Governance

President, BCRPA
Finance Committee Member

Steve Kellock is the Director of Recreation for the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. Steve is passionate about recreation and community development and is a champion of inclusion and equity, with a focus on recreation and parks for all. He brings over 25 years of experience to the President role, with an emphasis on engagement, community development, board governance models, and regional collaboration.

Steve served as a BCRPA Board Director from 2017-2021, and President-Elect from 2021-2022. He then returned as President-Elect for 2023-2025. This is Steve’s first year as Board President.

President-Elect, BCRPA
CPRA Board Liaison

Kelsey Johnson is the General Manager of Community Services for Penticton. With over 15 years of experience in recreation services, Kelsey has proven themself to be a proactive visionary committed to advancing and advocating for recreation and community services. Recipient of the 2019 CPRA Emerging Leader Award, Kelsey has been nationally recognized as a dedicated professional who has a strong foundation in recreation services and has made significant contributions to their community.

Kelsey has served as a BCRPA Board Director from 2021-2025. This is Kelsey’s first year as President-Elect.

Director, BCRPA
Board Liaison to Regional Liaisons

Neal Aven is the Director of Parks at City of Surrey where he has been working for more than 25 years. Here he delivers professional and inclusive park services for a diverse and rapidly growing community. His approach to leadership is one of authenticity, empowerment, and optimism. He has a strong awareness of current practices and trends in the recreation and parks sector and a keen interest in customer service and teamwork. He is an active Member of BCRPA and has served on the planning committee for the BCRPA Parks Professional Pathways conference since 2020.

This is Neal’s fifth year as a BCRPA Board Director. Neal has served on the board since 2021.

Director, BCRPA
Governance Committee Chair

Nicole is Director of Recreation and Community Services with the City of Prince Rupert. She has a bachelors in kinesiology and has been involved in recreation administration, strategic planning and evidence-based program delivery for over 20 years. Her involvement in municipal government has allowed her to translate her knowledge from academic research, facility operations and policy to grass roots community engagement and delivery.

Creating successful, inclusive and healthy communities is fulfilling work and important to Nicole. As a community consultant with Sport for Life (S4L), Nicole has supported not-for-profit agencies, collaborated with provincial agencies and Indigenous communities to develop their physical activity strategic plans. Through this work, she has developed an appreciation for the importance of balancing compassion and pragmatism when working in culturally sensitive, political or difficult situations.
Nicole is a life-long learner and is committed to professional development and empowering the next generation of leaders.

This is Nicole’s first year as a BCRPA Board Director.

Director, BCRPA
Governance Committee Member

Abby Fortune is the Director of Community Services with the District of Ucluelet. She has over 40 years of experience in both public and private recreation and a strong working knowledge of municipal government. Abby has focused her career on being a team player while working with and advocating for small town and rural recreation as the key to community health and well being. Leadership, mentorship and accessibility advocacy have also been an important part of her career. She strongly believes that recreation and parks are essential to any community.

This is Abby’s second year as a returning Board Director. Previously, Abby served as a BCRPA Board Director from 2011-2013, and as the Vancouver Island Regional Liaison from 2021–2023.

Director, BCRPA
Governance Committee Member

Steve is Director of Parks and Recreation for the Township of Esquimalt. He has 30 years of progressive parks, recreational and operational management experience. His lifelong passion is dedicated to health and wellness in the field of parks and recreation. Steve enjoys connecting community desires and fostering successful project outcomes by working collaboratively from project conception to completion.

Throughout his career, Steve has worked effectively with community leaders to advance initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and recreation excellence. He believes in the power of optimizing group dynamics, and thrives in environments where collaboration and shared knowledge are prioritized. He shares a passion for mentorship and sharing knowledge with those that want to improve the health and wellness of our communities.

Steve was previously a BCRPA Regional Liaison for the Vancouver Island region. This is Steve’s first year as a BCRPA Board Director.

Director, BCRPA
Finance Committee Chair

Lauralee March is the Community Recreation Manager with the Township of Langley. Lauralee has over 20 years of experience working in the recreation and parks sector, all within the province of British Columbia. She has worked and/or volunteered with private enterprises, municipal organizations, non-profit organizations, and charities. Her BCRPA experience includes volunteering at BCFit®, presenting multiple times at Ripple Effects and serving on its conference planning committee.

This is Lauralee’s fourth year as a BCRPA Board Director. She has served on the board since 2022.

Director, BCRPA
Government Relations Lead

Mary Morrison-Clark is the General Manager, Parks, Recreation and Culture with the City of Burnaby. Prior to this role, she was Abbotsford’s General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture for four years. Prior to working in local government, she worked in health care for 19 years; 17 of those as a recreation therapist working with people with physical disabilities and mental health challenges. Mary believes that exceptional people are the key to exceptional parks, recreation and culture services, and prioritizes strong leadership, building a safe work environment, creating a culture of innovation and trust, and supporting an environment where skills and talents can thrive.

This is Mary’s third year as a BCRPA Board Director. She has served on the board since 2023.