Who is the Board?

As a self-regulating profession, the COBC is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of elected and appointed members. Of the 9 board members, 6 are elected from the profession and 3 are appointed by government. Each board member serves a three-year term commencing at the beginning of the calendar year.

The Board of the College is responsible for ensuring that the duties and objectives of the College are met. The Board is also responsible for ensuring that the vision needs of the public of British Columbia are met by B.C. Licensed Opticians through safe and effective means. In addition, the Board forecasts the long-term needs of the public in order to guide educational priorities and practice standards for B.C. Licensed Opticians. 

In the course of performing its duties and exercising its powers under the Health Professions Act and other enactments, the board is required to promote and enhance collaborative relations with other provincial entities including other colleges established under the Act, post-secondary academic institutions and the government. 

The Board is also required to promote and enhance inter-professional collaborative practice between its registrants and persons practicing other health professions; as well as to promote and enhance the ability of its registrants to respond and adapt to changes in practice environments, advances in technology and other emerging issues. 

Meetings of the Council of the College are open to the public and provide a forum for discussion of a wide range of issues affecting the governing of the profession.

Current Board Members

Electoral District Representative Term
District 1 (Lower Mainland) Kim McEachern 2018-2020
District 1 (Lower Mainland)  Rajbinder Mann 2018-2020
District 2 (Vancouver Island) Raheem Savja 2017-2019
District 3 (Okanagan and Kootenays) David McGowan 2016-2018
District 4 (Cariboo) Yvonne Ryder 2017-2019
District 5 (Contact Lens Registrant) Stephanie Weir 2016-2018



Public Appointee Location  Appointee Term Expiry
Kamloops Diana Skoglund January 31, 2019
Burnaby Peter Luongo TBD
TBD TBD TBD

How do you become a Board Member?

Elections of Membership of the Board are normally held at the end of each calendar year. Notices of upcoming elections are announced 150 days before the election date.

Each registrant who is eligible to vote is eligible to vote both in Electoral District #5 and in one of Electoral Districts #1 to #4, being the electoral district in which the registrant principally resides.

Districts Description  Next Election
Electoral District 1 Lower Mainland 2020
Electoral District 2 Vancouver Island 2019
Electoral District 3 Okanagan and Kootenays 2018
Electoral District 4 Cariboo 2019
Electoral District 5 Contact Lens Fitter 2018


A registrant is eligible for election to the Board in an electoral district if on the date of the election she/he is: 
  • A registrant in good standing
  • Engaged in practice of Opticianry or, is a resident in the electoral district for which she/he is nominated 
  • Not a candidate for election in, or already a member of the Board for another electoral district
  • In the case of Electoral District 5, must currently be registered as a Contact Lens Fitter with the College
The term of office is three years.  Call for nominations occur in August-September of each year, and the elections are held in December.
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Get to know the Board by reading their bios below:

Kim McEachern, District 1 (Elected)
Contact Lens Fitter & Refracting Optician
Ms. McEachern started her career in 1979 and received her training through the Canadian Guild of Ophthalmic Dispensers and NAIT... Read more about Kim

Rajbinder Mann, District 1 (Elected)
Contact Lens Fitter & Refracting Optician
Ms. Mann entered the industry over 20 years ago. She has been a Board member for the provincial association, an active member... Read more about Rajbinder

Raheem Savja, District 2 (Elected) 
Contact Lens Fitter & Refracting Optician 
Mr. Savja has been a licensed optician and contact lens fitter for over 20 years. He has been in management for 20 years... Read more about Raheem

David McGowan, District 3 (Elected)
Contact Lens Fitter & Refracting Optician
Mr. McGowan was elected by acclamation in District 5 (Contact Lens Fitter). David has been working in the optical industry for 24 years... Read more about David

Stephanie Weir, District 5 (Elected)
Contact Lens Fitter & Refracting Optician
Ms. Weir is a refracting optician and contact lens fitter from Parksville, BC. She was previously a COBC Board member from 2005-2010... Read more about Stephanie

Diana Skoglund, Public Member (Appointed)
Ms. Skoglund is presently Communications Manager at School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) in Kamloops, BC. She is a communications professional with 13 years of progressive experience... Read more about Diana

Peter Luongo, Public Member (Appointed)
After retiring as both a teacher and administrator in the Langley School District 2013, Mr. Luongo joined the Super Save Group of Companies as the Executive Vice President of Sales... Read more about Peter

Yvonne Ryder, District 4 (Elected) 
Ms. Ryder has been an optician for 24 years and graduated from NAIT in 95/96. Ms. Ryder started out in a locally owned store working with William Gurney who opened the shop in 1968... Read more about Yvonne