Donna Wilson

Donna Wilson has made working with people and organizations the focus of her career. As Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Sustainability and International Client Services, she is playing a key role in helping VANOC define and develop its culture. She will guide the organization through its dynamic stages of growth, operation and wind-down and help the organization to live its vision of sustainability.

Wilson sums up her broad scope of responsibilities in one short sentence: “I’m responsible for everything that has to do with people, relationships, and lasting legacy.” Specifically, this includes hiring the 1,200 paid employees and some 25,000 volunteers that will eventually work for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Wilson also oversees the official languages portfolio – a key element in VANOC’s vision of building a stronger Canada by celebrating its duality of languages – as well as language services, the department responsible for all translation and interpretation needs. Donna’s other key areas are sustainability, Aboriginal participation and International Client Services. 

Underscoring all these functions is what Wilson sees as her most critical role: VANOC’s culture keeper and catalyst. “I’ve always enjoyed taking care of the health of an organization and helping it identify what it needs to flourish,” says Wilson. “My goal is to ensure our values are integrated into all of our people practices, enabling our employees to galvanize around them and be partners in key decisions that impact the organization.”

Wilson draws on an impressive track record of creating and sustaining admirable work environments: while leading the human resources team as Vice President of Human Resources for Vancity and its family of subsidiaries, the financial institution achieved top “100 Employers” recognition in 2004 and 2005, with a “Best Employer in Canada” ranking by Macleans magazine in 2004.

Prior to joining Vancity, Wilson spent several years in senior customer service and operational roles with BC Hydro. Wilson also includes in her background labour relations work in both the private and public sectors.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Wilson graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. A mother of two grown children, she balances work and play by spending time on the family’s 18-acre farm on Saltspring Island and taking long walks by the ocean with her husband. The former figure skater and field hockey player makes no bones about her unabashed love of dark chocolate, which she offsets with regular gym visits, biking and skiing.