Staff
Christopher Bate – Coordinator
Chris (they/them) has been the Coordinator of the Social Planning Society and Accessibility Committee since July 2022. With 30 years working in the non-profit social sector, they bring experience in the areas of accessibility, disability, equity politics and queer activism. Chris has lived in the Comox Valley since 2003 and arrived here via Vancouver, Winnipeg, Minneapolis and St. Louis.
Board Of Directors
Betty Tate
Betty Tate has been on the Social Planning Society Board for several years and is currently serving as President. She is a retired nurse educator who taught at both the University of Victoria and North Island college. She is committed to equity, inclusion and justice and has experience with social planning initiatives in the Comox Valley and Victoria.
Brian Charlton
I am a retired postal worker who moved to the Comox Valley in 2002. I have always been involved in my community wherever I lived. I was a delegate to the Campbell River, Courtenay and District Labour Council and through that helped organize Cumberland’s Miner Memorial . Also sat on the boards of the Cumberland Museum and the Comox Valley Art Gallery. Was one of the organizers of the Vancouver Island Mayworks Festival. Wrote a monthly column for the Island Word called Labour Beat and now I am co-hosting a radio program, also called Labour Beat, on CVOX community radio. I was president of the Courtenay NDP constituency Association for a time. During the BC Liberal regime I was an active member of the Action Coalition. So I think it is important for a person to be an activist, not only for your own well-being but for your community.
Heather Deane-Clark (in memoriam)
Joanne Schroeder
Joanne has been a settler on Komok’s territory for over 30 years and a member of the Comox Valley Social Planning Society for 25. She is the mother of 4 and the grandmother of 3. She recently “retired” as the Executive Director of the Comox Valley Child Development Association and is now the Director of the BC Compassionate Systems Leadership Network, housed at the Human Early Learning Partnership at UBC.
Joanne is passionate about building better systems and policies for children and youth, through leveraging innovative practice, community leadership and research
Susan Auchterlonie
Susan specializes in communicating effectively, engaging authentically, and building strong relationships. She has held senior management positions in the post-secondary education and charitable sectors, successfully guiding communications, community relations, and fundraising portfolios. Most recently in the Comox Valley she served as the Executive Director of the Comox Valley Community Foundation and is currently the President of the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation. She currently serves as the Treasurer on the Board.
Lindsay Monk
Lindsay is a nonprofit affordable housing development consultant and has managed the completion of over 500 units of affordable housing in BC. She has a specialization in Indigenous housing and has also worked as a communications professional, leading the development of community-based research in northern Alberta. Recognizing the ability of housing development to improve the wellbeing of communities, she employs a thoughtful and empathetic approach that focuses on housing at the service of community.
She has an MA from the University of Victoria (2013) where she focused on impacts of federal on-reserve housing policy, and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours with Distinction from Queen’s University (2006). She has lived and worked in Montreal, Ottawa, northern Alberta, and across BC.
Judy O’Leary
Judy is new to the Comox Valley, moving here in 2024 from Nelson after many years in the Prairies. She has had a varied career, first in government, as a policy analyst in health and environment, and later in adult education and project management for teacher training. She is deeply involved with Climate Caucus, a national nonprofit supporting councillors and mayors. There she led a research project on the engagement of marginalized populations in local climate planning to identify ways to engage those experiencing the worst climate impacts, but having the least say.
Judy has long been committed to local community service, and also volunteers with the Lake Trail Community Education Society. She looks forward to contributing to the Social Planning Society as she learns more about the equity and accessibility needs of the Comox Valley.
Scott Chamney
Throughout my career, I have worked in positions where I can be of service to others; I currently chair an Accessibility Committee for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which was recently a runner-up to the 2024 Untapped Accessibility award! I also have spent several years as a stand-up comedian, sharing my experiences as an autistic person to educate and build empathy while I entertain. A core part of who I am is being an advocate for people who face all forms of barriers and someone who works to improve everyone’s understanding of how to provide the type of support that can make a big difference in someone’s life. I strive to build trust and understanding, ensuring that everyone feels supported and informed; I embrace the philosophy that even small changes, which are essential for some, can be useful for all.
By joining the Comox Valley Social Planning Society as a board member, I hope to contribute what I can to supporting the people of the valley as I continue my journey to learn as much as I can about how to foster equity and accessibility.
Allisyn Wodham (on leave)
Board of Directors Guiding Principles
Local Government Appointed Representatives
We are very appreciative of the support and participation of our local governments through the appointment of their representatives:
Comox Valley Regional District: Edwin Grieve
City of Courtenay: Wendy Morin
Town of Comox: Dr. Jonathan Kerr
Village of Cumberland: Mayor Vickey Brown
Comox Valley School District: Shannon Aldinger
Chris Bate, our wonderful Coordinator and Shasta Stedman, our wonderful technical support setting up for our first ever hybrid (zoom and in-person) Annual General Meeting in 2024 which was successful.