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Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee

Last updated on April 2, 2026

The Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee was appointed on March 18, 2019. The independent committee advises government on policy developments related to poverty reduction and prevention, as legislated in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Act.

Membership

The committee includes advocates, stakeholders and people with lived experience with poverty.

Cori Ramsay (chair)

Cori Ramsay currently serves her community as a Councillor for the City of Prince George and Municipal Director for the Regional District of Fraser Fort George. She also works as the Lead Marketing Analyst for Integris Credit Union. Ms. Ramsay has served as the North Central Local Government Association President as Chair of the Two Rivers Gallery board. She has given a TEDx talk titled, "Poverty and the Power of the Living Wage" and in 2018, the Prince George Chamber of Commerce named her a "Top 40 under 40". Ms. Ramsay holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) from the University of Northern British Columbia and a Graduate Diploma (Public Relations) from the University of Victoria.                       

Ashraf Amlani

Ashraf (Ash) Amlani brings over 15 years of experience working with communities, governments and civil society organizations to improve quality of life. She served as a senior political advisor on BC issues to a federal minister, supporting stakeholder engagement and the rollout of the $1.5B Oceans Protection Plan. As the provincial harm reduction epidemiologist at the BC Centre for Disease Control, she led policy changes expanding access to Naloxone and redesigned the BC Take Home Naloxone kit in collaboration with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. Ash has also led community-based research to improve harm reduction services across BC and is an active community member and speaker on anti-racism and civic engagement.

Mebrat Beyene

Mebrat Beyene is Vice President of Grants and Community Initiatives at Vancouver Foundation, bringing over 25 years of experience in non-profit management and community development. An Eritrean born in Ethiopia and raised in Montreal, she is a devoted mother, facilitator and social justice advocate. Mebrat previously served as Executive Director of WISH Drop-In Centre Society and PeerNetBC and as Program Officer with Status of Women Canada. She co-chairs the Equality Fund’s Board and sits on several advisory committees, including the Province of BC’s Poverty Reduction Advisory Committee and the BC Policy Solutions’ Racial and Socio-Economic Equity Advisory Committee. Her contributions have been recognized with the 2020 YWCA Women of Distinction Award and Douglas College’s 2024 Honorary Fellowship.

David Green

David Green is a professor in the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC. His areas of research interest include income inequality, immigration, the impact of technical change on the labour market and labour market policies. He is a former editor of the Canadian Journal of Economics, an International Research Associate with the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London and a Fellow of the Society of Labor Economists. He was also a member of the BC Expert Panel on Basic Income, served as the head of the research advisory panel for the BC Centre for Policy Alternatives and has served as the President of the Canadian Economics Association.

Patrick Harriott

Patrick Harriott is serving his second term as Regional Director for Region 1 of Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC), where he holds multiple portfolios including Minister of Culture, Heritage and Language; Minister of Justice; Minister of Poverty Reduction and Unhoused; Associate Minister of Métis Rights and MNBC Treasurer. A passionate advocate for good governance, he chairs the MNBC Governance Committee and represents the Board on the Métis Nation Governing Assembly’s Electoral Act and Governance Committees. Patrick’s deep connection to Métis culture and community has guided his leadership roles in Greater Victoria, including serving as President of Métis Nation Greater Victoria and founding chair of the Victoria Indigenous Community Advisory Board. He has contributed to numerous advisory bodies focused on education, reconciliation, and homelessness and played a key role in establishing the Amelia Douglas Institute for Métis Culture and Language.

Feezah Jaffer

As Executive Director of the Sanford Housing Society, Feezah leads an organization overseeing 25 safe, affordable and supportive housing projects, working to ensure individuals and families can live with dignity, stability and independence. She is deeply committed to improving quality of life for those most vulnerable, including individuals experiencing mental illness, seniors, women and youth. A respected collaborator, speaker and active member of numerous community boards and commissions, Feezah champions education, personal empowerment and inclusive community building. She is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for dialogue and connection across diverse peoples.

Feezah holds a master’s degree in Bioethics from Monash University in Australia, bringing a thoughtful, ethics‑driven perspective to her leadership and decision‑making.

