Introducing the Vancouver Community Advisory Board 2024-2026

Hello STORYHIVE community! It’s Emily Weldon here, writing from the TELUS Local Content team. Last time on the blog, I highlighted the incredible folks who took part in our Community Advisory Boards program from 2022 to 2024, supporting the growth and evolution of STORYHIVE and TELUS originals programs through their locally-informed insights, feedback and amplification. 

I’m excited to share that as of Fall 2024, we have a whole new board of incredible community members from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton who are supporting our programs. This group of passionate professionals, artists, advocates and community leaders will play a vital role in shaping our program development and content funding strategy. We can’t wait to see how their insights enrich our TELUS Local Content initiatives!

What are the Community Advisory Boards?

The Community Advisory Boards are a program within TELUS Local Content in which locally-engaged community members in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton consult with our team to help bring the best out of our programs and funding opportunities for creatives in Alberta and B.C. Providing feedback, insights and amplification through their unique lens of professional expertise, lived experience and deep community knowledge, our board members engage in critical support and create long-term impact on the future of TELUS Local Content. Our work with our Community Advisory Boards holds us accountable to our mission of furthering accessibility, inclusivity and authentic representation in locally-reflective storytelling on screen.

Let’s introduce our 2024-2026 Community Advisory Boards. Today we’re starting in Vancouver. 

Meet our Community Advisory Board members from Vancouver:

Anoop Gill is a dedicated leader in the non-profit sector, bringing a wealth of experience in community advocacy and organizational leadership. As a Sikh, she is deeply committed to the principles of service, justice and promoting learning around community sustainability. In her current role as Executive Director at QMUNITY, she works to bolster 2SLGBTQIA+ positive narratives across British Columbia.

"Inclusive spaces are built through learning the brilliance of each community, understanding their unique practices and meeting them where they are. It’s about creating environments where everyone feels seen, valued and empowered to thrive." - Anoop Gill

Carrie Lamb is a seasoned HR professional, coach and storyteller with over 21 years of experience. She specializes in creating transformative journeys for Indigenous professionals, integrating trauma-informed coaching, spiritual healing and Indigenous wisdom into her work. Carrie is passionate about decolonizing workplaces and fostering environments that honour cultural safety and connection. Her innovative approach includes developing mentorship programs and team coaching sessions emphasizing the sacredness of relationships and community. Currently transitioning to full-time consulting, Carrie is dedicated to uplifting Indigenous voices and leading with authenticity and compassion.

“I am deeply honoured to join the Community Advisory Board and contribute to amplifying the voices of local storytellers. I am most excited about supporting content that reflects the diverse, lived experiences of our communities. The future of storytelling is bright and I look forward to witnessing the powerful narratives that emerge, celebrating the resilience and brilliance of Indigenous perspectives.” - Carrie Lamb

Ev Wong is a manuscript mentor and book doula, guiding others in giving "birth" to the books that have been lying in wait. She loves to brainstorm with people, taking a seed of an idea and helping it bloom with a lot of nurturing and care, alongside laughter, celebrations and cheerleading. Stories hold a precious place in her heart as she feels it's the best way for everyone to connect and understand one another. Ev continues her role as a TELUS Local Content Community Advisory Board member, having served since 2022. 

“I love locally-reflective storytelling because it represents the people of the community. While it displays the local culture and vibe of a specific city, it also shows the audience how similar we are to one another, despite the multitude of cultural differences and how our dreams and hopes do intersect.” - Ev Wong

Firina Achor Beamish’s journey from South Sudan to Cairo, Ottawa and ultimately Vancouver has shaped her into a dynamic leader in the PR and marketing industry. As the founder of Firina Achor Creative Agency, she has built an accomplished career working with top-tier clients in health, wellness, retail and fashion. With a keen eye for strategy and execution, Firina has successfully led high-impact campaigns, driving brand visibility, fostering community engagement and setting new standards for inclusion and representation. Her expertise extends beyond traditional marketing as she actively contributes to cultural conversations that empower women, particularly Black women and entrepreneurs. Her ability to curate meaningful events and collaborations has positioned her as a thought leader who bridges the gap between social causes and commercial success. 

"I'm looking forward to shaping TELUS Local Content to authentically reflect our community's diversity. Engaging in this program allows me to advocate for stories that resonate with local experiences. I love locally-reflective storytelling because it connects us to our community and preserves our cultural identity. It ensures that unique voices and narratives are celebrated everyday! For the future, I'm excited about using new technologies to amplify diverse voices in our community, and inspiring positive change through storytelling." - Firina Achor Beamish

Lucía Terra is a professional in the communication field with experience in community engagement and working with different populations in the Lower Mainland and abroad. For the past 20+ years she has worked as mentor, teacher, facilitator and program coordinator in the areas of social justice and the literary and visual arts. She is interested in elevating diverse voices and stories and using storytelling as a bridge across communities and experiences.

“I’m looking forward to connecting and collaborating with other like-minded and creative people from diverse backgrounds to support voices and stories that are not usually heard in mainstream media. As a first-generation immigrant, I love finding out about all the different peoples and cultures that are now part of my community. The stories are a way to reach out across perceived or superficial “differences” and get to know our neighbours, learn from them and share life experiences. I’ve seen and learned so much from the recent past history of the place I now call home, and I hope that we will also be able to tell stories of where we’re heading from here onwards." - Lucía Terra

Phil Planta is a B.C. based filmmaker, film instructor, film festival juror and VFX artist. He is producer of the independent feature “Beyond Redemption” which sold in over 30 countries, Netflix and was acquired by Well Go USA. A prolific producer of short films, he has produced TELUS STORYHIVE’s award winning shorts “Akashi” and “Gong Ju”, Crazy8s finalists “Gemini” and “Parabola” and the Harold Greenberg shorts “In Loving Memory” and “Duérmete Niño”.  He was selected to be a part of the advisory committee for The Canada Media Fund’s Trends Report 2023.

“I'm excited to see how technology and diverse voices will evolve storytelling in our community. With more platforms accessible to emerging creators, there's an opportunity for unique, authentic stories to reach a broader audience, strengthening community bonds and preserving local heritage.” - Phil Planta

Vancouverite Walter Quan has recently returned to his birth city after working for the British Columbia Arts Council for nearly 30 years. He holds a B.Comm from UBC but his real major was in Musical Theatre production.  His own creative pursuits include clarinet, making sushi candles and knitting by hand and with an antique Circular Sock Machine.  He is also on the Board of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC and volunteers with many community organizations that focus on arts, culture, museum and queer topics.

“One of our great Canadian storytellers, the late Wayson Choy, used to finish his readings by saying to the audience, ‘you have stories to tell, you MUST TELL YOUR STORIES’.  Although I may have a tale or two to tell, it's more important for me that others tell their compelling stories and TELUS contributes to that through STORYHIVE and TELUS originals. I’m honoured to be taking part in the Community Advisory Board.” - Walter Quan

Thank you to our Vancouver board members. We’re thrilled to have begun this journey with you and we can’t wait to discover where we go next, together. 

Stay tuned for posts coming soon to meet our board members in Calgary and Edmonton!