District Board Members
Elected members of the Board are the policy and decision makers for the Regional District, and Regional District staff are responsible for implementing the policies established by the Board.
The Administrator oversees the operation of the Regional District, including the preparation of the Regional District's annual budget, ensuring Board resolutions are implemented and bylaws enforced.
| ACRD Board of Directors 2026/2027 | |
|---|---|
|
John Jack Chairperson Huu-ay-aht First Nations jjack@acrd.bc.ca |
|
|
John Alan Jack is the elected Chief Councillor for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations (HFN). His community is a party to the Maa-nulth Final Agreement (Treaty) with the provincial and federal governments, which grants the HFN a seat on the Board of Directors of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD). He was first elected in 2009 and was reelected in 2011 shortly after the Effective Date of the Treaty. He is now in his fifth term as chief councillor, after serving four terms as an elected councillor. In addition to his representation of HFN to the ACRD, John has held nearly every major file in his portfolio at Huu-ay-aht, and currently holds the Finance, Deputy Chief Councillor, and Capital Raise. He is honoured to help represent his community's interests on the regional stage and has focused much of his effort in creating mutual understanding between local governments and aboriginal communities. In addition, he places a distinct importance on regional economic renewal and the need for neighbouring communities to work together to cultivate new opportunities for a stronger regional economy.
He lives in Oceanside on Vancouver Island in British Columbia with his loving and patient wife, two lively and beautiful daughters, and a boisterous young son. Aside from work, he has been known to play volleyball from time to time and enjoy tabletop games when he's not busying himself on Twitter. | |
|
Debbie Haggard Chairperson of the Regional Hospital District; Vice-Chairperson of the ACRD City of Port Alberni debbie_haggard@portalberni.ca |
|
|
Driven by a vision to improve Port Alberni for the generations to come, Debbie Haggard embarked on a journey into municipal politics after her well-deserved retirement in 2018. Now in her second term as Councillor for the City of Port Alberni, she is Chairperson of the Regional Hospital District and Vice-Chairperson of the ACRD. Debbie moved to Port Alberni at a young age and has made the community her life-long home. Debbie's deep connection to her community has been evident throughout her career. She worked in the financial industry where she was recognized as being one of the top performers across Canada. The latter part of her career saw her working in small business and economic development. She not only collaborated with numerous small businesses in the region but also showcased her entrepreneurial spirit by co-founding and supporting her husband with the managing of the business. She has always believed in giving back to the community. One of her accomplishments that she is most proud of is the work that she did in female hockey, both locally, regionally and provincially. She has the distinction of organizing the first sold out event at our then new Multiplex when she invited the Women’s National Hockey Team to play an exhibition game against Team Sweden as they were preparing for the Olympics. Even with her busy schedule, she is always willing to support and donate her time to those organizations in need. Before stepping onto the political stage, Debbie wore the hat of the president of the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce. In this influential position, she wasn't just a leader, she was an innovator. Debbie was instrumental in launching new business initiatives and meticulously drafting grant proposals, all with the aim to bolster the local economy and provide a brighter future for the Alberni Valley. | |
|
Charles Mealey Mayor City of Port Alberni |
|
![]() |
Tom Stere Mayor District of Tofino stere@tofino.ca |
| Tom Stere is the Mayor of the District of Tofino and appointed to the ACRD board in 2020 when he held a council position with Tofino. He is a Rescue Specialist with the Canadian Coast Guard and worked 10 yrs with the Clayoquot Biosphere Project as Research Stations Manager. He helped establish Tofino Sea Kayaking in 1988. Tom is a board member of the Tofino Harbour Authority and the Rainforest Education Society. Tom is married and spends most of his time looking for firewood with his two sons. | |
|
Shawn Anderson Mayor District of Ucluelet |
|
|
Moriah Cootes Councillor Uchucklesaht Tribe moriah.cootes@uchucklesaht.ca |
|
|
Moriah Cootes has been a lifelong Port Alberni resident - born March 1997 to parents Wilfred and Kristie, growing up in my homelands of Elhlateese (Kildonan) and the bushes of Beaver Creek. This is Moriah's first term elected, and she is incredibly honoured to serve her people and represent the Uchucklesaht Tribe. During her schooling, she volunteered for the local Friendship Center for many years. In this time, she was introduced to Youth Council gatherings, Elder's gatherings, and Switchback workshops. In 2012, Moriah was graced with the lisaak (respect for all things) banner by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council during revision of the Princess Pageant and Youth Role Model competition, for the 30th anniversary of the Tlu-piich Summer Games. In 2015, she was appointed to the City of Port Alberni's Youth Advisory Committee as the Vast Student representative, shortly before graduating. Moriah began working in Biological Research for DFO in the summer of 2015 and has since become the Senior Lab Technician in the fall of 2023. Hobbies include being out on my lands harvesting for her elders, both on the water and on the ground, spending as much time as possible in the forests hiking and photographing, and gardening. | |
| |
Kirsten Johnsen Councillor Toquaht Nation kirstenj@toquaht.ca |
|
Kirsten Johnsen is an elected member of Council for the Toquaht Nation, located in Barkley Sound. Kirsten sits as Chairperson for Council and Executive. She grew up in Ucluelet, BC. Since graduating from USS in 1990, she moved to the Lower Mainland for several employment and education opportunities. She returned to Ucluelet in 2006 to work for the Toquaht Nation as the Communications Coordinator in preparation for the ratification of the Maa-nulth First Nations Final Agreement (Treaty). During the lead-up to ratification, she was very active in the development of all Laws and Regulations that came into force on the effective date, April 1, 2011. She is currently the Law Clerk and Office Administrator for the Toquaht Nation Administration. | |
![]() |
Levana Mastrangelo Executive Legislator Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government Levana.mastrangelo@ufn.ca |
|
Max Salamon Director Electoral Area "A" (Bamfield) |
|
|
Fred Boyko Director Electoral Area "B" (Beaufort) fboyko@acrd.bc.ca |
|
|
Fred Boyko is a third-generation resident from Port Alberni. He grew up in South Port, graduated from ADSS, and went to the University of Victoria.
