Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland Luminary Award Soirée 2016

Soirée raises $450,000 toward mentorship programs for Lower Mainland girls

Soirée raises $450,000 toward mentorship programs for Lower Mainland girls

Almost 500 business leaders and philanthropists attended the Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland Luminary Award Soirée on October 28 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Sponsored by the Peter & Joanne Brown Foundation and RBC, the event raised $450,000 toward Big Sisters programs for Lower Mainland girls.

The evening began with a champagne reception and silent auction followed by an opera recital by Chandra-Lee Curry. Following dinner was the Luminary Award presentation and Q&A with award-winner John Montalbano, RBC Wealth Management vice-chair, whose civic involvement and reputation as a mentor has spanned his career. Most notably, he established the Montalbano Professorship in Leadership Studies: Gender and Diversity at the Sauder School of Business.

Big Sisters is committed to enhancing the confidence, self-esteem and well-being of girls through supportive relationships with female mentors.

Credit: Paul Duchart

Peter Brown, Canaccord Genuity founder and his wife Joanne, both co-founders of the Peter & Joanne Brown Foundation

Credit: Paul Duchart

Riyaz Devji; RD Management Consulting principal; his wife Sukaina Devji; Roxanna Colquhoun, HNW Services Inc. co-founder; and Neil Colquhoun, Janspec Holdings Ltd. president

Credit: Paul Duchart

Lisa Westermark, BC Epilepsy Society executive director; and Dean Elbe, BC Children’s Hospital clinical pharmacy specialist

Credit: Paul Duchart

Lisa Ethans, Deloitte Canada partner; and Paul Del Rossi, Stern Albert Shapray & Associates criminal defense lawyer

Credit: Paul Duchart

Steve Routhier, retired; and Alison Parry, RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel VP

Credit: Paul Duchart

Susanna Darnel, Provincial Health Services Authority technical specialist; Alannah Darnel, Hyperwallet Systems technical implementations; and Beth Hardy, marketing

Credit: Paul Duchart

Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland Luminary Soiree Committee members: Kyla Smith, Luminary event lead; Katie White, co-chair; Danielle Veldhuis, co-chair; and Rhogene Dadashzadeh, Luminary event lead

Credit: Paul Duchart

Josephine Nadel, Owen Bird lawyer; Marlene Cohen, Cohen family matriarch; and Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland executive director

Credit: Paul Duchart

Dean Straith, Dean Straith Landscape Design owner; Richelle Straith, Victoria Veterinary Group practice manager and Big Sister; her little sister Susan Pratt; and her husband Randy Pratt, Adera Capital Corp. president

Credit: Paul Duchart

Suzanne Anton, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of BC and her husband Olin Anton, Chartered Professional Accountants board chair

Credit: Paul Duchart

Opera singer Chandra-Lee Curry performs at the opening reception

Credit: Paul Duchart

Christina Anthony, Odlum Brown VP; Gaby Malette, Odlum Brown investment assistant; and Carol Lee, entrepreneur

Credit: Paul Duchart

Susan Tomaine, Big Sisters BC Lower Mainland board chair; John Montalbano, RBC Wealth Management vice-chair and Big Sisters BC Lower Mainland Luminary Award winner; and Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland executive director