Bob lost his wife “Kerry” after a battle with cancer when she was at the young age of 32 and left Bob with 2 wonderful children, Avery and Hudson that were 3 and 1 years old at the time of her passing. Bob requested that donations from Kerry’s celebration of life service go towards a family bereavement program that Dr. Heather Mohan was running at the time. Heather approached Bob with the idea of having a bereavement program for young families that had lost a loved one and suggested the program be named after Bob’s late wife Kerry. Bob has been involved with the Society since its inception and is a huge supporter of the valuable work and contributions this unique bereavement program offers in the communities it serves.

Shortly after graduating from UBC with a Commerce degree, Bob co-founded his company, Advantage Parts Solutions in 1988, which currently operates across Canada, the US and the UK. He is also an active member of Young Presidents Organization.

Ben joined the board of directors in 2021. Ben currently works as a policy analyst on the strategic policy team at the First Nations Health Authority, and has experience working as a camp director at the Zajac Ranch for Children, and a facilitator at ‘Breakfast with Dad’ and ‘Dad Chat’, father support programs. He will bring experience in policy analysis, governance, and program development and implementation.

Ben first came across Lumara while working at the Zajac Ranch for Children, an inclusive camp for kids with disabilities and medical needs. He hosted the Camp Kerry family retreat and was drawn to their work after seeing the positive impact it had for individuals and families navigating loss and grief.

Ben lives in Mission with his wife Amber, and three sons, Hudson, Nixon and Nash.

Brian was introduced to LUMARA in 2014, volunteered at Camp Kerry the next year and joined the board in 2023. He was originally drawn to the organization due to his own experience with grief and loss, having lost his mother after a fight with cancer at the age of 13. His journey from volunteering to serving on the board was driven by a deep belief in Lumara’s mission and the impact it has on our community. As a volunteer, he is able to witness the immediate benefits of his efforts. However, by joining the board, he enjoys playing a more strategic role in shaping the organization’s future, ensuring its sustainability and amplifying the positive change Lumara brings to the lives it touches.

Brian currently works as a Finance Director at Simon Fraser University supporting their upcoming Medical School and has held previous finance roles at the University of British Columbia and Best Buy Canada. He articled at KPMG LLP and holds a CPA, CA designation. He brings important experience developing and presenting financial narratives and how they impact future planning to the Lumara board, particularly as a member of the finance committee.

Brian lives in Vancouver with his wife, Melissa, who also volunteers with Lumara. When he’s not working or volunteering, you can find him playing golf, ultimate frisbee, or badminton.

Laurette and her three children first came to camp Kerry in 2009 after losing their husband and father to cancer. Over the past 15 years, the Riel family has been involved with Lumara as participants, peer mentors and volunteers. Brett, Gilian and Claire have changed quite a bit since they first encountered Lumara at seven, five, and three years old. Since losing their father, they have all become wonderful, busy, and empathetic young people—with much credit to the support they received from the Lumara community.

Laurette joined the Lumara Board 1.5 years ago with the hope of continuing to help others have access to the care and support her family benefitted from. She brings her unique experience, perspective, and enthusiasm to this role. In particular, she focuses on ways to ensure every Lumara volunteer and supporter understands and is recognized for how valued and vital they are.

Laurette has worked as an ER nurse for more than 20 years, through which she has helped many people on their worst days. As a nurse, she loves helping people see that they can do more than they ever thought possible—an attitude that has carried into her love of mentoring and encouraging others outside her profession.

Brett is an avid climber and mountain biker and works for BC Wildfire, Gillian is in her second year university pursuing counselling, and Claire graduates high school this year and supports Lumara as a youth ambassador. The family also has two pups who keep them all busy and laughing.

“Lumara and Camp Kerry helped support us through our very worst times,” says Laurette. “We are absolutely who we are today because of Camp Kerry and our friends there.”

Michael is honoured to be working as a volunteer with the Society for a number of years and looks forward to continuing that work as a member of the Lumara Board.

As with most people, grief has touched his life in myriad ways.  Michael believes that each way has served him as a lesson for becoming more deeply conscious of the connections in his life and who he is becoming as a result of those relationships.  He enthusiastically joins the Lumara Board, an organization which is committed to focusing its concerted attention on continuing to create and discover ways to compassionately support all people grieving the passing of loved ones.

Over the years, Michael has served on several non-profit boards in many capacities and is presently serving as president of his strata council.  He has also worked with several boards as a consultant and a facilitator.

Professionally he is a mediation/facilitation practitioner as well as a mediation/conflict resolution educator in private practice and a leadership coach (EQ Coaching™) working with Indigenous leaders and other leaders in the public and private sector (union and management).  His focus is often working with organizations and individuals during significant times of change and evolution.

Beginning in 1999, he began working with mediators and negotiators in the Middle East presenting mediation and negotiation programs to Arab and Jewish Israelis and Palestinians who remain committed to building a lasting peace in that region even in the darkest of times. Those working relationships continue today.  For Michael and his colleagues, this work is “bridge-building” constructive, long term relationships, evolved from mutual understanding founded upon clarity and genuine, resolute human engagement.