About

Board of Directors 2024/25

John Hetherington – President

A long-standing Whistler community leader, he has served as President of the Whistler Museum and Archives Society (WMAS) since 2009 and previously led the Whistler Heliport Society. A heli-ski guide and partial owner of Whistler HeliSkiing, he also held various municipal roles, including alderman on the first Whistler Municipal Councils. With a BA in Political Science and Economics, he’s an author, avid skier, kayaker, and mountain biker, having explored diverse terrains in Canada and internationally.

John Rae – Trustee, Interim Fundraising Committee Chair

John moved from Toronto to Whistler in 1999 to help expand the World Ski & Snowboard Festival; that led to roles at the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) as Manager of Strategic Alliances (2003-2016) and Manager of Cultural Planning & Development (2017-22). Key achievements include leading the RMOW’s purchase of Whistler.com on behalf of the community, leading the team that produced Whistler Live! during the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games, leading the development of Whistler’s Cultural Tourism Strategy, leading the strategic planning for the RMOW’s Festivals, Events & Animation (FE&A) program, advancing the Sea to Sky Fire & Ice GeoRegion initiative, as well as serving on several Boards including Arts Whistler, the Whistler Film Festival, and Whistler.com. John retired from the RMOW in January 2023 and now works as a consultant in project management for a range of tourism projects in the Sea to Sky region including as volunteer Executive Director of the Fire & Ice GeoRegion.

Jeff Murl – Trustee, RMOW Representative

Jeff’s professional career started in with degree in Finance from UBC, leading to work in the investment industry. That evolved to owning restaurants in North Vancouver, and after receiving his Chartered Professional Accountant designation (CPA) , into opening his own accounting practice. Throughout that time, he also worked as a ski instructor, first at Cypress, and for the last 20 years at Whistler. Jeff is serving his first term as a Councillor in Whistler, where he’s bringing his skillset and perspective as a CPA to various committees: Audit and Finance, Smart Tourism, Transportation Management, and the Advisory Design Panel. He also currently sits on the boards of the Whistler Development Corp., the Whistler Institute, and the Whistler Museum. Prior to joining council, Jeff volunteered on boards across a wide spectrum of activities: The Beaumont, Vancouver Urban Farming Society, Arts Whistler, Whistler Public Library and the Whistler Board of Variance. His first experience with local politics was sitting on a Citizens committee of North Shore residents. Jeff’s spare time is spent with his wife and two young boys, who are always entertained by his stories of council meetings, policy work and advocacy to other levels of government.

Doug Wylie – Trustee, Building Commitee Chair

As Trustee and Chair of the Museum Building Committee and a professional engineer who served as the first municipal engineer for the Resort Municipality of Whistler in the 1980s, I have dedicated over four decades to supporting Whistler’s growth and history. My contributions as a volunteer span a wide range of roles, including Weasel Worker, RMOW fire department member, Mountain Host, Adaptive Ski Instructor, President of the Blackcomb Ski Club, citizen glacier monitor, and Alpine Club trail builder. During my time as municipal engineer, I oversaw major expansions of Whistler’s water and sewer systems and spearheaded the development of the Valley Trail, parks, and beaches. My 22 years of involvement with Whistler Adaptive Snowsports have given me a deep appreciation for accessibility, which I am committed to integrating into the new museum’s design. My engineering background will further support the technical aspects of this project, helping create a space that is functional, inclusive, and aligned with Whistler’s community values.

Kathy Macalister – Trustee, Secretary

I was a founding member of the Whistler Museum and Archives Society in 1986 with Florence Petersen and Elain Wallace. Watching our community grow since my first job in 1974 at the Christiana Inn made me want to actively contribute to preserving our local history. After 30 years in the Whistler tourism industry, I moved onto administrative work in 2002 but keep in touch with Florence and she asked me to take on this position in 2010. As a 50 year resident, mother of 2 local kids and now a Whistler senior, I’m excited about building our new museum.

Dave Kirk – Trustee

A proud property owner in Whistler’s Alta Vista neighborhood since 1968—back in the “BTS” era (before the sewers!)—Dave Kirk has dedicated decades to the community. An accomplished academic, he holds degrees from both UBC and Western Washington University. Dave has played a pivotal role in local business and governance, serving as a director and president of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, where he was also honored as Business Person of the Year. His commitment to Whistler’s growth and sustainability is evident in his four-term service on the RMOW council. Dave’s passion for preserving Whistler’s unique history shines through his longstanding role as a director and trustee of the Whistler Museum and Archives Society, where he has served multiple terms.

Kyoko Hamazaki – Trustee

Megan Zandstra – Trustee

A lifelong Whistler weekender, Megan spent her late teens and early twenties working on Blackcomb as a ski patroller, ski instructor and host. She holds degrees in history, librarianship, and economics, and has spent the past twelve years working as a research librarian for development institutions in Colombia, France, and Italy. Back in Canada—with three grown children based in Vancouver—she has made Whistler her permanent home and has become a registered historian with the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP). Megan is delighted to collaborate with the WMAS team to help create a beautiful museum space for Whistler’s dynamic community of locals, part-timers, and visitors.

Alex Kleinman – Trustee

Alex is a long-time resident of Whistler and has been involved with the Whistler Museum for over 18 years. Construction and Construction Management has been my career path for much of the last 45 years. As a Journeyman Carpenter, a small team of tradesmen and I renovated the existing building and prepared and installed the majority of the existing exhibits and displays for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. I have been involved in the Construction of the first three phases of Whistler Village, Was a member as well as Chairman of the Municipal Planning Commission. Worked for 8 years as the Construction Manager for the Lil’wat Nation. Chaired the Building Committee and spent a number of years on the Board for the Maurice Young Arts Center. I am a passionate advocate for the Community of Whistler. (Worked {as a volunteer} for 30 years as Chief Non-Technical for the World Cup Downhill Committee)

Bob Calladine – Trustee

Bob Calladine, born and raised in Vancouver, holds a BA in English and History from the University of British Columbia. He represented Canada as a member of the national ski team from 1964 to 1967 and first experienced skiing on Whistler Mountain (then London Mountain) in 1963. Bob spent a decade as a backcountry ski guide and teacher in St. Anton, Austria, and another ten years renovating Georgian and Victorian houses in England before settling in Whistler in 1995.

A dedicated community leader, Bob has been involved in numerous local organizations, including Rotary, Whistler Scouting, Whistler Youth Soccer, and the Weasel Workers. His contributions earned him the title of Whistler Citizen of the Year in 2001. Bob also worked as a ski instructor for Whistler Blackcomb and held board positions with the Whistler Adaptive Sports Program, Mature Action Committee, Whistler Housing Authority, and Recreation Leisure Advisory Committee.

Andrew Ross – Trustee