Board Of Directors

Patricia York

President and Chair of the Board

When it comes to business, experience counts for everything, and Patricia York brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and skills from previous positions.

Patricia is the Principal and Founder of York HR Solutions, a company that specializes in advising Boards, CEOs, and Executive Teams on strategy, org design and leadership. Her clients include some of the most successful companies in technology, medical research, biotechnology, investment, as well as some of British Columbia’s leading non-profits. Client engagements have included contained projects and facilitations through to ongoing consulting engagements spanning several months or years.

Prior to launching her own business Patricia was highly engaged as a senior Human Resources executive for a number of large global companies. As Vice President, Human Resources for Disney Interactive Studios in Los Angeles, California, she was responsible for global operations in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia, and was instrumental in several global mergers and acquisitions in addition to growing three start-up studios.

As Vice President of Human Resources at Electronic Arts Canada, Patricia developed leading edge programs and revamped their compensation, recruitment, and human resources practices to lead the company to a placement on the Globe and Mail ‘50 Best Companies to Work for in Canada’ list. During her tenure with Electronic Arts Canada the company grew from 500 employees to more than 1800 employees.

One of Patricia’s most more recent accomplishments was the creation, design and launch of an Executive Institute for a client within the life sciences sector. This 10-month pan-Canadian program for top level executives is designed to further develop and hone leadership skills. This successful program is now in its fourth year.

Chelsea Cooledge

Vice Chair

Chelsea’s family history on the Sunshine Coast dates back to 1955 when her grandparents, along with Chelsea’s mother and uncle, moved into and operated the Halfmoon Bay General Store (called the B&J store at the time). Chelsea was born and raised in North Vancouver and cherishes her memories of weekends and holidays spent with family in Halfmoon Bay. 

Chelsea moved permanently to the Sunshine Coast in the fall of 2020. Her love for this community along with her core values of social justice and service to others, and training in social work and law, has led to her volunteering in this role with the SCCSS. 

Chelsea started her career as a Social Worker in health care working with older adults. She then transitioned to working in the regulation of the profession, supporting best practice of Registered Social Workers with practice advice based on adherence to laws, standards, and ethics, investigating complaints and enhancing registration practices. 

Since 2018, she has been a Director of Risk Management for Vancouver Coastal Health, which initially included the investigation of care quality complaints but now focuses mainly on risk mitigation, consultation, advice, and investigations into patient safety events. She has volunteered with various organizations throughout her life.

Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Arts from UBC, a Bachelor of Social Work from UVIC, a Master of Social Work from the University of Calgary, and a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall, York University.

Andy Jones-Cox

Andy and his wife have owned a home in Halfmoon Bay since 2003. Andy has been a volunteer in several roles with the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society and is an active Board member in the Halfmoon Bay Community.

Andy has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Birmingham and an MBA from Simon Fraser University. He had a career in computer software development and management spanning 34 years. After progressing through various technical roles in England, South Africa and the U.S., Andy took on more senior management roles, most recently with Vancity Credit Union and the Land Titles and Survey Authority in Victoria. In 2010, while the world was watching the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Andy changed gears to fulfill a long-held ambition to run his own business and built up a franchise tutoring business in North and West Vancouver serving K-12 students and adults in English as a Second Language. The business grew successfully before he sold it in 2016.

Andy loves everything outdoors, especially hiking, running, cycling and don’t forget pickleball. Since retirement, he has become ever more keenly aware of the growing imbalance of economic standing among people on the Sunshine Coast and everywhere. He is a big supporter of SCCSS and especially the Building Together project to provide new Community Services program delivery space and housing for vulnerable women and their children.

Kayla Blok

Kayla is a lifelong community volunteer; her first volunteer role was at eight years of age and since then has been driven to be an agent for positive social change in her personal and professional lives. She is a Director in the Sustainability and Climate Office at Simon Fraser University. Kayla holds a Hon. BSc in Environmental Science and Economics from Dalhousie University and has training in leadership, change management, strategic dialogue, and EDI. Kayla was introduced to SCCSS by volunteering at the Food Bank where she experienced the lasting positive impacts that the organization has on the Coast community.  

Kayla lives in xwilkway (Halfmoon Bay) with her partner. She is an avid reader, cook, mountain biker, runner, and occasional angler. She is honored to serve the Coast community as a member of the Board and is always eager to collaborate with stakeholders to advance the organization’s mission.

Kim Fenton

Kim and her husband have called Roberts Creek home since arriving on the coast in 2006. After working in nonprofit in Alberta while raising her kids, she now focuses her time on writing and editing. All three of their daughters live on the coast now and between them, they have four beige dogs, two colourful cats, two small boats and two e-bikes. Kim loves to ocean swim year round, writes almost every day and loves to be in her studio, creating collage as well as spinning and knitting. She continues to support her community by actively volunteering. She is passionate about building community to create the best kind of place to live, work and play.

Linda Iverson

Treasurer

After a failed attempt at jumping out of a plane, Linda realized that, based on her love of numbers and her skill at organizing a sock drawer, accounting would probably be a better career choice.

Raised on the beautiful West Coast of British Columbia, Linda’s professional choice has allowed her to work and travel as an accountant in diverse industries including engineering, manufacturing, oil & gas, high tech and public practice.

