Charlotte has been a long-time supporter of the Victoria Hospitals Foundation and is the new Chair of the Visions Gala Steering Committee. She currently practices law in the areas of wills, estate planning, estate administration, and real estate. She has worked at McConnan Bion O’Connor & Peterson since 1995. Charlotte and her husband Chris have two teenage daughters who were raised in Victoria, and she knows first-hand how lives can be made better by our devoted medical teams and hospitals. 

VHF: What inspired you to take on the role of Committee Chair for this year’s Visions Gala?

Charlotte: I’ve always been inspired to help with fundraising in our community. I’ve been supporting Visions for years, and I love bringing my friends to the event. People want to get out, have a fun evening, and support a great cause. It’s a great way to celebrate our hospitals, and also to support them.

VHF: What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

Charlotte: I am looking forward to working with the Foundation and the committee to take the event to new heights. While the event has grown significantly, there is still so much more that can be done. I want to raise awareness for the important cause and celebrate our local caregivers. I want them to know that the community is behind them. They have our love and support. And that we take so much pride in our hospitals and those that work there.

VHF: How does volunteerism align with your personal values or sense of purpose?

Charlotte: My father survived the Holocaust and came to Canada as an immigrant right after the war. He was very young and had no education. He instilled in his children the importance of three things—to give back to society, to pursue an education that was important to you, and the importance of your health.

He was very aware of the value of the healthcare system in Canada—he was so grateful for that. He had no healthcare growing up and had medical issues as a result that were never treated, so he was very much a supporter of healthcare. He passed these values on to me and I can see it in my family, too.

VHF: What compelled you to dedicate your time to advancing local healthcare and our hospitals through the Victoria Hospitals Foundation specifically?

Charlotte: There are so many worthy causes in Victoria. The reason I choose to support the Victoria Hospitals Foundation is because it touches everyone in the community—we all depend on the hospitals. We need to know that if something unexpected happens, that our hospitals are prepared to take care of us. We need to keep our hospitals strong.

VHF: Why is it important to find ways to give back to our community if we are able?

Charlotte: They say that “it takes a village” and it’s true. Practicing law in Victoria for close to 28 years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of people in our community, and each and every one of them has a story of being impacted by the generosity and kindness of others. When you volunteer and give back, you aren’t just helping one person, you are making the entire community stronger.