Board of Directors & Committees

Karen Graham
Chair

Karen has had roles in the Canadian wine industry since 1998, and launched WineDrops in 2015 to offer analysis and commentary on the business, policy and regulatory issues critical to the Canadian wine industry, and to the international wine industry in Canada. Today, her advisory work emphasizes strategic planning, policy advisory, and risk management for wine industry entities, in parallel with her work advising other sectors, including chairing the Resource Works Advisory Council.

Karen is a founding board member of the Canadian Chapter of AIDV (International Wine Law Association), and is honoured to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vancouver International Wine Festival Society.

Karen holds a Master of Arts in International Relations and a Master of Public Policy degree, and has held senior roles with the Business Council of British Columbia, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, United States Consulate-General, and private sector entities in the natural resource sectors.

Rebecca Catley
Director

Rebecca Catley has clocked over thirty years volunteering in the not-for-profit sector and possibly more in the appreciation of wine from around the world, particularly now from British Columbia.

Rebecca is president of RC Communication Strategy Ltd. She was previously QuadReal Property Group’s Vice President, Corporate Communications, responsible for developing and leading that company’s communication program in support of its global strategy. Prior to joining QuadReal, Rebecca held senior positions that involved corporate mergers, international events and major asset acquisitions in North America.

She can date her love of wine to a 2006 Ravenswood Dickerson Vineyard Zinfandel tasted in Sonoma, and the romance has not waned. This appreciation, combined with her commitment to Bard on the Beach and its contributions to Vancouver’s cultural landscape, made involvement in the Vancouver International Wine Festival a natural fit.

Lynn Coulthard
Director

With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality and retail sectors, Lynn brings a wealth of industry knowledge to her current role as Beverage Manager at Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver. Her extensive background includes six years in Food and Beverage Management with Four Seasons Hotels and three years as Wine Director for the Top Table Group at their Cin Cin and West restaurants. She has also served as the head wine and spirit buyer for JAK’s Beer, Wine and Spirits for years and managed with Liberty Wine Merchants for close to ten years.

Lynn is deeply committed to the beverage industry and holds the WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits and is a certified Sommelier, certified Spanish Wine Educator and completed the Sherry Enthusiast program. She has been instructing WSET wine courses with Fine Vintage Ltd. for over twenty years. With this experience, her career has provided notable opportunities such as leading WSET courses for Qatar Airways in Doha for three months.

Additionally, Lynn’s secondary passion of spirits led her to earn the Certified Spirits Specialist certificate, Advanced Whisky Ambassador certificate, complete Springbank Whisky School in Scotland, and has contributed as a key presenter at the annual Hopscotch Festival for the past six years.

When not engaged in beverage studies, Lynn enjoys some of her leisure time visiting renowned wine and spirit regions around the world, including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Germany, Austria, North America, Ireland, UK and Scotland.

Rocco D’Agostino
Director

Rocco D’Agostino is a respected wine and hospitality leader with more than two decades of experience championing iconic wineries and building community through food, wine, and culture. He brings both heart and expertise to the Vancouver International Wine Festival Board.

His career includes leadership roles with globally renowned estates such as Mission Hill, Penfolds, Antinori, and Ornellaia. Before relocating to British Columbia, Rocco owned The Messhall, a well-loved Montreal restaurant known for its warm hospitality and charitable impact, including raising annual funds for the Cancer Foundation. Today, he leads a team of over 20 professionals, and is committed to mentoring the next generation of industry talent.

Rocco serves on the VanWineFest board because he believes deeply in the festival’s mission to elevate wine education and support Bard on the Beach. His passion is rooted in a lifelong belief that food and wine bring people together. Outside of work, he is a dedicated father of 3 kids and active community volunteer.

Mark Fancourt-Smith
Director

Mark Fancourt-Smith is a lawyer who practices commercial litigation with Lawson Lundell LLP in Vancouver. His areas of specialization include intellectual property disputes, claims for breach of confidence, fraud and fiduciary disputes, and disputes in the mining, wine, and entertainment industries. He also specializes in matters involving injunctive relief in a variety of contexts including preservation of contested property or evidence, and matters involving civil disobedience. Previously, Mark sat on the Executive of the Vancouver Bar Association from 2011 to 2016, serving as President in 2015. He is an adjunct professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, teaching Civil Procedure. Mark is married with two young children, and lives in Kitsilano. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing and road biking, and is a keen photographer. Mark joined the Board in 2019 and currently sits on the Governance and the Resource Development Committees.

Mark Hicken
Past Chair

Mark Hicken is a consultant to the BC wine and liquor industry. He was formerly one of Canada’s best known wine lawyers (now retired from law practice). He is a frequent speaker at wine industry conferences and is often quoted in the media on issues related to wine law.

