The Lieutenant Governor’s Honorary Advisory Councils
The Lieutenant Governor has convened three Lieutenant Governor’s Honorary Advisory Councils, each led by a prominent British Columbian with subject-matter expertise and a commitment to public service, to support programming, partnerships, and strategic outreach that reflect the Lieutenant Governor’s themes and priorities.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Honorary Advisory Councils will bring together voices from across sectors and diverse regions of the province to explore opportunities and challenges in their respective fields, contributing ideas and insights to inform the Lieutenant Governor’s public engagements, outreach, and community programming.
Meet the chairs of the Lieutenant Governor’s Honorary Advisory Councils:
Don Mattrick, OBC
Chair of the Lieutenant Governor’s Innovation in Health Council
Don Mattrick’s journey began at the intersection of innovation and entrepreneurship. In 1982, at just 17 years old, he developed his first video games in his parents’ basement in Burnaby and co-founded Distinctive Software. The company, later acquired by Electronic Arts (EA), grew into one of the world’s largest and most successful video game studios, producing a string of hit titles. At EA, Don’s role in building blockbuster franchises led to his promotion to President of Worldwide Studios.
In 2007, he joined Microsoft and was later promoted to President of the Interactive Entertainment Business group, where he oversaw the Xbox division. Following his success at Microsoft, he became CEO of social gaming giant Zynga, where his strategic leadership helped stabilize the company and position it for future growth.
Beyond his corporate roles, Mattrick has played a major part in British Columbia’s emergence as a global tech hub. His leadership has attracted billions in investment and created thousands of jobs, helping to establish BC’s reputation for innovation. A former Simon Fraser University student, he is committed to bridging academia and industry through mentorship and forward-thinking initiatives across sectors such as education, healthcare, and quantum computing. Today, through MdGB Capital—which he runs with his wife, Nanon—he supports community-focused ventures, continuing to shape BC’s diverse and dynamic innovation ecosystem.
Hon. Carla Qualtrough, PC
Chair of the Lieutenant Governor’s Meaningful Inclusion Council
The Honourable Carla Qualtrough is a recently retired Member of Parliament and former federal Cabinet Minister. She is a human rights lawyer and internationally recognized expert in accessibility and disability inclusion.
From 2015 to 20205, Ms. Qualtrough was Member of Parliament for Delta, BC. Her Cabinet roles included being Minister of Sport and Physical Activity; Minster of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion; Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility; and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. As Canada’s first-ever Minister for persons with disabilities, she created a historic legislative and policy framework for the Government of Canada. This included the Accessible Canada Act, the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, and the Canada Disability Benefit. Carla served on senior federal Cabinet committees and was a member of Treasury Board. She represented Canada at the United Nations, the G7, the G20, and the Commonwealth.
Ms. Qualtrough’s legal experience includes human rights, workers compensation, and administrative law. She litigated for the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the BC Human Rights Tribunal, and served as Vice-Chair for the BC Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal. She received her law degree from the University of Victoria and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1998. She holds advanced certification in alternative dispute resolution from the University of Windsor Law School.
As an athlete, Ms. Qualtrough competed for Canada in the sport of swimming, winning multiple Paralympic and World Championship medals. She has volunteered extensively in sport at the local, national, and international levels. She was President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Chair of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, and a Board member of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. She has been recognized as one of Canada’s most influential women in sport six times and has been inducted into both the BC Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame.
Ms. Qualtrough has also been inducted into Canada’s Disability Hall of Fame and received awards from a number of national and international disability organizations including the International Paralympic Committee, the CNIB, Inclusion Canada, the Disabled Women’s Network, Indigenous Disability Canada, and March of Dimes Canada. Her other awards include the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Ms. Qualtrough has been visually impaired since birth. She lives in Ladner, BC with her husband Eron and their two youngest children.
Tamara Vrooman, OBC
Chair of the Lieutenant Governor’s Future Ready Workforce and Economic Opportunity Council
Tamara Vrooman is an award-winning Canadian businesswoman, known for her exemplary track record leading large, complex institutions in both the private and public sectors and her bold positions on sustainability and inclusion. Ms Vrooman is currently the President and CEO of Vancouver International Airport, Canada’s second-busiest airport. In addition, she is the 12th Chancellor of Simon Fraser University, Chair of the Canadian Airports Council and Chair of the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council. Previously, she was President & CEO of Vancity, Canada’s largest community credit union, and was British Columbia’s first and youngest female Deputy Minister of Finance, Secretary to the Treasury Board and CEO of the Public Sector Employers’ Council. She was also the former Chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Rick Hansen Foundation.
Ms. Vrooman received the Order of British Columbia in 2019 in recognition of her community and business leadership. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Public Service, the Peter Lougheed Award for Leadership in Public Policy, Outstanding Leader by Women’s Infrastructure Network, the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, an honorary Doctor of Laws from Simon Fraser University, and most recently, the recipient of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Canadian Business Leader of the Year Award (2025) and the King Charles III Coronation Medal (2025).