A new BCHF board was elected today by acclamation at the annual general meeting. The new directors are as follows:

Jon Bartlett, Princeton

Jon is a UBC History (honours) graduate, trained under Keith Ralston. In his time, he has been a legal executive, a teacher, an editor, a professional singer, and a historical researcher. Now retired, Jon is the Secretary of the Princeton & District Museum and Archives and the current chair of the BCHF Conference Committee. With his wife, Rika Ruebsaat, Jon has written a couple of books of local history: Dead Horse on the Tulameen and Soviet Princeton, and they have been guest editors of British Columbia History. Jon and Rika have made seven CDs of traditional Canadian song and are the founders and principal organizers of the Princeton Traditional Music Festival.

Teresa Carlson, Chilliwack

Teresa is a graduate of the Cultural Resource Management Program at the University of Victoria and has worked in the heritage sector for over twenty-five years in both BC and Saskatchewan. She has held a variety of positions in museums, and has also served on various boards, most recently as President of the Museums Association of Saskatchewan. Teresa moved home to BC with her husband, Keith, in 2019. She currently works as Curator at the University of the Fraser Valley, where she is collaborating with Stó:lō community members on several projects, including two websites. Teresa is looking forward to reconnecting with the people, history, and heritage of BC through the BCHF.

Chelsea Dunaway, Victoria

Since becoming Acting Associate Registrar of the Royal BC Museum in 2022 and the Acting Senior Registrar in 2023, Chelsea has worked to advance her passion for collections management and conservation. Chelsea completed her PSC in Collections Management from the University of Victoria. She completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Victoria with a Major in European History and a Minor in Medieval Studies. As acting secretary for the RBCM Collections Committee she is familiar with Board and executive deliverables. She is passionate about representing and advancing the heritage sector in BC and looks forward to connecting and learning together with the vast network of individuals and organizations associated with the BCHF.

Monica Miller, Maple Ridge

Monica Miller (she/her) is a communications and publishing professional with a Master of Publishing from SFU. She has worked in various roles as a writer, editor, digital marketer, project manager, and designer, and is currently the Marketing and Publicity Coordinator for Heritage House. Monica is also passionate about local history, community building, literary diversity, arts for social change, creative space making, and book arts. Born and raised in Vancouver, she now lives in Maple Ridge, the traditional territory of the Katzie First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation. 

Also returning are president Rosa Flinton-Brown (Langley), vice-president Anna Irwin (Victoria), honorary president K. Jane Watt (Fort Langley), past president Shannon Bettles (Williams Lake), treasurer Barbara Kearney-Copan (Burnaby), secretary Kira Westby (Smithers), director Mark Forsythe (Fort Langley), director Aman Johal (Surrey), director Greg Nesteroff (Trail), director Emma Quan (Burnaby), director Ron Verzuh (Victoria), and director Elwin Xie (Vancouver).

A big thanks to outgoing directors Kennedy Neumann (Terrace), Janet Ou (Vancouver), and especially Maurice Guibord (Vancouver), who is stepping down after 12 years on the board. Maurice was also the longtime convenor of the BCHF Historical Writing Awards.