VWNC Executive
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Michelle Ambrose
Vice President
My husband and I moved to Victoria in July of 2021 from Calgary where I lived for 40 years. And, shortly after our arrival here, my daughter and her fiancé announced they would be joining us out here too 🙂 I am thankful to be back at the sea having grown up close to the water in Denmark and South Africa. Yes, the mountains provided some natural respite when we were in Calgary but there is nothing like looking out of the window to see people swimming or rowing by. I have yet to join them in the winter months but I spend lots of time swimming and walking or just reading my book in the shade of a beach parasol or Garry Oak. The more recent arrival of my granddaughter has upped my familial responsibilities but I hope to still find time to hang out with my new WVNC friends and to further the commitment I have to volunteer and/or work in disaster response.
Contact Michelle at vwncvicepresident@gmail.com
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Susan Thomas
President
I came new to Victoria in 2021 from North Vancouver. I’m a retired social worker and teacher from Ontario.
I am a practicing artist and past president of the North Shore Artists Guild and member of the Saanich Peninsula Arts and Craft Society.
I’m also grandma to two young athletes. I’m interested in art, genealogy, walking and I love dining out with Newcomers.
Contact Susan at vwncpres@gmail.com
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Pam Ruhland
Vice President
I was born in Belfast and came to Canada when I was 6. I lived for years in BC and moved to Calgary from 1998 to 2019. It was a dream to move to Victoria (I always knew BC would call me home!)
My past work life has included working in banking, up to the level of management. For the past dozen years, I have worked as an online health coach and I also currently teach yoga in James Bay. I’ve been active as a runner, cyclist, and fitness instructor and, in my down time, I love to read, watch movies, walk around Saxe Point, and spend time with my husband. I am a mum of six and grandmother of 5.
Contact Pam at vwncvicepresident@gmail.com
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Alison Patch
Membership Coordinator
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Montreal but university took me west to Edmonton where I completed a degree in Forestry. I am now a mostly retired Registered Professional Forester who spent 37+ years working in the bush around Burns Lake in north central BC and living on the north shore of Francois Lake. I escaped the snow to the lovely climes of Victoria in 2019 and made it my permanent home in 2020. I enjoy anything outdoors including golf, cycling, gardening and hiking with my dog. I love to cook (eat), read, knit and quilt in my tiny oasis in Esquimalt (overlooking a golf course…).
Contact Alison at vwncmembership@gmail.com
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Kathy Campbell
Membership Coordinator
My husband and I moved to Victoria from Toronto in November 2020 and have since spent our time getting to know our new city and home. I am a retired financial professional spending my career working with community groups and First Nation communities to support the building of affordable housing and supportive housing in Ontario. After a hectic pace I am enjoying the lifestyle Victoria has to offer. I am a passionate gardener, love walking , reading, have tried my hand at pottery, love photography, am trying to learn golf and love spending time with our grandchildren in Vancouver and Cambridge England. Finding the VWNC has enabled me to meet some wonderful women from across Canada and the US. The history tours have been a fabulous way to learn about our city’s past and present. Book club and pub nights have been a fun way to connect in smaller group settings. I look forward to welcoming new members in my new role on the membership committee.
Contact Kathy at vwncmembership@gmail.com
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Betsy Heal
Treasurer
After 40 years in the Fraser Valley, where I brought my family up and worked as a teacher until retirement, I finally moved to Victoria during Covid. What took me so long?? It proved to be a great decision and the VWNC played a large part in helping me settle in to my new life. I have met so many wonderful women through this organization and there are not enough days in the week to squeeze in all the activities I want to pursue. My origins are not in BC., however, and I followed up my early years in Saskatchewan and Thunder Bay, Ontario with university years in Halifax and a year in Montreal. I do love that this club brings people together from across Canada.
Since coming to Victoria, cycling has been a big part of my life, but my goal this year it to try to integrate more hiking into my life. I’ve also enjoyed golfing (badly!) with club members and “breaking bread” over dinners, lunches, brunches and appies. Although I have been a lifelong reader, that has dropped off recently and I’m looking forward to joining a book club this year. I look forward to welcoming the new members to the club and hope that their experience will be as rich as mine has been these past two years.
Contact Betsy at vwnctreasurer@gmail.com
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Megan Campbell
Activity Coordinator
Megan spent her early years in Kingston, Ontario, but has lived in many places in Canada, most recently in Toronto. A graduate of Queen’s University, York University and Western, she pursued two careers, first in finance with the Toronto-Dominion Bank and then as a senior development professional in fund raising and administration in leadership roles in healthcare, education, community, arts and philanthropic organizations. Her travels for work and pleasure gave her a deep appreciation for BC, and after retiring in 2020 she moved across the country to settle in Victoria. Megan’s favourite activities are traveling, volunteering, fitness, hiking and socializing with friends. And she’s delighted to be partnered with Jo-Anne Rutherford in VWNC’s Activity portfolio.
