VTRA Board of Directors

Annie is an Operations Manager with BC Emergency Health Services and a practicing paramedic based in Victoria. After emigrating to Canada, she began her career in Vancouver with Sun Life as an Investment Solutions Executive before pursuing her passion for emergency services. Annie has also volunteered at the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, taking on a variety of roles that she found both meaningful and rewarding. Since moving to Victoria, Annie has been actively involved with VTRA, initially volunteering in the program and later joining the Board more than 15 years ago. She values the organization’s commitment to inclusion, collaboration, and community building through its connection with horses.

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Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Annie is an avid sports enthusiast. She enjoys riding, field hockey, and tennis, and also loves skiing and travelling. At home, she cares for a lively menagerie of animals, including goats and a horse.

Anne is a retired clinical pharmacist, working last at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. She holds a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Toronto. Prior to serving on the VTRA board, Anne served on the Nominating Committee of the Glenlyon Norfolk School Board of Governors and enjoyed contributing as a Judge Coordinator for the GNS Debate Program. She supports and has volunteered at Victoria Hospice. Keen to build community and connection at every opportunity, Anne is deeply committed to promoting healthy living and to breaking down barriers that challenge all people’s well-being.

Recognizing the essential role that therapeutic riding and equine assisted activity play in the lives of so many, Anne feels privileged to be a part of the VTRA community. She has enjoyed board and committee teamwork and achievement since June, 2018.

Raised on family values of hard work, dedication and respect for all people, Bonnie cut her teeth in the business world working under her father, the innovator and legendary grocer, Alex Campbell. Bonnie was hands-on in the stores from a young age learning every aspect of the grocery trade eventually opening new stores and then, returning to head office where she was responsible for Front End Operations, Training and Public Relations. Prior to retiring to raise her children, Bonnie was Vice President of Human Resources responsible for 2600 employees and instrumental in helping Thrifty Foods navigate its most aggressive and dynamic period of growth culminating in the sale of the grocery empire in 2007. Bonnie’s business acumen is both sharp and practical. She is a master at the human aspects of business success and her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to her community continues to underpin her numerous business ventures that are held in partnership with her husband, Frank. As a lifelong lover of horses Bonnie is honoured to be a part of the VTRA and support the important work they do.

Deborah started her involvement with VTRA eleven years ago as the parent of a 5 year old neurodivergent boy that very quickly found his love and passion for horses through the Adaptive Riding program. Now at the age of 16 years, he attends as many sessions and camps as he can throughout the year. Deborah and her family have seen first hand not only the joyful exuberance Michael experiences but also the physical therapeutic benefits he receives from his riding programs. So when the opportunity to volunteer on the Board came available, it was an obvious “Yes” to be able to give back to the program that has provided so much for her son. Deborah’s professional career is a bit unique in that she has gone back and forth between OR Nursing and Law. She received her B.Sc.N in 1987 from the University of Alberta and her Law degree
from University of British Columbia in 1992. While practicing Medical law for 10 years, she focused predominantly on Risk Management issues as they related to BC hospitals, health authorities and their employees. Currently, Deborah is back working casual in the operating room, exclusively in ophthalmology.

Deborah is the Finance Manager for Garden City Tree & Landscape LTD, a Landscaping company in Saanich, BC with integrity, core values and commitment to sustainability and nature. She has a solid career history of ensuring that organizations follow financial practices that comply with generally accepted accounting principles and has supported both for-profit and non-for-profit companies in the preparation of detailed financial reports covering all facets from budgetary performance to account reconciliation to
modeling and forecasting. The VTRA is the 3rd Therapeutic Riding Association on the Island that Deborah has volunteered with. She began in her 20’s at the Association in the Comox Valley and continued with the Errington Therapeutic Riding Association when her family moved to Qualicum. Deborah started with the VTRA in 2024 as a side-walker and enjoys seeing first-hand the incredible impact and benefits that participation in therapeutic riding has with the smiles and growing confidence of the riders, she has been
lucky enough to work with. Therapeutic riding is a huge asset to the community, and it is an honor to serve on the board.

