Teams

Jonathan Oldman

Chief Executive Officer

Jonathan Oldman joined ISSofBC as CEO in September of 2021, succeeding Patricia Woroch who held the post for over two decades.

Jonathan has over 20-years senior leadership experience in BC’s not-for-profit sector, working with a range of organizations and systems serving populations including the homeless, individuals with mental health and addiction challenges, seniors, and those at end-of-life. Jonathan was formerly Executive Director of The Bloom Group, one of the largest community organizations in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In the two years prior to joining ISSofBC, he worked in a variety of senior leadership roles in the cancer care sector, including with the Canadian Cancer Society. Jonathan also serves on the Board of Directors of Catalyst Community Developments Society, a BC-based not-for-profit real estate developer. Born in the UK, Jonathan began his career in the British National Health Service, working in a variety of hospital and community health care settings.

“I have spent my entire career working to strengthen communities and support systems. I’m humbled and proud to continue this journey with ISSofBC and look forward to building on the incredible success Patricia and the ISSofBC team have achieved to date. As we continue to address the impact of COVID-19 and other critical challenges facing our society and country, furthering our organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, our broad work to promote social justice, and our support of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples will be key priorities for me.”

Anar Amlani

Chief People, Culture, & Inclusion Officer

Anar joined ISSofBC as our Director of People, Culture and Inclusion in November 2022.

Prior to joining us, Anar worked at the Ontario Medical Association where she was the Senior Lead, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and brings more than 20 years of people and culture leadership experience in both the private and public sectors, with a particular focus on the post-secondary education sector. She has worked extensively both in Canada and internationally and is returning to live and work in Vancouver after a decade in Toronto.

Her experience covers a range of HR areas, with recruitment, organizational development, and talent management core to her work.

Anar has a MA in Organizational Leadership from Royal Roads University as well as a range of HR, DEI, and coaching training certificates. Leading through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is central to her approach and values.

“Everything I am and want to be as an HR leader is informed by my lived experience as a Ugandan refugee to Canada. In addition, my professional and volunteer experience with the newcomer community in Ontario have prepared me for this incredible opportunity. Being the 50th anniversary year, I see this as one of life’s full circle moments. I’m grateful and excited to be a part of the ISSofBC family, it’s mission and culture transformation.”

Chris Friesen

Chief Operating Officer

• LinkedIn

Chris Friesen who served as ISSofBC’s Settlement Services Director for almost 30 years, has long been recognized as a leader in the refugee and immigrant sector throughout Canada and has been at the forefront of major refugee resettlement initiatives in BC and Canada. Chris has been an integral member of national bodies including holding senior leadership roles with the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance and National Settlement and Integration Council. He has also represented Canada on the international stage and is a sought-after speaker on immigration-related policies and programs. Chris played a key role in the development of ISSofBC Welcome Centre, a social purpose built, one of a kind facility in Vancouver.

As an undergraduate student at UBC in the mid 1980’s, Chris led a successful referendum on campus to increase student fees to establish a permanent student refugee scholarship program. What started as a one-off initiative has rippled through over 60 post-secondary institutions across Canada through the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Sponsorship Program and is now an international resettlement promising practice for alternative resettlement pathways. Prior to his roles within ISSofBC, Chris coordinated a British-Kenyan Educational Trust for Refugees in Nairobi for over two-and-a-half years.

“Underlying my work for over three decades is a profound respect and awe for the strength and resilience of immigrants and refugees who chose or were forced to start over in this country. They inspire and drive our work.”

Vinson Luu

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Vinson Luu joined ISSofBC as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in January 2024.
Vinson brings an amazing skill set to the organization, a thoughtful and collaborative leadership approach, and great insights into its mission of supporting newcomers to British Columbia, as well as experience in the sector through his Board work and his family’s own journey.

Prior to joining ISSofBC, Vinson has over 20 years of financial leadership experiences that included roles at Vancity Savings Credit Union, PMC-Sierra, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. His also served as the Board Chair for the Vancity Community Foundation and volunteers his time as a basketball coach in the Tri City Youth Basketball Association.

“My parents and I came to Canada over 40 years ago. We were very fortunate to be surrounded by a wonderful community in Abbotsford. It wasn’t always easy, but with a lot of hard work, some good decisions, and a bit of luck, we found our footing. I am grateful and proud to have a role that combines my professional skills with my personal experiences to modernize how we help newcomers create their own success stories; for them and the communities they will settle in.”

Carla Morales

Chief Program Officer, Language & Career Services

Carla Morales is an accomplished professional with proven success in development, governance, and strategic planning for non-profit groups and community-based organizations in Canada and overseas in East Africa.

