Voices of Leadership: Insights and Inspirations from Women Leaders

Leading with Purpose: Karen Coviello on Building Equitable Communities

September 04, 2024 • Bespoke Productions • Season 1 • Episode 23

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On today's episode, we welcome Karen Coviello, a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience across multiple sectors. Karen is currently the Vice President of Affiliate Success at Habitat for Humanity Canada and also serves as the President & Chair of the Board at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo, advocating for women's issues and championing equity. 

We discuss the pivotal role of partnerships with families at Habitat for Humanity, addressing common misconceptions about their unique homeownership model and the powerful impact of working together toward a shared goal. Karen also shines a light on the transformative work happening at the YW in Waterloo Region, showcasing how the organization is reimagining shelter systems and creating dignified living spaces for women with complex needs.

Throughout her varied career, Karen has dedicated herself to building more equitable communities, especially in the Waterloo Region. Now, with her role at Habitat Canada, she's expanding that impact nationwide. We explore the many ways she's driving change and inspiring others along the way.

Connect With Karen:
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Resources:
Habitat for Humanity
YW Kitchener-Waterloo
Waterloo Public Library

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Karen:

The success of the program relies on strong partnerships with our families, because we want them to be successful and they need to want to be successful as well, and so that you know that coming together of that vision of what success looks like and I am going to be a successful homeowner is a powerful, powerful thing. The best stories of families who have paid off their mortgage and their kids have headed off to university and they have had a secure and stable home to live in and now they have the ability to transition into the next phase of their lives that's an amazing moment in time when those families succeed.

Amy:

Welcome to Voices of Leadership, the podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women of the International Women's Forum. I'm your host, amy, and I'm inviting you on a journey through the minds of trailblazers. On today's episode, we welcome Karen Coviello, a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience across multiple sectors. Karen is currently Vice President of Affiliate Success at Habitat for Humanity Canada and she also serves as the President and Chair of the Board at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo. Throughout her varied career, karen has dedicated herself to building more equitable communities, especially in the Waterloo region. Now, with her role at Habitat Canada, she's expanding that impact nationwide. We delve into her journey, exploring the many ways she's driving change and inspiring others along the way. Hi, karen, welcome to the podcast. It's great to see you.

Karen:

It's such a pleasure to be here.

Amy:

So let's start with the easy question who introduced you to IWF?

Karen:

Well, it's a kind of a confluence of people who came together. I've known about it for a long time. I know a lot of people in IWF, but it was a combination of my actual my boss in Toronto. Her name is Julia Deans, she's a member of the Toronto chapter and Ginny DeBanco, and they have connected over the years. And it was a conversation of why hasn't Karen joined the IWF in Waterloo yet? And yeah, so they made it happen and here I am.

Amy:

And how long have you been a member?

Karen:

Less than a year.

Amy:

I thought so because I was like I feel badly I haven't seen you, but now I understand why. So there you go. Have you been to many events?

Karen:

I've been to a couple socials. I think would be the best way to describe it.

Amy:

Yeah, we have to make sure you do the dine around next year. Yeah, super fun, sounds like it. So before we talk about you, I need to ask you a question. So I want to know about the YW Kitchener Waterloo Rise Up Breakfast, because you hosted it and I'm pretty sure you met Sophie how do we say her last?

Karen:

name Gregoire.

Amy:

Thank you.

Karen:

That's difficult for me. Sophie Gregoire and Lisa LaFemme. How was that? Well, that was a beautiful experience and we didn't know what to expect, because it's a little bit, you know, maybe different for us to bring somebody as high profile as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau into town and then to have Lisa step up and say, hey, I'm here to help.

Karen:

It was just one of those magical opportunities and we're really really tuned in at the Y to making sure that we're creating an environment for women to look after themselves and to empower them to choose change and to choose their best lives. And whether that be in our childcare program or in our shelter program or anything that we do, we are really leaning into that in a big way. So to have Sophie come here and discuss mental health boundaries, looking after self, in a truly authentic and open hearted way, I think took a lot of people by surprise and ignited just a huge level of energy and excitement about new types of conversations. And, yeah, that need to look after ourselves, that need to look after our mental health and our physical health so we can help look after others.

