Afton is excited to be the Program Assistant for the Tri-Cities. She is passionate about her work in the not-for-profit sector and particularly about bringing the joy of reading to children. She gets plenty of story time practice with her daughter, who is just starting to read. Afton holds a BA in Social Justice from the University of Victoria and a Diploma of Marketing Communications from BCIT. In her spare time Afton enjoys volunteering as a trustee at the Port Moody Public Library.

Andrea holds qualifications in Journalism, English, Library Science and ESL. She spent 18 years working in South African community libraries, serving the learning needs of ESL families who experienced inadequate education under the Apartheid system. Andrea went on to work for the British Council in the UK, where promoting literacy was the core mission. She believes reading is the most important life skill and the foundation for all other skills, and sees regular one-to-one mentoring as the most effective way to ingrain these skills for life.

Janice has a background in counselling and education from her careers as a dietitian and a college instructor. Janice revels in the joy and excitement that reading and literacy can bring to children. Her favourite experiences are the “lightbulb moments” where struggling readers become confident readers. Janice has enjoyed reading to and with her 4 children and loves making up one-of-a-kind bedtime stories. She is very involved in community sports and in her children’s schools.

Linda is an enthusiastic advocate for kids and literacy. She brings to ONE TO ONE an extensive background as a classroom teacher, university instructor, workshop presenter, and literacy consultant. When asked about what drew her attention to ONE TO ONE, Linda said it was the opportunity to bring children and books together. When she is not reading with her granddaughter, Linda will be found every Thursday morning as a ONE TO ONE volunteer tutor reading with children in an inner city Vancouver school.

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Reading has been a central part of family life for Francis, who was born in Japan, grew up in Vancouver and studied and worked in Montreal, New York, Toronto and Hong Kong. Francis has over two decades of experience working in law and media, including as a partner in the Vancouver office of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, and in senior legal roles with FOX Networks Group and Walt Disney Television International.

Francis is active in the not-for-profit community in various volunteer advisory and board roles, and is always happy to give and receive book recommendations.

Growing up in Vancouver’s public school system, Tina experienced first-hand the importance of building a solid foundation in literacy at a young age. Her two school-aged children keep her on her toes and remind her of the tremendous impact that One to One can make on children’s literacy.

Tina is a Risk Management and Finance executive with 20+ years of experience in leading international public companies to evolve their risk management framework, operational & financial processes and internal audit practices. Tina spent 10 years working in both London, England and New York City, and gained valuable perspectives from life outside of Vancouver.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Elaine has been a volunteer in her community for over two decades, dedicating much of that time to supporting children’s education and literacy. Prior to joining the Board in 2015, she was a tutor through ONE TO ONE at an inner-city Vancouver school and experienced how gratifying it was to help children gain confidence through reading.

Elaine is a marketing executive with 15+ years of experience in multi-channel, integrated marketing, with a specialization in digital/direct. As Vice President of Marketing for Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, she leads the company’s national marketing and communications initiatives.

Barinder comes from B.C.’s Interior and has been a volunteer in her community since her school days.  Her volunteering runs from on-the-ground experience to serving on boards.  Literacy has always been a focus, whether it is spending hours at the local library either reading or volunteering, leading book clubs or supporting literary causes.  Barinder has her own consulting business in the healthcare industry with a focus on policy, strategic operations and implementation.

Jacquie is a mother of three, two with learning disabilities. She brings to the Board her first-hand experience and appreciation for the many challenges children experience if not given the right support, especially in their primary years. Before motherhood, Jacquie ran an occupational therapy & kinesiology rehabilitation company that helped people suffering from injuries including brain trauma. An entrepreneur at heart, Jacquie consults as a personal life coach, with a special interest in supporting women. She coaches her daughter’s soccer team, and likes to bake while listening to podcasts, run the North Shore trails with a friend, and get at least a few pages read before sleep.

Elaine has over 20 years of experience in philanthropy and non-profit management. She is currently the Deputy Director, Development (Western Canada) at UNICEF Canada. She has held her CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) since 2009 and certification in fundraising along with a B.Com and a MBA.

She is a member of Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) and Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). She was the vice-chair of the CFRE Accreditation Committee of AFP Vancouver Chapter and member of CAGP Vancouver Chapter’s Programming Committee. Elaine is very passionate about literacy, education and children. She is a strong believer that we can all play in creating opportunities and making a difference in the world.

Jennifer is a lawyer with over ten years of experience advising for-profit, not-for-profit and Crown corporations on diverse corporate and commercial matters, including board governance.

Originally from Coquitlam, Jennifer studied and worked in Washington, DC and Toronto before returning home to the Vancouver area. Jennifer is currently Senior Legal Counsel and Associate Corporate Secretary for the British Columbia Lottery Corporation.  She is also a long-time volunteer with the YWCA of Metro Vancouver High School Mentorship Program and the Georgetown University Alumni Admissions Program.

Natalie joined the board in 2017, bringing with her considerable experience in the BC school system.  Originally from Quebec, Natalie has been a French Immersion teacher since 1989.  She is a trained resource teacher, and is currently an elementary school principal with the Vancouver School Board.

Natalie is passionate about literacy and is a former District Literacy Mentor for the VSB, and toured the Province as a Literacy Mentor for two years. Having discovered the ONE TO ONE Literacy program in 2011, Natalie immediately implemented it in her own school.  Outside of her professional life, Natalie is a mother, traveller and painter.