RMCS - Key Persons
Abu Hasan Muhammed Jahangir joined the RMCS Board in 2023. He's in the global business and trade of textile products for the last 30 years. He was born and brought up in Bangladesh and started a career and business after completing the MBA program from IBA, University of Dhaka. Being an experienced businessman, he started contributing to Canadians with his enterpreniral and business networking skills at the end of 2018. He became more active in the Richmond community from the beginning of 2022. His business is helping Canadian retailers and brands with more efficient sourcing and helping Canadian Grain growers and Agri-food product producers for their business globally. He is an active social and community volunteer contributing by involving various not-for-profit organizations in the role of membership, advisory, and board including Rotary, Chamber of Commences, Trade and business associations, City of Richmond, and Health Authorities. He works for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the community and organizations.
Adedoyin Luwaji (Doyin) has made Richmond her home ever since she relocated to Canada from Nigeria in 2017. She currently works as a Strategic Initiatives Project Manager at the University of British Columbia and possesses extensive experience in research, evaluation, strategic planning, community engagement, and project management. She takes a dynamic approach to research and project activities and has worked on diverse projects to address inequality and promote social justice. Stemming from her lived experience as a student, worker, and settling permanently in Canada, Doyin is passionate about promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion, and contributing to opportunities that improve the settlement journey of newcomers. Doyin currently volunteers on the Newcomer Governance Committee of the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC. She enjoys family time with her two daughters and appreciates her "alone time" when the opportunity for one arises. As a first-time board member of the Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS), Doyin is pleased by the opportunity to contribute towards the continuous actualization of RMCS' vision and mission.
Job Titles:
- Settlement Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- President
- First - Time Board Member
Carolyn Willick is a first-time Board member for RMCS. Carolyn has made Richmond her home for the past 14 years where she now lives with her husband and has two university-aged children. Both benefited immensely from the city's diversity. She recently retired from a 35-year career as a senior leader in the forest industry and holds a CGA CPA designation. She also acts as a board member and treasurer for the Vietnam Education Society, a Canadian charity that funds schools, lunch programs, and anti-trafficking initiatives in Vietnam. She values community and is eager to help strengthen the mandate of RMCS. During her spare time, she loves to explore new trails in the lower mainland and plan active adventures farther afield.
Diane Tijman is a UBC Faculty Advisor working with student teachers across the Lower Mainland. Involved in second language education her whole life, she grew up in Vancouver and became multilingual through her studies here and overseas. She moved to Richmond in 1979 where she taught and worked as a District Curriculum Coordinator of Languages, ELL, and Multiculturalism. In that work, she interviewed and supported thousands of newcomer families and their children as they entered the school system. Very much aware of the challenges often faced by newcomers, Diane is passionate about meeting those needs and making Richmond a harmonious place to live, work, and learn. Being open-minded and curious and supporting the work of RMCS, Diane believes this is possible. She is grateful for her loving supportive family who contributes to making this possible.
Kalvin Liu joined RMCS in July 2019. He was born in China but has made Richmond his home since immigrating to Canada in 2000 with his family. Kalvin is a pharmacist by training but currently works in the clinical informatics field. Through his previous experience, Kalvin had the pleasure of interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds, which is one of the reasons that sparks his interest in joining RMCS. During his spare time, Kalvin enjoys going to new bubble tea places around town while trying to get some exercise in to keep the blood sugar down.
Kyle Zhou has been a resident of Richmond for over 20 years, and has a deep connection to the community. He is passionate about supporting non-profit organizations and social causes and has actively volunteered with various organizations over the years. After graduating from Simon Fraser University and completing his MBA at the University of British Columbia, Kyle began his career in the finance industry. However, he soon discovered his passion for volunteering and giving back to the community. During the peak of the pandemic, Kyle volunteered with Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives to help seniors with grocery shopping. He also served as a mentor and guest speaker with SUCCESS, an organization that provides resources and support to new immigrants in Canada. In this role, he educated newcomers on Canadian banking policies and provided tips for financial literacy. In his free time, Kyle enjoys hiking and snowboarding. He also loves spending time with his family and friends, as well as educating others about financial literacy. Additionally, Kyle is an avid NBA fan and enjoys watching games whenever he can.
Job Titles:
- Mustafa Eren Ozbug / Director
Nes (Homesimo) Gatus completed a Master's in Business Administration, majoring in Computer Science. He was also actively involved in furthering his artistic skills when he joined the Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company. In 1983-84, Nes travelled around the world for 9 months promoting the country's cultural heritage. Succeeding years (from 1984-86) saw Nes participating in several goodwill tours (in Asia and Europe).
He worked in Saudi Arabia as a contract worker for 10 years in various computer-related capacities before migrating to Canada in 1997 with his family of 3 children. In 2000, Nes and his wife co-founded PhilCAS of BC (Philippine Cultural Arts Society of British Columbia in Canada) to educate, inform and enrich people residing in North America in the traditions and culture of the Philippines, in particular those people of Filipino birth, ancestry, or affiliation. He held the position of President for PhilCAS of BC (philcas.ca) from 2000 until 2018. Apart from annual local productions and Inter-province cultural exchanges within Canada, PhilCAS reached out abroad by participating in International Folk Festivals in the Netherlands (2006), Italy (2008), Turkey (2012), Spain (2015), and Portugal (2019). He organized and directed 4 of these international trips.
In addition to PhilCAS, Nes has been active in other community activities such as President at FCI BC (Folklore Canada International, British Columbia Chapter, and Western Canada) 2010.
Stacey Reyes has called Richmond home for the last decade after relocating with her husband and three boys from Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is the Director of People and Culture with Union Gospel Mission, and is an active member of her church, serving on several ministries. As a first-generation Canadian, Stacey witnessed several of the obstacles new immigrants are faced, along with the lack of resources and career opportunities available to them. Her personal life experiences coupled with her professional career have driven her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Prior to her relocation, she was employed with Manitoba Start, an organization that welcomes and empowers newcomers as they build their Canadian careers, where she facilitated employment preparation workshops and aided newcomers in securing meaningful career opportunities for which they may have otherwise been overlooked. Stacey is excited to be serving as a first-time board member with the Richmond Multicultural Community Services, where she can continue to support, advocate and promote multiculturalism and equality within her community.
Vikki Kwan immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong over 30 years ago and has been a resident of Richmond for over 18 years. Vikki is a graduate from the University of British Columbia and is a Professional Engineer in the transportation industry. Vikki is passionate about community services. Besides working full-time and being a mom of two, Vikki also strives to contribute to the community by hosting a booth at annual craft sales to raise money for charity, and volunteering at the Richmond Food Bank and Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives. In her free time, Vikki enjoys exercising, crafting, and spending time with her family and friends as she feels strongly about the importance of physical, emotional, and social well-being.