Board of Directors

Chana attended UBC Sauder School of Business, and became a licensed mortgage broker in 1997. In 2004, she incorporated her own mortgage company, Synergy Mortgage. She is a member in good standing of the Mortgage Broker’s Association of BC (MBABC) and the Canadian Mortgage Broker’s Association. Chana is a volunteer director for the Mortgage Broker Institute of BC (MBIBC) which provides professional education to mortgage brokers as set out by the BC Financial Services Authority (FSA) for the purpose of licensing. Chana is also a volunteer director for the Hebrew Free Loan Association, which provides interest-free loans to those that need a “hand up,” not a “hand‐out,” in difficult circumstances. Chana and her husband, Randy, have strong ties to King David, as they have 2 daughters, Kyla and Talia, currently attending and another daughter, Shira, who graduated in 2019 and is currently at McGill University in Sciences.

William, aka Billy, is a litigation lawyer and partner at Harper Grey LLP. His practice focuses on administrative and public law, including the representation of professionals in a wide variety of situations. He advises a number of public and non-profit bodies, as well as professional organizations, in matters of regulatory compliance, privacy, and member and Board accountability. William has three children: Barbie, Adam, and David (aka the BADs). Barbie graduated from King David in 2016, Adam graduated in 2017, and David currently attends King David.

Ron is a graduate of Vancouver Talmud Torah and received his LLB degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. He is a partner with Fasken Martineau, practicing business law. Ron’s goal is to maintain and reinforce the good governance practices already in place at King David, and to assist the executive with the proper and efficient functioning of the Board and the school. Ron and his wife Shelley live in Vancouver and have three children.

Diane is a corporate director with the Land Title and Survey Authority of BC, where she is the Vice Chair and chairs the Audit & Finance Committee. Diane spent five years as a corporate director with Community Living BC, a Crown corporation. As a business and finance consultant, Diane works with First Nations, private companies, and not-for-profits, advising on Corporate Finance matters including business and succession planning, acquisitions and divestitures, and financing to support growth, acquisitions and management buyouts. Diane spent 15 years providing subordinated debt, mezzanine finance and commercial credit to private companies throughout BC. Diane has been an active volunteer in the Jewish community. She continues to serve on the Board of the Hebrew Free Loan Association, where she was the Board President for 9 years, and she is a past President of Jewish Family Services. Diane and her husband Mark are proud parents of their son Isaac, a King David student.

Elaine Grobman is a seasoned educator who brings to the Board her vast professional and lay experience with community organizations. Elaine moved west more than 20 years ago from her hometown of Edmonton. She holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum Studies from Simon Fraser University and has worked as an elementary school teacher in the public system since arriving in Vancouver. She has served on committees in various Jewish community organizations including Temple Shalom and Richmond Jewish Day School. Elaine has two daughters: Bella, who graduated from King David in 2016, and Shea. Elaine is excited to be on the King David Board and have the opportunity to bring her professional experience to assist in the ongoing success of the school.

Alain Guez was born and raised in Paris and came to Vancouver in 2011 with his wife, Michelle, and their three children. He received a Computer Engineering degree from the Universite de Technologie de Compiegne, and as of April 2015, he is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems. Alain is a computer science engineer who became a sales and business development specialist. He has spent the 20 last years in both large publicly-traded and smaller private equity companies, where he succeeded in bringing to market some new and innovative technologies. After 15 years in the Telecommunications industry, he moved to health care, where he used his enthusiasm and leadership skills to promote new and innovative solutions. Alain was always involved in his community in France and was member of the Board of his Jewish congregation in Paris. Alain is excited to bring his multiculturalism, his professional experience, and his enthusiasm for Jewish education to the King David Board. Alain has three children: Nathan, King David Class of 2019, Ilana, a student at King David, and Eva, a student at VTT.

Neville is a native of Cape Town, where he received a Bachelor of Commerce and postgraduate accounting degree with honours from the University of Cape Town. He brings to the King David Board solid expertise and experience in finance, corporate services, accounting information systems, and human resources, acquired over many years in the food services industry and spanning three continents. Neville hopes to share with King David the same leadership skills he uses as executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Sun Rich Fresh Foods. Neville has served on the Boards of Sha’arey Tefilah and Richmond Country Club. He spends his free time with his wife, Michal, and sons Simon, King David Class of 2015, and Gabe, King David Class of 2019, and on the courts and greens where he pursues his dual passions for tennis and golf.

Joel was born in South Africa, and has grown up in Richmond. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from UBC, and then his Chartered Accountant designation. He is a Vice President, Finance, with Univar, a global wholesale chemical distribution company listed on the NYSE. Joel has been actively involved in the Vancouver Jewish community for over a decade, including serving on the Boards of Camp Hatikvah (Finance Chair), Temple Shalom, and Louis Brier Home and Hospital (Finance Committee), and is now on the King David Finance Committee. Joel and his wife Tara have three children – Noah, King David Class of 2016, Maya, King David Class of 2019, and Shayna, a student at VTT.

Joe has lived in Vancouver his whole life. He has a background in business and works in real estate development. He has been an active and interested member of the Jewish community, with previous Board portfolios with Congregation Schara Tzedeck, Vancouver Talmud Torah, and Congregation Beth Hamidrash. The House Committee will guide the expansion process for King David. Joe is currently on the Board of the Jewish Community Centre and serves as liaison between King David and the JCC. He has three children, all of whom have graduated from King David: Sam, Class of 2014, Izzy, Class of 2016, and Solly, Class of 2019.

