Board of Directors

The IPS Board held its AGM at Cates Chapel on September 9, 2010 where members of the IPS Society elected a new director–Ross Allan. David McCullum was reelected at the same by the Society and begins his second three-year term on the board. The Society also voted to engage MacCormac and Company for the fourth consecutive year to audit the school’s 2010/11 financial statements. Thank you to Emily McCullum who acted as the Moderators’ Member.

David McCullum – Board Chair

David received a BA (Political Science & History) from UBC and is one of the principals of Digitally Hip Corp.—a provider of outsourced technical support to many Greater Vancouver companies. David has been intimately involved in the entrepreneurial efforts of countless Canadian companies, both as a facilitator and as a leader. His interests lie in racing sailboats, beekeeping, reading, photography and areas of arcane technology.

David and Emily (his wife, business partner and founder of Digitally Hip) have two children: Ben (Class of 2009) and Eliza who currently in Grade 8. It was Ben’s decision to attend IPS that prompted David to become involved at the school. Just after arriving on Bowen Island in 1994, David and Emily met Dr. Ted Spear and his wife, Dyan, over dinner and heard Ted’s plan for what became IPS. They put Ben’s name on the list shortly after he was born.

Deb Thompson – Vice Board Chair

Deb holds a B.Sc. in Secondary Education and an M.A. in Counseling and Guidance. She brings her background in public school teaching and counseling, outdoor education, other Board work in the community and home schooling to her role as an IPS Board Director.

This is just the most recent chapter in Deb’s 10-year relationship with Island Pacific School, having been involved as a volunteer and Board Director when her children were younger. She’s excited to be back for another stint as Director, this time with the added perspective of a parent with two children attending the school–Devon, in Grade 7, and Caelan, in Grade 9.

She looks forward to helping the Society and Board of Directors continue to develop within the new governance structure, and will Chair the Governance Committee.

Ross Allan – Treasurer

Ross and his wife Suzanne (who worked as the French teacher/head of the French department at IPS from 2001-2006) were both born and raised in Vancouver, and have lived on Bowen for almost 20 years. Their three daughters, Danielle (IPS Class of 2004), Emily (IPS Class of 2006), and Lissy (currently in Grade 9), have all benefited greatly from the school. Ross recently joined the IPS Board, bringing with him 25 years of experience running his own financial firm to his position as the Director of Finance.

Ross spends all the time he can out in his boat (including his daily commute from Bowen to downtown Vancouver), and loves spending time with his family, playing basketball (re-living his glory days as a Physical Education major at UBC), and embarrassing his children whenever possible.

He and his family are thrilled that he is on the Board, giving back to the well-loved school that has given them so much over the years.

Jon Heath – Director

Jon Heath and his wife, Karin, have lived on Bowen for 15 years, and they are finally reaping the rewards of having put down a deposit at IPS for two of their three children, Conrad and Elsa, in 1998. Their youngest, Rex, should enter the school in 2016. Jon is the Executive Director (and head dishwasher) at Camp Bow-Isle and the Bow-Isle Outdoor Centre. He has enjoyed leading/driving/chaperoning groups of IPS students on high ropes course activities and various excursions including the Spring Reign Ultimate Frisbee Tournament and, recently, hiking and climbing the Black Tusk, near Whistler, BC. He loves outdoor activities including but not limited to, skiing, running, sailing, hiking, and international travel. Jon attended public grade schools and high school, but had the good fortune to attend a private school for grades 7 and 8. He attended Principia College and the University of Oregon, graduating in 1990. His daughter, Elsa is in Grade 7 and his son, Conrad, is in Grade 9. Conrad is the first recipient of the Ted Spear Founder’s Scholarship.

Paul Tennant – Director

Paul Tennant served as the Board secreatry last year and continues this year as a director.

Paul is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of British Columbia. After graduating from UBC in 1961, he held a Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship at the University of Chicago, obtaining his MA in Public Administration and his PhD in Political Science. He then spent a year working and studying in the United States Congress as the first non-American citizen awarded a United States Congressional Fellowship. He served on the UBC faculty from 1966 to 2006, specializing in local government, British Columbia government and politics, and the politics of aboriginal peoples. In 1998 he became the founding director of UBC Foundations, an enriched, multi-disciplinary, first-year program designed to provide a welcoming, but challenging, small-college atmosphere within the large university. In establishing the program he consulted extensively among grade 12 students and teachers in BC high schools.

Among his awards are the UBC Master Teacher Prize, the “Just Desserts Award” from the UBC Student Government for outstanding service to students, the Roderick Haig-Brown Prize for the book published in 1990 “contributing most to a better understanding of British Columbia,” and the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for publications advancing the understanding of British Columbia history. He has four sons (with 13 university degrees among them) and eight grandchildren, and has lived on Bowen Island for the past six years — and was recently appointed to the Municipality’s Advisory Planning Commission. His hobbies are gardening, woodturning, and kayaking.

Chris Duncan – Director

Chris received her BHE (textile sciences) from UBC. She started her career in merchandising and design within in the fashion industry then moved on to product development in the Giftware Industry. For the last 10 years Chris has been a Sales Agent for Joanne Fabrics, a Canadian wholesaler of fabrics used in interior design. Her interests include golfing (especially on Bowen), boating, gardening, and travel.

Chris and her husband Don both grew up on the North Shore. Chris started coming to Bowen in 1983, visiting Don’s family cottage. They became enamored with the Island and the lifestyle it offered and moved to Bowen in 1994. Shortly after, Chris’ parents retired to Bowen, and two of her brothers and their families soon followed.

Although they don’t have any children of their own, Chris and Don are guardians to fourteen children. Chris has sat on boards before, both professionally and personally, and looks forward to bringing another perspective to the IPS Board.

Laura Ruloff – Director

Laura Ruloff has a BA in English from Seattle Pacific University and completed her Secondary Teaching Certification at SFU with concentrations in English, Social Studies and Learning Assistance.  She has experience as a public school teacher, special needs assistant and a board member for community-based and national non-profit organizations.
Laura and her husband Walt heard about IPS in 1995 when they moved to Bowen Island.  They were so impressed by the Director, teachers and students that they signed up their two sons, Colin (IPS class of 2010) and Chad (currently in grade 9), as infants.  Since then they have had two more sons who can’t wait to be old enough to attend!   Andrew has just entered into grade 6 in the fall of 2011 and Charlie will start at IPS in 2012.

She is excited to be serving as a board member and as part of the Recruitment Committee.