Any decent leader will learn from their mistakes, what makes a great leader? They learn from the mistakes of others. Join host Mark Crocker of Leadership Victoria as he talks to the local community leaders of Victoria BC for stories, tips and insider secrets. Learn from the best as they explain “How I Did It."
Ian was born and raised in Victoria, BC and is an excellent exemplar of a local community service; with his professional career spanning multiple fields; government, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. the Victoria Open Golf Society, Our Place Society, and currently, Police Victim Services of British Columbia. Ian is all about directing his efforts to supporting the community he grew up in – whether he is assisting the homeless, supporting "100 men who give a damn" or more recently enhancing services to victims of crime and trauma. Ian believes in the power of personal community philanthropy. Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
A conversation with Buncy Pagely. Buncy is a lifelong volunteer and champion for health of women and minority communities, volunteering since the age of 17. Buncy's lifework has been the epitome of providing service for essential healthcare workers; through founding a seniors advocate board to combat racism in the health care community; providing ethnic food to people on long term care; and advocating for women's health increasing access for women to Pap smears and breast exams within communities. She has also created a ‘traveling' cancer assessment clinic to spread awareness to immigrant women; and most recently has led Hathowrne H.E.L.P committee, a group whose efforts are aimed at improving living conditions of seniors being affected by the pandemic. Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
A conversation with Charlayne Thornton-Joe. Charlayne is a councillor for the City of Victoria, a role she has held for the last 19 years. In addition to municipal office, Charlayne previously served as chair of the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria and has held board positions in organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness – a cause that Charlayne is passionate about. Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
Kim currently serves as Executive director to two Vancouver Island chambers of commerce, Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre as well as Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre. This multi-focus approach has been part of Kims philosophy of ‘taking care of business'; Kim's past business ownership ventures include a taxi company, construction company, halfway house for federal offenders, and an attendance program for young offenders. During the pandemic, Kim started a Chamber Enterprise called Delvi; a warehousing and fulfillment facility for Island businesses. Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
A conversation with Kim Smythe, the CEO and President at Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce Following ‘a blow-up with the boss' with an ad agency Kim worked for (that included the Edmonton Oilers account), Kim started his own ad agency when he moved tp the West Coast in his 30's looking for a fresh start. Since then, Kim has been responsible for organizing various events and festivals for the community in Vancouver Island, including a spectacular new Nanaimo Night Market. He believes the best leaders only achieve recognition or status because of what they do for others, not for themselves Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
A conversation with Holly Wright, singer, song writer and musical director of the SoundWave choir. Holly began her musical journey years ago as a solo performing artist that included time at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Following time in a corporate job as operations/safety manager at an engineering company in the Alberta oilfields of Alberta, Holly spent two years in South Africa as a supervisor, It was then that she moved to Vancouver Island and where she bought a café with her partner in Nanoose Bay. This change of pace helped her to start SoundWave in 2015, a choir that has helped connect a group of 80 singers and 5 bandmates. Holly loves music and is hard at work re-releasing and recording new songs for the community. Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
James is the former CEO and current principal owner of Monk Office . The first office products dealer in North America to achieve the ISO 9002 international quality standard registration in 1996. More recently, Monk has achieved the coveted ISO 14001 registration for Environmental stewardship. James is resilient and after weathering a “life or death” challenge to his business in the 90s successfully came through for his team and his community. This devotion to community service continues as he works hard to nurture a healthier business climate in Victoria and is actively mentoring his two children to own and operate the businesses. James has numerous director and chair roles in the community, highlighting a few such as the honorary treasurer of Victoria Symphony, Vice chair of First West Credit Union, and the patrons council of the Victoria Hospital foundation. James is a believer in the entrepreneurial spirit and wants to actively contribute to encourage and enhance the lives of all members of the community. Leadership Victoria helps leaders stand out and change the world, starting here.
