Welcome to the VP Finance & Operations portfolio
The nine divisions of the VPFO are responsible for the stewardship of UBC’s physical and financial assets, as well as safety and risk management for our university community.
We oversee a $3.98 billion budget, a $3.38 billion endowment, and all facilities on both campuses, as well as managing the university’s relationships with UBC Investment Management and UBC Properties Trust. In all the portfolio’s responsibilities, we are committed to the values of innovation, unity and accountability.

VPFO Strategic Plan 2024–2027
Having a strategic plan gives us a clear path, keeping everyone on the same page. Learn more about where we’re going next and how we plan to get there.
News from the VPFO
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A Common Ground: Arts Student Centre Opens its Doors
The Arts Student Centre has officially opened its doors to the UBC community. The three-storey building located on East Mall and Walter Gage Road will be a common meeting ground for Arts students to interact across disciplines, with spaces to…
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Aligning enhanced safety and reducing risk for the university
In alignment with the VPFO and SRS strategic plan, Safety & Risk Services (SRS) is moving to the next step that builds on our strengths and opportunities to continue to align around enhanced safety and reduced risk for faculty, staff,…
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75,868 text notifications sent via UBC Alert as part of the annual ShakeOut drill
As part of the annual ShakeOut drill, a UBC Alert test notification by text and voice message was sent on October 21, 2021, at 10:21 am, to remind students, faculty, and staff to drop, cover, and hold on when an earthquake…
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Auditor General’s report gives context on their audit of UBC’s financial statements
In their 2021 report, the Auditor General shares their general findings from over 160 government entities as well as specific highlights from UBC and our response.
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Cassandra Torres and Evan Lloyd join Safety & Risk Services as Management & Continuity Planning Advisors
Cassandra Torres (she, her, hers) and Evan Lloyd join the Emergency Management team in Safety & Risk Services as Emergency Management & Continuity Planning Advisors. Their education and backgrounds in emergency response will be great assets to the team.
People of the VPFO
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Fabiola Ruiz-Aguilar joins Safety & Risk Services as Safety Advisor, Scientific Diving
In her new role as Dive Safety Officer, Fabiola is responsible for developing, strengthening and growing the Scientific Diving program in compliance with WorkSafe BC, Canadian Association for Underwater Science (CAUS) and CSA Ocean Sciences — after all the earth…
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VPFO HR team update
Daisy Chan will be going on Maternity leave starting March 2023. During her leave, Kasia Burza will be temporarily promoted to an HR Advisor until September 2024, supporting AVPFO and Treasury. Alysa Garza will be joining as an HR Coordinator…
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Silvia Magnano joins Treasury as Manager, Treasury Contracts & Real Estate
Silvia comes to us directly from the UBC University-Industry Liaison Office (UILO) where she was a Contracts Officer. Silvia brings both business and legal background to her new role. She was trained and certified as a lawyer in Argentina, where…
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Hailey Maxwell steps into new role as Manager, Emergency Management & Continuity Planning in Safety & Risk Services
In her new role as Manager of Emergency & Continuity Planning, Hailey looks forward to continuing to support the UBC community in developing personal and organizational resilience through planning, training and engagement initiatives.
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Balancing safety and innovation
Janet Hankins leads a team of specialists in biosafety, radiation, and chemical safety and occupational hygiene responsible for the handling of hazardous substances across the university. Learn how Janet resonates with the VPFO’s strategic directions and values, and how her…