Why I’m qualified to be an MEC board member

I’ve had the privilege of sitting at the board table at MEC for the past three years. In that time I’ve gone through the learning curve that all first-time board members have to go through: who does what in the organization; what are the strategic priorities; what do our finances look like; what are the needs of the membership; staff engagement in the organization; etc.

Beyond attending board and committee meetings (which is an important part of how a board member discharges their duties), I’ve also made other contributions to the work of the board and to the organization as a whole:

·       I am the board contact for senior staff regarding organizational strategy and planning work related to how MEC is delivering on its long-term conservation goals.

·       I currently represent the full board on the Activity Strategy Working Group, a cross-departmental committee made up of staff who are guiding the organization’s thinking on how to best engage with Canadians about being active in the outdoors.

·       On behalf of the Governance and Sustainability Committees, I am the board representative working with the Director of Sustainability in the development of MEC’s Accountability Report.

·       As the Chair of the Governance Committee, I worked with senior staff in the recruitment of a new Senior Manager, Governance … a new position on the senior management team.

·       As a board member with professional expertise in communications and social media, I worked with senior staff in the recruitment of a new Senior Manager, Communications and Marketing.

Professionally, I’ve held senior level positions in a number of organizations, including VP, Communications and Human Resources at WWF-Canada and VP, Corporate and Public Affairs at Edelman Vancouver (formerly Karyo-Edelman). Thanks to this and other roles I’ve had, I have the leadership, management and financial background necessary to excel as a board member.

But at the end of the day, what is probably just as important is my passion for the co-op itself and all that it represents, as well as my love of the outdoors. I love the wilderness and I love having the gear that helps me get out there and experience it. MEC has always been a part of that.