Finance and Investments Committee

The Watershed Security Fund is fortunate to count on the collective wisdom, experience and leadership of the Finance and Investments Committee members. The committee is comprised of a diverse group of leaders with extensive knowledge relevant to investment, finance, and watershed governance, and are generously providing insights to support the development of innovative investment guidelines and processes.  

Background & Selection Process

Members of the Committee shall have relevant investment and financial knowledge and experience. Members should be prepared to meet regularly, review meeting materials, and provide guidance and recommendations. 

The term of membership shall be up to 3 years, with options to extend by up to 3 years. Terms will be staggered to allow for continuity. 

Finance and Investments Committee Members

We are deeply grateful for the group’s collaborative leadership and wisdom in support of our collective learning and development of a long-term BC’s Watersheds Security Fund. 

  • Anthony Bastiaanssen, REFBC Board Chair, REALTOR (r), Managing Broker, Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty 
  • Brian Holmes, Councilor, Upper Nicola Band; Co-commissioner on the First Nations Water Caucus 
  • Christie Stephenson, External Member, Executive Director at Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, UBC Saunder School of Business 
  • Eugene Lee, External Member, Executive Director of Investments, UBC Faculty Pension Plan 

Members are encouraged to contribute their own unique perspectives and are not representing the views or positions of their respective Nation, community or organization.

Current Member Biographies

Anthony Bastiaanssen works as a Realtor and managing broker based in West Kelowna. He grew up in Kelowna and spent time in Winnipeg and the Lower Mainland before returning to the Okanagan. He has raised his family in West Kelowna for the past 25 years. 

Anthony has volunteered in the organized real estate space since 2014, serving as President of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board in 2016, Chair of the BC Real Estate Association in 2020, and a current member of the Governance and Bylaws Committee for the Canadian Real Estate Association. He is active in his local community as Chair of the City of West Kelowna’s Advisory Planning Commission and Treasurer of the West Kelowna Yacht Club. 

Since becoming aware of his family’s Métis heritage, Anthony has been proudly learning about his family’s history and is working to gain a better understanding of Métis and Indigenous peoples in Canada. 

Brian Holmes is a member of the Syilx nation living in Spaxmn (Douglas Lake). Brian attended school on the reserve he grew up on and nearby schools in the city of Merritt, BC. He worked for Douglas Lake Cattle Company for 20 years, from farm hand to farm foreman.  

Since 2011, Brian has dedicated 15 years serving 5 consecutive terms as a member for the Upper Nicola Band Chief and Council. He worked in a 2-year (2023-2025) secondment with the BC Government as an Executive Director-Indigenous Leader with Water Lands Resource Stewardship (WLRS) and has received a certificate for Restorative Justice Facilitator Training, a diploma in Police Sciences (Law End. & Prot.), Land Guardian Certificate. Brian volunteers his time as president of the Okanagan Indian Education Society and the Nicola Valley Community Justice Services society.  

Brian is the Mid-Fraser representative on the First Nations Fisheries Council and participates on the First Nation Water Caucus. He is actively leading various projects in his community like the invasives species eradication, water quality monitoring, streamflow monitoring and many other freshwater initiatives.  

For Brian, everything comes back to his connection with the land, his roots, and traditional knowledge. He brings this to his home community, government groups, non-profits, and the corporate world. 

Before joining UBC Sauder in 2016, Christie spent 15 years at socially responsible and impact investing firms such as Sustainalytics (then Jantzi Research Associates), NEI Investments (Ethical Funds) and Rally Assets (then Purpose Capital). 

Christie also has more than two decades of diverse board experience. She is currently a director of Vancity Financial Cooperative, where she chairs the governance committee and serves on its audit committee. She also serves on the Board and the Environmental, Social and Governance Committee of the University of British Columbia Staff Pension Plan, as well as the Board, Governance and Risk Committees of Central 1, one of Canada’s domestic systemically important financial institutions.  

She is a frequent speaker to industry and academic audiences and a regular media commentator on topics related to responsible business, governance, and investing. 

Eugene has over 20 years of experience working with pensions, endowments, foundations and Indigenous settlement trusts. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business and received his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2002. 

Before joining Vancouver Foundation in 2016, Eugene spent three years at PBI Actuarial Consultants as an Investment Consultant and 14 years at RBC Investor and Treasury Services, working closely with various plan sponsors in developing investment policies and governance guidelines, as well as managing research, performance monitoring and strategic asset mix analysis. He is currently the Executive Director of Investments, UBC Faculty Pension Plan. 

Jay Gill is the Chief Financial Officer for the Musqueam Indian Band and a Chartered Professional Accountant with extensive experience in financial governance and strategic investment. As a member of the Watershed Security Fund Finance and Investment Committee, he brings strong fiscal oversight, policy expertise, and a commitment to sustainable resource management that advances both environmental protection and community resilience across British Columbia. 

Former Member Biographies

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation, meaning “The People of the Inlet,” is one of many Coast Salish Nations whose traditional territories span the Pacific Northwest throughout British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. The Nation owns and operates a number of businesses, both independently and in partnership across sectors such as recreation, real estate, forestry, and cultural tourism. Each venture is guided by a shared purpose of strengthening the community through capacity building, revenue generation, and meaningful employment opportunities for community members. 

For more than three decades, David has overseen the Nation’s administrative, financial, and risk management operations. His leadership has been central to developing and maintaining control systems that safeguard the Nation’s assets and ensure accurate financial reporting. In his role, David has provided operational support, managed investments, analyzed business trends and growth opportunities, and offered expert advice to Council and staff. He also serves as a Trustee of the Tsleil-Waututh Olympic Legacy Trust, contributing to the Nation’s long-term prosperity and sustainability.