A conversation with Del Manak, Police Chief for the Victoria Police Department. Chief Del Manak is in his 31st year of policing and has been the Chief of the Victoria Police Department since July 2017. Chief Manak is a graduate of the FBI's National Academy Program, the Dalhousie University Police Leadership Program and recently completed his Masters of Arts in Terrorism, Risk and Security Studies from Simon Fraser University. Del remains active in the community, coaching baseball, hockey and soccer and has proudly coached over 30 teams through the years. Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
A conversation with Lisa Mort-Putland, Executive director of Volunteer Victoria Volunteer Victoria's mission is to inspire everyone to volunteer, and they do that by making it easy to connect to quality local volunteer opportunities right here in Victoria. Lisa joined the Volunteer Victoria team as Executive Director in June 2011. Lisa holds a B.A. in Drama and a Masters in Public Administration with a focus on non-profit management. Prior to working with Volunteer Victoria Lisa was the Development Manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria and spent more than 25 years working and volunteering in the museum and heritage sector. Lisa is often asked to speak at conferences, events, and celebrations. Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
A conversation with Saul Klein, Dean and Professor of International Business in the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria Born in Zimbabwe, Dean Klein has had a broad-ranging career in Canada, the USA, Singapore and South Africa with consulting assistance to over 60 different organizations. He has led strategic planning workshops for organizations in a variety of sectors and is a recipient of teaching awards from all over the world. Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
A conversation with Emilie de Rosenroll, founding CEO of Greater Victoria's regional economic development alliance, the South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP) South Island Prosperity Partnership an alliance of over 60 public and private-sector partners in Greater Victoria, including 11 local governments, nine First Nations, three post-secondary institutions, nine industry associations and non-profits, and more than 30 major employers. SIPP works to bolster our region's economic and social prosperity with a focus on triple bottom line results - people, planet and profits. Emilie has +10 years senior leadership experience, speaks fluent French and Spanish, and has worked in different sectors in cities in Canada, USA, France and Mexico. Most recently, Emile and SIPP in partnership with the Rising Economy Taskforce, developed Reboot: Greater Victoria's Regional Economic Recovery Plan, a report intended to identify the region's priorities and opportunities aligning with government stimulus funding to speed recovery and establish a more resilient economy. Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
As CEO of VIATeC, Dan Gunn is the community shepherd of Victoria, BC's thriving $4B+ tech industry. In this episode, Dan talks with Mark about his leadership journey, his lifelong commitment to building communities, and how to "lead from behind" in nonprofit. Dan is a Leadership Victoria alumni, and he speaks about Viatec's role as the 'connective tissue' filling the gaps in the local tech community and shepherding that community from $500 million in revenue to $4 billion. So how did he do it? For more about Dan and Viatec, visit www.viatec.ca For more about us, go to www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Today we speak to Kristi Rivait with Scale Collective about the importance of a fiscally strong non-profit. Scale Collective is a partnership that guides organizations through consulting, coaching, and learning to become financially sustainable. “It takes a special skill to be able to run a social enterprise, a nonprofit, because you consider so highly the community you serve” Learn about Scale Collective here. https://scalecollaborative.ca/our-team/ Find more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Captain Sam Sader is the Base Commander at CFB Esquimalt - he oversees 6,500 people and speaks to us today about the nuances of military leadership, particularly during these difficult times. Captain Sader also sits on the board of directors for the United Way of Greater Victoria and the Victoria Chamber of Commerce. You can find more information about CFB Esquimalt here: http://www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca/en/about/structure-marpac-home.page Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Catherine Holt is a well-known figure in both business and the community in Victoria. She recently moved on from being the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce after being at its helm for the past 4 years. Little did she know in January of 2020 when she resigned that life would be completely turned upside down in two months' time! Catherine is a strategic leader and is also an instructor for Royal Roads University in Strategic Leadership. Find out more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Ian Chisholm — Chiz, to those who know him — is the keystone of Roy Group. With a work ethic forged by growing up on a prairie grain farm, Ian's character was further honed by pioneering the challenging start-up of a leadership development centre on the windswept Isle of Skye, and rendered whisper-sharp by more than a decade of guiding leaders to raise their game. To learn more about Ian: https://roygroup.net/ For more about us: www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Julie Angus is best known for rowing across the Atlantic Ocean during some particularly vicious hurricanes. After 3 days locked down in a berth the size of a dining room table they weathered the storm and completed their epic journey. Julie believes the power of endurance is vital to effective leadership. To learn more about Julie's work and her adventures, check out: https://openoceanrobotics.com/ https://angusadventures.com/ For more about us, go to: www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Dave Morris knows that sometimes things don't work out - but it is the fear of failure that is usually more destructive than the failure itself. Dave Morris is a speaker, teacher, and storyteller, but mostly he's an improviser. He's been teaching, producing and performing improvisation around Canada and the world for over 20 years. You can find more about Dave, his work, and what else he's up to at: www.davemorris.tv www.paperstreettheatre.ca Find out more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
In this very special episode, we go behind the scenes of the "How I Did It" Podcast to talk about how we did it... the podcast, with the creative braintrust behind the very podcast you are listening to. That's Mark Crocker, Caroline Hudson, Mike Anthony and Chandrima Mazumdar. We turn the tables on Mark, get to know each other, talk about our favourite moments of the first season and plot what the future has in store. Tune in for Season 2 this Fall. Learn more at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
