A team of staff members support the B.C. Farm Industry Review Board (BCFIRB) and the regulated marketing boards and commissions. Learn more about BCFIRB’s staff members, their roles and how to contact them.
Current staff

Martha Anslow
Executive director and registrar
Phone: 778-974-3831
- Responsible for the strategic operational management of BCFIRB
- Reports to the BCFIRB Chair to advance BCFIRB priorities
- Ensures BCFIRB fulfills its regulated marketing, farm practices, and animal distress adjudicative and supervisory mandates
- Oversees BCFIRB’s regulated marketing supervisory responsibility including Federal Provincial Territorial (FPT) agreements
- Directs the organization’s overall conflict resolution role

Sara Thiesson
Acting deputy registrar
Phone: 236-478-2781
- Responsible for the management of BCFIRB’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy, Appeals, and Complaints Unit
- Leads and manages key BCFIRB corporate priorities
- Co-manages BCFIRB’s Sector Policy and Planning Unit
- Provides expert policy advice on BCFIRB’s regulated marketing supervisory responsibility, including FPT agreements

Matthew Huijsmans
Acting senior manager, sector policy and planning
Phone: 250-419-8873
- Co-manage BCFIRB’s Sector Policy and Planning Unit
- Provide expert policy advice on BCFIRB’s regulated marketing supervisory responsibility including FPT agreements
- Lead and manage long-term BCFIRB regulatory issues and guidance on BCFIRB’s supervisory authority
- Support BCFIRB collaboration with national/provincial supervisory bodies

Emma Strazhnik
Acting senior manager, sector policy and planning
Phone: 778-752-5965
- Co-manage BCFIRB’s Sector Policy and Planning Unit
- Provide expert policy advice on BCFIRB’s regulated marketing supervisory responsibility including FPT agreements
- Lead and manage long-term BCFIRB regulatory issues and guidance on BCFIRB’s supervisory authority
- Support BCFIRB collaboration with national/provincial supervisory bodies

Molly Gagne
Acting senior case manager
Phone: 778-974-4398
- Oversight for case management activities for BCFIRB’s adjudication mandates including:
- Regulated marketing appeals under the Natural Products Marketing Act (NPMA)
- Animal seizure and cost appeals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCAA)
- Farm practices complaints under the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act (FPPA)
- Conduct tribunal hearing services and alternative dispute resolution measures for BCFIRB’s adjudication mandates
- Develops and advises BCFIRB on case management policy including BCFIRB rules of practice and procedure

Erica Day
Case manager
Phone: 778-405-6452
- Manages BCFIRB adjudicative processes and tribunal hearing services for BCFIRB’s adjudicative mandates under the NPMA, PCAA, and FPPA
- Leads and applies BCFIRB case management policy including BCFIRB rules of practice and procedure
- Leads or participates in alternative dispute resolution measures for BCFIRB’s adjudication mandates

Shauna Appleyard
Board services coordinator
Acting case manager
Phone: 778-405-5443
- Manages BCFIRB administration and financial services and processes
- Supports BCFIRB human resource functions
- Manages BCFIRB contract and procurement processes
- Provides administrative operational support to BCFIRB members and staff
Vacant positions

Policy analysts
- Supports BCFIRB on sector policy, issues management, and oversight of BC’s regulated marketing boards and commissions
- Ensures compliance across the regulated marketing sector by working with commodity boards and commissions
- Supports BCFIRB in conducting formal supervisory reviews
- Conducts farm practice studies

Policy officer
- Supports BCFIRB’s Sector Policy and Planning team including policy, issues management and supervisory oversight projects and processes
- Supports compliance of commodity boards and commissions with the organization’s mandates

Board services assistant
- Assists BCFIRB administration
- Provides administrative support to BCFIRB members and staff
