The Board of Commissioners is committed to best practices in corporate governance.
This helps ensure that BC Housing is successful in meeting our mandate, implementing the government’s strategic direction and complying with provincial policies and legislation, including taxpayer accountability and performance reporting. BC Housing's Board Commissioners receive training for appointees to public sector boards under the Governing in the Public Interest program, which is provided by the Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office (CABRO).
Allan Seckel (Chair)
Appointment Term: July 2022 - July 2026
While a lawyer by profession, Allan Seckel, KC, has had a career that has spanned private practice, public service and the not-for-profit sector.
After serving as Law Clerk to the Chief Justice of British Columbia from 1983 to 1984, Allan practised as a litigation lawyer with a major Vancouver firm. He then became the Deputy Attorney General for British Columbia from 2003 to 2009; and was the Cabinet Secretary, Head of Public Service and Deputy Minister to the Premier of British Columbia from 2009 to 2011. More recently, Allan has been the CEO of the Doctors of BC. In addition to serving on the BC Housing board, Allan is on the boards of ICBC, Translink and Legal Aid BC. He is also the first Fair Practices Commissioner for WorkSafeBC.
Allan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with joint honours in economics and commerce from Simon Fraser University; a law degree from the University of Victoria; and a Master of Law degree from Gonville & Caius College at Cambridge University, where he attended as a Commonwealth Scholar. Allan is the co-author of two legal texts. He was designated a Queen's Counsel (now Kings Counsel) in 2003 and as an ICD.D in 2013.
Robert Brown
Appointment term: October 2023 - October 2024
Robert has over 43 years of experience in commercial and residential real estate both in
his native Scotland and in Vancouver since 1988. Through his company, Chesterman Properties, Robert has worked to develop sustainable residential projects in Metro Vancouver, and resort/hospitality properties in Tofino, British Columbia.
In 2013, Robert founded Catalyst Community Developments Society – a unique non-profit developer, owner and operator of below market rental homes and affordable community spaces.
Under Robert's leadership Catalyst completed seven projects and have ten under
development, for a total of 1,400 homes and over 80,000 sq ft of community and commercial space.
Robert, throughout his life, has consistently endeavored to blend his pragmatic real estate and business skills with a passion for social justice and environmental stewardship. He believes that when these two worlds “mesh” we can create a space where people can truly flourish.
X'staam Hana'ax, Nicole Halbauer
Appointment term: October 2023 - October 2024
X'staam Hana'ax is a member of the Tsimshian Nation, Ganhada (Raven) Clan, of Kitsumkalum. She most recently worked as interim director at the Terrace Women's Resource Centre and previously as interim director for the Pacific Northwest Division of Family Practice.
Russ Jones
Appointment Term: July 2022 - July 2025
Russ Jones recently retired from his role as Deputy Auditor General of British Columbia, where he acted as an independent Officer of the Legislature of BC tasked with conducting audits of the government reporting entities, including ministries, Crown Corporations and other organizations including health authorities, universities, colleges and school districts. Russ held different roles in the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia during his 40-year career, including Acting Auditor General for two terms.
Russ has significant Board experience, including serving as a member of the Public Sector Accounting Board (April 2011 - March 2017), the Public Sector Accounting Board discussion Group (2013 - 2019), and of the Lambrick Park Church Board of Elders, where he was also the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee for 15 years. Russ was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for Camp Imadene and he is an Audit Committee member at the Victoria Golf Club.
Russ is a Chartered Accountant, and he received a Masters in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. He was granted the Fellow of Chartered professional accountants (FCPA) and Fellow of the Chartered Accountants (FCA) designations. He also received the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) designation in 2019.
Jackee Kasandy
Appointment term: October 2023 - October 2024
Jackee Kasandy has more than 10 years of corporate experience, most recently with BC Lottery Corporation and BC Ferries, where she helped launch their marketing division. She founded the Black Entrepreneurs and Businesses of Canada Society in 2020, which supports black-owned and person-of-colour entrepreneurs and business owners in Canada.
Jill Kot
Appointment Term: July 2022 - July 2026
Jill Kot has more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors, including 14 years at the executive level in the B.C. public service where she served as deputy minister of strategic initiatives in the premier's office and as deputy minister of citizens' services. Prior to those roles, she was an assistant deputy minister for ministries serving in the areas of information technology, education and social services. Kot holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the University of Calgary, and she completed the Royal Roads Leadership program. Active in her community, Kot is a director of the Tula Foundation, an independent charitable foundation rooted in British Columbia but with global interests in health, habitat protection and life sciences.
Uytae Lee
Appointment term: October 2023 - October 2024
Uytae Lee has over a decade of experience producing videos about the issues facing our cities. He is the director of About Here, a creative studio and YouTube channel that works with municipalities, media outlets, non-profit groups, and other organizations to communicate important urban issues to the public.
Mark Sieben
Appointment Term: July 2022 - July 2025
Mark Sieben has been a Deputy Minister in British Columbia for over 12 years – providing leadership for three of government’s biggest and most complex ministries.
Currently serving as Deputy Minister, Policy and Coordination, in the Office of the Premier, Mark has previously held other senior leadership roles, including Associate Deputy Minister/Chief Operating Officer for the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Deputy Minister of Social Development, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Children and Family Development and Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
Mark is active in his community, having participated in the 2019 Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, which is a fundraising event that raises money for pediatric cancer research and support programs for children with a history of cancer. Mark also served on the Boards of Victoria Hospice Society, CSSEA, and ECOMM.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) and a Bachelor of Law degree, both from the University of Victoria.
Sheila Taylor
Appointment Term: July 2022 - July 2025
Sheila Taylor retired in 2018 after a 32-year-long career with the Provincial Government where she most recently held the position of Deputy Minister, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Prior to that Sheila held a number of other senior leadership roles including the Associate Deputy Minister and Chief Operating Officer, Ministry of Finance, the Assistant Deputy Minister, Medical Services and Health Human Resources, Ministry of Health, and the Assistant Deputy Minister and Executive Financial Officer, Ministry of Transportation.
Sheila has served on a number of major capital project boards and as the Deputy Chair and Commission Member on the BC Medical Services Commission, a Commission Member on the Financial Institutions Commission, as a Trustee on the Municipal Pension Board and as a Commission Director for the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission.
Sheila holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Marriott School of Management and has a Certificate in Leadership from Royal Roads University.
Clifford White
Appointment Term: July 2022 - July 2026
Clifford White (Nees Ma’Outa) is a formerly elected Chief Councillor for five terms with his Gitxaala Nation, and is currently working as a BC Treaty Commissioner, elected by the First Nations Summit. He is also working with, as a Board member, the BC Infrastructure Benefits, First Nations LNG Alliance, and President of the Prince Rupert Indigenous Housing Society. As an Elder, he works with the New Westminster Aboriginal Child & Family Healing Conferencing Courts, and the New Westminster Adult Healing Conferencing Courts.
He is a Gitxaala Hereditary Chief, and a member of the First Nations Summit, BC Assembly of First Nations, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. He has a long history of working with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples in the areas of Leadership, Negotiation, Mediation, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Administration, and Facilitation.
He is a proud Grandfather/Father to his daughter, now eleven years old, with whom he and his wife have legal custody. He has a two-year-old miniature American Eskimo dog, and he says, that “our Great Spirit, God, loves each and every one of you, and so does he.”