The story so far

Growing up, I always figured I'd end up as a teacher or a lawyer (and I wasn’t the only one who thought this would be the case). I was the quintessential big sister, always the first to try things and always the one to make sure anyone after me learned from my mistakes. My dad used to say I should be a lawyer because I could (and often did) argue my way out of anything. Some people on the team might say I still do ;)  But as I got older, I realized one of the things that makes me happiest is making connections, building communities and always, always learning new things.

So I shifted gears and went into marketing at George Brown College. After college, I wound up working for the City of Toronto, which I loved, and where I spent a decade. What started out as a volunteer position eventually turned into a role managing the entire programming portfolio at the community center, an experience which fed my appetite for variety, new challenges and making meaningful connections. 

Transitioning to the corporate world was a big leap for me. I’ve never seen myself as an office type. I initially covered a maternity leave reception position here at OMERS Ventures, and then I was offered a full-time gig. Over the past five years, I've morphed my role from receptionist, into executive administration into marketing and events, and I’m now mainly focused on developing our community, and creating and managing our events. One of the best things about working here is the experience of shaping my own role according to my own passions and skill sets and it’s been rewarding to see how much I’ve been able to accomplish since I started. 

My day-to-day experience at OV is hard to fit into a specific box, which isn’t for everyone, but which I love. On any given day you’ll find me organizing a Fintech dinner or building a social strategy for one of our investors.  I like to think I bring people together, creating an environment where everyone feels connected and valued. One thing I’ll say for sure - I’m a go-to for recommendations on everything from the best place to get cookies in the path to the latest restaurant that’s both beautiful and not too noisy (an oddly frequent request). 

Even though I've found a niche that suits me in the corporate world, part of me still dreams of running my own events firm or maybe even circling back to working with kids someday. I've got this entrepreneurial itch and a passion for the energy and chaos of event planning. But I'm all about embracing whatever comes my way – at OV and beyond. 

What should founders know about me? 

I’m a pretty organized person - in my role you need to be, but I really love the process of organizing a million pieces into a finished puzzle. Everyone else sees the big picture, but I like knowing every detail and understanding how it all fits together. Since I’m a big food & culture girl, you can also rely on me to find the perfect venue, no matter what you’re looking for. An intimate restaurant for a founder dinner or a meet cute cocktail bar for an industry night - I’m good at finding the perfect atmosphere to create the right setting for every moment. 

Obviously I'm not perfect; I struggle with delegating tasks because I know how I want things done, and it's hard to let go of that direct control. Just ask my friends and family. Actually, don’t ask. I’ll do it myself!