Character Abbotsford Elects Board of Directors for 26/27

The Character Abbotsford Board of Directors for 26/27

Left to right: Sir James Barlow, Bev Olfert (Treasurer), Sheri Yakashiro (Secretary), Andrea Critchley, Vijay Manuel (Chair)
Not pictured:  Jory Smallenberg (Vice Chair), Colin Watson

The work of Character Abbotsford is sponsored by the Abbotsford School District, MEI Schools, Prospera Credit Union, the University of the Fraser Valley, and the Abbotsford News.

Character Abbotsford has elected a new board for the 2026/2027 year. All members from the previous year were re-elected: Sir James Barlow, Andrea Critchley, Vijay Manuel, Bev Olfert, Jory Smallenberg, and Colin Watson. Shirley Wilson has stepped down from a board position and the group has added the passions and talents of Sheri Yakashiro, Partner at RDM Lawyers who are among the founding members of the Character Abbotsford organization.

The council plans to host two public events this year including their annual Speaker Event to take place on Thursday, November 5th, 2026 and the annual Character In Action Awards to take place on May 6th, 2027. The public will once again be invited to nominate an unsung hero to be recognized at the awards event. To nominate an unsung hero in Abbotsford, please visit CharacterAbbotsford.com

At the inaugural meeting of the year, Vijay Manuel, Board Chair, led the council in a vibrant discussion on ways this community leadership group can use its influence to highlight and promote good character in business, education, non-profit, and everyday life settings.. “Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Empathy, Courage and Service have the potential to be felt at the core of every human being, no matter who you are or what your background is.”

The Character Council meets 5 times each year.

For more information on Character Abbotsford, visit CharacterAbbotsford.com or follow @characterabby on X, Facebook, and Instagram