Personal
I’ve been happily married to John Ahern for 15 years. John served with the RCMP before becoming a prosecutor and now is a lawyer in private practice. My career has been focused on serving provincial non-profit organizations as an Executive Director & CEO. Organizations that I’ve led include Shelter Net BC and Skills Canada BC.

Education
In terms of formal schooling, I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Carleton University, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Kaplan University (now Perdue Global), a Certificate in French Language Studies from Laval University and a Certificate in Peer Counselling from the University of British Columbia. As a lifelong learner, I continually take courses in business and technology-related subjects to keep my skill set current.

Language Skills
Studying languages is something I love to do. French and Ukraine are the two languages I’m working on now. Recently I was appointed to the board of the Teras Shevchenko Ukrainian School Society located in the heart of Vancouver Granville and now serve as its Vice President.

How do I Relax?
Most mornings I rise early so I can get a swim in before my workday starts. I’m also an amateur chef who likes to try new recipes at home.

South Granville Seniors Centre
On Wednesdays I put my cooking skills to work at the South Granville Seniors Centre where I cook lunch for the Latin speaking seniors in the area.

Marpole Community Centre
On Saturdays I take line dancing classes at the Marpole Community Centre. Don’t laugh .. line dancing is harder than you might think and it’s a great source of exercise. I’m not sure I’ll ever master the steps, but I enjoy taking the classes with women who have been line dancing at the Marpole Community Centre for several decades.

Hillcrest Community Centre
Friday mornings I take a “Breathing for Longevity” class at the Hillcrest Community Centre. The class is taught in Cantonese with English translations. Not only does this class teach me great relaxation techniques it helps me connect with an engaging group of locals who originate from diverse backgrounds.

Faith Community
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church is a dynamic community located on the boundary of Vancouver Granville. On Sunday mornings I sing with the 9:00 AM choir. Our choir sings hymns in English, Tagalog, German and sometimes French.

St. Augustine
On Wednesday mornings I attend St. Augustine’s Catholic Church then participate in a discussion group after the rosary prayers.

Cycling
Whenever time allows my husband and I take cycling holidays. We enjoy cycling around Vancouver Granville as the bike paths and routes are second to none. We also enjoy cycling around the Gulf Islands and on occasion we make it exotic locations around Europe and Southeast Asia. Ten years ago, we cycled from Bangkok to Phuket, 900 kms in just 10 days. It was hot, sweaty work but entirely worth it.

Advice I Commonly Give
Having served in senior leadership roles for the last two decades, I’m commonly asked for career advice. For me, there’s no such thing as perfect timing when you’re looking to take the next step in your career. When new opportunities come around many of us say, “I’m not ready” or “that opportunity is too big for me.” But for the most part, when we want to level up, we need to step out of our comfort zones.