For over 20 years, Carla has diverse experience in the non-profit sector, a well-developed analysis of key development issues, and high competence in intercultural communication. She has held a strong orientation towards community engagement and partnership development.

Carla has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and holds a Master of Business Administration from the City University of Seattle. She has completed courses through the Executive Education arm of the UBC Sauder School of Business. In the past, she has served as an advisor to community-based organizations in rural Kenya to support their capacity-building efforts. Much of her time is spent staying abreast of the issues that influence the social impact of the organizations she is involved with.

Carla enjoys reading, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time with her young daughter.

“The key to supporting newcomers successfully is to constantly be assessing their experience – to really listen. You have to be grounded in that understanding before you can innovate and serve with excellence.”

Parm Sandhu

Chief Information Officer

Parm Sandhu is an accomplished technology leader with proven success in technology & solution implementation and business transformation initiatives for clients across North America, Europe and Asia.

For over 20 years, Parm has been working in the technology sector and has become well versed working with organizations across various sectors – non-profit, public and private. During this time he has held executive positions in large regional, national and multi-national organizations and has led cross functional technology, sales and business teams. Over the last few years Parm has been leading the Digital Transformation initiatives at ISSofBC with a focus on business transformation and modernization.

Parm immigrated to Canada from the UK in 1993. He is an active member of the community and continues to serve on several boards. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys and active lifestyle.

“In order to effectively service the needs of newcomers our sector needs to adopt and embrace technology. The demand for services and programs will continue to intensify. We need to enhance our business processes and workflows and endorse technology to enable greater service capacity, leverage business intelligence and foster more effective interactions and engagement with our clients”

Kathy Sherrell

Chief Program Officer, Settlement & Refugee Services

Kathy Sherrell has worked at ISSofBC in settlement services for over 12 years. During this time she has taken a lead role in program development and evaluation, contract negotiations and oversight, and quality assurance and standardization. Involvement in special projects such as the BC Refugee Hub and allows Kathy to share her passion for refugee resettlement with others, promoting policy change and greater understanding of refugee issues.

Kathy holds a PhD in Geography from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Arts Degree from Simon Fraser University with an emphasis on refugee resettlement in Canada. Kathy continues to be actively engaged in research. At present Kathy is a co-investigator on two pan-Canadian, multi-year refugee research projects, as well as a lead on numerous internal research projects. She is an Affiliated Scholar with York University’s Centre for Refugee Studies and serves on UBC Centre for Migration Studies Executive Committee.

Kathy is passionate about evaluation and outcomes measurement, serving on IRCC’s National Settlement Outcomes Group, co-chairing the BC Settlement Outcomes Working Group, and as a member of the BCSIS Program Evaluation Working Group. She is the internal Project Manager for implementation of the NewTrack client information system.

“I am inspired by the strength and resilience of refugee newcomers to Canada and committed to reducing structural barriers to their integration through my work and research.”

Rebecca Irani

Director, Marketing & Communications

Rebecca Irani is a global communications strategist with over 18 years of experience in the international development/NGO, non-profit, private, and public sectors. She displays a passion for issues including education, diversity, inclusion, social justice, and sustainability.

She has worked at some of the world’s leading communications and marketing consultancies. She speaks English, French, and Spanish and has lived and worked across Europe, East Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, and Australasia. She immigrated to Canada in 2008.

She holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from the University of London, a BA in Modern Languages, and an advanced Certificate in Marketing (Chartered Institute of Marketing). Fervent about education, she’s also a qualified English teacher (CELTA).
Rebecca enjoys the great outdoors, yoga, traveling, and spending time with her young son.

“Canada is the land of newcomers and ISSofBC plays a leading role in their successful integration. I am proud to become part of the team. As a result of my own immigration journeys and diverse cultural background, I empathize with all newcomers and refugees and admire their strength and hope.”

Ewa Karczewska

Director, Language/LINC Services

It’s hard to miss Ewa Karczewska in a crowd. Her exuberant personality and infectious energy bring a positive vibe to any gathering. As the Associate Director for our Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program, Ewa may be counted upon to deliver with vigor the client-focused, multi-service model that its forerunner in Vancouver was built on.

Ewa, who joined ISSofBC in 1994, has a well-known record for connecting with people, identifying problems, finding solutions and getting things done. As one of her colleagues said, “Ewa leads with flair! She is an exceptional leader who is proficient, fun, and never afraid to roll up her sleeves and do what needs to be done.”

