Lan Chan-Marples is a Research Facilitator at the Research Services Office – the University of Alberta, where she completed degrees in the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education, in the areas of anthropology with an emphasis on Canadian fur trade history, intercultural education and immigrant women. Her prior professional experiences before the position at the university included research on Edmonton history and buildings for Fort Edmonton Park – City of Edmonton Parks & Recreation, allocation of community grants for United Way, multicultural liaison for the City of Edmonton, and executive director of an immigrant-serving agency. She volunteers in a number of committees and boards and has experiences serving in all board executive roles and organizing community-based conferences, festivals, events and projects.

A few of the organization boards or committees past and present are: Chinese Benevolent Association (including Edmonton Chinatown Multi-Level Care Centre), Edmonton Chinatown Chinese Library Foundation, Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation, Edmonton Heritage Council, Edmonton Community Foundation, Alberta Network of Immigrant Women, Malaysian-Singapore Social Association and North Edmonton Business Association. Lan was a past award recipient of Daughters Day and other awards for her community work.