Amy:

It's such an important message and the more people that say it, then hopefully, the better we get at it Generationally.

Karen:

Yes.

Amy:

Right.

Karen:

Yeah, I hope our daughters are wired differently to look after themselves than perhaps we were taught Me too.

Amy:

I was genuinely sad that I couldn't make the breakfast, because I wanted to hear both of them speak and wanted to hear what they have to say, and maybe we need to see if they're IWF members and then we can talk to them.

Karen:

Wonderful.

Amy:

So let's talk a little bit about you. Your career is so varied and you seem to be constantly reinventing yourself, so I don't really know where to start. So let's start with what you're doing today. You are currently the Vice President of Affiliated Success at Habitat for Humanity Canada, but before that you were CEO for Habitat for Humanity in the Waterloo region. So what is Habitat for Humanity and how does it foster and build equity through affordable housing?

Karen:

Well, most people have heard of Habitat for Humanity. It is one of the most highly regarded and well-known not-for-profit brands across the planet, and it's because we're part of something really big. Habitat Canada is part of Habitat International and it and it's because we're part of something really big Habitat Canada is part of Habitat International and we serve families across the globe and help them secure safe, affordable housing, and that can look differently in different parts of the world. Sometimes it is helping with build, sometimes it's critical repairs, helping people maintain their homes. Our goal is to provide or to create a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to call home, because we believe that shelter is a number one priority, and that's a message that Habitat's been carrying for a very long time. We now see in Canada and across the world that we're in a housing crisis. So, more than ever, habitat and other housing agencies and other housing charities this is our moment to actually make the biggest impact that we can possibly make.

Amy:

Well, you're right. I mean, you've been talking about, or Habitat for Humanity has been talking about, for decades and it now is such an issue that's at the forefront. You are the experts, so it's really good that at least you're not just starting up with something like this. You have experience.

Karen:

Right and it's important that we've been focused on affordable housing sorry, affordable home ownership Because in the housing continuum there's a housing continuum in every community, from shelter and supportive housing all the way through market to market homeownership. And we're in that housing continuum and every community needs to have a healthy array of choices around housing to suit everybody's needs. We're not good at that in Canada. We haven't been good at it. We haven't been good at thinking about how do we make sure everybody has a place to call home and I think we're a little bit late to the game as a society and thinking about how we talk about housing and land and homeownership and wealth accumulation through homeownership.

Karen:

There's a major imbalance in our society and I think we play a really significant role, and a hopeful role, in trying to balance out some of those inequities.

Amy:

Where, do you think in Canada, the biggest hole on that continuum is?

Karen:

Our young people do not have a clear view into where they're going to live in the future, where they're going to raise kids, where they're going to, you know, put down roots, and that's a significant issue that we all need to wrap our arms around, because that, to me, is a failure.

Amy:

And it could be a huge societal shift too. If they aren't able to buy homes or then aren't able to start families, what does that do to society in Canada?

Karen:

Right and think about what that means for wealth distribution in a society, right? You're going to have the people who have, have, have, have, they have everything, and then you're going to have people who benefit from generational wealth that's passed along, that's our kids, right? And then you're going to have people who don't have much at all, and that has societal implications that we need to think about for the long term, and housing is a fundamental part of that conversation.

Amy:

It really is so how did the opportunity to become CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Waterloo Region come?

Karen:

about. Well, it's one of those things I really firmly believe that when people tell you that they believe in you, you should listen to them. And I had this, as you said, this kind of strange career. I've started as an elementary school teacher. I went into politics, I went back to grad school, did a whole bunch more education, ran my own business, taught at Conestoga College. I had all these kind of multiple balls in the air all the time. And along came that moment in time when Habitat Waterloo Region needed a new CEO. It had been Karen Redman, who was also an IWF member, and she had let people know it was time for her to head back into the wild world of politics and subsequently became our regional chair. And at that moment in time, people started tapping me on the shoulder and saying this sounds like you, this sounds like you, you'd be great at this, we need you to do this. And so I'm like, hmm, okay, I'll give it a whirl. Good for you.

