Our Board of Directors

Jeremy and his family arrived for their first taste of Naramata Centre in 1986. At the time, Jeremy was ten years old, but even then, he knew that Naramata Centre was a place he belonged. Opportunities to participate and receive at Naramata Centre, as well as work, lead, and offer, have had a profound, lasting, and ever present impact on his life, and the lives of the people with whom he intersects. Jeremy previously served on the Naramata Centre Society Board and looks forward to being able to offer back to the Centre what it has nurtured in Jeremy for nearly 40 years.

With over 30 years of leadership working with children and youth, and over 20 years of leadership within the education field, Jeremy's practice focuses on his relationship with self, others, and land, and is supported by his unfolding understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Jeremy is a firm believer in the power of community and has trained his eyes to always see the unending possibilities that are presented when communities intentionally align vision and action. He is currently serving in a senior executive role with the North Vancouver School District, where he brings his experiences teaching, learning, and leading in Alternative Schools supporting children and youth with complex and challenging life circumstances, to shape the vision and direction for all schools and communities in North Vancouver.

Jeremy and his partner have raised three amazing daughters on the island of Nex̱wlélex̱wm (Bowen Island), and are settlers on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations.

Naramata Centre has been an important part of Linda's life for the past 20 years. She values the opportunity to serve on the Board and to help care for the sacred and special place that is Naramata Centre.

Linda is a lawyer, specializing in public interest roles such as governance and professional regulation. She has a passion for justice and inclusion, and for fostering environments where people can be their whole and best selves. Her other important roles include parent, partner, daughter, sister, auntie, and friend. You will find Linda outdoors with friends and dogs as much as possible, skiing, hiking, cycling, and enjoying a glass of Naramata wine while doing so.

Naramata Centre is part of Linda's DNA. For 40 years, the Centre has had a profound impact on her life, starting with a transformative experience as a member of Summer Staff. Naramata has connected four generations of her family and changed the pathways of their lives through programming in personal development, social justice, and self discovery.

Linda has dedicated her life's work to adult education, community board membership, strategic planning, and policy development through a lens of social justice, inclusion and diversity, and reconciliation with First Nations. For the past 28 years, she has instructed and coordinated adult basic education courses and programs at Vancouver Island University (VIU) and Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre. She holds a Master's in Education in Adult Education and Higher Learning from the University of Calgary.

Wayne, along with his wife and four daughters, has been going to Naramata Centre for over 20 years, and the Centre has been a spiritual and sacred presence for the family. Raised on a farm in the Ottawa Valley, Wayne has been an active volunteer throughout his life, beginning with community development organizations like 4-H and Junior Farmers of Ontario. Since then, he has served on several boards, including an agricultural society, a Calgary community association, a local swim club, the Calgary Charter Girls School, and St. Andrew's United Church in Calgary.

Throughout his career, Wayne developed a deep appreciation for the wide range of views to be considered when making resource development decisions. Whether he was working for industry or the federal government, he made a point of listening with an open mind to varied concerns and opinions. Wayne hopes to use these skills to enable the Centre to be financially sustainable and to remain for many generations ahead.

Karen's first experience of Naramata Centre was in the summer of 2006. Her children were in Grade 11 and first year university. The whole family was immediately welcomed and enfolded into the community, immersing themselves in all that the Centre offered. It was a unique vacation where they were nurtured spiritually, physically, and mentally, all while sharing their experiences in community and small groups. It was a wonderful entry into a new way of being cared for, and they knew then that the Centre would become an annual priority. Karen and her family returned to the Centre every year and have been nurtured, challenged, and inspired to live out their faith journey. Their experience of Naramata being a thin space led them to move to the Village in 2018 from Surrey.

Karen is excited about the future of the Centre and feels very strongly that in these challenging times the Centre has an important role to play. The fostering of ongoing reconciliation and social justice are important cultural issues. She believes that more than ever folks need to be able to come together in a safe, inclusive community to be supported, nurtured, educated, inspired, and empowered in an environment that provides an opportunity for spiritual growth and wellness.

Jes Beckerley has had a lifelong connection with Naramata Centre, a cherished place where her earliest memories include jumping off the dock, eating cherries from the old orchard, and racing her bike down Ellis Street as fast as possible. Over the years, Jes has returned time and again, attending summer, fall, and winter programs, serving on summer staff, and participating in Winter Session and retreats. Through it all, she has found deep spiritual and personal grounding in the Centre's community and rhythm.

