Who’s on the Board?
Board Co-chairs
- Christian Kruse joined the Friends board in June 2020 as the representative of book’mark, The Library Store where he is a volunteer. Christian is a life-long library fan and professional librarian whose career started at VPL too many years ago to remember! Talk to Christian about the great new merchandise arriving at book’mark, volunteer opportunities in the Store, or anything else you may be wondering about. As a librarian, he loves matching questions with answers. And that’s why he loves libraries, it’s THE place to ask anything and find out about everything.
- Deepak Kumar is a seasoned Strategy and Project Management professional with a strong foundation in both Technology and Business. Recognized for his strategic insight and collaborative leadership, he excels at aligning cross-functional teams to exceed goals, drive meaningful business outcomes, and build long-term client partnerships. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and an MBA in General Management from the University of British Columbia. Over the past 20 years, Deepak has gained broad industry experience across North America and Europe, delivering results in complex, fast-paced environments. In his current role as Director of Programs and Portfolios at Central 1, he leads a high-performing team focused on supporting Credit Unions and smaller independent financial institutions across Canada—helping them compete and thrive in an increasingly digital and competitive financial services landscape. His passions extend beyond the boardroom, encompassing interests in value investing, globe-trotting adventures, boxing and swimming. Eager to contribute to the community, Deepak is honored to support the Friends of VPL in their mission to foster the success of Vancouver Public Library.
Board Members
- Sarah Carrigan is a CPA who gained her professional accounting experience working in public practice with a focus on auditing non-profit organizations, and currently works for Ocean Wise Conservation Association as their Senior Finance Manager. Prior to this, Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts from UBC with a double major in English Literature and Classical Studies and had the wonderful opportunity to work at Vancouver Public Library for a short time before leaving to pursue her CPA. Sarah is excited to be joining the board of Friends of the VPL and returning to the library world as she is a passionate library fan and advocate, particularly for their amazing programs and extensive (and growing!) non-fiction e-book collections. In her spare time Sarah loves reading, binge watching the latest TV shows and hiking the trails around the Lower Mainland with her partner and daughter.
- Stefanie Chapman has worked in finance and public accounting across various industries from mining to tech. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant and also holds a degree in economics. She currently works for an economic regulator in the utilities industry of British Columbia. Stefanie is passionate about accessibility and education in the community and loves to read.
- Celine Conly is a lawyer at a national law firm. She advises on commercial and construction disputes, contracts, builders liens, and surety and insurance claims. Celine has a background in International Relations, and has extensive experience working in the tourism, travel and hospitality industry. She is passionate about community engagement and fostering inclusive and safe spaces for people to feel welcome trying new things or meeting new people. Celine joined the Friends Board in 2025, and looks forward to supporting the library and its programs. In her spare time, you can find Celine working on her various quilting and crafting projects, hiking or skiing in the mountains, or cozied up with a mystery or fantasy novel, cup of tea and her cat, Beauregard.
- Lois Evans is an archivist with over twenty years’ experience who works at the Land Title and Survey Authority of BC after spending time at other local government and private, not-for-profit and Indigenous organizations. Lois’ passion is learning and she has three degrees including a PhD in Archival Studies and over ten certificates as proof. She enjoys gardening, hiking, kayaking, motorcycle riding, travel and, of course, reading. Lois collects books about libraries and enjoys exploring libraries wherever she lands–from the Nelson Hays Library in Bangkok, the Biblioteca Vasconcelos in Mexico City to the Terrace and Prince Rupert public libraries closer to home. Her home branch is the Firehall and one of her goals this year is to visit all Vancouver branch libraries; she recently enjoyed a visit to the Kensington Branch near Kingsway and King Edward.
- Stewart Fast is Director of the Office of Research and Scholarship at University Canada West and has extensive experience in program and people management and in research & science environments. As a new member both of the Vancouver community and of the Friends of the Vancouver Public Library, he is eager to contribute. Stewart is a lifelong lover of libraries and believes libraries offer us not only worlds of insight and beauty from literature but also provide a democratic space for accessing information, tools, resources, and even social services. When not reading or working, he enjoys exploring the outdoors, cycling, hiking, learning how to sail, and cheering on all sorts of sports teams and events.
- Nicole Lee was born and raised in Greater Vancouver. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration and works as a Revenue Operations Analyst at Apploi, a software startup based in New York. Before that, she worked for seven years in a nonprofit as a fundraiser. With a passion for making an impact, Nicole joined the Friends Board in 2024, furthering her commitment to her community. Beyond her professional pursuits, Nicole enjoys baking and traveling, finding inspiration in exploring new cultures and cuisines.
- Samantha Mak By day, Samantha Mak is General Counsel for an internet technology company headquartered in Austin, Texas. She advises on commercial transactions, internet law, technology and IP licensing, security compliance, business development, and business strategy. She sits on the board of the two Canadian subsidiaries of her company. By night, she flexes her creative muscles by entering random writing contests, recreating her favourite foods in felt and yarn, and trying to teach herself to paint via YouTube.
- Bri Turner has a fiery passion, a bone-deep gratitude, and a profound wonder for libraries and all they do. As a library technician with over 15 years of experience in academic, public, school, and law libraries, Bri also has firsthand knowledge of how critical advocates and champions are to the work of libraries. She brings to the Friends more than a decade of experience in volunteerism, grassroots organizing, and not-for-profit governance. In her downtime you can find her walking around the city taking pictures of crows or sitting on a sunny bench with her nose in a book (borrowed from the VPL, of course).
- Mayank Varma From the binary world of coding to the vibrant universe of marketing, Mayank Varma has always been about making connections – whether it’s getting software to talk or getting people to engage. His career highlights include stints at Google and Amazon, but his most fulfilling narrative involves building impactful educational initiatives. Now residing in Vancouver, Mayank’s love affair with libraries is a lifelong saga. Growing up, books were his constant companions (think of him as a literary nomad!), and one of his first acts upon arriving was to secure a VPL membership – his personal “chapter one” in the city. He’s eager to bring his marketing skills to the Friends, helping them write the next best-seller in community support for the Vancouver Public Library. He firmly believes a thriving library is a story everyone deserves to read.
- Ray Wang is a community-minded entrepreneur with over ten years of experience in the digital marketing industry. He is currently the principal at RW Digital, an established digital marketing agency. When Ray isn’t helping businesses navigate the digital space, he is keen on taking part in volunteering, fundraising, mentorship and other community initiatives; he strongly believes in giving back and supporting spaces that help build communities around education. You can often find Ray searching for the next business book to pore over at his favourite library branch.