Nominated Directors' Bios
Harvey Graham
Harvey retired to Gabriola in 2002 after a long career as an accountant with a major accounting firm in Toronto. He was a founding Director of the Gabriola Health Care Foundation when it was incorporated in 2007 and was the Treasuer of the Foundation from then until 2004. In addition, for shorter periods, he was the Treasurer of the Gabriola Health Care Society, the First Gabriola Scouts Group and the Gabriola Community Hall.
Dr. William (Sam) Shaw
Sam moved to Gabriola in 2025 and is actively getting involved in the community by sharing his extensive experience in leadership roles and with board governance. He has a B.A., M.Sc., M.Ed., M.B.A., Ph.D., and C.Dir. He has written many articles and given presentations around the world on topics including leadership, governance, strategic planning, technology, and human resource optimization. He has also been a recipient of awards such as Businessperson of the Year and Leadership awards, recognizing his work and contributions.
Sam has held senior positions at many post-secondary institutions across Canada and internationally and has taught organizational behaviour and governance courses. He has also worked in the private sector as the senior vice-president of policy development at Encana in the United States and Canada. Sam has served as a Board Chair, HR Chair, and Governance Chair on boards such as United Way, Goodwill Industries, Canadian Commercial Corporation, United Way, Goodwill Industries, Stars (Air Ambulance), Honorary Colonel 408 Squadron, Standards Council of Canada, International Standards Organization, and Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee. He currently serves as Board Chair of the Vancouver Premier College, works remotely part-time on a project for Enoch Cree Nation, and is Chair of the Advisory Board and the CEO of Allwest Furnishings Ltd.
In addition to his leadership and community service work, Sam enjoys playing golf, sailing, and spending time with his family and two dogs as they experience the well-being of Gabriola.
Jeff Turkington
Jeff Turkington brings a wealth of experience in management consulting and project management within the health care sector, where he spent the majority of his career leading the design and implementation of clinical technology solutions.
Jeff’s professional focus has always been on bridging the gap between technology and people. His ability to translate technical concepts into practical solutions for clinical and administrative teams has been a defining strength throughout his career.
In 2025, Jeff and his wife Leanne relocated from Whistler to Gabriola Island, where they have quickly embraced island living. Jeff values the strong sense of community and looks forward to giving back.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Jeff is an avid outdoors enthusiast who enjoys hiking, biking, and snowboarding. He also loves to cook and spends his downtime restoring his 1983 Land Cruiser.
