Board Members

Reed (he/him) is currently serving as the President of the VTL. He joined up as a volunteer over four years ago and joined the leadership team in the summer of 2022. Reed is committed to the vision of a shared economy that the VTL brings to life, sharing not only tools but ideas, knowledge, and questions. A major goal for him is to help create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for people, particularly those who might experience social barriers to tools, to learn and share their knowledge. Reed is committed to finding ways to bring more members into the work of the co-operative and to deepen the social connections that the VTL membership creates.

Melissa (she/her) first heard about the VTL in 2022 while browsing the Trout Lake Community Centre website looking for a fun way to meet people in my neighborhood. She attended a spoon carving workshop in October of that year and, in quick succession, became a VTL member, a front-of-shop volunteer, and then ran for the board in July 2023. While there is much to love about the VTL, what makes her passionate about this space is the sense of community it fosters through actively working to break down the social barriers to learning about and using tools. In my photo, you can see her first project with VTL tools—an east coast classic! As a board member, she is interested in supporting the VTL to continue to grow as a welcoming, organized, and creative space.

Marla Gagnier (she/her) is joining the VTL as one of the newest board members. Originally from Montreal, Marla fell in love with the West Coast’s natural beauty and now calls Vancouver home. She is passionate about the co-operative movement in BC and Canada. Outside of her work with the VTL she works with the BC Co-op Association as the Member Engagement Manager and with Union Co-op Initiative as an Outreach Worker. As an active member of the co-op sector, she is excited to bring her knowledge of co-ops forward to help VTL's mission to build a collective community resource that is member owned and operated. When she is not working with co-ops, she loves to be outside, hiking and skiing, or, inside creating fibre art.

Jasper (he/him) has been involved with the VTL since 2021. Through his involvement in the workshop program he has had the opportunity to both teach and learn new skills to other members and the community at large. Jasper finds joy in seeing others learn and find a sense of mastery through the use of tools in both creative and practical pursuits. Coming from a professional background working in the accessibility space, he looks forward to continuing to grow an inclusive community for all to enjoy. Jasper enjoys greenwood carving, time outdoors, gardening, and DIY projects in varying degrees.

Sid (they/them) has been a volunteer with the tool library for the past three years. and has been a member of the Board for the last year. They are a skilled maker with an eye for setting up living spaces that satisfy both comfort and function. Sid wants to bring organizational consistency to the VTL and is committed to expanding tool opportunities for queer and non-binary people.

Matt (he/him) has been a member of the VTL since 2018. Through his facilitation of the VTL’s leather craft workshops, he has had the privilege of meeting and connecting with the VTL community. Matt has been working in the area of sight loss for the past 3 years, and is passionate about supporting the development of accessible communities. Outside of work, Matt enjoys travelling, camping, woodworking, leatherworking and cooking.

Staff

April (they/them) is a recent member of the VTL community. After honing their skills in the world of design and code over the past decade, they are now venturing into the exciting realm of community building. April found VTL when they needed a giant ladder, and since then they have participated in wood carving workshops hosted by VTL. When they are not untangling digital knots, you'll find them tending to their garden, carving wood, doodling things, or playing music. They believe that pursuing creativity is a powerful tool for building bridges and fostering a sense of community. When taking a break from projects, they love to spend time with their dog, Cashew.

Rob has been a member of the Vancouver Tool Library since 2012 and joined the board in 2015 as the tool coordinator and later became Treasurer. When he's not taking care of tools, you can find Rob building things out of wood, electronics or whatever else comes to hand.  In his day job, he works as an administrator in health care.