D-A is an east coaster who moved to Sidney September 2018 for semi-retirement after trailing her husband's military career for 32 years, living across Canada and Europe. Moving every 2-3 years she put aside a teaching career and embraced volunteering to meet people, give back to the community and use/develop skills. She has held positions on various Boards: sport organizations, PAC, Military Family Resource Centers (Toronto & Belgium), choirs and currently as Secretary for the Peninsula Newcomers Club. D-A completed a
Bachelor of Arts (Sociology & Psychology) then a Bachelor of Education (Junior/Senior High-Math/Special Education). During her university summers she was employed with the Nova Scotia Department of Social Services running Day Camps for children with diverse abilities. With this background, she was intrigued with the VTRA program in 2007 when her daughter was riding at Forestmere Stables. She started volunteering with VTRA January 2019, as a Side Walker, Horse Handler and Assistant Instructor which she enjoys as it allows interaction with our clients (and an “equine cuddle”). She has a keen interest in safe practices, promotion of the programs in the community and maintenance of the facility.

Heather is an Investment Advisor and Portfolio Manager with Odlum Brown Limited. Professionally, she enjoys getting to know her clients to help them solve their financial puzzles in order to meet their goals. She hopes to bring the same level of enthusiastic problem-solving to the board of the VTRA. A rider since the age of 4, Heather quickly found her family in the equestrian community on Vancouver Island. Throughout both her education and her career, she has maintained riding as an integral part of her life. VTRA stood out as an amazing organization that offers an opportunity to give back to the community in a way that really speaks to her lifelong passion. Heather is honoured to serve on the board with these other highly qualified and experienced board members for this wonderful organization.

Karen began volunteering at VTRA in 2018 after a 23-year career in the BC Public Sector. She was drawn to VTRA because its programs have an immediate positive impact on the lives of the people it serves. Working on the Governance & Nominations Committee gave Karen a sound overview of the organization and a desire to help VTRA achieve its future goals. In 2020, she joined the Strategic Planning Committee and was appointed as board secretary. Throughout her career, Karen acquired a broad set of skills including facilitation, strategic planning, project management, business analysis, public speaking, customer relations, administration and technical writing. Karen holds a B.A. (History) degree from the University of Victoria and certificates from Royal Roads University (project management) and McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education (consulting skills). Prior to retiring, Karen attained PMI’s Project Management Professional designation.

Kate is a certified Insights Practitioner and Talent Management Practitioner with HR experience across large national organizations, and she currently leads HR for Rugby Canada. She began her career as a swim coach, co-developing a learn-to-swim program, which she is still involved in today. Her background in sport and people development eventually led her into HR, where she has built a career focused on supporting teams, volunteers, and communities through growth and change. Kate has been riding her entire life and first discovered VTRA as a young rider, hoping even then to volunteer. When the opportunity finally arose in 2021 to join the HR Committee, she embraced it enthusiastically. Since then, her involvement has continued to expand—serving on the HR and Risk Committees, joining the Board of Directors, and volunteering as an exercise rider, where she especially enjoys her time with Karl, one of VTRA’s iconic Fjords. Kate is passionate about accessible sport and values the impact VTRA has on participants, families, volunteers, and the broader community. Outside of work, she enjoys riding, swimming, and spending time with her young family. 

Maria Howard is an experienced leader with a demonstrated record of advancing the non-profit sector in support of people in need. As a professional rehabilitation counsellor, she has spent her career working in government and social service/health organizations to support those who are living with vulnerabilities to live the life they choose and have the experiences they want. Maria holds an MBA in Leadership from the University of Athabasca, and an M.Ed. in Rehabilitation from the University of Washington. With decades of extensive business experience, she has held leadership positions in the public healthcare sector, as CEO of the Alzheimer Society of BC, as well as provincial and national governance roles. Currently, she is the CEO of Family Services of Greater Vancouver; a large lower mainland social service agency supporting children, youth and families in complex crisis situations. She also volunteers as a board member with Voices in Motion, an intergenerational choir for people living with dementia in Victoria, BC. Maria’s passion for horses began in her childhood. She has spent many years riding and competing. Simply being in their presence and caring for them provided her with experiences and lessons of compassion, responsibility, self confidence, and resilience. In her personal life, Maria enjoys living and gardening in her home of North Saanich, travelling with her family, and spending time with her two best four legged friends!

Wendy grew up on the Saanich Peninsula being very involved with horses and first volunteered briefly at VTRA as a teenager, ultimately donating a horse to the program. Wendy has worked and volunteered for over 30 years in the nonprofit sector as a Social Worker, Executive Director, Fundraiser and Nonprofit Organization Consultant. She has a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois, Chicago, a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Dalhousie University, and Bachelors of Education and Arts degrees from University of Victoria. Wendy is passionate about the well-researched benefits of therapeutic connections between horses and humans and is delighted to be able to serve on the VTRA Board with such a committed group. In her spare time she is an avid gardener and photographer of night skies, coastal life and flowers.