alumni UBC Wine Series: Sip outside the box

Fred Lee is the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement at alumni UBC. His team leads efforts to increase engagement and build influence among UBC’s community of more than 60,000 students on two campuses, and 410,000 global alumni in more than 140 countries. The Development and Alumni Engagement portfolio launched FORWARD, the campaign for UBC, which aspires to raise over $3 billion in philanthropic support and has engaged more than 150,000 alumni. He also serves on many committees, including UBC’s CampOUT program for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. He received the UBC President’s Staff Award for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in 2020 and the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025 for his significant contribution to B.C.

DJ Kearney is a Vancouver-based wine educator, consultant, and global wine expert. By day, she is the Director of Wine at Vancouver’s prestigious Terminal City Club, where she runs a lively, highly diverse wine and spirits program. Her many decades in the wine industry have embraced teaching, wine writing and criticism, judging, and speaking. She holds the WSET Diploma and ISG Sommelier Diploma, and has spent four years in the Master of Wine program. A WSET educator working for many global wine bodies, she has trained hundreds of sommeliers throughout North America. She headed the WSET courses at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts from 2014 to 2024, and initiated a judge training program in Canada to help prepare the next generation of wine judges. She spent nine years as Vice President of CAPS-BC, was responsible for eight Best Sommelier of BC competitions, and directed two Best Sommelier of Canada competitions. Devoted to the wines of her home province, she has helped guide the BC industry over the past two decades. As a proud UBC alum, she’s always game to moderate tastings for the Summer Wine Series.

A graduate of UBC, Grace Li built a remarkable career among executive ranks in the telecommunications and healthcare sectors before embarking upon her wine journey. Alongside her long-time friend Richard Loo, she pursued wine education with enthusiasm. Sharing a deep passion for wine, the duo traveled extensively across Europe, exploring diverse wine regions. In 2014, they co-founded World Wine Synergy, their agency devoted to expanding British Columbians’ wine palates. They focus upon introducing lesser-known native grape varieties and highlighting how ecosystems, terroirs, and winemaking practices influence what ends up in the glass. Beyond wine, Grace Li has long been active in the health community and is widely recognized as an energetic fundraiser. The BC Dental Association recently honoured her with a Board of Excellence Award for her 25 years of dedicated service to worthy causes.

Richard Loo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from UBC, later complemented by an MBA, and has built a successful career in the software industry that spans over 30 years. Concurrently, his passion for wine evolved from a casual interest into a journey of learning and fascinating travels, leading him to discover distinctive Old World wines along with the rich history and culture behind them. Together with Grace Li, he co-founded World Wine Synergy, an import agency whose motto, “What’s in the glass?”, reflects their dedication to uncovering and sharing the compelling stories that each wine has to offer.