Our Staff - Volunteer Victoria

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-> Val Green
-> Bonnie Van Volkenburg
-> Louise Keith
-> Liz Belsten
-> Lori Elder
-> Tara MacDonald
-> Beth Cougler Blom
-> Lornna Olson

Val Green
Executive Director

Val came to VV in January 1989 and has filled the role of Executive Director since 2002. Val has a B.Ed. and over 25 years experience in the non-profit sector. Prior to working with VV, she coordinated a women's centre / transition house. In addition to her work with volunteers, Val has always been an active volunteer in the community. Currently, she serves on the Leadership Roundtable for the Quality of Life Challenge and on various community advisory committees. Val's eclectic career has encompassed banking and teaching elementary school. When not working at VV, Val can be found in her garden.

Val can be reached at val@volunteervictoria.bc.ca.

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Bonnie Van Volkenburg
Office Support and Agency Relations Assistant

Bonnie first joined VV in 1997 as a volunteer doing our agency phone survey. With her strong client relations and administration skills, Bonnie was asked to fill the Office Support position when it came vacant in July 1998. Since then she has taken on the additional role of Agency Relations Assistant, doing the intake for all new agencies seeking membership with VV, handling requests for volunteers and answering myriad questions from member agencies. In addition to agency support Bonnie also provides administrative assistance to other VV staff and coordinates in-house clerical volunteers.

Bonnie can be reached at bonnie@volunteervictoria.bc.ca.

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Louise Keith
Receptionist / Resource Centre Support

Louise has been a staff member since August 2000 and currently job shares with Liz Belsten. Prior to assuming this role she was a member of VV's volunteer reception team. Given Louise's first hand experience with our fast paced office and her friendly outgoing personality, Louise was an ideal choice for VV's frontline staff person. Her main duties are to assist our diverse clientele in finding volunteer opportunities, to develop the Resource Centre and to facilitate access to our library. Louise has Human Service Worker and Computerized Office certificates as well as volunteer experience at a Crisis Centre and, of course, with Volunteer Victoria.

Louise can be reached at volvic@volunteervictoria.bc.ca.

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Liz Belsten
Receptionist / Resource Centre

Liz, who became the newest member of VV's team in June 2010, is the other half of the reception job share position with Louise. With a background in social services agency administrative work, as well as over 12 years as a volunteer in the community, she supports our clients and staff. Liz has a BA in history and political science and is currently taking courses with the Justice Institute.

Liz can be reached at volvic@volunteervictoria.bc.ca.

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Lori Elder
Manager, Communications & Community Relations

Lori handles all areas of our public relations and marketing. She earned a Certificate in Public Relations from the University of Victoria, and a BA in Communications from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She has over 20 years of combined experience in project management, communications, public relations and event planning. Lori joins us from a former crown corporation where she filled a variety of communications and PR roles during her 17 years there, including outreach with the business sector. As a volunteer, she participates in a variety of special events in support of our community.

Lori can be reached at lori@volunteervictoria.bc.ca.

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Tara MacDonald
Youth Volunteer Connections Program Coordinator

Tara joined Volunteer Victoria in January 2008 as the Youth Program Coordinator. She has experience coordinating local community and youth engagement projects with the Fairfield Community Association and YouthCore.ca, the Youth Engagement Program at LifeCycles Project Society. Before moving to Victoria, Tara has worked with the YMCA in Alberta and Nova Scotia where she managed a variety of community youth projects and experiential learning programs. Tara has a lot of experience coordinating volunteers and is an active volunteer as well, usually helping out with special events and project committees. Tara is passionate about collaborating with others to better provide service to community members and can often be found supporting local community events.

Tara can be reached at tara@volunteervictoria.bc.ca

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Beth Cougler Blom
Manager, Training & Outreach

Beth joined Volunteer Victoria in April 2006 after working for several years in the areas of educational program coordination, human resources and volunteer management. She has experience coordinating executive training programs and graduate programs for international and domestic students at two BC universities. She also carried out recruitment and selection activities for a public health unit in Ontario and managed their volunteer program. Beth holds a Master's degree in Education with a focus in Adult Education from UBC, a Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University, and is also certified in volunteer management and intercultural studies.

Beth can be reached at beth@volunteervictoria.bc.ca

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Lornna Olson
Volunteer Access Program Coordinator

Lornna started at VV in June 2008. She is the Volunteer Access Program Coordinator. Lornna completed a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from the University of British Columbia in 1983 followed by a Mental Health Worker’s Certification in 1993. For the past eighteen years she has supported people who are differently abled in residential, community and educational settings. In her spare time Lornna loves to write and act in plays and films as well as perform Improvisational Comedy.

Lornna can be reached at lornna@volunteervictoria.bc.ca

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Volunteer Victoria / Suite 306 - 620 View Street, / Victoria, B.C. V8W 1J6, Canada / Tel: (250) 386-2269 / Fax: (250) 386-2279 / Email: volvic@volunteervictoria.bc.ca