Amy:

Yeah.

Karen:

And it you know it was the best decision I made. It took everything that all the pieces of the puzzle that I had learned over the years brought it all together and I love it. I've loved every single minute of it.

Amy:

I love to hear that when people say I love what I'm doing right now it's just so wonderful to hear. So you did that. And then now, at the national level, what does it mean to be vice president of affiliate success?

Karen:

Well, that's another opportunity that came my way early on in the pandemic when, you know, no one knew what was going to happen and we had over 50 affiliates. Our members, our member associations or our local branches are called affiliates, so like chapters Okay.

Karen:

Yeah, understood, it's just a different type of language are called so like chapters. Okay, yeah, understood, it's just a different, a different type of language. And, um, you know, we had we had affiliates that were going into crisis. We had affiliates that were doing okay. We had affiliates that were like really clearly heading to closure and other ones that were actually thriving during the pandemic and and I will say that ours was one of them the Waterloo Region habitat was in good shape.

Karen:

We pivoted beautifully that word that we all hate we pivoted beautifully. I looked after our team, we continued our build, we kept operating our restores, and the thing I'm proudest of is that we kept our team intact and kept them moving forward, because I didn't want to lose anyone on my team because they're so wonderful. So I was asked to help other affiliates and my team was helping other affiliates and at some point in time, julia said to me you know, I think I'd like for you to come work at Habitat Canada, and it didn't take long for me to decide. I cried my eyes out thinking about leaving a place that I loved, a job I loved, but I also thought to myself I can do this work on a larger scale, across the country, and that's an opportunity you can't say no to.

Amy:

No, what a great opportunity. Yeah, it's fantastic. So how's it been?

Karen:

I love it, I love it, love it, love it. It's a ton of work. It's a ton of travel. Most people, if they see me here in Waterloo, they joke about it because either they've seen on my social media or heard from somebody that she's wherever.

Karen:

Either they've seen on you know my social media or heard from somebody that she's wherever she is, she's someplace, she's elsewhere, and but it gives me the chance to travel this country and to see communities that a lot of people don't get to see. I've been all over the north and the pockets of British Columbia that a lot of people don't get to, or Northern Ontario, like all the places that I get to go to to see and support affiliates in their local markets, do business strategy, work coaching, help them with, think about big problems. I love it.

Amy:

So what is one of the most interesting places in Canada? Then you've been.

Karen:

Oh, my heavens, I am in love with Yellowknife Northwest.

Amy:

Territories I would love to go there. It's on my list.

Karen:

Yeah, and Whitehorse in the Yukon. Those two communities are magical in totally different ways. I don't think people would think that they're really different, but they are polar opposites in who they are and what they are. And I would say to anybody if you can figure out how to get to the Northwest Territories and to the Yukon at some point in time in your lives, do it.

Amy:

Do it, I'm doing it. It definitely is on my list For sure, yeah, do it, I'm doing it. It definitely is on my list, for sure, yeah. So what is the service or type of support that Habitat has that you think people don't know about?

Karen:

That's an interesting question.

Amy:

Because I ask it, because we all remember I do anyway as a kid, you know, go and build a house and that's what you sort of thought, that's what it was and that's all it was, and from what you've described, it seems so much more than that. So what do people don't know that Habitat Humanity does?

Karen:

It's interesting. I think there are a lot of myths around habitat right or misconceptions, and one of the ones we've heard over the years a lot is that we give people homes and that's not the case. We sell homes to families and those families are partner families. So instead of a down payment, they do 500 volunteer hours. Their mortgage payments are geared to income. So there are things in our program that are set up to help families succeed in terms of being able to hold on to that home and build equity and have the benefits of homeownership that so many of us enjoy. So that's the difference we're not giving away homes, we're actually selling them and we're doing it in a way that helps families. So it's different. It's a different type of homeownership, a different type of mortgage, all with the intent of helping families succeed.

Amy:

Well, it's good to dispel the myth, because it can be oversimplified sometimes, especially from a nonprofit perspective, I think.

