Board of Directors
Dilpreet Thiara
Dilpreet Thiara brings a strong commitment to community service and inclusive support systems. With a background in community engagement and advocacy, Dilpreet is dedicated to strengthening connections between families, service providers, and public safety systems. She joined ORCAS to support its mission of advancing autism community safety and improving interactions between individuals with autism and first responders. Dilpreet is passionate about building more accessible, understanding, and responsive community systems that support individuals and families across diverse needs.
Board Member
Jacquie McBain
Jacquie has lived in BC for the past 30 years and truly consider’s this home. Jacquie is a multi-faceted business professional with a history of community involvement - from her role as the Executive Director for the BC Print Association, to her sitting on the Board for the Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce, along with her active membership in multiple trade associations. Jacquie brings a passion for community, wellbeing and support resources. She has also an active participant with Storehouse Community Hub (Local Food Bank). Professionally, Jacquie has been involved in everything from the Banking Industry to Food Services to Technology and has worked locally, regionally and nationally and has gained a wonderfully wide perspective on the differences and similarities from community to community. As a mother of 2 and grandmother of 2, she has a keen awareness of the role community services play on the ongoing development and safety of those in it and is committed to bettering those offering. Jacquie is proud to support the mission of O.R.C.A.S. as an organization dedicated to supporting and educating emergency services on how to best work with individuals with Autism in society. We believe her combination of professional experience, community involvement, and personal insight will make Jacquie a significant asset to the development and growth of the organization.
Board Member & Treasurer
Karen Gibson
Karen Gibson is a dedicated advocate for the Autism Community of British Columbia, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience as a parent of three children on the spectrum. She has contributed to numerous community fundraising efforts that have strengthened grassroots programs such as Challenger Baseball and the Canucks Autism Network hockey program. Karen is a committed parent advocate known for her hands‑on support and her ability to guide families through the challenges and triumphs of the autism journey.
Professionally, she has worked within the Autism Community as a Behavioral Interventionist, supporting individualized skill development and behaviour programs for children and youth. She has also served as an Educational Assistant in the West Vancouver School District, where she helped create inclusive, supportive learning environments for students with diverse needs.
Karen is proud to support the mission of Optimize Response Care for Autism Society (ORCAS), an organization dedicated to educating emergency services on how to best support autistic individuals. Her combination of professional experience, community involvement, and personal insight enables her to bring a deeply informed perspective to this work. Through ORCAS, Karen is committed to advancing safety, understanding, and compassion within emergency response systems across the province.
Board Member & Social Media Director
Leigh McBain
Leigh is a BC native and long time business professional with a history of community involvement - from his many years as a youth soccer coach, to his being actively involved in fundraising with a number of different charitable organizations. Leigh brings a passion for community, wellness and support resources. He is also an active participant with both the Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce and the South Surrey / White Rock Board of Trade. Professionally, Leigh has been involved as an advisor with a number of company boards in everything from mining to technology and has been a Strategic Advisor / Business Development Consultant for many years, working in a wide variety of market verticals. Recently he has worked as an advisor with Imagine Laserworks and gained a new appreciation for Mental Health and Neurodivergent individuals and is committed to assisting with the growth of awareness and resources available in society. Leigh is proud to support the mission of O.R.C.A.S. as an organization dedicated to educating emergency services on how to best support and work with autistic individuals. We believe the combination of professional experience, community involvement, and personal insight will make Leigh invaluable to the development and growth of the organization.
Board MemberRonnie Takhar
Ronnie is a dedicated advocate for the autism community, drawing insight from their personal connection to a family member with autism. With a long history of supporting community services and projects, [Name] champions programs that foster safety, inclusion, and empowerment. On the ORCAS Board, they work to amplify autistic voices and strengthen relationships between families and first responders.
Board Member
Join Our Board
ORCAS Society of BC is looking for more board members. We are looking for community minded individuals, that have the one or more of the following:
First Responder (Preference Given)
Have Autism Spectrum Disorder (A.S.D.)
Parent/Caregiver of individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder (A.S.D.)
Experience working with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (A.S.D.)
Willing to learn from people with lived experience
Good with people
Skills preferred: Fundraising, Finance/Bookkeeping, First Responder
CSO (Court Services Online), Criminal Record, and Vulnerable Search checks will be done on applicants.