Jes holds a background in child protection social work and has worked as a researcher and social worker with the Department of Children and Family Development. Her passion for supporting individuals and communities has also led her to various ministry roles within the United Church of Canada. She has served congregations in multiple capacities and currently supports both the Chinook Winds and Pacific Mountain Regional Councils, where she provides pastoral relations and administrative support.

Debra is a minister, wife, mom, grandma, and friend. The pull on her time varies day by day, although the grandsons usually win out when it comes to space in her heart. Debra was ordained in the United Church of Canada in 1995. She served several congregations in the Lower Mainland, most recently Ryerson United Church (now Pacific Spirit United Church).

Debra has also served as Executive Secretary of B.C. Conference (now Pacific Mountain Region) and as President of the Conference, as well as on the Executive of General Council of the United Church of Canada for several years. Although officially retired, Debra continues to serve the church through guest preaching and, until recently, offering workshops and gatherings for congregations that are wondering about their future. She is currently serving at Mount Seymour United Church in North Vancouver.

An ongoing interest is the relationship between beauty, the arts, and religion, and how together they give voice to both wonder and injustice. She takes great pleasure in being the Regional Representative on the Naramata Centre Board and believes the Centre is a sacred space for critical rest and renewal for anyone and everyone who yearns for some time for heart, soul, body, and mind to catch up to each other.

Jenn Frohlich's connection to Naramata Centre spans a lifetime. She has returned each summer since she was a toddler and was married on the Naramata Bench. Now, as a parent of two young children, she brings the perspective of young families and her experience in child development and programming to the Board.

Jenn completed a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Internship at the University of Alberta before working as a pediatric dietitian. She later earned a Bachelor of Education with a specialization in Inclusive Education from the University of Calgary. For the past 10 years, Jenn has taught in Calgary in both inclusive classrooms and specialized settings. She is currently pursuing a Master of Educational Psychology for students with vision loss at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her career reflects a passion for supporting children with complex learning needs and witnessing the curiosity, sense of wonder, and enthusiasm that children bring to the world.

Janet is a Professor Emeritus of Adult Learning in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. She came west with her family in 2002 to take up this position, after working as an adult educator in a variety of settings for many years in Kitchener, Ontario. She continues to be passionate about teaching and program design in adult learning at the university and out in the community, with a recent focus on mindfulness, spirituality, and contemplative ecology. She discovered Naramata Centre in 2010 and knew that she had found a second home. Since then, she and her family have been coming to the Centre faithfully every summer, and she has also participated in shoulder season gatherings.

She is an active spiritual director, having completed the Soul Guiding Program (spiritual direction training) and the Soul Mentoring Program through Pacific Jubilee Programs. She is also a trained Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction instructor.

Erin has been a lifelong visitor to the community of Naramata, cherishing many joyful moments with her children and extended family. Her deep connections to the community have inspired her to give back to a place that holds such profound meaning for her. Erin is eager to contribute her time and efforts to the Board of Directors, serving and supporting Naramata Centre in every way she can.

Erin has over 20 years of experience in community based social service leadership and has cultivated a deep expertise at organizations such as Pacific Community Resources Society, the Ministry of Children & Family Development, and PLEA Community Services. Her extensive background primarily involves managing services for youth with complex needs.

Erin exemplifies transformational leadership by prioritizing the empowerment of clients in all decision making processes, consistently advocating for their rights and interests throughout organizational management. Her leadership style inspires and motivates both clients and colleagues to strive for positive change and personal growth. Her commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment is underscored by her academic background, with a Bachelor of Arts in Human & Social Development and certification in Dare to Lead™. By fostering a culture of trust, innovation, and advocacy, Erin leads by example, driving transformative outcomes within the community and the organizations that she serves.

Sam Palmer is a longstanding participant in Naramata Centre's summer programs and values its commitment to community, inclusion, and spiritual growth.

Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Sociology from Saint Mary's University and a Certificate in Fire Service Leadership from Dalhousie University. She currently works as an Educational Assistant with the Calgary Board of Education, supporting students in a high school special education classroom. Her professional background also includes federal public service, with a focus on rehabilitation and reintegration, and a commitment to supporting marginalized communities.

Sam brings board and community leadership experience through volunteer roles with Scouts Canada, a volunteer fire department, and as founding co-president of the Central Alberta Pride Society. She is an active member of Hillhurst United Church in Calgary and is committed to fostering inclusive communities grounded in belonging, compassion, and connection.