Karen:

Right, and the success of the program relies on strong partnerships with our families, because we want them to be successful and they need to want to be successful as well, and so that coming together of that vision of what success looks like and I am going to be a successful homeowner is a powerful, powerful thing. We get the best stories of families who have paid off their mortgage in you know, 20 or 25 or 30 years and their kids have headed off to university and they have had a secure and stable home to live in and now they have the ability to transition into, you know, the next phase of their lives and benefit from all the things that we take a lot of families take for granted in our society.

Amy:

And that's an amazing moment in time when those families succeed, it must be when they get to the end, and then they have choices and options that they would not have had. Right? It's fascinating. It's such a great organization. So let's go back to some of your earlier endeavors as co-founder of Talent Business Solutions. What made you decide to focus on helping nonprofits grow, compete and embrace change?

Karen:

That was a fun time of my life and it was when I was coming out of politics at the city of Waterloo.

Karen:

I felt that I did a master's degree in community and learned everything you could possibly learn about Waterloo region and not just Waterloo. Waterloo region Region and loved it Like. This is an incredible community with so many great things going on, and I think one of the things that we're really good at is our not-for-profit sector. However, we're also really good at holding on tightly to the past in Waterloo Region and that notion of well, this is the way we've always done it and this is the way we address these issues.

Karen:

I'd say, probably about 10 years ago, this community, the issues that we face in this community, started to change dramatically and whether that be in the housing sector, with homelessness, with addictions, the complexities of life I think probably 10 years ago really started to shift, and what I felt I was seeing at the political level is that we weren't shifting as quickly as reality was and our not-for profits needed to do that heavy lifting, and so I started doing strategic planning, I started doing business coaching, I started doing all sorts of fun things with local not for profits that I look back and think to myself.

Karen:

It made an impact, because what I was able to do when working with local not-for-profits is ensure that the work that they were doing was aligned and feeding into a system that would create positive change. So that was my driving force around that. I love strategy work, I love engagement work, so love engagement work, so stakeholder engagement, all that kind of stuff. And it was just a beautiful natural extension of really of my time in politics to take that understanding of community and apply it in a positive, forward-moving manner. So then that's probably what led to the tapping on the shoulder to go to.

Amy:

Habitat Waterloo Region. Well, you built this work of strategy, and everything that you seem to do today stemmed from what you created back then.

Karen:

So how?

Amy:

wonderful is that it's exciting, it's exciting I should have gone back one more step, because I do have questions about your time as a councillor. So what made you decide to run for City of Waterloo, counselor? Is that right, yeah?

Karen:

City of Waterloo so it's a long time ago now and I raised my kids in Laurelwood in Waterloo, the west side of Waterloo. It was a new neighborhood and at the time we didn't have as many counselors in Waterloo, so there were fewer counselors and we didn't have as many counselors in Waterloo, so there were fewer counselors and we didn't have representation in my neighborhood. And in a kind of a de facto way, I got super involved in the school, I got super involved in the community and when the time came that there was going to be a new counselor in specifically for our area of town, foolishly I thought that sounds like something I should be doing. And it was funny because I really capitalized on our school, the Laurelwood Public School, which is where my kids went to, and I actually taught there for a while and we we took out an incumbent candidate. Wow, yeah, with 76% of the vote.

Karen:

I'll never forget that. It was quite humbling, a little shocking. My friends and I would hit the streets and do our campaigning and there would be kids in strollers and kids tagging along. And one of my friends her name is Lisa and her little guy was the littlest and he said we got to go out there and get Karen a new job, like there was just this energy around it.

Karen:

I had kids wearing like kids from the school, asking for t-shirts and this, and that it was. Also I didn't really know what I was doing. I'd never been to City Hall I'd never, except for to file my papers. I really didn't know what I was getting into. There was a high level of naivety. But honestly, I slid in into that work and embraced it. And one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. I was not taken seriously At first. I was. Somebody called me a stupid housewife and got firmly scolded by some other people in the room. I was, you know, just a teacher. There's lots of things. There were a lot of barriers at the beginning of my political career, that people were dismissive, I think, of my ability to do a good job and that just made me more determined and more ferocious and I embraced that time in my life as the biggest learning experience of my life. And then Melissa Durrell came in four years later. And then Melissa Durrell came in four years later and we went through. She went through the same process.

