staff and board of directors
Office Staff
Debra Probert - Executive Director
debra@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Debra has been with VHS since 1989; initially as a volunteer, then a volunteer director, and since 1996 as executive director. Her education includes a music diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto (ARCT) and until becoming a full-time employee of VHS, taught classical piano in a private studio. Debra lives in Surrey with her husband, four dysfunctional (but beautiful) cats, and a perfect dog, Cooper.
Leanne McConnachie - Director, Farm Animal Programs
leanne@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Upon graduating from the University of Victoria in 1988 with a B.A. in Economics, Leanne pursued a business career in the information technology sector. She held management positions in marketing and communications, product development, business development and sales. After working 15 years in this sector, Leanne decided to combine her business skills with her passion for animals and pursue a new career path. She joined UBC's graduate program in Animal Welfare in 2004, completing her Master of Science degree in 2007.
Check out www.chickenout.ca for more on VHS's Farm Animal Welfare Project
Peter Fricker - Projects and Communications Director
peter@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Peter Fricker joined VHS in 2003. He lives in East Vancouver with his wife and two dogs who are regulars at the VHS office. Peter has a diploma in journalism from Langara College and has worked in communications for a number of non-profit organizations and companies, including the United Way, BC Hydro and the Hyack Festival. He spent 16 years working for a UK housing charity in Bath, Somerset, before moving back to Canada.
Lauren Martin - Office Manager
lauren@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Lauren has been involved with the non-profit sector for over seven years. After graduating with an Honours Business Degree in Non-profit Studies, she moved from Calgary to Vancouver with her boyfriend and two pugs. Her love for animals started when she was five years old and got her first pet, Tugs, a guinea pig. Lauren has worked for a variety of organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Harvest Project, and the YWCA.
Carita Chan – Administrative Assistant
Carita@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca
Carita Chan is a 4th year university student at UBC studying Environmental Science. She came to VHS in 2007 as a summer student and has stayed on. Carita is very interested in animal issues and wants to do her part to reduce animal suffering by increasing awareness.
Board of Directors
Liberty Mulkani, President
Chris Hajek, Director
Laura Brown, Secretary
June Humphreys, Director
Rebeka Breder, Director
Liberty Mulkani
Liberty Mulkani began her career in the film industry after completing a B.F.A. in theatre at Simon Fraser University. Shortly after graduation, she moved to California and decided to pursue her other passion: animal protection. She spent several years in the Bay Area working for the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) in their Animal Law Program and Event Planning departments. She continues to work as an Event Coordinator for both ALDF and the Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) and has planned animal law events for the two organizations at several law schools including Yale and Harvard. In 2007, she earned her Masters of Education through the Institute for Humane Education and Cambridge College. At VHS, apart from her role on the board of directors, she also worked extensively with VHS’s Power of One humane education program.
Chris Hajek
Chris Hajek received an environmental studies degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara. After a few years in the environmental clean-up and remediation sector, he shifted his focus to waste reduction and recycling. Chris’s experience in the field led him to become supervisor of a non-profit grassroots recycling operation, including the provision of services to large events such as Bioneers and the Green Festival. Since moving to Vancouver in 2005 Chris has been involved with The Recycling Alternative, Earthsave Canada, Greenprint Events and VHS’s Power of One program.
Laura Brown
Laura joined the board of directors in October 2006, having volunteered with VHS for 15 years. Laura has always had a concern for animal welfare and says she is constantly impressed by what the Vancouver Humane Society has done and continues to do to help reduce the suffering of all animals.
Laura holds a B.A. from Trinity Western University, where she majored in Religious Studies and minored in International Development. She currently works at Trinity Western University in Disability Services. Her interests are in social justice, for both humans and animals. Laura lives in Surrey and has one black dog, and numerous rescued cats.
June Humphreys
June is a retired medical laboratory technologist. She has been volunteering in cat rescue work for more than 15 years. In her early years of volunteering June did a lot of trap, neuter and release of feral cats. She continues to be involved with several cat shelters, as well managing virtually all of VHS’s direct animal assistance work. This involves overseeing financial help with spay and neuter costs, as well as other veterinary expenses for sick and injured animals. June is also involved in other voluntary work, including helping people in need to access income assistance, arranging transport to food banks and helping with income tax returns. She currently lives with eight companion cats.
Rebeka Breder
Rebeka Breder has been passionate about advancing the welfare of non-human animals since the age of 13 - when she presented her city council with a dead duck, shot by hunters, and a petition of hundreds of signatures to ban duck hunting in the area. Since then, Rebeka has volunteered and worked for various animal welfare and non-profit organizations. Today, Rebeka is a litigation lawyer at Boughton Law Corporation in Vancouver and has also developed a practice in Animal Law. Rebeka recently created the first Canadian Bar Association Animal Law section and is excited to be a member of VHS' fantastic team.