After moving from Winnipeg to BC as a young girl, Megan has called Vancouver home ever since. She graduated from UBC Arts and then from UBC Law School and practiced criminal law as a prosecutor for more than 10 years. She retired to raise her two young children and increase her volunteer involvement in the Jewish community. Megan has served as a director on the Beth Israel Synagogue Board and the VTT School Board, where she helped initiate the PAC, has co-chaired Choices, was a director on the Federation Board, and recently completed her role as Women’s Philanthropy Chair for the Federation Annual Campaign. Megan’s daughter Rebecca graduated from King David in 2019, and her son Max is currently at King David. She is so grateful for the amazing community, education, and experiences offered at King David and is very excited to be able to contribute and give back to the school as a member of the Board.

Jonathan is a father of three children, with his twin girls, Indy and Jasi, currently attending King David. Originally from Australia, his family moved to Vancouver in 2014. Jewish education is important to him, with all of his children attending Jewish Day schools. He considers joining the Board as an opportunity to give back to the Jewish school community, which has been very welcoming. Jonathan heads the Drugstore division of Save On Foods. He has an accomplished record in executive management in the pharmaceutical, health, and beauty retail industries. His success has come about through strong leadership, effectively growing brands by developing clear and relevant consumer propositions.

Dr. Jonathon A. Leipsic is the Chairman of the Department of Radiology VCH/PHC. He is Professor of Radiology and Cardiology with the University of British Columbia. Dr. Leipsic is also a Canada Research Chair in Advanced Cardiopulmonary Imaging, and Past President of the Society of Cardiovascular CT. Jonathan has two children at King David: Isabella and Carsyn.

Tamar was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and immigrated to Vancouver in 1994. A proud alumna of Vancouver Talmud Torah and King David, she graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Kinetics. She is excited to help contribute to the sustainability and future successes of King David, so that her two children can one day follow in her footsteps. A strong Jewish education is very important to Tamar, and she is eager to give back to the school and community that helped shape her Jewish identity. Tamar is especially keen to draw on her experience as an alumna of King David, and help encourage other alumni of the school to become involved in supporting King David to ensure it continues to be a strong pillar of the Vancouver Jewish community.

Jackie is a native Vancouverite. She spent 20 years in Toronto, where she met her husband, Gary, and started a family before returning home in 2006. They have two children: Ashley, King David Class of 2016, and Justin, King David Class of 2018. Since her return to Vancouver, Jackie has been actively involved in the Jewish community, where she volunteers her time at the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. She previously served on the Board for Camp Hatikvah and the Jewish Family Services Agency. Jackie is gratified to be contributing to the ongoing success of the school, building its reputation in the community, and strengthening its financial security.

Natalie has now called Vancouver home for as long as she did her birthplace, South Africa. She attended King David School in Johannesburg from nursery through Grade 12, and it was there, enriched by her family’s love of Judaism and community, that she formulated her desire to be involved in their continuity. Natalie has a background in education, with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Hebrew from Wits University and a higher diploma in education (HDipEd.Wits). She was on a path to begin an Honours degree in educational psychology, but took a detour instead to northern Manitoba for her husband Mark’s medical career before landing in Vancouver two years later. After various entrepreneurial endeavours, including a catering business and café (Chagall’s at the JCC), Natalie turned her energies toward volunteer work so she could spend more time raising her three children, all of whom are King David alumni: David, Class of 2012, Gabi, Class of 2016, and Adam, Class of 2019. In addition to her strong business skills, Natalie brings a wealth of community service experience to her position. She served on the Board of Vancouver Talmud Torah, and has chaired numerous successful fundraisers. She has been involved with King David for many years, served as Co-President of the Board for seven years, and has chaired the Teaching for Tomorrow event for four years. She is honoured to have served as Co-President of the King David Board.

Brett is a Canadian and South African chartered accountant with 25 years of experience in the real estate and financial industries. He has been the group chief financial officer of Bosa Properties for the past 16 years. Brett has been involved with the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver for the past 10 years in a variety of capacities, including Director of the Board, member of the Executive Committee, member of the Building Development Committee, and Treasurer, and he is a past Sports Dinner Chair. Brett and his wife Jacci have a daughter at King David and a son at VTT.

Lori is an actuary with more than 15 years of consulting experience. She joined Connor, Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. in May 2011 as a member of the Client Solutions Team. She became a CFA Charter holder in 2013, and in 2015 became a partner of the firm. Her clients include large pension funds, mutual funds, insurance companies, and foundations. In 2014, she and her husband moved their older son, Benjy, to VTT, and were so thrilled with the experience that they also moved their younger son, Oliver. Since both sons are now students at King David, Lori is keen to be a part of the strategic direction that the school undertakes in the next years. She is a graduate of the Montreal Jewish day school system, and believes that she can make a valuable contribution to King David’s educational and strategic initiatives.

A transplanted Winnipegger, Aaron moved west for the splendour of the coast and to attend UBC Law School. Aaron is a partner at Clark Wilson LLP and sits on his firm’s executive committee. His practice focuses on private company mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and general corporate and commercial law advice. Aaron’s focus will be to support the good governance practices already established at King David and to otherwise contribute to the effectiveness of the Board. Aaron and his wife Gina are the proud parents of two children, Oscar and Marlo. Oscar is a student at King David.