Club Executive

Ken Bell, Club President
Ken has been with Burrard Toastmasters since 1986. Throughout various clubs, he has held every executive role multiple times. He has been Club President three times. Originally a very shy person, he credits his modest success in life to speaking abilities he developed at Burrard.

Ken is committed to a safe and fun public speaking environment, with rapid progress through the educational materials, harmony, and inclusion. Partly due to his gentle guidance, over one thousand Burrard alumni now occupy positions of influence worldwide.

The Club President leads the club, inspires members, and chairs meetings.

Lily Abdullah, VP Education
Lily attended her first Toastmasters session in May 2023. She is passionate about learning and has always been interested in public speaking, so this club executive role suits her well. She decided to join Burrard Toastmasters in July 2023 and remains passionate about the club.

Lily is also an MBA graduate and is a member of CPA Canada and ACCA (UK). She is not shy about volunteering and has served on the CPA Advisory Board (Trinidad and Tobago Charter) for two years and other grassroots-styled organizations for a number of years. Aside from this, she loves hiking, writing, and traveling in her spare time.

The VP Education plans weekly meetings and encourages members to work on their Pathway programs.

Mark Delaney, VP Membership

The VP Membership builds membership and handles membership applications.

Karina Guzman, VP Public Relations

The VP Public Relations publicizes the club and handles email and phone inquiries.

Alexander Janusz, Treasurer
Alex joined Burrard Toastmasters in early 2023. Naturally a numbers person, Alex is striving to build his communication skills at Toastmasters, and enjoys the fun and supportive meeting environment. In his spare time, Alex is an avid DIY'er, cook, and backcountry skier.

Alex is happy to be on the executive this year and support the club as Treasurer.

The Treasurer prepares a budget, collects dues, pays bills, and keeps records for audit.

Fernanda Castro, Secretary
Fernanda became a member of Burrard Toastmasters in the middle of 2023. As someone who values continuous learning and excels in a people and process-oriented role, she appreciates the supportive and nurturing atmosphere within the club. In her personal life, Fernanda, together with her partner and a group of close friends, dedicates a day each month to distribute hotdogs to individuals in need on East Hastings, aiming to contribute to the community and assist those facing mental health challenges.

The Secretary maintains supplies and takes minutes at Executive meetings.

Ralph Fraatz, Sergeant-At-Arms

The Sergeant-at-Arm sets up the room before a meeting, cleans up the room after the meeting, and brings meetings to order.

Nam Phan, Past President
In the fall of 2000, Nam attended his first Burrard Toastmasters meeting as a guest, not knowing what to expect. Two hours later, he left the meeting a changed person. He had spent the last 2 hours laughing, learning, and being inspired by the speakers' stories, courage, and desire to improve.

One month later, Nam joined Burrard and has not looked back. As club member, he has served a variety of Club Officer roles, maintained the club website, and achieved his ACB designation. Nam looks at each meeting as an opportunity to learn from others and improve himself.

In his free time, Nam enjoys drawing, listening to podcasts, studying the stock market, and exploring the numerous events and festivals in Vancouver. Currently, he has a healthy obsession with The Walking Dead.

The Past President provides guidance and ensures the club is run smoothly.