POLICE BOARD BIOS
BOARD CHAIR
Mayor Mark Sager
Mark Sager is a lifelong resident of West Vancouver. His first home was above his parents’ furniture store in Dundarave. He attended West Bay Elementary and Hillside Secondary schools. He was first elected to the West Vancouver School Board shortly after his teenage years in 1979. He then served four years in that position, the last year as Chair. He was then elected to municipal council, and he served in that role from 1987 to 1990 leading to his appointment as Mayor in 1991 where he served two terms. He also served as Chair of the police board and Vice Chair of Metro Vancouver. Mark and his wife Kathy are very proud parents of their daughter Mikayla who is now an accomplished Opera singer in San Francisco.
Mark has plenty of hobbies and sport passions, including CrossFit, skiing and so many more outdoor activities. He is also a pilot and an avid yachtsman.
BOARD MEMBER
Sxwíxwtn – Wilson Williams
Ancestral name is Sxwíxwtn (sway-oh-k-tin), from the Squamish Nation. Wilson was born and raised in North and West Vancouver and is currently serving his third term as an elected Councilor with the Squamish Nation. He is very honoured to continue to learn, practice and carry-forward the traditional identity of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation Community). Incorporating the wisdom passed down by his ancestors and proudly flourishing and practicing the cultural teachings and integrating it into his everyday life both professionally and personally. He plans to continue to passionately pass down these sacred teachings, history and identity of the Squamish Nation people’s to the younger generations and neighboring communities.
Professionally, Wilson comes from a communications, management and sport & recreation background. Currently, his versatility allows him to carry a full portfolio as an elected official. This includes numerous Board of Director and Chairperson Positions, Council lead and involvement with Community Safety, Economic Development & Partnerships, Education, Employment & Training, Rights and Title, Language & Cultural, Sport & Recreation and Social Development. Other formal external Board of Director positions include: President, North Shore Indians Lacrosse Club Society; Co-Chair, Squamish Nation Youth Society.
BOARD MEMBER
Mr. Peter Gibson
Peter Gibson currently runs his own professional services company. Previously, he was a Senior Vice President with Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc. (A&M) where his focus was (and remains) interim management and company/board advisory services as well as turnaround and restructuring mandates in North America and internationally. He continues to work with A&M under contract. Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Gibson was a partner with KPMG LLP where he worked for over 30 years in the financial advisory field.
Mr. Gibson has a number of professional designations including, Chartered Accountant (Canada) and Certified Public Accountant (US). He holds, or has held, directorships in public companies, private companies and not-for-profit organizations and has been a presenter for the National Judicial Institute as well as for numerous professional and other organizations. Currently, he serves as Director and Treasurer for Risk Management Association Vancouver as well as Independent Director for Procon Holdings Inc. Mr. Gibson holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia.
BOARD MEMBER
Mr. Mehran Kiai
Mehran Kiai is the Principle of Strategic Management Associates, a group of privately held companies that actively acquire, develop and manage commercial properties throughout the metropolitan Vancouver area. Previously, he was the Dean of Lifelong Learning at BCIT and the Director of Enrolment Service at Simon Fraser University. His extensive experience in teaching engineering and higher education leadership spans over 25 years.
A long-time resident of West Vancouver, he has actively served in numerous community-based boards and organizations.
Mehran’s educational background includes degrees in Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Doctor of Education in Management and Change from Fielding Graduate University and Executive Development from Queens University.
BOARD MEMBER
Mr. Yang Wang
Yang Wang is a real estate developer in the Greater Vancouver area, and an investor and exporter of Canadian clean technologies for the petrochemical industry.
Yang holds a master’s degree in business management from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor degree in engineering from the University of Southern California.
Yang serves as a board director at Lions Gate Hospital Foundation, West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, North Shore Multicultural Society, and Enhance West Van (formerly West Vancouver Community Centres Society). Yang is also the recipient of the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.
BOARD MEMBER
Ms. Damineh Akhavan
Is a Professional Engineer from West Vancouver, BC, with over 17 years of experience in the aerospace industry. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Physics, and a Master of Business Administration in International Business.
Damineh is passionate about the advancement of women and other underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathmetics (STEM) fields, and involvement of children and youth in STEM subjects. She has been an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion for women in STEM and a champion for women in Engineering serving the local (University of Victoria), provincial (Engineers and Geoscientists BC), national (Engineers Canada, Canada Beijing +25 Network, Institute for Change Leaders, Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology, Engineers Without Borders), and global (NGO CSW/NY) communities for the past 20 years.
Damineh is a Founder of Global Women in STEM Inc. promoting equality for women and other equity-deserving groups in STEM and transforming the status quo through action, advocacy, and education.
