Surrey Pickleball Club

Tom Burnell – President & Board Chair

Prior to his retirement in March 2022, Tom spent 27 years as CEO of a large non-profit society. Over the years, Tom has actively volunteered on several Board of Directors. Tom is a long-time advocate for diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of life. As a long-time participant of racquet sports, Tom stumbled on pickleball after his retirement. Now he, and his wife, have the pickleball bug. Similar to many on the Surrey Pickleball Board of Directors, Tom hopes to support the growth and accessibility of pickleball in Surrey and to put the club on the map as the preeminent destination for pickleball in BC.

Ali Nanji – Treasurer

Ali was introduced to pickleball in 2019, and acquired an affinity for the game. He says: "It is a good sport which everyone and all ages can play at their own level. It is quick game and it provides a very good social network. Depending on your personal expectation and desire, you can play at almost any level and get a good workout both indoors and outdoors." A CPA, Ali has owned several businesses in Surrey over the past 45 years.  He has been a director for several not-for-profit organizations and helped provide guidance and support to these organizations to grow.

Jim Henning - Vice President-Fundraising & Sponsorship 

Jim is a recent member of the club.  He is an ex-tennis player (and so skilling up rapidly in pickleball) and has been active in our leagues.  He is a CPA, having spend several years of his career with Touche (Deloitte) and, for the past 25 years has had his own company, doing major fundraising for corporations ($25 million to $100 million).  He also has experience with groups who have developed hockey rinks under the same type of arrangement with municipalities that we are pursuing with the City of Surrey (i.e. low cost land lease).  

Paul Tucker – Tournament Director
I come from a sports background and had always enjoyed participating in racquet sports. It seemed Pickleball was the next logical step. The social and competitive elements of the game appeal to me. Working on the Board has been both enlightening and rewarding. As the sport continues to grow it is exciting times.

Penny McNeil - Secretary and Privacy Officer

I'm always amazed at how fun and transformative a game of Pickleball can be. My first lessons were indoor at the South Surrey Rec Centre and now playing outdoors is my absolute favourite. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to manage a home-based Accounting and Bookkeeping business while our kids were young. Once they were all attending school and participating in community sports, I spent time working with the PAC and planning various sporting events and fundraising, so now I'm happy to contribute where I can as the Club continues to grow.

Shaida Nanji - Social Coordinator and Member Relations

I was introduced to pickleball about 4 years ago, but really started playing the game more frequently when I joined the Surrey Pickleball Club. I love meeting new people and since I have joined the club have made many friends. I am very competitive, I love the challenge , learning new techniques, entering tournaments , I am in the process of learning how to become a referee.  Pickleball has opened a whole new world for me and it is my Happy Place.

Kemmy Dong - Director

Two years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of pickleball, and it was love at first swing. Since then, I’ve been on an incredible journey, both on and off the court. My passion for the game runs deep, and I’ve found myself immense joy in introducing newcomers to this fantastic sport. At the same time, my competitive spirit drives me to continuously improve my skills and embrace the challenges of high-level play. Together, we can make every moment on the pickleball court unforgettable.

Pablo Galvez

My name is Pablo Galvez, I moved to White Rock in July of 2022 after spending 47 years in Calgary. I work with my wife and partner, Simone Rousseau, and enjoy a relatively flexible schedule as both of us are Realtors. Although relatively new to the sport, I am definitely hooked and my whole family is now involved.

My previous Board experience includes two terms (annual) with a Condo Corp (Strata Council) in Calgary. During my time with the board, my focus was on establishing a website, contributing to a major common-area improvement project, and working closely with the President on financial reporting and governance issues.

I co-founded the Tesla Owners Club of Alberta (TOCA) in 2015 after conversations with Tesla about starting enthusiast clubs and having them be sanctioned by the automaker. One accomplishment I am proud of is the establishment of an annual sponsorship package which provided an exceptional budget for the club to operate with.

Jules Johnson - Captain coordinator, and First Aid Lead

During Covid I got addicted to pickleball after hearing 0-0-2. Having a background of Specialty Nursing since 1994, I value the well-being and safety of the players. Over the past couple of years, I have volunteered with the Surrey Pickleball Club as a Captain and as the First aid attendant for our tournaments. My motto, “helping new players find their fit” is both personally rewarding and one that aims to support the growth of others.

Edmond Luk - Onboarding and Member Communications

A few words about myself!  I grew up in Vancouver and have been working in Asia (Hong Kong & China) for the last 20 years (8 years in the sport brand). Being in the Retail Marketing industry for over 20 years, I'm experienced in Retail Activation, Visual Merchandising, Instore Communication, and Store Design. 

I enjoy new challenges, collaborate well in a team-orientated environment, with excellent organization. I was introduced to Pickleball in June, and I got addicted to it immediately. This sport helps me blend into the community and I hope my multi language (English and Chinese) background can help the club to grow and promote the sport!