Contact Megan at vwncactivity@gmail.com
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Jo-Ann Rutherford
Activity Coordinator
Born and raised on a prairie farm, I trained as a nurse in Winnipeg, working in that city and Calgary before heading to Ontario to train in massage therapy. Following 18 years in my own clinic in Toronto my husband and I moved to Canmore AB where I worked in various settings in the Bow Valley.
After 20 years of mountain adventures, we headed to the coast to retire. Joining the Victoria Women’s Newcomers Club has introduced me to a diverse group of women, developing friendships while exploring in and around the city. I look forward to the coming year working with Megan as Activity Coordinator.
Contact Jo-Ann at vwncactivity@gmail.com
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Sherry Conroy
Venue Coordinator
Sherry was born and raised in Southern Ontario but moved to Sudbury after university, where she raised her daughters and worked as a teacher and principal. Never having enjoyed the cold, she planned her exit from the north for five years before she retired in 2019. Every spring break she travelled to Victoria, staying in a different neighbourhood and learning about the unique features of each community. She loves to take advantage of everything the city has to offer, enjoying the symphony, local theatre and walking. VWNC has helped her to make a wonderful circle of friends. She looks forward to serving as the venue coordinator for the upcoming year.
Contact Sherry at vwncvenuecontact@gmail.com
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Karina Haufort
Webmaster
Born in Alberta to Danish and Irish immigrant parents, my sense of wanderlust has been cultivated from a young age. After dabbling in photography, a love of travel and culture morphed into French language and literature studies, eventually leading to further studies in education and work as a French teacher. With a health scare and a deepened carpe diem outlook on life, my partner in crime and I stopped working and ran off to travel the world. Yet, Canada was always home. Craving change and a milder climate, we moved west to pursue our favourite shared hobbies of gardening, golfing and more adventure. Relocating in the onset of Covid was challenging; however, the VWNC gave me the opportunity to meet wonderful people, and to get out and explore my new home town.
Contact Karina Haufort at vwncwebmaster@gmail.com
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Charlotte Danard
Assistant Webmaster
It took about 6 years, but my husband finally persuaded me to move to Victoria year ’round in early 2022. It helped that the family centre of gravity shifted westward when our Vancouver-based daughter had a second child. Like many others in this group, we still have a couple of grandchildren back in Ontario, but the pace and beauty of Victoria immediately made us feel like this is where we belong.
I joined a choir even before arriving, and VWNC soon afterwards, so unlike those unlucky enough to arrive during the pandemic, I’m already feeling quite connected in the community. I’m enjoying the groups which do hiking, biking, and historical tours, not to mention our monthly speaker series.
As a retired math teacher, I find it satisfying to put my experience to use doing volunteer math tutoring. I also continue to contribute to the construction of a national math contest. I look forward to the challenge of learning how to wrangle the website, and to working with the talented women who keep the organization humming along, enriching all our lives.
Contact Charlotte at vwncwebmaster@gmail.com
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Alana Taylor
Communications Coordinator
Victoria has been home for almost three years – time flies! In 2020, we made the decision to move to Victoria. We continued to work remotely, however in 2021 I officially retired. I have been a communication strategist for 35 years and while I miss my work and colleagues, I am getting used to a new normal. Victoria was really our only choice; it offers us a more active, ‘green’ lifestyle, where jumping in your car is optional and where snow isn’t that common in the winter (unless you want it) — and so far, so good! I enjoy running, golfing, gardening and reading and have learned Mahjong through our club. Through VWNC I am building a new community of friends while exploring what else is out there in my new hometown!
Contact Alana at vwnccommunications@gmail.com
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Rilla Hewer
Secretary
My husband and I, along with our small dog Sophie, returned to the Island in the fall of 2019. We had previously lived in Victoria and in Maple Bay near Duncan but had answered the pull of family to return to Ontario. After six years there we decided that as much as we love our extended family, Victoria was where we wanted to be. So we came rolling back and every day we’re reminded what a great decision that was.
My professional background is a mixed bag of teaching both children and adults; doing
communications work for a Third World development agency and then for a provincial land use commission; being the Executive Director of an adult literacy network in Halton and Peel Regions of Southern Ontario. I have always enjoyed volunteering and once retired I found more time to give to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association, various hospital auxiliaries, the Royal BC Museum and most recently the Maritime Museum of BC. My relaxation passions include bridge, books, travel, long walks and, once a stubborn shoulder injury heals, golf.
Contact Rilla at vwncsecretary@gmail.com
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