To contact a member of the UFV Board of Governors, please email ufvboard@ufv.ca or call the Board Office at 604-854-4561.
Board of Governors
Board of Governors
To contact a member of the UFV Board of Governors, please email ufvboard@ufv.ca or call the Board Office at 604-854-4561.
Lesa Lacey is Business Manager at Lacey Construction. Ms. Lacey is active in the community, including President of CHBA-BC, Past Chair of BC Construction Safety Alliance, and a board member with CORCAN, Skills Canada BC, and Mission Association for Community Living. Ms. Lacey is also a Founding Member at Fraser Valley Women in Construction Group and a Founding Member at CHBA Fraser Valley Boot Bank. She is the recipient of the President’s Award from Mission Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Year Award from CHBA BC, and Three-Time President’s Award from CHBA Fraser Valley. In her volunteer roles, Ms. Lacey is passionate about volunteering to support women in trades and trades as meaningful careers – including volunteering with Skilled Trades BC, Correctional Service of Canada, and Defy Ventures. Lesa has supported three elementary schools in Mission since 2012 with weekend food support during the school year, as well as supporting After the Bell during the summer.
Stacey Crawford is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Mission. Previously, Mr. Crawford was the CEO of Mission Bridgehead Investment Corporation; Commercial Account Manager at Business Development Bank of Canada; Manager, Strategic Directives at Community Futures South Fraser; and Business Development Officer at Community Futures North Fraser. Active in his community, he is Past Board Chair at Prospera Credit Union and currently Vice-Chair for the British Columbia Economic Development Association. Previously, Mr. Crawford was Past President at the Mission Chamber of Commerce and Past President at the Rotary Club of Mission Mid-day. He holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Fredericton, Sandermoen School of Business. Mr. Crawford also holds his ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Cary Ransome joined Prospera Credit Union as Chief Member Experience Officer in May 2022. He has more than 30 years of broad executive and operational leadership experience in the Canadian financial services industry.
Cary has an MBA from Athabasca University and holds the CFP, PFP and ICD.D designations. He is also a graduate of the Queen’s University leadership program.
Supporting the community is an area near and dear to Cary’s heart; always being active in the communities where he and his family have lived and served. He currently serves on the board of the Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford. Cary was also on the board of Ronald McDonald House – Saskatchewan, former Vice-Chair of the Regina Food Bank, and past elected Director of Jasper Chamber of Commerce.
Daman Bhathal is a Tax Partner with Manning Elliott LLP in Abbotsford. He advises private companies, business owners, and families throughout the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver on Canadian tax and business matters, including tax planning, corporate reorganizations, and estate and succession planning.
Daman is a proud UFV alumnus and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of the Fraser Valley. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and has completed all three levels of the CPA In-Depth Tax Program. Active in the community, Daman currently serves as Treasurer of the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation. He is passionate about supporting organizations that strengthen the Fraser Valley and create opportunities for future generations. Outside of his professional and volunteer commitments, Daman enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active, and the occasional round of golf.
Jessie Ramsay is Métis and grew up in Chilliwack, BC. After graduating high school, Jessie attended the University of British Columbia obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Psychology and minoring in First Nations studies. Upon completion of her BA, Jessie remained at UBC and began law school at Allard School of Law. Jessie graduated with her Juris Doctorate Degree in 2014 and shortly thereafter returned home to begin her career as a lawyer at Baker Newby LLP. Jessie joined the Baker Newby LLP partnership in July, 2019.
Jessie has always had an affinity for helping people and this has shaped not only her career but her life. Upon returning home after law school, Jessie immediately became involved in the broader Chilliwack community. In 2014 and 2015, Jessie joined the boards of directors for Stó:lō Community Futures and Chilliwack Community Services. As a current director for each of these organizations, Jessie not only provides assistance at a governance level but is also involved with the programing and services provided. Jessie is honoured and excited to join the Stó:lō Service Agency board of directors and remains committed to continuing giving back to this wonderful community she calls home.
For Jessie, family is extremely important and this influenced her decision to move back to Chilliwack after eight short years at UBC. Being close to her loved ones has always been an important value to her and one which she does not take for granted. In her spare time Jessie tries her best at golf and takes time to enjoy the beautiful outdoor opportunities that Chilliwack and its surrounding areas offers.
Kim McLandress grew up in Grande Prairie Alberta and moved to the Fraser Valley in 1999 to attend the University College of the Fraser Valley. While completing her degree in Criminal Justice she began volunteering for Chilliwack Restorative Justice. Kim spent 13 years at Chilliwack Restorative Justice, eventually leading the organization from 2008-2013 as Executive Director. From 2013-2019 Kim owned and operated a women's clothing store and co-owned a men's clothing store in Chilliwack.
Kim has a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from UFV and a Master of Arts degree in Applied Legal Studies from SFU. Kim has been practicing as a Notary at Simpson Notaries since receiving her commission in June 2018.
Kim has been very involved in the community as a director for Chilliwack Restorative Justice, Chilliwack Community Services, The Chilliwack Curling Club (including as president), sitting as a member of the Chilliwack Citizens Advisory Committee, and as a Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Chilliwack Mount Cheam since 2010 including as president. Kim has also served as the Assistant Governor and District Membership chair for Rotary district 5050. Kim joined the UFV Board of Governors in 2024.
Michael Pearson is an educational leader with 29 years of progressive experience in school and district leadership, including nine years focused on designing and scaling innovative career education programs. His work centers on expanding equitable access to trades and technical pathways through strong partnerships with post-secondary institutions and community employers, ensuring programs align with both student needs and regional workforce demands.