Upon graduating with a bachelor's degree, he has pursued a Mechanical Engineering Career. This has taken him around the planet in the oil/gas, nuclear, mining, and wastewater industries. He moved his family back to Port Alberni seven years ago and settled on an acreage/hobby farm in the Beaufort area. He has been a Registered Professional Engineer for the 14 years and operates an Engineering Consulting company based out of Port Alberni. He enjoys raising his family in the Alberni Valley doing outdoor activities. This is his first term as an Electoral Area Director. | |
|
Vaida Siga Director Electoral Area "C" (Long Beach) vsiga@acrd.bc.ca |
|
| Vaida Siga was raised in Jasper, Alberta. Upon completing her Registered Nursing Program at the Royal Alexandra Hospital School of Nursing, she moved to Tofino in the 1970s to work as a Registered Nurse in Tofino General Hospital. Vaida then sought educational and employment experiences to expand her knowledge base, returning to the West Coast to live, work and volunteer. Married in 1981, Vaida's husband worked in the logging industry, and her children were raised on the West Coast. Through the University of Victoria, Vaida obtained her BScN, with a focus on community development, and her MScN, with a focus on policy and program planning. These programs informed her work for Medical Health Services on the West Coast, as a Community Health Nurse for Tofino and Ucluelet and as a professor in the University of Calgary BScN Nursing Program at the Medicine Hat College site. Active in community development, Vaida was the first chairperson for the West Coast Women's Resources Society, which established services for women, a transition house and counselling services. In 1994, Vaida did the research for and wrote the West Coast Community Health Council submission requesting designation as a distinct Community Health Council Area. Vaida is focused on supporting the health and well-being of the West Coast area and residents. | |
|
Sabrina Zimmerman Director Electoral Area "D" (Sproat Lake) |
|
![]() |
Susan Roth Director Electoral Area "E" (Beaver Creek) sroth@acrd.bc.ca |
|
Susan Roth has called Beaver Creek home for more than 34 years. During her lifetime, Susan has worked in three different jobs. First, during the 1980s, she worked as a cartographer for the BC Forest Service. As a map draughts person, she learned to pay close attention to detail and have a commitment to accuracy. In 2000, Susan moved into a job in a local cedar lumber mill, pulling wood off of a green chain. During her tenure as a millworker, she developed the stamina and tenacity needed to do a physically demanding job. In 2008, when the forest industry was in another downturn, Susan went back to university and holds a university diploma in Business Administration. Susan has learned and developed good skills throughout her working career. Her ability to gather and analyze information and solve problems in a determined manner makes her a strong advocate for the people of Beaver Creek. | |
|
Michael Lesosky Director Electoral Area "F" (Cherry Creek) |
|
Members of the public who have questions or concerns are encouraged to contact Regional District staff. General inquiries may be directed to administration@acrd.bc.ca. To learn about the ways to engage with the ACRD Board of Directors, please visit:Public Participation
Being a Member of the Board or an appointed member of Committees or Commissions of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD), answerable to the public, comes with standards of ethical behaviour that are different than the standards that may be found in one’s other roles in the community. The standards set out in this Code of Conduct Policy are a guide to assist Board members (and members of Committees/Commissions) in the performance of their duties, particularly as related to governance principles, interpersonal relations, public-facing communications, and ethical dilemmas that may arise in the course of their activities.


