Board of Directors

Keri Briggs has been working with historical buildings for over 18 years. In her role as Vice President of Business Development with Vintage Woodworks Inc., Keri creates opportunities for heritage restoration, rehabilitation and façade replication of heritage buildings. She works closely with architects, designers, engineers and Heritage Consultants to find ways to retain heritage buildings while working towards guidelines of both energy efficiency and building codes. By providing ‘lunch and learns, presentations, and on-site discussions she is able to support both conservation and development of heritage buildings. Keri has been a volunteer with Victoria Heritage Foundation Grants committee, sat on the Victoria City Heritage Council and volunteered with the Heritage BC HLF grant committee. Serving on the Heritage BC board, she hopes to bring a strong voice that can speak to the facts that heritage conservation enhances our cultural identity, promotes education of our province, increases tourism and economic development, stimulates job growth ranging from restoration to the film industry, and beyond, and enriches our architectural and artistic achievements.

Judith is a heritage professional currently working in heritage planning with the City of Richmond. A member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals, she studied History and the Conservation of Historic Buildings before serving as Executive Director of Vancouver Heritage Foundation from 2013 to 2021. Finding inspiration in all sorts of historic buildings, sites and landscapes, Judith's work has often highlighted the opportunities that heritage places can offer including connecting to diverse community stories and deepening understanding, enriching our daily environments, and contributing to local economies and a more sustainable future.

Ben Capps is a Chartered Accountant and Partner at Smythe LLP who lives and practices on the unceded territory of ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations. He has spent the last 19 years working with a variety of private and not-for-profit clients providing auditing, accounting, Canadian tax compliance, company divestitures and acquisitions, arranging financings and corporate reorganizations. His practice spans several industries including construction and real estate, hospitality, forestry, manufacturing, and professional services and he enjoys working closely with his clients and advising them on business matters.

Rizwaan Abbas was born and raised in Sparwood on the ancestral land of the Ktunaxa Nation. He has an Associate’s Degree from Douglas College, a BA in Archaeology from SFU, an MSc. in Paleoanthropology and Paleolithic Archaeology from University College London (UK) and a PSc. in Collections Management from UVic. He is a Director of the Indo-Fijian Cultural Society of Canada and has been working in culture resource management for over two decades. Rizwaan is an archaeologist for the Semiahmoo First Nation and a member of the Historical Discrimination against People of South Asian Descent Advisory Committee, in Vancouver, and the South Asian Canadian Museum Engagement Committee.

Gavin is a heritage professional with a background in history and hands-on building conservation. Originally from England, he was inspired by the historic architecture that surrounded him—stone houses, castles, churches, and the craftsmanship embedded in them. After studying History at the University of Manchester and travelling through Europe and Asia to explore historic sites, he developed a deep respect for traditional materials and techniques. Gavin approaches repair work as both an honour and a responsibility, aiming to preserve the original intent and evolving purpose of heritage structures. He lives and works on the traditional and unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples, including the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and the WSÁNEĆ peoples, and continues to learn from the knowledge and histories of these lands.

Kate Cox holds a BFA in Art History from the University of Illinois and has almost three decades of combined heritage conservation and environmental permitting experience working in both the US and Canada. For the last decade, she has specialized in Heritage Tourism and rural development projects. She was CEO of Barkerville Heritage Trust from 2000-2024.

Kristina Hannis is of Anglo Scandinavian ancestry and grew up in Treaty Six Territory. She received an MA in Archaeology from Simon Fraser University, and has resided on xwməθkwəyə̓ m (Musqueam), səlilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and Swwú7mesh (Squamish) Nations’ territory for the past 15 years. Currently she works as a researcher for the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, completing historical, archaeological, and community research towards the advancement of specific claims. She has had the privilege of working on a diversity of heritage projects, including small museum exhibits, archaeological assessments, advocacy, and cultural heritage mapping projects.

Orville is a retired accredited appraiser and real estate professional who has worked across British Columbia, including on notable heritage properties in Chinatown, Gastown, and Yaletown. He served as Property Assessment Analyst at BC Hydro, managing a portfolio of approximately 4,500 assessment folios. His conservation work on the 1903 Chinese Empire Reform Association headquarters in Vancouver’s Chinatown National Historic Site, earned him awards from both Heritage BC and the City of Vancouver. Orville continues to volunteer with the Appraisal Institute of Canada and contributes his expertise in heritage valuation and value-based redevelopment as a member of the Heritage BC Board.

Christina Reid lives, works and plays in the Fraser Valley, S’ólh Téméxw, the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Stó:lō Nation. She holds a Master’s Degree in Archaeology and Heritage from Leicester University (UK), with a specialty in built heritage. A firm commitment to these academics, combined with work experience and an internship at The Royal Armoury in Stockholm, served as an excellent preparation for her position with the Heritage Abbotsford Society, where she began working in 2009. Christina was the Society’s Collections Manager for 8 years, and has been its Executive Director since 2017.

Lillian has dedicated her career to advancing Ktunaxa Rights and Title and contributing to the organizational strength of the Ktunaxa Nation. She has worked extensively on community-led land use planning in ʔamakʔis Ktunaxa, stewarding traditional land use knowledge while supporting visioning for the future. Passionate about working in cross-cultural environments that serve people and strengthen communities, Lillian brings her leadership skills to the Heritage BC Board.