She has headed up numerous innovative capital projects including Canada’s first multi-unit recycled shipping container housing development, which was completed in August 2013. Throughout Atira’s herstory, Janice has championed barrier-free and low-barrier access to programs and services for women, ensuring Atira’s programs are accessible to all women affected by violence including women who have traditionally been marginalized by mainstream society. She developed and works to honour in her daily practice and in her life Atira’s anti-oppression framework.

Janice is a Governor in Council appointee to the Board of Directors of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, where she chairs the Housing & Capital Projects Committee and is a member of the Human Resources and Governance & Nominations Committees. She received her Canadian Housing Professional designation through the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Western Founders Program. Janice is active in Housing Partnership Canada, and she has co-authored six publications.

Janice won an Influential Women in Business Award from Business in Vancouver for 2019. In 2018, Janice was named Diversity & Inclusion Champion by the Open Door Group, she was honoured with a Civic Merit Award by a unanimous Vancouver City Council, and was named to the Power 50 list by Vancouver Magazine in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

She is also the recipient of numerous other awards including the 2013 BC Non-Profit Housing Association’s Denise LaBlond Award, recognizing her dedication and vision in affordable housing in BC; and the Ernst & Young 2010 Social Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Niki has worked for Atira Women’s Resource Society since 1992, starting as a front-line support worker and moving into program management in 1997. In her capacity as program manager, Niki was responsible for all aspects of program and property management at those sites she was responsible for including Koomseh Second-Stage Transition Housing program in Surrey and Bridge Housing for Women, a seven-storey development in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. In 2004, Niki took on the role of Director, Human Resources and lead Atira’s human resources department through prodigious growth. She was the Executive Director, Operations from 2010 to the end of 2018, and brought her vast knowledge of Atira and the sector as well as her expertise to that position. Since returning as Executive Director, Human Resources in January  2019, Niki restructured the HR team and more than doubled the number of HR staff.

Niki holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Certificate in Human Resources and a rental property manager license (since expired). Her love of learning continues to expand her understanding of the world, especially through online university courses.

Bruk holds a Masters’ Degree in Urban and Rural Planning from Dalhousie University and prior to working at BC Housing, spent some time with Housing Services at the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services.

Arita has a passion for travelling, is an outdoor enthusiast born and raised in Squamish, and a vegetarian committed to environmental and social justice issues both locally and globally. She is thrilled to be back at Atira! She hopped and skipped around the world and returned where she started! Fun fact: her name is easy to remember – its Atira spelt backwards ;).

Gina has spent the last twenty years pursing her own education with an interest in creating welcoming, inclusive and transformative learning experiences for adult learners and recently earned her Doctorate in Education from UBC. She hails from New Zealand, is a proud mother to two daughters, begins every morning with a cup of tea, is happiest in on or near the ocean and is still searching for the perfect banana bread recipe!  Gina is in a unique role in that she is not only leading talent development for Atira, but  in partnership with WISH and the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, leading talent development at those organizations as well.

Amanda is particularly adept at anticipating and dealing with the complexities of setting up newly added housing programs (both new builds and renovations), and ensuring maintenance plans are in place to proactively deal with issues before they arise. Atira Women’s Resource currently operates over 680 units of housing for women in 29 programs, and over 1460 units of housing in the Atira Property Management 21 supportive housing program portfolio.

Responsible for all aspects of financial management, Ashley oversees financial services for clients, reporting and regulatory compliance, internal control, risk management, and strategic support to business development. Ashley serves on the board of various not-for-profit organizations, and is an active member of the CPA community, providing mentorship to students, entrepreneurs and other not-for-profit organizations. Ashley enjoys volunteering, travelling, Pilates, hiking, and visual and performing arts.

In her free time, Shirley likes to play badminton and volunteer. She was the Education and Recruitment Committee Director for the CPABC Richmond/South Delta chapter for three years as she believes in giving back to the community is important.

She is delighted to be part of Atira and is looking forward to growing and learning with the organization. During her free time, Kagowa likes to push her culinary skills by trying out different recipes from around the world. When she has the time to travel, she enjoys visiting heritage sites in other countries, exploring architecture or planning adventure packed getaways. When she can, she also likes to squeeze in a wine tasting or two.

When Cadence Housing for Women and the Willow Early Care & Learning Centre opened in 2017, her work became focussed on child care and the well being of moms and their children. She accepted the role of Director, Early Years & Family Well Being in 2018, and supports Atira’s family programs and early care and learning centres. In 2020, Sarah left that position to take on the responsibility of Atira’s transitional housing programs.

Lara holds a Masters in Archival Studies and Library and Information Studies. She actively volunteers with the Filipino community on campus.

Two years ago, Hajar moved to California where she earned a Masters’ degree in International Policy and Development, with a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialization. Hajar has a young family and is just recently moved to Canada.

She was supporting staff throughout the Lower Mainland, and when Atira restructured its leadership team in 2018, she accepted the role of Director, Non-Residential Programs (Vancouver). This change to specifically Vancouver programs has allowed her to better support staff in the non-residential programs such as legal advocacy, stopping the violence counselling, housing outreach, women’s health and safety, women-only safe consumption site, etc. to better provide services to women in the community.

In 2018, Anne represented Atira at a South African social housing movement as it implemented its Gender Equality Strategy as part of the Rooftops Canada “Equal Spaces Project” in partnership with Global Affairs Canada.

Doreen’s passion is working for not-for-profit organizations where she can make a difference in her community while also pursuing her career. When she’s not at work and not spending time with her little girl, friends and family, she loves jogging, reading, travelling, watching a good show and listening to people’s life stories.

She gained part-time employment at age 15 and continued to work on a part-time basis until 2003 when, after finishing a professional pastry program at the Art Institute of Vancouver, she started work as the children’s community kitchen coordinator, a job she adored. When funding was cut for that program a few a years later, she went to work assisting Atira's then fundraiser and over the next seven years and after completing the Fundraising Management Certificate Program at BCIT, grew into her current role as the Director,Communications, Development, Fundraising. Working in an environment that promotes equality for women has always been her passion and she continues to work every day in the struggle to end violence against women and children.

In 2014 Caithlin was accepted into the Canadian Women’s Foundation Leadership program, run by the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. The year-long program is an exclusive and exciting opportunity to build on leadership skills, develop relationships with other women working in similar organizations across the country and to learn new skills in community economic development. In 2015 Caithlin participated along with eight other women leaders from across Canada in the United States Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs - International Visitor Leadership Program on Preventing Violence Against Women.

Prior to joining Atira, she worked at the Canadian Mental Health Association, and brings with her compassion for people struggling with mental wellness.