Meet the Team

Born in Dawson Creek BC, Valda went through much of her schooling in Kelowna and attended the University of Guelph in Ontario upon graduation.  With a college degree in Voluntary Sector Management, a 40-year career working as a Volunteer Manager in Edmonton’s non-profit and arts sector has led her to bring her skill set to Volunteer Kamloops.

Valda has come back “home”. Being a new resident to the Kamloops area community, she, along with her husband Dave, settled in Cherry Creek on a 20-acre parcel.  With a love of the arts and music, she is finding her “tribe” in two choirs in Kamloops.  A strong belief that at the heart of public service is the desire to improve the lives of those we serve (including our family, friends, Neighbours, and the greater community/city) She is also dedicating some time to volunteering at the Kamloops Hospice.

Susan Otaru is a dedicated professional from Nigeria with a BSc and MSc in Business Administration. Currently pursuing a Master’s in Education at Thompson Rivers University, Susan has 13 years of experience working in university administration, where she served as a secretary for various committees and faculties. Passionate about social impact, she has been actively involved with NGOs since 2018. Susan is deeply committed to creating positive change and aims to start an NGO to support homeless children in the near future. 

With over 20 years of experience serving communities in various development sectors including education, health, agriculture and lands, fisheries, trade and industry, and immigration services. I hold a deep commitment to enhancing community livelihoods through respect for all, inclusion, teamwork, and delivering results.

Since growing up as a young boy on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean, I have been an ardent supporter of giving back to my community. As a teenager, I joined a community development club that supports many community development initiatives. Later, I got much more involved in community activities by joining several church and school-based organizations. This to a great extent influenced teaching as my first choice of career. I taught both primary and post-secondary students for about nine years, further deepening my community connections.

With this deep desire to serve, I then joined the mainstream public service in Grenada where I served at the senior and executive level (as Permanent Secretary), in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, Ministry of Health and Social Security, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Trade and Industry for over 19 years. Throughout those years, I held many stakeholders’ engagements and served numerous communities while advising, developing, and implementing major government policies and programs.

I currently hold a Master’s degree in International Trade Policy and Bachelor’s degree in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies and both a Certificate and Diploma in Teacher Education.

In 2020 I moved to Canada. After spending two years in Ontario, my wife Kimberly and I had the opportunity to relocate to the beautiful community of Kamloops

Bio COMING SOON….

David is originally from Quito, Ecuador. He has called Kamloops home since 2019. Drawn to Canada for its welcoming culture and values.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador, a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from the Escuela Politécnica del Ecuador, and a Postgraduate degree in International Business from Thompson Rivers University. David enjoys the outdoors, running, cycling, and exploring nature.

He has embraced his new community with warmth and enthusiasm. He is excited to learn more about Kamloops. Always looking for ways to contribute positively through his adaptability, teamwork, and personal experiences. To help with the growth of the community.

Bio Coming Soon….