Welcoming our new Executive Director

The Kiwassa Neighbourhood House Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome our new Executive Director, Diane Wilmann. With decades of non-profit leadership, including 15 years as Director of Family, Seniors and Settlement Programs at Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House, Diane comes to Kiwassa with a wealth of experience in community building and program development and a deep passion for social justice. Her leadership style is collaborative and respectful, with a focus on listening and finding the strengths that each person brings. She has a deep commitment to intersectionality, equity and working in solidarity with Indigenous communities.

Diane’s experience, her ability to bring people together, and her leadership on critical issues in our communities make her an excellent fit for Kiwassa. We look forward to working with Diane and the entire staff to continue the important work for which Kiwassa is known.

The Board extends our deepest appreciation to outgoing Executive Director, Mark Gifford, for the outstanding service he provided during his time at Kiwassa. Mark has been appointed CEO of the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia, and we wish him the best in his new position.

Diane’s first day at Kiwassa will be April 14th, 2020. We are so excited to get to know her better, and to work with her to leverage her exceptional experience and expertise in a wide range of community work, from her track record of successful grassroots organizing to her demonstrated ability to mobilize change at multiple levels of government.

Please join us in welcoming Diane, and in continuing the work to make Kiwassa a hub of welcoming and inclusive community in the vibrant Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood of Vancouver, located on the traditional, unceded and occupied territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.