Our People

Sophie brings over 20 years' experience working with the British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General in community development, project delivery, and program leadership. Through her work with the Attorney General Ministry, Sophie has partnered with communities throughout the province to design and implement strategies to reduce youth violence, prevent youth sexual exploitation, and expand opportunities for vulnerable young people.

She has created and overseen grant programs that help youth access education, build essential skills, and chart their own paths forward. Sophie believes strongly that every young person deserves the support, tools, and confidence to create a safer and more hopeful future for themselves.

Alongside her work with STAND, Sophie leads the Program Management Office for Supply Chain at BC Hydro and serves on the boards of several private companies. She is also an instructor at the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

Jeff Sundar has over 25 years of experience in the capital markets and mineral exploration sector. Mr. Sundar has been active in the corporate development, marketing, and financing of TSX Venture listed companies. He has held roles in management such as President/CEO, VP, and Director.

Jeff was a Director of Northern Empire Resources which was acquired by Coeur Mining for $117 million for the Sterling Gold project in October 2018. He was also a Director and VP of Underworld Resources which discovered the 1.6 million oz White Gold deposit and was acquired by Kinross Gold for $138 million in June 2010.

Prior to his career in the mining industry, Jeff Sundar worked under the Ministry of Attorney General's Youth Programs Division. In that time, he facilitated workshops on youth violence prevention for youth across British Columbia. Jeff has hosted nationally broadcasted television programs on youth issues on behalf of the Department of Justice of Canada. Jeff has also been awarded the Ministry of Attorney General's "Youth Volunteer of the Year" Award for the province of British Columbia

Jim is an active investor, director, and corporate advisor. Jim started his career in 1997 and currently sits on the board of directors of several TSX-Venture exchange listed and privately held companies which have mineral exploration projects in Canada, USA, Europe, Saudia Arabia, Argentina and Brazil. Jim is a principal of the highly successful Discovery Group (www.discoverygroup.ca ), an alliance of public and private companies operating in the mineral exploration sector.

"I am incredibly proud of the STAND program's positive impact on over 1,700 students so far, and it feels like we are only just getting started!"

Taylor is the Founder and Partner of Caerus Capital Partners, a financial ideation and investment firm focused primarily on innovation and resources. Taylor has worked in Vancouver, London, and New York on both the fund management and equity capital markets side of the financial industry.

He graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, a CFA Charterholder and a Director of STAND, a scholarship foundation for youth at risk. He is a founding member of the Silicon Valley Blockchain Society (SVBS) and founding chair of SVBS Canada. Taylor is also a recipient of Business in Vancouver's Top 40 Under 40 Award.

Amir is an entrepreneur who has founded and grown several companies over the 20 years since he graduated from UBC. He is the CEO of NYSE American-listed Uranium Energy Corp, co-chairman of GoldMining Inc (TSX: GOLD; NYSE American: GLDG), chairman of Uranium Royalty Corp (NASDAQ: UROY; TSX: URC) and a founder of Gold Royalty Corp (NYSE American: GROY).

Mr. Adnani also serves on the World Nuclear Association board of management, contributing to governance, policy and strategy development. He is frequently invited to speak at major industry gatherings, including the Milken Institute Global Conference, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Mineral Exploration Roundup in Vancouver.

Fortune magazine included Mr. Adnani on their “40 Under 40, Ones to Watch” list of North American leaders. He was selected as one of “Mining’s Future Leaders” by Mining Journal. He was a nominee for Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” distinction and was selected for Business in Vancouver’s “Top Forty under 40” list.

Mr. Adnani has been serving the Vancouver community by supporting organizations that focus on education and social programs, including the Stand Foundation and Union Gospel Mission, where he has been a board member and Capital Campaign executive volunteer, respectively. He helped fund the Union Gospel Mission housing project in Downtown Eastside Vancouver.

Mr. Adnani was born in Iran and his family immigrated to BC in 1993. He is married with three children.

Mr. Scott brings more than 25 years of experience in accounting, corporate compliance, corporate finance, and merchant and commercial banking. Over the past two decades, he has built a reputation as a steady and strategic leader, guiding multiple TSX Venture Exchange–listed companies through growth, restructuring, and transformative transactions. A CPA, CA and CFA Charterholder, he has played key roles in raising more than $200 million in equity and has led organizations through IPOs, reverse takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, and operational turnarounds.

Throughout his career, Mr. Scott has balanced financial discipline with a commitment to supporting people and organizations in transition. Long before joining the Board of STAND, he was involved with the organization as a mentor, supporting one of its early bursary recipients and contributing to its mission of empowering individuals through education and opportunity. He now continues that commitment as a member of the STAND Board, alongside his ongoing leadership roles with several TSX-V listed issuers..

