About the 2011 Women of Distinction Recipients

Arts, Culture & Design

Morna Edmundson - Artistic Director, Elektra Women’s Choir

 As a conductor, singer and administrator, Morna’s professional music career spans over 30 years, during which she has received numerous honours and awards. In addition to being one of Canada’s best-known choral conductors, Morna is an accomplished arts administrator and cultural leader in BC. She has served for a decade as Administrative Director of MusicFest Vancouver and for 14 years conducted the Coastal Sound Youth Choir in Coquitlam. Morna mentors a growing number of leaders in her field and is a frequent contributor to cultural planning in the city and the province. Morna’s ability to reconcile the big-picture organizational goals with day-to-day management of singers, staff and resources has made her a true leader in her field and an outstanding Artistic Director for Elektra Women’s Choir. In 2000 she was presented with the Healey Willan award for her outstanding dedication and contribution to BC’s choral community.

Business & the Professions

Tamara Vrooman – President and CEO, Vancity Credit Union

As the first female CEO of Canada’s largest credit union, Tamara harnesses the company’s strengths to encourage growth and prosperity in the communities where its members and employees live and work. Tamara considers her role to be a continuation of her career in the public service sector; she ensures Vancity helps facilitate positive social and environmental change in everything they do. Under Tamara’s leadership, in 2010 Vancity achieved the best financial results in the credit union’s 64-year history and its third consecutive year of increased earnings. Tamara is one of only five female CEOs among the top 100 credit unions in Canada. Her strong commitment to public service was recognized in 2003 when she received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Public Service.

Community Building

Christina Anthony – Director, Odlum Brown Limited; Founder and Chair, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs

Christina’s achievements showcase her diverse interests and her involvement within the community. She has diligently worked her way up in the competitive industry of finance to a Director and top producer at Odlum Brown. She also founded and chairs the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and helped it grow into the successful organization that it is today. In addition, Christina contributes a significant amount of time volunteering for other non-profits. She is currently a mentor and counsellor with the Portfolio Management Foundation at UBC and a partner with Social Venture Partners. Christina is also a board member of the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation. Most importantly to her, Christina is a wife and proud mother of four children under the age of six years.

Judges’ Choice: the Judges also acknowledge this nominee for her accomplishments:

Gladys Johnston – Founder and Volunteer Leader, Mount Seymour Thrift Shop

Over 20 years ago Gladys noticed a large number of subsidized housing units in North Vancouver’s Seymour neighbourhood. She quietly started an initiative to open a thrift shop with two goals in mind: to provide an affordable retail outlet for low-income families and seniors, and to engage and unite the community. She overcame resistance and challenges to reach her dream; what started in a humble storage room is now a thriving, 1,500-square-foot shop run by more than 70 volunteers. The proceeds from the operation benefit several agencies, including the Mount Seymour United Church, the North Shore Lookout Shelter, the Developmental Disabilities Association and local high school programs for special needs youth.

Education, Training and Development

Malgorzata Dubiel – Senior Lecturer of Mathematics, SFU

Malgorzata strives to help students overcome “math anxiety.” With over 40 years of teaching she applies her experience to improving math education in Canada. She works with elementary school teachers and children to change the misconceptions about math that are formed at an early age. Malgorzata also established math camps, conferences and community outreach programs for students of all ages. Her contributions have encouraged many women to engage with and consider careers in mathematics, a field where women are still underrepresented. She is a recipient of the 3M National Teaching Fellowship, the SFU Excellence in Teaching Award and the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences Education Prize.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Beverley Pomeroy – Founder and CEO, Global Currents Enterprises

Beverley is the driving force behind Global Currents (formerly Pinc Giving), an online social-giving platform. When Beverley sought help from several charities and agencies to cope and care for her daughter’s terminal illness, she discovered that these agencies lacked the resources to fundraise through their websites. She created Global Currents with the belief that web solutions for non-profits should be affordable and simple to use. The platforms—such as the Donate Now button—are affordable and work extremely well in the non-profit industry. In 2009 Beverley was one of Business in Vancouver’s Top Forty under 40. She is a sought-after speaker on topics such as online fundraising, corporate social responsibility and women in business.