Mark is a member of the American Society for Enology & Viticulture and Past Chair of the Vancouver International Wine Festival. From 2017 to 2018, he served as the BC Government’s Liquor Policy Advisor. In that capacity, Mark chaired the Business Technical Advisory Panel on Liquor Policy which included representatives from most industry stakeholder groups. The Panel’s report to government included 24 recommendations for liquor policy change. Mark continues to provide advice to the Panel

Tim Pawsey
Director

Tim has been covering the food and wine revolution for about 20 kilos. His hallmark is seeking out and recommending value wines from BC and around the world that offer quality at every level. He also scopes out noteworthy restaurants that live up to their promises and often over deliver. Readers depend on his Hired Belly for his “Belly’s Best” and “Belly’s Budget Best” picks to help them find the right wine for the occasion. For several decades, Tim has been a columnist in local newspapers, and he contributes to several other publications, including BCL Taste magazine, Quench, Vitis BC and Montecristo. He is a frequent judge for wine competitions and was a founding judge of the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Wine. Tim is a founding member and a former director of the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation.

Claire Sakaki
Director

Claire was appointed Executive Director of Bard on the Beach in 2013, overseeing the financial, administrative, and day-to-day operations of Western Canada’s largest Shakespeare festival. Previously, she was Producer at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre, guiding its growth into one of Canada’s leading theatre companies. Her extensive career spans major performing arts organizations, including Toronto Dance Theatre, the Canadian Opera Company, and Vermont’s Weston Playhouse. She was also the Founding Producer of Theatrefront, an award-winning company dedicated to international collaboration and new work.

A committed arts leader, Claire has served on numerous national and municipal arts juries and committees, and currently sits on the board of the Canadian Guild of Stage Directors and Choreographers. In 2025, Claire was the recipient of the national Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award and a previous winner of the John Hobday Award in Arts Management. Claire is thrilled to sit on the board of the Vancouver International Wine Festival and continue to build the partnership between Bard on the Beach and one of Canada’s most important food and wine events.

Mitchell Shuster
Director

Mitchell Shuster is the Vice President of International Cellars and an experienced wine and hospitality professional with over a decade of formal industry experience. His career began in hospitality with The Keg, where he developed a strong understanding of guest experience and service culture. Growing up closely connected to the world of wine, Mitchell brings both deep industry familiarity and a collaborative, relationship-driven approach to his work.

At International Cellars, Mitchell helps lead strategic growth, strengthen producer partnerships, and expand access to distinctive global wines across the Canadian market.

Mitchell serves on the Vancouver International Wine Festival Board because he believes strongly in the festival’s ability to connect people, elevate wine education, and celebrate global wine culture. His passion for the industry is rooted in lifelong exposure, reinforced by professional milestones across hospitality and wine distribution.

Outside of work, Mitchell enjoys spending time with his two kids, golfing, and exploring Vancouver’s vibrant food and wine scene.

Garth Thurber
Treasurer

Christopher Wilson
Director

Chris Wilson is an intellectual property litigator with a passion for wine and trademarks. He has been practising intellectual property litigation for 25 years and is recognized by Lexpert as one of the “Most Frequently Recommended” intellectual property lawyers in Canada.

Chris is a former software programmer and handles a wide variety of intellectual property matters ranging from software, AI and technology to consumer goods, retail and beverages.  On the beverage side of his practice, Chris assists domestic and international producers, agents and growers in the wine, beer, spirits and RTD beverage industries with all aspects of trademarks, labelling and geographic indications. Chris was a co-founder and co-host of the annual British Columbia Wine & Liquor Law seminar, now run under the auspices of AIDV Canada.  Chris is the current Chair of AIDV Canada, a Director of AIDV International, and a Past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Intellectual Property Section.

Tim Wispinski
Vice Chair

Tim Pawsey
Co-Chair

Mark Taylor
Co-Chair

Christine Campbell

Mark Hicken

David Hopgood

Sebastien Le Goff

Barbara Philip MW

Jim Robertson

Tim Wispinski
Chair

Renu Bains

Jenna Brisco

Christine Campbell

Charmaine Draper

Keith Nicholson

Tim Pawsey

Navi Puri

Selwyn Rawston

Nicholas Sabanis

Mitchell Shuster

Rebecca Catley
Co-Chair

Tim Ellison
Co-Chair

Roxanne Finnie

Tina Forster

Harry Hertscheg

Claire Sakaki

Visnja Vukelich

Tim Ellison
Chair

Leagh Barkley

Judith Brennan

Dr. Lawrence Burr

Shelley Hayashi

Jonathan Lai

Max Williamson