Cheeying is the executive director of the Whistler Centre for Sustainability, and has over 20 years of experience in community planning, engagement and sustainability. She provides strategy, creative process design and engagement for local governments, private sector clients, and non-profit organizations. She develops and executes innovative community development focused programs to support community goals, and works with multi-interdisciplinary teams to deliver project desired outcomes.

Prior to her role at the Centre, Cheeying was the Executive Director of Smart Growth BC, the leading province-wide non-governmental organization advancing sustainable land use and development that was largely responsible for getting ‘smart growth’ into planning practice in BC.

Cheeying is currently part of the BC Partners for Social Impact. Previously, she served as a member on the Prime Minister’s External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities, on a term on the Board of Vancity Credit Union and Vancity Enterprises, and as a member of the Mayor of Vancouver’s Greenist City Action Team. Cheeying is a frequent speaker on leading practices in sustainability strategy, engagement and community planning.

Contact: cho[at]whistlercentre.ca | 604-388-8421 | LinkedIn

Shannon has worked in sustainability planning and management since 1996, in both the local government and corporate sectors. With the Centre, Shannon specializes in designing efficient and effective public engagement processes, helping organization create order and alignment through strategic planning, and planning for healthy sustainable communities. She holds an IAP2 Certificate in Public Participation, and a degree and post-baccalaureate diploma in environmental science.

Prior to working with the Centre, Shannon worked with the Resort Municipality of Whistler beginning in 2001 on various sustainability initiatives, including policy development, staff training and community engagement. In 2003, her main focus became co-managing the creation and implementation of Whistler2020 – Whistler’s award-winning sustainability plan and engagement process. Shannon’s work in the sustainability field began in Vancouver with Vancity Credit Union’s Corporate Social Responsibility Group, where she co-developed and managed the social and environmental audit and reporting process – the first of its kind in Canada.

Shannon skis and bikes and enjoys her community’s other amenities with her young family.

Contact: sgordon[at]whistlercentre.ca |  604-906-0310 | LinkedIn

Dan has 15 years experience in the sustainability field and specializes in community and neighbourhood sustainability planning, developing implementation tools, monitoring and evaluation systems, and community energy /GHG reduction plans and programs. Dan works primarily with municipal governments in tourist-based economies where he also assists in evaluating tourism development and supporting the creation of tourism master plans.  Dan also delivers on-the-ground municipal sustainability projects as well as greenhouse gas reduction training, using a business case approach, and coaching to businesses in the Whistler area.

Dan is a whiz at tying planning to on-the-ground action. Dan co-developed and delivered a  citizen task force led action planning program for Whistler’s award winning community sustainability plan, Whistler2020, and developed the community’s comprehensive and robust economic, social and environmental monitoring and evaluation system, upon which many other communities and organizations model their monitoring program. Dan has also worked with the Fairmont Hotel and Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resorts on strategy development and marketing.

Dan has lived on and off in Whistler for 20 years, only moving away to pursue his tourism commerce degree in Victoria, and his master’s degree in business and environmental policy in Sweden, as well as for other tourism business opportunities.

Contact: dwilson[at]whistlercentre.ca | 604-966-4457 | LinkedIn

Kim Slater, PhD, hails from Guelph, Ontario, but has resided in the Sea to Sky region for the past decade. In that time, she has worn many hats, working primarily in the non-profit and public sectors in executive director, program manager, and grant writing roles.

In addition to her work with WCS, Kim is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto where she co-leads the Urban Climate Action Project (UCAP); an initiative aimed at accelerating the City of Toronto’s climate action plan TransformTO through partnership initiatives with U of T.  Her doctoral research explored how the learning we do together and in community engaged spaces contributes to systems-change and sustainability transitions. At the heart of Kim’s work is the creation of dynamic and user-friendly evaluation approaches that support such learning.

Kim currently lives in Pemberton with her wonderful husband, Nate and daughter, Olivia, where picking raspberries and riding bikes is a favourite pastime.

Contact: kslater@whistlercentre.ca | LinkedIn

Originally from Nova Scotia, Bob came to the west coast to study landscape architecture. After graduating from UBC, Bob worked for a multi-disciplinary resort planning firm before starting his municipal career at the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District. Later, working for the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the District of Tofino, Bob held senior roles including General Manager of Planning and Development, General Manager of Corporate and Community Services, and Chief Administrative Officer.  

Since leaving full-time work, Bob provides advice to local governments, mentors emerging senior managers, serves on the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation Economic Development Corporation board and was previously on the Tofino Housing Corporation board.  

Privileged to reside in Tofino in the Ha-Hoothlee of the Tla-o-qui-aht Ha’wiih with his longtime partner, Bob enjoys wood carving, baseball and making delicious dinners. 

Raine serves 27 First Nations in her role as the Director of Stewardship Funding at Coast Funds, a conservation finance organisation with a focus on enhancing community wellbeing through financial investments into stewardship departments, Guardian programs, and sustainable economic development and energy projects. Raine also serves the Nations in a long-term planning support role. Raine’s passion for community building, protecting land and water ecosystems, and progressing systems change drives her vision for a healthy and thriving future.