The Surrey Capital Campaign is underway, raising money to bring a new YMCA to Surrey City Centre for the first time. Ensuring the success of this mission is a wonderful team of dedicated and passionate cabinet members. We’re excited to introduce you to our Surrey Campaign Cabinet:
Surrey Capital Campaign Cabinet Members
Leslie Castellani, Chair
Senior Vice President, Corporate Initiatives
First West Credit Union 
Leslie Castellani leads First West Credit Union’s Strategic Initiatives and Corporate Affairs team. She is focused on advancing First West’s strategic priorities by creating a dynamic, collaborative and engaging team environment that encourages diverse thinking, fosters corporate alignment and inspires the achievement of First West’s Why: to simplify lives— helping members and communities thrive.
Leslie’s leadership career spans the technology, telecom and financial services industries. She joined First West in 2011 as vice-president, communications and public relations with responsibility for building the First West brand and strengthening media and public relations in the communities served by First West’s regional brands.
As a champion of First West’s social vision to lead well, Leslie has managed youth sports teams and is a past director and president of Semiahmoo Family Place and a former Board of Governor on the University of the Fraser Valley.
After gaining national awareness in 2015 for helping her son overcome a rare syndrome, Leslie is sought out for guidance and support by families across Canada facing the same medical condition. In 2018, Leslie was appointed chair of the What Really Matters Capital Campaign to build a new YMCA Centre of Community in Surrey City Centre.
Sharon Crowson 
“The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.” — Pearl S. Buck
Being involved with youth programs her whole life, Sharon has a passion for providing opportunities for youth to grow as leaders. She finds herself continuously inspired by working with and learning from them. She has served at the District level with Girl Guides of Canada and as a Director with the White Rock Youth Ambassador Program. Most recently, Sharon has also served as Chair of the Youth Services Committee with Rotary, Chair of the Nomination and Selection team for the SASSY (Service Above Self Surrey Youth) Awards and a member of the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership) Committee.
On the professional side, Sharon and her husband built a successful business in the construction Industry. She has recently retired after 18 years as the Assistant to MLA’s Kevin Falcon and Stephanie Cadieux. Her role was largely community-focused and enabled her to make a difference in the lives of others.
In retirement, you will find Sharon spending time with her family, gardening or travelling and always immersed in volunteer roles with youth-centered organizations.
Terry Hunt 
Terry Hunt was a Surrey Firefighter and a member and Director of the Surrey Firefighter’s Charitable Society for 28 years. He recently retired as a Captain at Hall 2 in the Central City area of Surrey.
During his service, he organized hundreds of charity events within the city of Surrey and collaborated with many politicians and local businesses to ensure the success of all events. In 2006, he was awarded the Surrey Community Leader of the Year Award. He is a proud supporter of the Surrey Hospice, belonged to Big Brothers and was the Camp Director and Councillor for the BC Professional Firefighters Burn Camp for 12 years.
Terry travelled to South America twice with the YMCA to build community shelters. He was present for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tong Louie YMCA and has been a member since the opening. Terry plans to travel in his retirement but also find some time to keep giving back to his community.
He is a firm believer in community. He has lived in Surrey for over 35 years and currently lives in Cloverdale with his family.
Bal Mann 
Bal is a multi-talented business and finance graduate from the University of Wolverhampton. He has a diverse background and is specialized in public relations and marketing events. He is a true visionary and self-taught entrepreneur who is passionate about the happiness and success of himself, his family and his clients.
Over the years, he has helped open several doors within the community. Bal has always had a passion for giving back to humanity and creating a better community for all. In the UK, he created a start-up Football Team to get children off the streets. He also raised funds and awareness which helped to kickstart it. This initiative continues to be a success 20 years later.
Bal has worked for Royal Mail and had many roles within the organization, including heading their marketing department. He is currently independently operating his mortgage franchise Dominion Lending Ace Capital Group. He finds his current role very rewarding as it allows him the opportunity to advise individuals about their finances, thereby helping them create better lives for themselves.
David Pel
David Pel ~ CPA, Partner – David Pel & Company Inc. 
David Pel knew early on in his career that he wanted to be an accountant, but not just any accountant, one that served his community. David opened his practice in Central City in 1991 and is a prominent member of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association (founding member). David has seen Central City grow and flourish and has stayed the course alongside it, whether serving on various committees (such as the Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society), helping not-for-profit organizations establish themselves, or mentoring businesses with growth strategies, all while growing a thriving practice.
When David is not in the office or attending various board meetings you can find him at the gym, on the squash or tennis court, training for a bike ride, or tending to his legendary garden.
Organizations David has been involved in include:
- Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society
- YMCA of Greater Vancouver
- Elim Housing Society
- Classis BC Northwest of the Christian Reformed Church of North America
- Burnaby Tennis Club
- Burnaby Family Life
- Be the Change Earth Alliance
- Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association
- SFU Advisory Council
Jim Purcell 
Jim graduated from the University of Alberta with a BSc in Civil Engineering, and later earned a full MBA degree from the University of Calgary. He spent over 35 years in the construction materials industry in Western Canada, Europe and the US and, most recently, as President of a $2 billion business unit covering the eastern half of the US. Jim is now active as a business consultant and corporate board member.
He and his wife Valerie enjoy international travel, cycling and good friends. He has been a Rotarian for over 20 years and is 2018-2019 President of the Semiahmoo Rotary Club and Past President of the South Surrey White Rock Chamber of Commerce. Jim and Valerie reside in the Morgan Creek area and have two daughters, Riana, who is a graduate of the University of Victoria and Victoria, who is studying at UBC.
Karen Sawatsky 
Karen is a Partner in the PwC’s BC Region Assurance practice, delivering commercially focused services to a wide range of businesses and organizations. Her experience includes public and private companies, public sector and not-for-profit organizations. She also has extensive experience assisting her publicly listed clients meet their filing requirements.
In addition to Karen’s ability to lead the delivery of both high quality and efficient assurance services to her clients, she also advises on technical accounting issues, complex transactions, taxation matters, internal controls, process improvement, and governance issues. She is well networked in the firm to identify and engage the appropriate technical specialists to deliver tailored service solutions.
She is also actively involved in practice leadership where she has led business transformation initiatives, focusing on quality and efficiency optimization. Additionally, she has led teams focused on student recruiting, staff appraisals, and Women in Leadership initiatives.
Prior to joining PwC, Karen spent six years working in international development in Eastern Europe on a joint higher education initiative with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Lithuanian government and the DeFehr Foundation. This experience developed her skills in leadership development, process improvement and not-for-profit financial reporting.
Norman Stowe
Norman Stowe is Managing Partner of the Pace Group, one of western Canada’s best-known communications and public affairs firms.
Prior to creating the Pace Group in 1991, Norman was a senior communications executive with the Province of British Columbia and Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. Today, the firm provides communications, government relations and event management services to a wide variety of public, private and not-for-profit clients.
A graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Disney Institute, Norman and his family have lived in Surrey’s Cloverdale neighbourhood for 30 years. Over the years, Norman has served on the boards of the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (BC-Yukon).
Balbir Thind 
Balbir is a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She, along with her husband Sucha, is the founder of the very successful Modern Powder Coatings. Balbir is an active member of the Semiahmoo Rotary Club where she has contributed locally and spear-headed international humanitarian initiatives. She is passionate about her community and has supported the YMCA for many years. Balbir has a passion for helping youth and realizes that they are our future.