2020 was challenging for all of us to say the least , yet it also gave us time to look inside ourselves and see what we are truly made of . For me it meant taking chances with new beginnings at many fronts .... Started my own consulting company , which led to an amazing opportunity to serve as Executive Director of Mood Disorders of Manitoba. It seems I was meant to be there , to be part of a community that allows one to be someone else’s support system .... and then in Jan 2021 came the highlight of my life to be honoured as a recipient of the Manitoba 150 Women Trailblazer award ! I’m passionate about working in the not for profit sector particularly on humanitarian /social issues , mental health , career transition, migration , settlement, arts, culture and managing organizational change.I’m a strategic and forward thinker-I dream big and long term, I love to talk and have done a lot of public speaking, spoken at a lot of consultation tables, engaged in over 300 media interviews worldwide ( CNN, CBC, CTV, PBS, BBC, ABC to name a few ) and spoken at international conferences. I pride myself by quickly responding to crises without waiting for others to tell me how. Oh yes and I am proud to be multilingual. There are many firsts in my life:First family of East Indian origin to settle in Prince Edward Island- I know what it is like to settle in a new country. The first women in my family to graduate from university- (I have a science degree from Dalhousie University) and while there have been many other personal and professional firsts, the one most meaningful and significant for me was to be appointed as the first ever female, General Manager of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. My work as Executive Director with the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council humbling. This is where I understood the meaning of being immersed in humanitarian work. The resilience, strength, courage and gratitude of our clients taught me the importance of treating each other with dignity and respect. I believe in the importance of collaboration with sister organizations- why reinvent wheels ? innovate together and increase overall service capacity in a sector. Stewardship of public dollars is key in my personal leadership outlook and style. My mother was and is still my best role model. She taught me the importance of a strong work ethic, to follow my heart, put family first and never stop dreaming . And now I’m inspired by the incredible caring , compassionate , confident women in my life , who are tomorrow’s leaders and trailblazers!