Capilano University Board of Governors elects new board executive, welcomes new members
The Capilano University Board of Governors is pleased to have elected Rabjeet (RJ) Singh Wallia to a one-year term as Board Chair, effective June 24, 2025. He succeeds David Ayriss who served as Chair between April 2024 and July 2025.
Wallia joined the Capilano University Board on July 31, 2023, and was previously elected as Board Vice-Chair in 2024. He is an experienced litigator and distinguished legal professional as well as a CapU alumnus. Wallia is also heavily involved with the Canadian Bar Association and is the communications officer for the CBA National Civil Litigation Committee, the chair of the Civil Litigation section (Vancouver), and sits on the Advisory Committee to Judicial Council. He sits on the national committee for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives with Canadian Defence Lawyers, and is a member of the Vancouver Bar Association and South Asian Bar Association of BC.
On June 24, 2025, the Board also elected two new Board Vice-Chairs, Shelley Frost and Amina El mantari, for one-year terms. Frost and El mantari succeed Rodger So and Wallia who served as Vice-Chairs to the Board between April 2024 and July 2025.
Frost has been a member of the Board since July 31, 2024, and was appointed as Committee Chair to the Board’s Finance Committee for the 2024–25 academic year. Frost has served as president and CEO of the PNE since 2018, following 15 years as vice-president of the organization. She is a member of the Vancouver Board of Trade and sits on several boards and advisory committees.
El mantari has been a member of the CapU Board since July 31, 2024, and was appointed as Committee Chair to the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee for the 2024–25 academic year. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on human resources from Capilano University. She also serves as a board member at the Capilano University Alumni Association and previously served as a member of the Capilano University Senate.
New Board Members
The provincial government recently appointed Brittany John to the Capilano University Board for a one-year term ending July 31, 2026. The Board is also pleased to welcome Prabal Gupta as the elected CapU student representative for a one-year term ending July 31, 2026.
John is a Squamish Nation member but grew up in St’át’imc territory in the Interior. She attended Thompson Rivers University where she studied biology and theatre. John began her career with Tsleil-Waututh Nation in 2013 and is currently in the role of relationship manager, which looks to create relationships between Tsleil-Waututh Nation and external parties to collaborate and negotiate agreements that are mutually beneficial.
Gupta is an undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at Capilano University. With a strong passion for student engagement and collaborative leadership, he is committed to representing the diverse voices of the CapU student body and contributing to meaningful decision-making at the institutional level.
Reappointments
The provincial government reappointed the following Board members:
Troy Abromaitis and Katrina Paddon are reappointed as members of the board for terms ending July 31, 2026.
The Board of Governors directs the affairs of the University and sets policies in accordance with the University Act of British Columbia. The Board is responsible for the management, administration and control of property revenue, business and affairs of the University. The Board is composed of 15 members: the chancellor, president, two faculty members elected by the faculty, eight individuals appointed by the Lieutenant Governor (two of whom are to be appointed from persons nominated by the alumni association), two elected students, and one individual elected by non-faculty members.
Submitted by: Communications