Ask Graham Moore about his involvement in STAND, and he'll tell you about the day his son was born. According to Moore, an Investment Advisor at Haywood Securities in Vancouver, the first time he cradled his newborn son, the unconditional love he felt produced an epiphany of sorts. "In a split second I had sudden insight into reality and my life took on a whole new meaning," says Moore. "I had an overwhelming emotional experience and wanted to share it." And he's doing just that, as one of STAND's strongest supporters.

While his son's birth marked a significant moment in Moore's life, what set Graham on his philanthropic journey started ten years prior, when he was living in a one-bedroom apartment, alone and desperate, worried how he was going to pay his rent. Bemoaning his condition, he started to take one step at a time to change his circumstances. , "If I was going to live a fulfilled life, I needed to make some changes," he says, "and with a little help from my friends over several years, I amended my lifestyle and successfully overcame the anxiety, fear and hopelessness that was holding me back."

Graham is at the top of his game today, but is quick to point out it wasn't until the arrival of his son that he realized the impact his life changes would have on him. He suddenly understood that because of what he was able to overcome and achieve, his son would have a better life. "There are so many situations in life where people don't have a fair shot. And they have their whole life against them from day one. I have been given a second chance and I have been fortunate enough to flourish in it."

Graham believes, wholeheartedly, that he now needs to pay it forward: "I got out from under my problems with a lot of help from my friends and if I can help one person live a better and productive life as a result of my contribution, then I will be happy." When Jeff Sundar approached Graham about STAND, he says the decision to get involved was easy. "I want everyone to have a fair shot and they made it easy for me to take my thoughts and put them into action."

"I think society is best served if people who are fortunate enough to be successful pass it on to others. Now as far as me keeping a good spiritual lifestyle, the more I help, the healthier I am. And for me spirituality is being kind and honest," says Moore.

When you think of a stockbroker, you think about life in the fast lane. But Graham Moore defies that rule and is a remarkable example of someone who understands the joy of giving; a true social entrepreneur at heart.

Prior to his career in the capital markets, Jason worked for the Ministry of Attorney General's Youth Programs Division. He was a public speaker for TCO² which delivered an empowering interactive workshop for youth about preventing sexual exploitation.

He learned early in his working career the value of helping young people in need. Jason was one of the first private donors to the STAND endowment fund. He believes in offering a "hand up" to students who want to take their education to the next level, but do not have the financial means or support.

Jason was also a board member of the Founders Cup Charity Classic where he added STAND to the list of beneficiaries for his sponsored events.

"It has been a real pleasure to watch the STAND foundation grow and help more Youth in BC achieve their educational goals".

Mr. Moodie is a serial entrepreneur and CPA with a career in public markets in roles as founder, CEO, CFO, director, and audit committee chair for numerous publicly-traded companies on both the TSX-V and CSE.

Cale has been involved in over $150M in financings and financial transactions. He was an avid gold bug turned bitcoiner in the early days of cryptocurrencies, attempting to launch the first publicly traded bitcoin company in 2013. Cale holds a Bachelor of Science from UBC and became a Chartered Accountant while working for KPMG in Vancouver before his foray into capital markets..

Alim is a founding sponsor of the STAND Foundation. His desire to help others and make a positive contribution to his community was instilled at an early age by his parents. "It's the duty of every member of society to help those less fortunate. That's called progress." he says without hesitation.

A key initiative for Alim was spearheading STAND's involvement in the Leede Financial Charity Golf Tournament in 2009. To date, STAND has received donations in excess of $200,000 from the tournament. "Sometimes all people need is a vote of confidence and to know someone cares, and the possibilities can be endless"

Farhan Lalani is a Vancouver-based media and finance professional, best known as the Founder, President, and CEO of Market One Media Group Inc.

Recognized on Business in Vancouver's Top Forty under 40, he has won awards including Best Digital & Media Company in Western Canada and the Outstanding Volunteer Award presented by premier Christy Clark. Recently, he was named one of Canada's Next 150 Top Entrepreneurs by TMX Group.

Farhan has been a supporter of the STAND Foundation since its inception. During his time at Leede Financial, he was a key driver in involving STAND Foundation in their annual corporate golf fundraiser.

Many of the programs that STAND is able to provide come from our very generous private sponsors-Gianni Kovacevic is a shining example of those many donors. Gianni says his desire to help the STAND Foundation came from the recognition that there are youth in our community that work extremely hard to be successful despite financial limitations and should be rewarded for their efforts. "We live in one of the richest cities in the world, and yet there are kids that can't find the financial means to pursue their dreams. These kids work extremely hard, and their financial situation shouldn't prevent them from having goals and aspirations." Gianni has worked on providing a permanent endowment under the STAND Foundation at Britannia Secondary School, one of the poorest schools in western Canada. "Giving back makes sense. Programs like STAND show people- especially our youth- that hard work certainly does pay off. By setting a positive example, I hope that others will be motivated to make a difference in their community as well."