Karen:

She's just to this, she's just to that and we, we tackled that world together.

Amy:

I'm so glad I mean I have talked to Melissa about that and I'm glad you called out the dismissiveness, because part of this is so that we feel like we're not alone, because it happens to everybody everywhere. I think politics is specifically challenging from a dismissive standpoint. And to have you and Melissa and all of the other female politicians do what you did and do. It's admirable, because I think it's very difficult.

Karen:

Thank you and I appreciate that and I look back on those times and it was we went from an all-male council to having the highest representation of women on a city council in Canada. Wow, and that tradition continues, yes, in Waterloo, with our council today and Our mayors Yep, it's normal now and we fought and fought to get there and I'm just glad to have played, you know, a little footnote in that history. We, melissa and I and others, run the Women's Municipal Campaign School still through, I think, forever, to ensure that we have our goal of 50%, a minimum of 50%, of representation on councils and school boards across Waterloo Region. We're there, I think, and it's normal now in Waterloo Region to have this high level of representation from women. So I'm excited about that.

Amy:

That's good, and thank you for taking the first steps and hopefully keeping it normal for about that. That's good, and thank you for doing, taking the first steps and hopefully keeping it normal for next generations. Yes, absolutely. Now here's my question, and I asked Melissa this too would you do it again? Would you run again? Is that something you would be interested in?

Karen:

I'll never say never. I have said never before, but I'm at that point in my life that maybe I'm not saying never. My kids would say never. Yeah, I was. They were teenagers when I was in politics and that's not an easy experience. But I think that the experiences I have had in and out of politics make me a really strong potential politician. So I would be shutting a door on myself that I shouldn't.

Amy:

Yeah, well, good for you because it is hard to get back in and Melissa talked a little bit about because of the climate. It's difficult to find candidates, specifically women candidates, qualified candidates, because it's very personal sometimes and you have to be at the right age and stage, with your family sometimes, to make those decisions.

Karen:

I wouldn't do it to my kids again. Yeah, but they're grown up.

Amy:

Yeah.

Karen:

And so it's interesting to think about. Right it's. It's 10 years ago. It would have been a never, ever, ever, never. We are never getting back together and uh, uh, uh. Now it's kind of like, hmm, maybe.

Amy:

Well, good, that's good. See, now everyone knows, maybe you're going to get tapped on the shoulder for something else. Oh, there you go. So you are very involved in the community, as you've talked a lot about today. You're currently the chair of the board of the YW Kitchener Waterloo. Can you tell us a little bit about the organization and why you chose to get involved?

Karen:

This is such a cool story because I wasn't looking to get involved.

Karen:

You know, obviously you've always known about the YW and da da, da, and I knew Elizabeth Clark really well, who was the former CEO, and they put out a job posting for the president and chair because they had a newer board that had mostly joined during the pandemic, and you're probably familiar with the fact that at the Y, 30% of the board members need to be under the age of 30. When they start, it's a mandate, that's a great mandate. Wow, it is the greatest thing ever. I'm going to tell you that because and I'll talk a little bit more about that but I love it, I love it, love it, love it. And which is also why there's so many women in this community that have gone through the Y board, because it was seen as developmental for a long time and, listening to the podcast, there's lots of the IWF members who have been on that Y board over the years, as 20 year olds, 30 year olds, 40 years, like. It's quite a fascinating history 120 years next year, wow.

Amy:

For the.

Karen:

YW in Kitchener, waterloo, yeah. So back to what I was talking about. They put out a job posting and I was just wrapping up my time as the chair of the Waterloo Public Library Board, where I was for eight years, and I thought to myself, I'll have a conversation with Elizabeth, and they were looking for somebody with significant governance experience and probably somebody with a lot of connections and probably a fair bit of political sway.