Michael believes collaboration is essential to meaningful educational outcomes. In his current role, he has supported the development of skills-based certification programs that help students transition successfully into in-demand careers and living-wage employment within the South Fraser community. Supporting young adults in this transition has been a key priority, and he is proud of the lasting impact on students and their families.
Michael’s background includes diverse post-secondary and professional experiences, including a Canadian military school, university studies, technical trades training, and graduate coursework. He continues to pursue professional growth through micro-credentials with BCIT and the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, and he brings industry perspective as a Red Seal carpenter and small business owner.
Michael has worked across four high schools and at the district level, partnering with organizations such as MCFD, community agencies, and business groups, while also supporting regional collaboration.
Andrea Hughes is an associate professor and Department Head of Psychology at UFV. Andrea completed her undergraduate education at the University of Saskatchewan where she obtained a BA (honours) in Psychology. She was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to get involved in research as an undergraduate student and that inspired her passion for cognition and memory. From there, Andrea went to the University of Alberta where she began graduate studies focusing on neuroimaging and memory. After a year at the University of Alberta, Andrea transferred to Simon Fraser University where she completed a Master’s and PhD in experimental psychology. After completing her PhD, Andrea went to Washington University in St. Louis where she worked as a post doctoral research fellow studying aging and memory. Andrea joined UFV in 2007 and has enjoyed teaching here ever since! Andrea has a passion for research and works to inspire undergraduate students to be involved in research.
Michael Gaetz is a Professor and Director of the School of Kinesiology. Michael teaches in the areas of stress and chronic disease, neuromuscular physiology, and research methods. Michael has been actively engaged in research on concussion in sport for approximately 25 years. More recently, he has published theoretical work to explain the experiences of athletes following retirement from sport. This work is ongoing and will add to the literature on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Michael’s other current research interest is in addressing the impacts of the Indian Residential School system in health care. His clinical background is as a neurophysiologist working in the operating room using electrophysiologic procedures to monitor brain and spinal cord functioning during high-risk surgeries.
Larissa Horne has served as the University of the Fraser Valley’s Experiential Education Coordinator since August 2017. She first joined UFV in 2004 as a History instructor and has since built a multi-faceted and innovative teaching and service portfolio. Ms. Horne firmly believes in a student-centered approach to education, and the principles of inter-disciplinary, experiential, and life-long learning. Alongside her work in academia, Larissa has taken many leadership roles in community initiatives, and civic engagement. She had served on the Board of the MSA Museum Society and was a founding Director of the Westwood Plateau Community Association. Her long-term service commitments include volunteering with the Rotary Club of Coquitlam, and Abbotsford Sumas, and contributing a weekly programming at REDFM (93.1FM) as an Independent Host/Producer since 2006. Larissa Horne is a former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and a Paul Harris Fellow. She has served as the Chair of the Rotary District 5050 Ambassadorial and Peace Scholarships Committee. Ms. Horne has a BA in History and History Education from St. Petersburg State University and a Master’s degree in History from Simon Fraser University.
Mayur Sharma is a Bachelor of Business Administration student at the University of the Fraser Valley and is exploring a concentration in Accounting or Finance. As an elected student member of the UFV Board of Governors, he contributes to the Board’s governance and strategic decision-making while supporting the university’s long-term mission and success.
Mayur is involved in campus life as a member of the Accounting Association, Human Resource Association, and Debate Club. He has also served as an International Student Orientation Guide and Student Orientation Ambassador, supporting new students as they transition to university life. These experiences have strengthened his appreciation for the diverse perspectives within the UFV community.
Professionally, Mayur serves as an Administrative Assistant at Pacific Pallet, where he supports business operations through administrative coordination, customer and supplier communication, scheduling, documentation management, and cross-functional support. He also holds a bookkeeping certification and works part-time as a bookkeeper, maintaining financial records and supporting reporting processes. These roles have strengthened his analytical thinking, financial literacy, and attention to detail.
Mayur was the recipient of the inaugural Father Timothy Award in recognition of his academic excellence, leadership, campus involvement, and extracurricular contributions during high school.
He is committed to supporting the University of the Fraser Valley’s mission and strategic direction through responsible governance, informed decision-making, and careful review of policies, budgets, and institutional priorities. He values accountability, transparency, ethical leadership, and prudent judgment, while respecting the distinct roles of the Board, Senate, and administration. He is also committed to confidentiality where required, active participation in Board discussions and education, and contributing to effective governance that supports the university’s long-term growth, sustainability, and institutional excellence.
Tanish Sandhu is in her final year of the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice program at the University of the Fraser Valley, where she has maintained Dean’s List standing for the past two semesters. She is a member of the Criminal Justice Student Association and is also completing UFV’s Workplace Education Associate Certificate alongside her degree.
Tanish recently secured a practicum placement with the Kaur and Singh Movement Foundation, a Surrey-based organization supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault within the South Asian community. In May 2026, she supported the delivery of “From Evidence to Action,” UFV’s inaugural Canadian symposium on non-fatal strangulation, assisting with logistics for delegates and speakers. She has also contributed to several Student Union Society events, including Kickback and Summer Fest.
Before pursuing her degree, Tanish competed in boxing at an elite level for nearly a decade, representing India internationally. Her accomplishments include a gold medal at the 2019 ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships and a silver medal at the 2021 Asian Youth & Junior Championships, in addition to multiple national titles.
As an elected student member of the UFV Board of Governors, Tanish is committed to bringing a student perspective and contributing to the continued growth and success of the university community.