Leadership

Our network is entirely volunteer-led. Here are the good people who have taken on leadership of our organization for this year.

At our Annual General Meeting each year we elect our leadership group. The elected Board then reviews roles and tasks and self-organizes around various functions and projects.

It’s easy to get involved – contact us and get in touch! 

Board of Directors
Meet our 2024-2025 Board of Directors:

	Jim LaMorte Jim LaMorte, President Jim (he/him) brings an Urban Planning background and 40 years of consulting in emergency preparedness to the GVPN. He loves projects that turn public spaces into places where strangers can get to know each other, breaking the barriers between social silos. After growing up in Los Angeles, he is dedicated to repairing the damage done to communities by worshipping the car. Among many people and texts of inspiration, the book “Happy City” by Charles Montgomery continues to offer guidance. Jim has contributed to several GVPN projects, including boulevard gardens, street paintings, block parties, and building portable street furniture. Jim enjoys living in and building the North Jubilee neighbourhood.
	Jessica Hum, Vice President & Communications Jessica (she/her) lives in the Fairfield/Ross Bay neighbourhood. She is dedicated to building communities which are more fair, equitable and just. For play, Jessica enjoys exploring Greater Victoria through all her favourite human-powered transportation activities: walking, cycling, kayak and SUP. Jessica’s Indigenous planning practice explores decolonizing research through the written, oral and podcast forms of Story-telling/Story-listening. Through innovative ways of connecting, Jessica remains passionate about making positive and creative changes in the places we call home.
	Susan Martin, Treasurer Susan (she/her) is a lifelong learner who takes her lessons not only from academia but from the people, places and nature she encounters every day as she gets around her neighbourhood and city on foot or transit. Since October 2020 she has been helping to support those sheltering in Victoria’s parks and wants to see placemaking enhance public spaces for everyone, not just those lucky enough to have a home in the ‘nice’ part of town. Susan is also deeply concerned about climate change and believes that in walkable, welcoming and human-scaled neighbourhoods people will have lower emission lifestyles not because they are consciously deciding to do so but because it just makes sense and is safe, easy and less expensive to bike, walk or roll rather than using a car.
	Isabella Lee, Secretary Bella (she/her) has lived in Victoria her entire life. With a passion for making her community a better, more vibrant livable place- joining the board of Victoria Placemakers was an easy fit. She brings a decade of experience of community and political organizing. Bella works for the Provincial Government, and volunteers as a leader for the Girls Guides of Canada. In her spare time she enjoys baking, and a good romance book.  She is excited to hit the ground running!
	Ciara Chamberlaine, Director Ciara (she/her) lives in the Quadra area of Saanich.  She recently completed her Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Toronto Metropolitan University and is a Pre-Candidate Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Planning Institute of British Columbia.  She lives gratefully on W̱SÁNEĆ and Lək̓ʷəŋən lands with her two teenage children, as a single parent.  Ciara is a member of 1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre and has volunteered with the ‘Mom and Mentor’ program for four years.  Yoga is an important part of her life, and she is a member of both the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada and the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria, where she is  apprenticing to become a teacher.   Ciara has dedicated decades to her meditation, yoga and contemplative writing practices; she values being in and sharing with community and has facilitated numerous workshops and classes with the intention of creating spaces of safety and belonging where people feel seen and heard.