Amy:

Well, it does take that. It is an organization that has to have some political lobbying, for lack of a better term.

Karen:

Yeah, and so that's what I read in that job description. I love the fact that they put out a job description and a posting, and so I reached out. I said, listen, this is something I may be interested in. And about two minutes later they're like you're in. Wasn't that fast, but it felt like that. But and we got. I got there, started. Elizabeth was retiring and so they were. They were doing a CEO search. That time. I came in at the end of that. They have hired someone as the CEO who I think may be one of the greatest not for profit leaders this community ever experiences. Her name is Jennifer Breeden and she's gonna I'm gonna tell her to listen this and she's going to be like I can't believe. She is extraordinary and we the two of us and that entire team at the YW are on a journey of transformation that is going to completely change how we serve the women and children of this community, and her vision and her team's renewed commitment to creating a world where women can choose. Change is just inspiring.

Amy:

Can you tell us a little bit?

Karen:

about the vision. Yeah, so we are selling the shelter, 84 Frederick Street. We're selling that shelter and we're going to rebuild in a completely different way. The days of having um congregate housing so 60 to 70 to 80 to 90 women in one building, without supports, are long gone and we have some catching up to do in water to region.

Karen:

this probably should have been done about 10 years ago, and at least the process to start it. And we and and and the women, the needs of the women that we serve, are so complex compared to where they were 10 years ago. We have women who have addiction issues. We have women who have, you know, lived um in abusive homes and and they have, they have no place else to go. We have women who need supports that we are unable to provide at this moment in time.

Karen:

So we're going to rebuild our shelter system in a way that allows us to provide a dignified place for women to live and allows us to provide the supports that they need at a moment in time and then help them move through the housing continuum, move through the system into more secure housing. Right now we can't say we're doing that, but we're determined to get there. So this is a journey we're going on in Waterloo Region and with our partners at YW Cambridge as well, that they're on the same journey and we are going to we're over the next I'd say two, three to five years, we're going to see significant change and the region of Waterloo is going to be a great partner in this. We're excited to work with them to completely transform this space.

Amy:

It sounds so forward thinking, but also necessary. You talk a lot about support and often we just think about the shelter and it's a temporary place and there's so much more going on and there's so much more that women and children need. So to turn it on its head just sounds so interesting. It's absolutely petrifying as well. Yes, I can imagine.

Karen:

But we are. We're working hard to make sure that people hear the story, hear the why, the why of the why, the why of the why yes. And and that we're living into our values and our mission every single day.

Amy:

And so how far is this at the very? You're at the very beginning, because I'm assuming the building hasn't been sold yet.

Karen:

We're right there in the process of, of of making it happen.

Amy:

Wow, so you're at the very beginning of the journey.

Karen:

So are you going to be chair the entire time, or is there a term?

Karen:

I don't know, we'll see, and I've got, we've got a great term, yeah, and they're energized and committed. And I have a daughter. I have a 32-year-old daughter, so she's in that age group and what I know about my own daughter is once she knows something, she knows it, and you're not going to be able to rationalize your way out of it. Right, if she knows something is wrong, it's wrong, and my generation was taught to rationalize it along with well, it's expensive, or it's this or it's that, or I benefit from it, so I'm going to keep it that way. That's my generation's thought process on it. I have been revitalized by these women who are so determined to do what's right and guided by a moral compass that we all need to have when we're in this work.

Amy:

It sounds like such an undertaking. So, wow, congratulations on undertaking it, and I'm excited to see it progress between now and when it's done.

Karen:

Yeah, we can't continue to do things the way we've always done them, I think, in so many ways, so many ways.

Amy:

Well, that's a huge project. So I was going to ask if you were on any other boards, but I think, maybe, that you're not At this moment in time. No, so before that. So this board sounds fantastic in the way that I am going to guess there are more women around the table, all women.

Karen:

Love that.

Amy:

See, that's what I wanted to say, but I didn't want to assume. Not many people get the privilege of being on a board that are filled with women. So what other boards have you been on and what were those experiences like?

Karen:

Well, I've been on lots of boards.

Amy:

So tell us a couple.

