The provincial government has named Heather Deal as a Lieutenant Governor (LG) appointee to AIBC Council effective June 18, 2019.
Heather Deal has extensive experience in governance and government relations. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Oberlin College (Ohio), and a Master of Science in Immunology from the University of British Columbia. Following graduation, Heather worked at the BC Cancer Agency, and then at UBC in Continuing Studies (now called Extended Learning) creating professional development courses. Moving to the BC Ministry of Environment, Heather designed and delivered courses for First Nations, professionals and forest workers restoring fish habitat. At the David Suzuki Foundation, she was responsible for conducting marine ecosystem research.
Heather was elected to the Vancouver Park Board in 2002. In 2005, she was elected to the City of Vancouver Council for the first of four terms, serving as Deputy Mayor in 2016. As a Councillor, Heather chaired numerous committees and led many initiatives, including; bike/pedestrian safety, public realm, arts/culture, food trucks, Burrard Bridge upgrade, Arbutus Greenway and heritage preservation. She also served as Chair of the City Finance and Services as well as the Planning, Transportation and Environment Committees of Council.
At Metro Vancouver, she chaired the Regional Parks Committee, establishing significant new policies and funding. She was on numerous other committees including Environment and Energy, and Aboriginal Relations.
As a member of the Board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Heather chaired the Environmental Issues Committee and served on committees including Social and Economic Development, Increasing Women’s Participation in Municipal Government, and the Urban Indigenous Working Group.
Heather is currently the Director of Adult and Workplace Learning at Decoda Literacy Solutions, an organization that assess and addresses learning needs across the province.
The AIBC Council consists of 15 voting members: 10 elected Architects AIBC in good standing, four Lieutenant Governor (LG) appointees, and a representative of the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. The Province’s Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office designates LG appointees, a voluntary role, to regulatory bodies such as the AIBC with the express purpose of protecting the public interest. Of the four Lieutenant Governor positions on AIBC Council, Heather Deal joins fellow appointees: Barbara Ann Brink, S. Ross Rettie P.Eng, and Michelle Rupp.
Learn more about the AIBC Council.