I am honoured to be nominated for this year’s YWCA Women of Distinction awards, celebrating women making a difference in their communities through volunteerism and philanthropy. I’ve long respected the YWCA and the work that they do, and I consider it a huge milestone in my professional career to be acknowledged by such an amazing collective.

Years ago, when I was feeling overwhelmed by all of the things I wanted to do, I built a Life Pie to identify what is truly important to me in my life. I drew a circle and divided into 9 sections, or pieces of my pie!

The ‘Service’ piece of my pie is perhaps one of the most significant. I was raised to believe that we owe it to ourselves, and to our community, to help those in need. I started volunteering when I was in high school, and the philosophy of giving back has stayed with me since. While my business is still in it’s infancy (it’s a toddler in my mind!), I believe that we can all find time and energy to donate our services, our time, or our expertise to others in need. I sit on the Board of Directors and Chair the Communications Committee for the Community Arts Council of Vancouver, I’ve donated my story branding and coaching services to organizations such as The Vancouver Writers Festival and Create Change, and I share my story often, including at an upcoming event for the Canadian Mental Health Association, hoping to inspire others to go after their dreams.

This nomination reminds me that the energy we spend helping others is of true value. I hope that when you read about the amazing women being recognized for their contributions in Vancouver it inspires you to find a way to give back, in whatever way you can. To the other nominees – congratulations and thank you for all the wonderful work that you do. And a special thank you to Christina Simpson for nominating me and inspiring me on a daily basis. For bios and complete list of nominees, click here