MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION BOARD
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

BOARD MEMBERS
 

BIOGRAPHIES

Cheryl Vickers
Cheryl Vickers is a lawyer and formerly practiced in a variety of fields, including administrative law. Cheryl was appointed as Chair of the Mediation and Arbitration Board in July 2007. She also serves as Chair of the Property Assessment Appeal Board, a position to which she was appointed in January 2003. She previously served as a full time Vice Chair (appointed 1998), part-time Vice Chair (appointed 1995) and initially as a part-time member (appointed 1993) of the Property Assessment Appeal Board. Cheryl was active in the development of the British Columbia Council of Administrative Tribunals (BCCAT), and has served as a member of that organization’s Board of Directors since its inception including as Secretary from 1996 to 1998 and as President from 2004 to 2006. Cheryl has assisted in curriculum development for BCCAT courses offering training to appointees of quasi-judicial boards and tribunals, Staff Foundations, and Advanced Decision Writing courses. She has delivered workshops on Case Management and Alternate Dispute Resolution for Tribunals at Annual Conferences of BCCAT and the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals.

Current Board Memberships
Mediation and Arbitration Board
Property Assessment Appeal Board

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Emslie, Howard

Howard Emslie is retired as the District Manager with the BC Ministry of Transportation, Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement.  Previously, he was a Regional Manager with the BC Ministry of Solicitor General, Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement; Insurance Corporation of BC, Compliance Operations, and the Motor Vehicle Branch, Commercial Transport Department.  Active in the community, Mr. Emslie was a Host at the Northern BC Winter Games in 1988 and 2008.  He holds his Leadership Certification from Simon Fraser University.  He was appointed to the Mediation and Arbitration Board in 2009.

Current Board Memberships

Mediation and Arbitration Board

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Robert Fraser
Active in the real estate industry for many years, Rob Fraser has been a sales person, agent/manager, owner, local board president, provincial association president, and chair of a real estate related insurance company. Rob has been a Vice Chair for the Property Assessment Appeal Board since 1998 and was formally a member of that board since 1992. In addition to his extensive experience and training in real property valuation, Rob also has expertise and training in conflict resolution, mediation, arbitration, and negotiation. He has a BA, and MA, and did doctoral studies specializing in micro-demographic models.

Current Board Memberships
Mediation and Arbitration Board
Property Assessment Appeal Board

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Bill Oppen

Bill Oppen is retired and lives in Dawson Creek. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Oppen was the Deputy Minister of Renewable Resources for the Yukon government. He also served as Deputy Minister of Economic Development and has held senior positions with the government of Alberta and the government of Canada. He has served on numerous committees including one looking at new work heritage sites for Canada. He is a published author and currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the Provincial Capital Commission.
Current Board Memberships
Mediation and Arbitration Board

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Viggo Pedersen

Viggo Pedersen was a dairy farmer for 30 years, during which time he represented the Dairy farmers to the British Columbia Milk Producers Association and served as the Dairy Director of British Columbia Investment Agriculture.  Active in the community, Mr. Pedersen has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club.  He is also a former member of the Peace River Regional District Board of Variance.  Currently, Mr. Pedersen is a Director of the Northern Lights College Foundation.  He was appointed to the Mediation and Arbitration Board in 2009.

Current Board Memberships

Mediation and Arbitration Board

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Simmi Sandhu
Simmi Sandhu is a lawyer, called to the BC Bar in 1990. Simmi was appointed to the Mediation and Arbitration Board in 2007 and is also a Vice Chair of the Property Assessment Appeal Board, a position she has held since 2001. As a lawyer, Simmi’s areas of practice included administrative law, civil litigation, corporate/commercial law and real estate transactions. She has extensive experience in quasi-judicial proceedings, having acted as a Chair of the Board of Referees and has training and experience in conflict resolution and mediation. Simmi is on the Board of Directors of the British Columbia Council of Administrative Tribunals.

Current Board Memberships
Mediation and Arbitration Board
Property Assessment Appeal Board

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James L. Sodergren
James Sodergren owns and operates JaMar Trucking and Farms Limited with his wife Marion. Jim went into the water trucking business in 1970 and farming in 1975. He was active with the North West Rodeo Association and held the position of President for several years. He was a member of the BC Trucker's Association, life time member of Fort St. John Petroleum Club and member of the Horse and Mule Harness Club. Jim started in the Oil Industry at the age of 16 years working on the Drilling Rigs. In 1964 he went to work for Western Rock Bit as a salesman and became Area Supervisor. He worked for the company for 25 years before retiring to put all his time and effort into his own business. Jim was appointed to the Mediation and Arbitration Board in 2003.

Current Board Memberships
Mediation and Arbitration Board

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Tracey Wolsey
Tracey Wolsey lives with her family near Charlie Lake, BC and is a stakeholder relations project manager with Suncor Energy.  She has been involved in oil and gas and wind power projects for over ten years.  Tracey spends most of her time in Alberta and BC, but has been involved in projects in Saskatchewan, the US and Australia.  She has worked as an economic development advisor with the Prophet River Indian Band, and as the coordinator of the Peace River-Liard Community Futures Committee.  In 1993 Tracey was elected to a 3 year term on the Charlie Lake Commission and served as its chair for 2 years.  Over the years she has also served on a wide range of committees involving industry, education and stakeholder issues, most recently sitting as co-chair of the Northeast Energy Mines Advisory Committee.  Tracey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Calgary and a Masters degree at the University of Northern BC.  She was appointed to the Mediation and Arbitration Board in 2009.

Current Board Memberships
Mediation and Arbitration Board 

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