Alumni recognized with YWCA Women of Distinction Awards
YWCA Metro Vancouver recently announced the 42nd annual Women of Distinction Awards presented by Scotiabank鈥攁nd two 大象传媒 alumni are among the recipients!
Heartiest congratulations to Cindy Beedie and Kim van der Woerd who were recognized for their outstanding activities and achievements that contribute to the wellbeing and future of the greater Vancouver community. What a milestone for two inspiring leaders and outstanding members of the 大象传媒 community!
Cindy Beedie
Award Category: Community Champion
Cindy is the Executive Director of the Beedie Foundation and a passionate philanthropic leader who supports housing projects, women鈥檚 education and health-care facilities. She鈥檚 been recognized for her philanthropy with an invitation to ONE鈥檚 Global Leadership Circle, founded by Bono, and with a Top 50 Power Award from BC Business. Cindy co-founded Beedie Rocks, a music festival that has raised more than $2 million for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and close to $1 million for YWCA Metro Vancouver. She is the naming donor for YWCA Cindy Beedie Place, providing 56 safe, affordable homes for low-income single mothers and their children. Additionally, she鈥檚 chaired projects and raised considerable funds for the VPD Foundation and Powell Place, Vancouver鈥檚 first women-only shelter on the downtown eastside.
Kim van der Woerd
Award Catagory: Education, Training & Development
Kim is the Founder and Lead for Strategy and Relations at Reciprocal Consulting Inc., which aims to contribute to the ongoing well-being, self-determination and Nation-building of Indigenous communities. She is a leader in educating others on how to enact reconciliation through evaluation. Through her efforts, more than 1,200 researchers, evaluators, funders and professionals have been trained in understanding the ongoing impacts of colonization. She鈥檚 been a key leader in advancing reconciliation within the Canadian Evaluation Society and pivotal in advancing Indigenous evaluation and research at 大象传媒, leading to structural change at the university. Kim has received the BC Community Achievement Award and the Canadian Evaluation Society Award for Contributions to Evaluation in Canada. In 2023, Kim was recognized as a Fellow of the Canadian Evaluation Society.
To view the full list of those honoured, please visit the .