WHO AM I AND WHY AM I DOING THIS?
Musician, business executive, coach, arts patron and volunteer, jazz fan and ardent supporter of women in leadership.
BANDLEADER
In 13 years as a bandleader for community musicians, I've delighted big band jazz audiences across the Lower Mainland, including co-founding the annual WestCoast Big Band Festival and growing it to 14 participating bands over 4 years.
In addition to leading Sister Jazz Orchestra, I'm currently the Music Director for the North Vancouver-based big band, Jazz Connexion.
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE
In my 32-year career in financial services, I've been a mentor and champion for intentional policies and programs that build women’s networks, training and opportunities for leadership positions.
A former senior vice president of RBC, I also served for 12 years on the Board of Directors of Coast Capital Savings, during which time I chaired the Human Resources Committee as well as the Risk and Nominations committees.
COACH
I earned my Professional Coach designation to help musicians, executives and entrepreneurs find their gifts and realize their potential.
I have been a volunteer coach for the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and an active mentor in both my business and musical lives.
ARTS PATRON & VOLUNTEER
As a long-time patron of the arts, I believe that opportunities need to be intentionally created for musicians to be heard and that these professional artists need to be appropriately paid for their work.
I've chosen to be a donor to the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the VSO School of Music and NYO Canada as well as supporting independent projects of up-and-coming Vancouver jazz musicians.
I've volunteered my time to serve on the board of NYO Canada, create and organize the WestCoast Big Band Festival and perform in numerous community music initiatives.
JAZZ FAN
As a jazz fan with a particular interest in the big band format, I enthusiastically support Vancouver’s professional jazz orchestras but despair at how few women artists (often none) are featured in them.
EDUCATION
I earned my Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance at McGill University, followed by graduate studies at Boston University. I later studied jazz, conducting and arranging at Capilano University and bass at the VSO School of Music.
I changed course and went to business school, obtaining an MBA in Finance from Concordia University in Montreal.
With a growing interest in leadership and mentoring in my later career, I was certified as a Professional Coach by Erickson College in Vancouver.
I'm also an accredited Corporate Director and governance expert with an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