Health & Active Living     

Verity Livingstone – Medical Director, Vancouver Breastfeeding Centre

Internationally recognized as a leader in breastfeeding medicine, Dr. Verity Livingstone has over 25 years of experience in facilitating optimal breastfeeding practices through her unique expertise in the art of breastfeeding and the science of lactation. Verity founded the British Columbia Breastfeeding Society, a non-profit organization that focused on promoting the positive effects of breastfeeding. The Society also worked to establish breastfeeding-friendly places in public to help combat the stigmas associated with public breastfeeding. In addition to her work locally, Verity represented Canada in the UNICEF/World Health Organization’s Baby Friendly Initiative, where she helped to develop curricula for health professionals in breastfeeding management. Verity continues to sit on local and international committees and is dedicated to implementing this initiative.

Non-Profit & Public Service

Linda Malcolm – Constable and Sex Industry Liaison Officer, Vancouver Police Department

Linda has been with the VPD for 29 years. For the three years she has worked as the Sex Industry Liaison Officer, providing a supportive and investigative link between the police, sex-trade workers and non-profit agencies. Her emphasis is on assisting the most "at risk" workers, including men and transgender persons, as well as those who made the decision to exit the industry. Through her sensitive, compassionate and creative approach she has been able to develop and strengthen relationships with many in the sex trade community, reducing barriers to reporting victimization, and assisting them to lead healthier, safer and more productive lives. She has also helped police officers develop their skills in dealing compassionately with sex workers.

Technology, Science & Industry

Janet Wood – Executive Vice President, SAP

Janet Wood has over 28 years of experience in the technology industry and is currently Executive Vice President of SAP’s Maintenance Go-to-Market organization. As a member of SAP’s leadership team, Janet’s position is highly influential in determining and driving the company’s strategic direction. After her first role in sales at Xerox, Janet moved to IBM where she distinguished herself as a sales executive and then, later, as an outstanding leader in technology when she was involved in launching IBM’s first eBusiness Solutions organization in 1999. At both Crystal Decisions and Business Objects, Janet headed the partner organization that cultured critical relationships with all partners from Global Alliances to OEM. Eventually, she played a critical leadership role during the acquisitions of Crystal Decisions and Business Objects. Janet’s many accomplishments and exemplary leadership serve as an example to all those who have had the opportunity to work with her.

Young Woman of Distinction

Alia Dharamsi – Former President and Founder, UBC Meal Exchange UBC

A medical student at UBC, Alia is also passionate about alleviating hunger, promoting good nutrition and learning about international development. She has volunteered extensively with inner-city and international programs to assist in programming and fundraising. Most notably, as President and founder of Meal Exchange UBC, Alia coordinated efforts to raise over $56,000 of food and resources for the Strathcona Healthy Eating Program, Sheway, Greater Vancouver Food Bank and the UBC Food Bank. She also co-chaired the inaugural INNOVATE student conference on technology and sustainability. Alia is the recipient of numerous awards for academic excellence, outstanding leadership and unconditional community service, including the Duke of Edinburgh Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards.

Innovative Workplace

McCarthy Tétrault

McCarthy Tétrault is a leading Canadian law firm that delivers integrated legal services nationally and globally.  Meeting its clients’ needs, respecting its people and engaging them to make a difference, minimizing the impact of its operations on the environment and investing in local communities are at the firm’s core and shared by all of its members. A passionate commitment to excellence and a supportive and highly inclusive work environment drive all lawyers and staff to deliver outstanding client service and community support. In addition to placing a high priority on the advancement and retention of women in the workplace, they developed initiatives such as diversity training, child care subsidies and offering paid leave for employees who perform community services. The firm also provides mentorship opportunities for their staff, both as mentees and mentors, and sponsors several in-house leadership programs and external activities for women lawyers.

Connecting the Community

Saleema Noon –  Principal, iGirl Empowerment Workshops

In addition to the category for which they were nominated for, all nominees were eligible for the Connecting the Community Award.  From April 26 to May 27 the public voted for their favorite nominees; Saleema Noon had the most votes at 8, 054, and Scotiabank donated $10,000 to the YWCA program that she chose: healthy choices for youth.

Connecting the Community Award quote:

“As an educator I see first-hand the need to bring empowerment and mentoring workshops to the school environment, particularly to support youth facing language, cultural or economic barriers. For girls and (often overlooked) boys to work together on social responsibility is truly unique and for these reasons I whole-heartedly support healthy choices for youth through programs like Welcome to My Life and Boys 4 Real.”