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Northern Region Branch Manager CBI Home Health Looking after society’s most vulnerable Her path to leadership included a BA is cause enough to appreciate Julia from UNBC in 2004. She went on to McLachlan, but you must also factor attend BCIT and UVic, plus work experiin her successful pursuit of higher ence in the public relations field. She education, developing the business then went back to school obtaining her model around which key healthcare is MBA from Athabasca University while delivered, establishing a communicaalso a young mother. She wanted her tions network across a vast region, and children to be raised in Prince George. all the while being a loving mom. “I think my most proud accomplishment CBI Home Health is completing my provides at-home school and reachHer path to leadership medical services for ing my goals with included a BA from those living outside two young children UNBC in 2004. She hospitals and care at home,” she said, went on to attend BCIT facilities but nonetheeven able to invest and UVic, plus work exless need help. Some time in the parent perience in the public have chronic pain, advisory council and relations fi eld. some suffer from other parental duties diseases or lingering injuries, many are simply living with the effects of aging. CBI’s Prince George branch was a fledgling when McLachlan came on board less than two years ago, but it has thrived and spread across the entire north. “It is evident she values the communities she serves by always being mindful and reminding the staff that those clients we care for are pioneers in their communities and must be treated with respect,” said one supporter.
Kaitlyn Vecchio | 29 Children’s Librarian Prince George Public Library Intellectual roots don’t grow much literacy program. deeper in a community than in the chil“I love my career,” Vecchio said. “I’m so dren’s section of the public library. That’s lucky to be able to be a voice for the where you’ll find Kaitlyn Vecchio, working importance of literacy. Working with in the same department she used to families in Prince George is an honour. wander as a child herself, growing up in The most enjoyable aspect of my job is Prince George before moving away for making connections with children and a Sociology Degree at Thompson Rivers their families.” University then a Master degree in Library She is also a human nexus for other com& Information Science munities, in her role I love my career, at the University of as lead coordinator I’m so lucky to be Western Ontario. for the local library’s biable to be a voice One supporter said ennial “Beyond Hope” for the importance Vecchio was “ecstatic” conference, drawing of literacy. Working to get a position at her about 150 librarians with families in Prince beloved hometown from all over the north library and now into Prince George for George is an honour. “enriches the lives of cooperative learning children daily” by thinking outside the and networking. box and going “beyond the typical story Her academic research paper “Quantifytime in her position.” ing Patron Time: Use of a Public Library” She has been the mastermind behind was recently co-published (with UNBC such unique library initiatives as Touch librarian Allan Wilson and Kwantlen PolyA Truck, the Lego Club, holding a Digital technic business professor John Shepard) Story Time program, and she sourced in the Journal of Library Management. new funding to perpetuate the Books Like few others can, Kaitlyn Vecchio is For Babies Project whereby she delivers writing new chapters of success for the bags of books on a monthly basis to the community of Prince George. Prince George hospital for each newborn to take home their first stories. She is also involved in the Success By Six early
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at school, be the team parent at baseball, etc. Others would say her business acumen is pretty pride-worthy as well. She modestly concedes that she’s had to be “creative about how we train, recruit” and fan out their resources across a giant region. “I use online tools, phone, good communication to ensure we maintain our team.” The company is expanding and so are the health benefits provided under McLachlan’s leadership.