has two grown daughters, his oldest is a doctor and the youngest is a dental assistant.

Gurpreet Jhaj

Director
2022_0628_Vancity_RachelPick-57

Gurpreet Jhaj is the Vice President of Marketing at Vancity. She brings a wealth of experience, having lived and worked across the UK, USA, India, and Canada. Gurpreet joined Vancity in 2022, following leadership roles at BCAA, Aimia (EMEA and US), and Centrica. She is renowned for driving innovation within organizations and building highly engaged, effective teams.

For the past decade, Gurpreet has made British Columbia her home, residing in the vibrant Gastown neighborhood near the DTES. She is deeply committed to fostering a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future. Gurpreet is an active member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values’ communication working group, where she shares and learns best practices from the GABV network.

Embracing life in BC, Gurpreet enjoys hiking the province’s stunning mountains, swimming, and paddleboarding on its serene lakes during the summer. An avid reader and lifelong learner, she is passionate about continually expanding her knowledge.

Heather O'Hara

Director

Heather brings over 15 years of leadership experience in non-profit, social enterprise and social innovation to her role as Executive Director at BC Farmers’ Markets, representing 145+ member farmers’ markets and 6,000+ small business vendors across all corners of BC.

A creative thinker and doer, Heather is passionate about all things farm and food, entrepreneurship, community economic development and empowering all people and communities to prosper. Heather also believes in reconciling relationships with our food systems, land, water, sky and its diverse inhabitants, embracing Indigenous ways of knowing and leveraging the untapped potential of regenerative agriculture as solutions to the impacts of climate change.

Heather is an innovative leader and elevator who brings organizations and initiatives to the next level. Prior to joining BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, Heather served as Executive Director with the award winning social enterprise Potluck Café & Catering, which creates jobs and provides healthy, fresh food for people living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In addition, Heather was the founding Board Chair of the Hastings Crossing BIA and for a brief period served as Executive Producer at CityStudio. Along the way, Heather has mentored and supported dozens of social entrepreneurs, non-profits and social enterprises.

After completing the KPU Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School program, Heather founded Filly Farm, an organic, small scale farm demonstration project, horse powered by manure compost and growing epic vegetables. An avid horse lover and owner, Heather is privileged to live, work and play in Delta on the traditional territory of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam people.

A transplanted prairie girl from Treaty 1 territory in Manitoba, Heather acquired her MBA, along with Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, all from the University of Manitoba.

Jindy Bains

Director

Jindy Bains is Vancity credit union’s vice president of Operations and Compliance, focused on member experience and community engagement. She has been with Vancity for more than 25 years, and has held many roles including Branch Manager, Change Management Lead, and Director of Community Member Services.

Jindy is known for driving results through innovation and creativity, leading people through change, and being an advocate for community. Jindy is also an alumni of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values Leadership Academy, where she has had the benefit of hearing a diversity of perspectives, learning from others, and sharing best practices. Jindy’s intrinsic values of inclusion, sustainability and respect have guided her throughout her life and career, and kept her at Vancity.

In her free time, Jindy loves to run outdoors, explore the city, and spend time with her husband and three daughters.

Mebrat Beyene

Director
Meberat_Beyene

Mebrat joined the VCF Board of Directors in June 2024. An Eritrean, born in Ethiopia and raised in Montreal, Mebrat is a devoted mother, community developer, consultant, and facilitator. Her passion and dedication to social justice have earned her the 2020 YWCA Women of Distinction Award and to being named Douglas College’s 2024 Honorary Fellow.

With over 25 years’ experience in non-profit management and community development, Mebrat has significantly impacted the sector. As the former Executive Director of WISH Drop-In Centre Society, she championed the rights of street-based sex workers, fought against gender-based violence, and led pivotal organizational growth and transformation. Her roles have also included Program Officer with Status of Women Canada and Executive Director of PeerNetBC.

Beyond her professional work, Mebrat co-chairs the Equality Fund’s Board and serves on various advisory committees, including the Province of BC’s Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ BC Office’s Racial & Socio-Economic Equity Advisory Committee. She also volunteers with the Vancouver Youth Choir.

Currently, Mebrat consults for nonprofit organizations, guiding them through challenges of change and growth, and advocating against scarcity models and the chronic under-resourcing of the sector. Her vision is of a thriving nonprofit sector that empowers organizations and leaders to surpass sheer, unsustainable survival.

She lives in East Van, doing as much singing, adventuring and plotting with her son…much to their cat’s chagrin.