Karen:

Yeah, I have had such a great adventure when it comes to governance, I love it.

Amy:

I love governance and I do too.

Karen:

Yeah, and it's such a. I think it's such a great way for people to build their their leadership muscles in terms of learning about. I'm a big process person, and, and I love financials and I'm not an accountant. I'm a big process person and and, um, I love financials and I'm not an accountant. I'm an elementary school teacher by trade and you're just a teacher. What do you?

Karen:

know about accounting, I right yeah that, I've heard that a million times yeah, but I took, I went back and took accounting courses at the University of Waterloo so I could understand what the heck was going on. Because that's that's the power move is to make sure you understand what's going on with money. Anyways, I digress. I have been on, like I said, the Waterloo Public Library Board was 16 years, including eight years as chair of commitment to public institutions. I, you know, I'm a public sector kid. My dad was a director of education, my mom was a nurse. I believe in public institutions and I am probably the biggest fan of the Waterloo Public Library that you'll find, because what it means to build a community around a social network, a social hub for everybody, equity, inclusion, the public library is for everybody. That's a little ad for the Waterloo.

Karen:

Public Library and every other public library system in the world. I have been on the board and the chair of the Community Justice Initiatives, which is an incredible organization that works in restorative justice and it's beautiful. It's a beautiful Waterloo Region story as well. I've had the pleasure of being in the healthcare space as a board member at St Mary's General Hospital and I was just recently on the panel to choose the new site of our new hospital.

Amy:

You were.

Karen:

I didn't know that I was myself and mayor zare and mike murray. But we have done our site selection, we've done our work, which was an incredibly fun and interesting and educational experience and what an honor, what an honor for me to be part of that group, for that decision, for the future of this community.

Amy:

I love it. I love it. Yeah, it's such a big thing that's coming and it will change fundamentally everything, and it's exciting.

Karen:

Yeah, I went to Karen Redman's State of the Union speech the other morning sometime this week and she the framework that she used is one million ready, and how we need to be ready to be a community of a million people. And these, these building blocks are part of that right. A new hospital, the LRT, a new hospital, the LRT, and an integrated approach to housing. Those elements all are going to play into whether or not we're ready to be a community of a million people, Because the fact of the matter is we're going to be a community of a million people, so we need to be ready for it or not. I'd rather be ready for it.

Amy:

Yeah, you can't stop it, so we might as well be ready, right, yeah, you can't stop it, so we might as well be ready, right, yeah, yeah. So over the years, as you've just described, you've given so much of your time and talent to this community. Why is it important, especially for women, to continue to step forward and be leaders in our community, both formally and informally?

Karen:

Because we see the whole picture. So I can be and I am. I, like you know, I'm a woman of privilege. I was raised in a solid middle class family. We never wanted for anything. My family will never want for anything.

Karen:

That's not the case for everybody and I was taught really ferociously by my father, who was an educator for his life, that if you have, you need to help, and that is important to me. I believe it with my whole heart that I have a duty to this community and and beyond to ensure that we don't live in a world where people suffer, where people who have needs aren't looked after. That just doesn't make sense to me and I will never be one that can put my needs above others, because I know that I have so much. I just know that fundamentally and I just I have passed that on.

Karen:

My kids are both public sector kids. My daughter works at the City of Kitchener, my son's an elementary school teacher. I hope that those values are part of their DNA as well, and I know they are. Yeah, it's just so important for us to step forward and lead, not just for ourselves, because some people do just lead for themselves or for their own needs. I think that women oftentimes see the bigger picture, because they see their kids' needs, they see their parents' needs, they see their neighbors' needs. They see the bigger picture.

Amy:

What a great message. I think that I can't ask another question after that. Thank you so much for your time. Your story is very interesting and I've learned so much. I didn't know half the things that you did, so I'm so glad that you made the time to talk with us today.

Karen:

It was such a pleasure and I'm so impressed with what you're doing here and I'm excited to see what comes next. Thank, you.

Amy:

Thank you for listening today. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and subscribe to our podcast. Thank you.

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Amy Schlueter

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