Meet Mulgrave's Advancement Team

PEOPLE OF MULGRAVE MEET OUR ADVANCEMENT TEAM

KAILA PILECKI | KAREN TEUFEL | KIM BAI | LAURA WALSH

LAURA WALSH Director of Advancement

Laura grew up in Victoria, earned her BA at the University of Victoria, and pursued graduate studies at Moscow State University. Life took a turn and instead of finishing her master's, she accepted a job in Moscow as Development Executive for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Returning to BC, an ‘accidental’ career in fundraising followed, and Laura has enjoyed raising money for healthcare, education, arts, and social service causes ever since.

Laura is a proud mother of two daughters (pictured bottom left) and her family loves travel and the outdoors, and are avid hikers and campers. A Certified Fundraising Executive, she is passionate about philanthropy and is an active volunteer on several boards.

We sat down with Laura to find out more about the Advancement team and philanthropy at Mulgrave.

What does the Advancement Department do?

We have the privilege of serving Mulgrave by helping ‘advance’ the school’s vision and mission.

By building relationships with families and learning about what is most important to their children’s IB education at Mulgrave, we are able to help raise philanthropic dollars for exciting projects, like MPower.

MAKING MULGRAVE

EVERYTHING WE CAN BE

What is your role within Advancement?

I lead the Advancement team and help plan for how philanthropy can further improve the quality of teaching, learning, and student achievement.

What excites you about the MPower campaign?

Personally, I love that MPower will have a positive impact and improve the learning experience for all students at Mulgrave. It’s also pretty cool to see teachers and principals excited too!

How can our community get involved?

All are welcome to come and have a conversation with one of the Advancement team members to learn more about specific changes ahead, and share your thoughts and questions. Donations are welcome and every

gift is valued – we invite all families to participate.

Volunteer support is always welcome too.

How would you describe the spirit of philanthropy at Mulgrave?

Strong! It's inspiring to see students undertaking service projects in the community. Mulgrave was built on philanthropy and has grown to be a remarkable school through the enthusiastic participation of our families. MPower is an opportunity to build on this foundation of generosity and faith in a better future, and make a contribution to benefit students today and generations of children to come.

What is one thing you would like to share with our community about Advancement?

Coming in and having a conversation with us does not mean you will be pressured to donate! That is something I promise. We care about every student at Mulgrave and want to hear about your hopes for the future. Giving is voluntary and something that should bring joy. If we haven’t yet had a conversation, please reach out or stop by to have a chat – there is always coffee, tea, and goodies on hand.

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KAILA PILECKI Associate Director

"Our families inspire me every day. I love coming in to work and being part of this community because we're all aiming for the same objective - to provide the very best education and experiences for our future global leaders and change makers."

Kaila was born and raised in our nation’s capital, Ottawa.

She moved to Vancouver in the early 2000s to attend Simon Fraser University, earning a BA in English Literature. She has worked in education and healthcare for close to a decade and sees the role of Advancement as one of the driving forces helping Mulgrave realise its strategic priorities. She genuinely enjoys working with families to support and facilitate their philanthropic goals.

Kaila and her husband are proud North Shore residents, enthusiastically pursuing all of the outdoor amenities the shore has to offer, including hiking, cross-country skiing, and cycling – she rides up Cypress mountain regularly with our Admissions Manager, Rhonda Altman (pictured bottom right)!

"The spirit of philanthropy at Mulgrave is warm, generous, and ambitious."

"I enjoy helping families get involved in the community and I'm thankful for their support. I love seeing the joy when they feel welcomed, included, and appreciated."

Kim has worked at Mulgrave for close to ten years and has a daughter in Grade 12. She finds her work in Advancement rewarding and enjoys building relationships with donors and community members to support the school's strategic development projects.

Kim shares, "I have been deeply touched by Mulgrave's donors. They truly are the leaders for the school's future.

A gift that is significant to the family is significant to us.

Imagine how grateful we are by the tremendous generosity!"

As a Mulgrave parent and as a member of the Advancement team, Kim believes strongly that students and their education come first.

KIM BAI Associate Director

Karen was born and raised in North Vancouver, and is an alumna of Little Flower Academy (LFA) and the University of British Columbia (UBC). At UBC, she earned a BA in English with a minor in Psychology. After a sixyear stint working in the financial services industry, she returned to her independent school roots by starting her Advancement career at Vancouver College, before coming to Mulgrave.

Besides her work at our school, Karen is an avid volunteer at LFA, where she sits on the LFA Alumnae Association Executive, and also recently joined the LFA Advancement Committee. She can also be found playing the violin at a local church, hiking the North Shore mountains, supporting the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans, and venturing to the Okanagan to discover great BC wines.

KAREN TEUFEL Advancement Coordinator