Linda completed her Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 1999 and is currently a managing partner with James & McIntyre, Chartered Professional Accountants LLP.

After moving to Gibsons in 2004 from Richmond, Linda spent many years chauffeuring her children to school and their various sports activities to cheer them on. It was then that she joined various boards in the community supporting youth sports as a way of giving back to the community. Now that her children are adults, Linda is interested in being involved on boards with community focus as the main goal.

Linda is an avid reader and gardener and enjoys spending time with her adult children and friends.

Bianca Jaegge

Bianca C. Jaegge is a dedicated and skilled lawyer with a wealth of experience in the public sector. Known for her exceptional research, analytical, and communication abilities, Bianca has a knack for explaining complex information in a clear and understandable way. She currently serves as Senior Legal Counsel at Vancouver Coastal Health. Before this, Bianca worked at Guild Yule LLP, handling cases in health law, administrative law, human rights law, and more. She also gained experience at WorkSafe BC, where she adjudicated appeals and drafted important decisions.

As a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and the Canadian Bar Association, she remains actively involved in the legal community. Bianca is passionate about giving back and volunteers as a lawyer with Access Pro Bono while mentoring young professionals through several programs. She is also an advocate for mental health awareness, having co-launched a campaign at Guild Yule LLP and participated in the 2019 Ride to Conquer Cancer, raising over $11,000. Her commitment to the legal field and her community makes her a valued and respected professional.

Ariane Fleischmann

Ariane was drawn to words and stories from a young age. Her career wove through publishing and journalism before she decided to use her skills to support non-profits through communications, marketing, and external relations. ​

Joining Family Services of Greater Vancouver in 2021, Ariane is the Director of Communications and Advocacy. There, she leads strategy to build the agency's public profile and oversees relationships with all levels of government, bringing together stakeholders to advance solutions that benefit the community. She is also responsible for the agency’s IT and data systems, overseeing a technology transformation that brings a big picture lens to the diverse program offerings at the agency. Through her work, Ariane is committed to moving the dial on the most pressing social issues of our time.​

In her spare time, Ariane continues to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a writer, though she is easily distracted by other pursuits including sewing her own wardrobe and building up her garden from weed patch to oasis. Ariane moved to the Gibsons in 2024 where she now lives with her husband and two cats. She is excited to build more local ties and settle in to Coast life.

Nicole Hagedorn

Nicole’s paternal family first came to Roberts Creek in the 1940’s and she is a proud of the 80 year relationship her family has with the Sunshine Coast. Her first years on the coast were spent in a tiny beach cottage, which thankfully still stands today, even with the rising tides. She attended Roberts Creek Elementary and Elphinstone Secondary. Upon graduation the rage was backpacking and she found herself working and travelling all over the UK, Europe, Isreal & Egypt. She spent a considerable amount of time in Germany with her maternal Grandmother and she especially cherishes this time. Nicole returned to Canada to study receiving her BA in History from UBC in 1994, with extended studies in Anthropology. She then found herself being lured back to the Sunshine Coast and her families businesses.

Nicole and her husband owned and operated Secret Cove Marina Resort for 22 years where they raised their two children in a float house living on site. They enjoyed the quiet winters and explosive summers as well as the colourful locals and guests from all over the world. With her children now grown and off studying at the University of Victoria, Nicole and her husband are back “home” living in Roberts Creek. Now working in the real estate development and holdings sector, managing and bringing local projects to realization. She enjoys every stage of the process these projects bring, careful to alway keep the community first and foremost.

Nicole observed the importance of giving back from her parents who practised the philosophy of learning, earning and returning. Nicole is proud to keep their tradition of philanthropy and volunteering going. She was on the Board of Directors for the Halfmoon Bay - Chatlech Community School Committee as well as the Sunshine Coast Minor Hockey Board. Nicole currently sits on the Board of Governors of the Gibsons Community Building Society (The Gibsons Public Market & community outreach programs).

Nicole has no choice but to love gardening, as she has two acres of gardens to look after. She sneaks in her daily Pilates practice on her “lunch” and loves to travel the world, but mostly to Victoria to see her biggest accomplishments.

Michelle Schmidt

A newcomer to the Sunshine Coast, Michelle Schmidt brings over 35 years of experience in education and community leadership—ranging from classroom teaching and school psychology to district administration and nonprofit management. After retiring from her role as Director of Instruction (Inclusive Education) with the Surrey School District, she took on a new challenge as Executive Director of Autism Community Training (ACT), a BC-based nonprofit supporting Autistic individuals and their families through strengths-based, culturally affirming training, resources, and advocacy.

Michelle holds a PhD in Educational Psychology, is a Certified Autism Specialist, and an Associate Certified Coach. She has written university-level coursework and contributed to provincial and national initiatives focused on inclusive post-secondary education and equity-centered leadership. Michelle brings a strong commitment to Indigenous engagement and truth and reconciliation, having completed formal reconciliation training and embedding these principles throughout her work. Locally, she is engaged with the Sunshine Coast Connection Inclusion Ideas Table, a grassroots network focused on equity and belonging.

Michelle is proud to contribute to the Sunshine Coast community. She believes meaningful inclusion begins with listening to—and working alongside—those with lived and living experience. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, travel, reading, and spending time with friends and family near and far.