Dear community members,
It was a great turnout to this year’s Annual General Meeting with over 60 attendees. Thank you to all the members who attended the meeting and especially to those who provided feedback.
The goal for 2016 is open communication. Looking forward to members’ ideas and suggestions to continue moving the Lebanese Canadian Society of BC in a positive direction.
Congratulations to the newly elected board of directors who are ready to put ideas into action.
I am very excited about the current board of directors with their vast array of knowledge and experience in their fields. The collective knowledge is sure to keep the Lebanese Canadian Society moving forward and growing while enhancing the Lebanese spirit, heritage and culture.
For comments/suggestions/feedback, please email [email protected]
Meet the board:
Left to Right: Nicolas Haddad, Majed El Saadi, Carla Zarifeh, Raymond Younan, Mayssoun El Chami, Nisrine Hammoud (Missing Ziad Boustany)
Carla Zarifeh-President
My family emigrated from Lebanon in 1989. In 2001, we joined the LCS and have been involved in the association ever since. In Since 1995, I started working at a private swim school, Aquaventures Swim Centre. I am the currently managing partner and my position provides the grounds to combine my passion for running a successful business and teaching. Both my parents have served on the board of directors of both LCS and WLCU, so I have always been actively involved in the association in many ways. I served two years as secretary of the LCS of BC (2013-2015) and I’m currently on my second year as president. I have also been the secretary of the board at my children’s Montessori school for the past two years.
I am looking forward to working with the very knowledgeable and passionate board members.
Nicolas Haddad-Vice President
I immigrated to Canada a few years back. With a Masters in Finance, I am currently working with HSBC Bank of Canada as Account Manager for Business Banking. Being a volunteer in two different NGO organizations in Lebanon and organizing 4 entertainment/educational events during my years of university in USJ I believe that I can offer and create new ideas / concepts along with the LCS board that will place the Lebanese Community in BC in an exceptional position. Having served 3 years on the board of directors, I felt that I wanted to expand my duties and took the Vice President position. I am also a member in the committee for accessibility with the City of Burnaby.
Ziad Boustany-Secretary
I am Lebanese and have lived in Vancouver since 1997….Civil Engineer working on roads and utilities construction across BC and Alberta. I am a certified project manager professional. Currently not married and no kids. I am passionate about hiking, running and snowmobiling. In terms of this year with the LCS, I would like to:
- Dedicate more passion to involve the youth in the club.
- Improve the Arabic school and try to involve Lebanese youth to give back in terms of tutoring perhaps (Math, physics, etc…)
Raymond Younan-Treasurer
I am married to Gretta Semaan and we are blessed with two kids, a daughter and a son.
- 1995 I was one of the volunteers in organizing the first Terry Fox run in Lebanon.
- 1995 to 2005 Volunteered in the University Pastoral in different position.
- 2003 I organized in collaboration with SIDC Lebanon and a team of volunteers (which acted as a task force) an awareness campaign for University Pastoral students about HIV and STIs.
My career is about Credit business in banks, legal firms and collection agencies, I have worked in different jurisdictions in this field and have a multinational exposure and thorough understanding of laws, procedures and process that create and diminish Credit.
Mayssoun El Chami-Director
My family and I moved to Canada when I was four years old, and have been back and forth to the Middle East ever since. I am a pharmacist in the Surrey/Delta area at The Antidote Pharmacy – helping people stay healthy and happy is my passion. I joined the board in 2014 and am very happy to see the Lebanese community coming together to help each other and enjoy one another’s company. Seeing this encouraged me to join the board and add in my own efforts to continue to bring the community even closer, keep the youth interested in their heritage and bring our culture to the rest of Vancouver.
Nisrine Hammoud-Director
I moved to Canada in 2004 and joined LCS of BC Board in March 2014. I am a small Business owner. I believe that as a Lebanese living in Canada, help keeping LCS strong and well-connected in the community is one of our responsibilities towards our heritage and our new generation.
It is an amazing opportunity to represent and showcase our warm, friendly, and generous Lebanese traditions in a wonderful multicultural place like Vancouver
Majed El Saadi-Director
I was born in Beirut in 1988, currently single with no kids. I attended the International School of Chouiefat in Chouiefat from kindergarden to senior year where I obtained the Lebanese Baccalaureate in General Sciences in 2006.
- I graduated from AUB in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Engineering in Electrical Engineering.
- I worked in the construction industry in Jeddah, KSA from summer of 2010 to 2014.
- I came to Vancouver on a study permit at UBC to attain a Masters of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering.
- I am expected to graduate in May 2016 and am hoping to remain in Vancouver working as an electrical engineer.
- I am currently a member of both the UBC and Burnaby Rotaract club, member of the Lebanese Youth of BC, Evergreen (invasive species removal in Parks) , Vancouver Volunteer Corps (with COV) and the Emergency Social Services (with COV). I volunteered during the summer with the Vancouver Fringe Festival. Last year, I was a member of the IEEE UBC student branch.
Sincerely,
Carla Zarifeh
President