Board of Directors

Heather works at RBC as a Manager of Initiatives & Implementation, with a focus on Diversity & Inclusion.  Her previous roles include resource & capacity management, training & development, branch leadership, and operations.

Heather spent three years as co-chair of RBC’s LGBTQ/2S Employee Resource Group in B.C., supporting the inclusion and engagement of LGBTQ/2S employees across the province.  Through this work, Heather has increased her involvement with LGBTQ/2S related organizations, which is where she was first introduced to QMUNITY.

Heather was born and raised in Squamish, BC, and moved to Vancouver in 2003.  She spent some time studying criminology before realizing that it was more of an interest than a career.  She has since returned to school to complete her Project Management certification and looks forward to continuing to advance her education.  Heather currently resides in New Westminster with her wife; in their free time, the two of them can be found enjoying local trails with their dog.

Born and raised in Newfoundland, Tracey moved to Vancouver in 1993 to attend the University of British Columbia where she obtained her Bachelor of Laws in 1996.  Tracey is committed to the community and previously served as Treasurer of a national LGBT non-profit organization.  Tracey joined QMUNITY Board of Directors in 2018.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Cory has also lived in Calgary and Montreal and has been living in Vancouver since the summer of 2013. He works in strategic planning and operations at TELUS. Cory has been active in the community sector fro many years, volunteering with a number of organizations and served as a member of the Board for Aids Community Care Montreal. Cory joined the QMUNITY Board of Directors in 2014.

James Tod is a land development consultant and principle of his own firm, JTA Development Consultants, which focuses primarily on complex zoning and mixed-use housing projects.

James studied at the University of British Columbia and received his undergraduate in English Literature in 2003, after which, he became involved in Vancouver’s architectural and development industries and has pursued this path ever since.

Lisa is the first openly trans Spiritual Care Practitioner with Vancouver Coastal Health. She worked as a free-lance graphic designer in Vancouver for over 35 years, was married and has three adult sons. She began her transitioned in the summer of 2008 but soon found herself underemployed when clients stopped calling. In 2013, she went back to school and now holds an MA in Public and Pastoral Leadership from Vancouver School of Theology and completed her clinical internships in March 2018. She is a published author, speaker and workshop presenter on trans issues.

Heather Northrup works as a Senior Advisor in Regulatory Affairs and Compliance for HSBC Bank Canada. A lawyer by trade, she has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years providing legal advice to organizations such as Vancity Credit Union and the Royal Bank of Canada.

Heather started her career in private practice with Borden Ladner Gervais’ insolvency group. Her experience includes expertise in risk management, corporate governance and labour and employment law.

Cynthia Brooke is a stevedore working the docks and ships of Vancouver’s port. She is also a human rights educator focused on union and labour movements.

Originally from San Francisco, Cynthia grew up and came out in Vancouver during the early years of The Centre (which was to become QMUNITY), and was involved in hosting Gay Games, ACT UP, The Lesbian Avengers, and The Lesbian Centre. Cynthia is sustained by a lifelong commitment to social justice and community, especially BIPOC2, equity, equality, and deep diversity.

Massood Baqi is a Portfolio Manager at Vancity, Canada’s largest community credit union. With over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, Massood has worked in a variety of areas including Retail Banking, Human Resources, and Credit. As well, he has completed work assignments at the United Way of the Lower Mainland and Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia. His current work focuses on strategic operations for Vancity’s branch and call-centre network with an emphasis on change management efforts.

Early on in his career, Massood completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University with a concentration in Accounting. He was active in the student association space with a focus on creating career development opportunities for fellow students. His passions now include advocacy for co-operatives as a sustainable business model and supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace.

Nadia Alteme was born and raised in Montreal, and later lived in Toronto for 5 years before moving to Vancouver in 2011.

She is a Registered Nurse with Fraser Health Authority, holding advanced certification in Emergency Nursing, and also co-chairing the B.C. Nurses Union  LGBTQ2S+ caucus. Nadia’s passion for advocacy prompted her to join QMUNITY’s board in 2018.

Nadia is naturally intuitive and is skillful at connecting with all kinds of people. She practices yoga, loves the outdoors, attends numerous community events, and frequently participates in workshops focused on healing and the sharing of one’s lived experience.