Ewa joined ISSofBC in 1994 as Childcare Supervisor. This was followed by promotions to ELSA Assistant Manager position then to ELSA/LINC Manager position in 2007. Ewa was instrumental in the setting up of the ISSofBC LINC satellite locations in Tri-Cities, Richmond, New Westminster and Maple Ridge. She has also served in several BC-wide and regional committees and boards, including the City of Coquitlam Multicultural Advisory Committee.

In her spare time, Ewa enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, traveling and relaxing in the sun.

Laurie Koch

Director, Career Services

Laurie’s journey through the non-profit sector is not just a career path; it’s a personal mission forged by her own experiences and a long history of volunteering within social services. Over the past 15 years, Laurie has channeled this passion into her work, empowering those on the margins of society, most recently utilizing her Master of Arts in Leadership to drive significant enhancements in community support services. Her leadership has not only expanded the scope of programs across organizations but has also augmented their impact, increasing access to essential services for hundreds of individuals each year.

Laurie’s mission is to enhance stakeholder engagement and forge strategic partnerships, securing the necessary resources to deliver client-centered care and support. She strives to create a supportive system where our clients not only survive but thrive, empowered by a community that understands and actively supports their journey.

“My family immigrated to Canada from France when I was nine years old, and we settled in a rural northern community in British Columbia. We faced significant discrimination due to our lack of English skills. I watched my parents tirelessly search for work, only to be repeatedly turned away and ultimately left with no choice but to accept jobs that did not match their qualifications and experience from our home country. Experiencing the challenges of being a newcomer firsthand fueled my passion for helping newcomers settle in Canada and find meaningful, sustainable employment.”

Bonnie So

Director, Language and Career College (LCC)

Bonnie So is the first to admit that her pride in the ISS Language and Career College (LCC) – ISSofBC’s very successful social enterprise – goes deeper than merely professional.

“It has been so fulfilling to witness LCC grow from one class of 12 students to our current operation with over 2,000 students attending ESL, vocational and co-op programs each year,” says Bonnie, who was involved in the creation of the program in 1995.

“Having come to Canada from Hong Kong as an international student myself, I value and enjoy our multicultural clients and our diverse staff and volunteers,” says Bonnie, who has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Toronto’s York University and a Multicultural Settlement Certificate.

Under Bonnie’s management, LCC became a recognized college, earned accreditations from Languages Canada and the BC government (Private Training Institutions Branch), and was listed on the federal government’s prestigious Designated List of Institutions. LCC revenues generated over the years have contributed significantly to supporting unfunded ISSofBC programs.

Shae Viswanathan

Professional Title

Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Shae Viswanathan began her career in Southeast Asia where she lived and worked for more than 10 years, occupying progressively senior roles in a number of multi-national organizations and traveling the region extensively. She returned to her roots in Canada in the Fall of 2006 and found her ultimate calling in the non-profit sector, focusing on community development, immigrant settlement, and language services. Since then, Shae has managed a wide variety of portfolios and programs while working with diverse teams of staff and volunteers from a large spectrum of ethnocultural backgrounds and professions. She continues to sit on a variety of committees within the Metro-Vancouver region dealing with immigrant settlement issues and remains passionate about building a community based on equity, diversity, and inclusion. In her free time, Shae enjoys cooking Southeast Asian cuisine and hiking BC’s beautiful rainforests.

Jennifer York

Director, Refugee Services

Jennifer York’s career path at ISSofBC gives her a rare vantage point not available to anyone else in the organization at her level. Jennifer started out as a volunteer after seeing newly arrived government-assisted refugees children playing at Welcome House. Soon after volunteering, she began working at ISSofBC to provide frontline work in employment programs and eventually managing federally and provincially-funded employment programs.

In 2015, Jennifer moved on to Settlement Division as a senior manager to oversee the multiple settlement programs and projects in nine locations. Her current role as Associate Director of Refugee Services provides oversight of the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), a program serving newly arrived Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) to Canada, and also the Settlement Orientation Program (SOS), a program that supports Refugee Claimants.

Highlights of Jennifer’s career at ISSofBC include being part of Operation Syrian in 2015 when Canada welcomed over 40,000 Syrian refugees to Canada, the opening of the Welcome Centre in Vancouver, the royal visit with the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and since August 2021, Jennifer has been the lead representative for BC RAP Service Providers for the National Afghan Resettlement Initiative. In addition to oversight and management of program operations, Jennifer takes great pride is seeing the development of her team and has been known to mentor and support colleagues with their professional growth and development.

Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Alberta and an Executive Master of Business Administration and a Certificate for Responsible Leadership from Queen’s University.

Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys spending her free time hiking in the BC trails, baking bread, learning and trying new activities and spending time with her little Pekinese, Sunshine.