As the legal representative of the crown in British Columbia the role of Lieutenant Governor is a combination of ceremony and influence. The difficulty of positional leadership is ensuring followers are truly sharing what they need to say to a person in a position of power. How does a leader of this stature ensure they are leading with trust? In Lt. Gov. Janet Austen's words, “It's often not what you say, it's what people see you do” Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Lisa Helps is the 52nd Mayor of Victoria and the second female mayor of the city. She was first elected to office in 2014 by a narrow margin and reelected in 2018 with overwhelming support despite making the controversial decision to remove the statue of John A. MacDonald outside of city hall - a move she calls "almost political suicide" but ultimately the right thing to do. Mark and Lisa talk leadership tips and taking risks to unleash potential. Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Leadership is something Devesh learnt early on from his parents who taught him to create an impact to make a positive difference in people's lives. Devesh is an entrepreneur, engineer, and the CEO of Pani Energy – an award-winning tech company based in Victoria that provides digital solutions to make clean water cheaper and more sustainable to produce. You can find more about Devesh's work at www.panienergy.com You can learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Every year, Leadership Victoria honours one of the graduates of the Community Leadership Development Program with an Outstanding Leadership Award. At the end of each program, students are asked to nominate a peer for the award. Carissa Ropponen is our winner for 2020. Carissa's work as Manager of Resource Development and Communication at the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre builds the build resources that help survivors. Learn more at: www.vsac.ca Learn more about us at: www.leadershipvictoria.ca
Of the many art projects that he has done, Temosen (Charles Eliott) is most proud of the ‘talking stick' he made for Nelson Mandela when he visited North America. Temosen was very influenced by his work to eradicate apartheid and work for the rights of the First Nations peoples of South Africa. Temosen's own family has been very active in fighting for their people's right and Nelson Mandela's journey is very inspirational to him. Find out more about us at www.leadershipvictoria.ca
Amarjit has worked with newcomers and refugees in Victoria for 35 years; 20 of those at the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society (VIRCS). As the Volunteer Coordinator at VIRCS, Amarjit has leads the creation and growth of programs that serve the needs of the immigrant and refugee community in Greater Victoria. She goes out of her way to bring people together and she is one of our 2020 VCLA winners. Learn more about her work at www.vircs.bc.ca/ Learn more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Lisa Mercure works at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC), supporting Indigenous Elders and delivering cultural programs for the urban Indigenous community. As a result of her work over 130 Elders are now connected hosting language clubs, mentoring participants or leading advisory tables. Through the language programs she has developed, Lisa has created space for fluent speakers to pass along the teachings of the Elders through an Urban Indigenous Language Hub. Find out more about Lisa Mercure's work at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (once it reopens) and on social media. Find out more about us at www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
Last month, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police, hundreds of thousands have come out to rally for change. This has lead to a worldwide response. With the Black Lives Matter movement taking centre stage across the world, Leadership Victoria chatted with three of our city's influential leaders with unique perspectives on the movement: Sharmarke Dubow (@deardubow), Ruth Mojeed (www.theinclusionproject.com), and Devi Mucina (@devi.mucina). Learn more about at www.leadershipvictoria.ca
As the founder and lead organizer of Our Earth Our Future, Emma-Jane has seen her movement grow from a handful of students to a massive rally of more than 20,000 people in 2019 calling for change in the way that governments approach climate change and environmental degradation. Emma-Jane is our 2020 VCLA for Flourishing Safe Environments winner. You can support Emma-Jane's work at www.ourearthourfuturevictoria.com and www.climatestrikecanada.org You can learn more about us at www.leadershipvictoria.ca
As Hospitality Pastor at the Mustard Seed Street Church and Food Bank for almost 20 years, Chris gives his all in the service of those who need it most. By patiently listening to his community, Chris finds unique ways to enhance Church services, including: “The Urban Hermit”, an open mic night; “Beyond the Streets” hikes and outdoor adventures; and “Street Café”, a date-night experience. For more about Chris's work, go to www.Mustardseed.ca To learn more about us, visit www.LeadershipVictoria.ca
What happens if you aren't the smartest person in the room? Our VCLA 2020 winner Major Sheldon Feener believes leadership means surrounding yourself with the best people. In this episode, Major Feener talks with Mark Crocker about the Salvation Army and the moment he found inspiration to work in Addictions and Rehabilitation. He also talks about the challenges COVID-19 poses to essential services and showing appreciation in these difficult times. Go to www.LeadershipVictoria.ca to join the 2020 cohort.
How can holding two world views help us see better? Our VCLA 2020 Winner Dr. Charlotte Loppie talks about "two eyes seeing", holding Western and Indigenous views on public health, and how it has been invaluable to her learning and teaching. Charlotte is a professor, and director of the Centre for Indigenous Research and Community-Led Engagement at the University of Victoria. Her work focuses on the social determinants of Indigenous health. Go to www.LeadershipVictoria.ca to join the 2020 cohort.
How do you lead a workforce of over 400 with a single staff member? Our VCLA 2020 Winner Christine Hewitt rose to this challenge as she took on the Executive Director role at Santa's Anonymous. In a few short years Christine quintupled fundraising growth and doubled Christmas hamper distribution. Christine shares how she found the strength to move this forward after facing a significant personal tragedy. Learn more at www.cfaxsantas.com. Go to www.LeadershipVictoria.ca to join the 2020 cohort.
Mark meets with Carey Newman, the 2020 VCLA Winner for Extending Reconciliation, to talk community leadership in the time of COVID-19. Carey Newman, whose traditional name is Hayalthkin'geme, is a multi-disciplinary Indigenous artist, master carver, filmmaker, author and public speaker. Learn more about his work at Witnessblanket.ca and watch his film Picking up the Pieces. Visit LeadershipVictoria.ca to enroll in our upcoming Community Leadership program.
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