Throughout her career and volunteer work in the not‑for‑profit sector, Feezah has built impactful partnerships, led complex initiatives and raised significant funds, all while fostering understanding and connection among various stakeholders. In recognition of her service, she was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in 2021 and was nominated for the YWCA BC Women of Distinction Awards in 2025.

Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson is a senior executive, strategist and social justice advocate with extensive experience in leadership, political advocacy, financial management and union organizing. He currently serves as President of UFCW Local 1518, the largest private sector union in BC, representing over 26,000 workers. Patrick has led major campaigns to improve working conditions, expand union membership and strengthen financial reserves, while serving as a trustee and chair on multi-billion-dollar pension and benefit plans. His career spans roles in community planning, housing advocacy and coalition building, with a consistent focus on empowering workers and advancing equity. He also serves on several boards and committees, including the BC Federation of Labor and Concert Properties and is a founding board member of the Workers Solidarity Network.

Alissa MacMullin

Alissa MacMullin is the Recreation Coordinator with Haida Gwaii Recreation, where she leads program delivery, partnerships and funding to support sport, physical activity and community wellness across rural and remote communities. She works to sustain a small non-profit organization in a geographically isolated and under-resourced context. She works across local governments, schools and nonprofit organizations to build accessible and inclusive programs that respond to community needs and capacity. Her work focuses on addressing barriers related to affordability, transportation, infrastructure and access to services.

With a background in biomedical and public health sciences, Alissa brings a systems-level understanding of health, from individual to population-level impacts. She has experience in public health research, including implementation science in primary care settings and applies this knowledge to community-based work. She also holds an Executive MBA from Athabasca University, where her applied research focused on nonprofit strategy and performance measurement in rural organizations on Haida Gwaii.

In 2025, she received Athabasca University’s Future Alumni Award in recognition of her leadership and community impact. She also brings lived experience navigating caregiving and disability systems, which informs her understanding of access, health and poverty. She contributes a rural and remote perspective to provincial poverty reduction efforts, particularly at the intersection of public health, community infrastructure and access to preventative supports.

Grand Chief Phillip (Stewart Michael)

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Syilx Nation, has served as President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) for over 26 years, most recently re-elected to his ninth consecutive term in 2022. He previously served as Chief of the Penticton Indian Band for 16 years and as Chair of the Okanagan Nation Alliance for the same duration. In 2006, he was honoured with the title of Grand Chief for his lifetime commitment to advancing Indigenous Title and Rights. His decades of activism have been recognized through numerous awards, including the BC Reconciliation Award and an honorary Doctor of Laws from UBC. He has played a key role in shaping landmark legislation such as the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and co-founded the Indigenous Youth Internship Program. A dedicated advocate for climate action and justice, Grand Chief Phillip continues to inspire through his leadership, wisdom and unwavering commitment to First Nations communities.

Richard Schabler

Richard was originally adopted into foster care at the age of two from his First Nations family. He moved throughout the foster care system living with three families until the age of 19. After a period of time living alone and struggling with addiction issues he found a path that led him to work in computer inventory, Warehouse Shipper/Receiver among others. Richard focuses on helping others whether through his work or volunteer experiences such as working with the Hospitality Project of the United Church. Today he works with the Community Action Network focusing on engagement activities in New Westminster including Ethics of Engagement Mayoral Advisory Committee and the Homelessness Action Working Group. A life-long learner, Richard is currently in leadership training through the Community Action Network. He also holds a certificate in Aboriginal Tourism Operations from Native Education College, Network Administration from CDI College and a Heavy Equipment Operator Certificate from Williams Machinery Ltd.

Kirsten Sikora

Kirsten was a practicing textile artist and the program coordinator for Mom2Mom Child Poverty Initiative Society when she became ill and was unable to work. At this point she struggled to be able to provide for her family. Kirsten brings a number of strong skills in communication, campaign organizing and program coordination from her previous work experiences such as Owner/Operator of the Little Birds Family Child Care, an organizer, coordinator and fundraiser for the BC New Democratic party in Burnaby. She holds a Fine Arts Diploma from MacEwan University.

B.C.’s poverty reduction strategy
BC 2024 Poverty Reduction Strategy cover

British Columbia’s roadmap to tackle poverty.