Creative BC announces updates to the Board of Directors and welcomes Farnaz Riahi as a new member

Creative BC’s Board of Directors, CEO, and staff extend gratitude to Jesse Finkelstein for her contributions while serving as Chair from September 2021 through September 2024. Her work was instrumental in supporting and strengthening Creative BC’s governance and its mission to foster, develop, and sustain B.C.’s creative sector. Ms. Finkelstein’s entrepreneurial expertise and background in independent book publishing enriched and diversified the board’s capacity, and we thank her for her service to the organization and creative sector overall. 

With this, Creative BC marks a shift in board structure as the organization pivots to a Co-Chair model announcing that Board Members Michelle Grady, (President, Sony Picture Imageworks) and Bill Tam, (Co-Founder of ThoughtBridge, Co-Founder of Digital Technology Supercluster, and former President and CEO of BC Tech Association) will Co-Chair the Board of Directors. Laura Lightbown, (President of Terra Films Inc.), will serve as Secretary-Treasurer. 

Creative BC proudly announces Farnaz Riahi, Vice President of Finance and Corporate Operations at Destination Vancouver, as the latest addition to our Board of Directors. This incoming professional brings a wealth of functional expertise and strong experiential alignment with Creative BC’s economic development mandate. Ms. Riahi’s background will strengthen the board’s capacity to advance opportunities for British Columbia’s creative sector. 

Farnaz Riahi is a seasoned financial executive currently serving as the Vice President of Finance and Corporate Operations at Destination Vancouver. She brings a wealth of experience in financial management, strategic planning, and corporate governance from her previous roles, including Chief Financial Officer at SkilledTradesBC and various leadership positions at Canada Wide Media, MVBC, Corus Entertainment, and Ernst & Young.

Passionate about storytelling and the creative sector, she was a board member and Treasurer of the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), supporting the promotion and celebration of diverse voices in film.  

Returning Board Members Include: 

Michelle Grady, Co-Chair, President, Sony Picture Imageworks
Bill Tam, Co-Chair, Co-Founder of ThoughtBridge, Co-Founder of Digital Technology Supercluster, and former President and CEO of BC Tech Association
Laura Lightbown, Secretary-Treasurer, President of Terra Films Inc.
Louise Clark, Member, Founder, Lark Productions 
Jeevyn Dhaliwal, Member, K.C., Lawyer
Amy Lang, Member, President of North Shore and Mammoth Studios
Shirley Lew, Member, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences at Vancouver Community College?
Matt O’Grady, Member, Communications Consultant 
Kesi Smyth, Member, General Manager & Human Resources, 604 Records Inc
Jamie Sterritt, Member, Owner, Sa’hetxw Consulting
Kate Wattie, Member, Director of Business Development, Tonic Records
 

View all Creative BC Board Members