As chief executive officer for a non-profit organization, Janet Austin often extends a personal touch when congratulating friends. It’s a gesture that encapsulates her character, said YWCA Metro Vancouver’s board chair, Debbie Nagle.
“If you receive a card from her,” Nagle said, “take a second look; she personally designs them. It is about attention to detail – she uses her cards to personally recognize, thank people or acknowledge a special occasion.”
Austin said she’s always had a need to engage the creative side of her brain.
“I wouldn’t want to give the impression that I’m particularly skilled, as I’m really not,” she said. “It’s just been my longstanding practice to cut up my sketchbooks and make them into cards for friends and colleagues.”
Austin, who has been at the helm of the YWCA’s Metro Vancouver branch since 2003, said the idea of making a concerted effort to touch someone’s life is a focus of the career portion of her brain as well.
“It’s always been important for me to do work that’s socially meaningful,” she said. “And I think that I’ve always in some way or another managed to incorporate that in my professional and volunteer life as well. Even from my earliest jobs it’s just the kind of work that I’ve been attracted to.”
Born and raised in Calgary, Austin said her values reflect her upbringing by her progressive parents. She recalls her father, a scientist, applauding Pierre Trudeau’s move to decriminalize homosexuality in 1969.
“I can remember as a child him talking about that and expressing what an important and positive step that was, and I think that was unusual at the time.”
Austin said her father was also an early advocate for women’s advancement in the workplace.
“My mother also was someone who worked. And both of my parents contributed to the domestic workload in the house, which was an unusual modelling at that time.”
Austin received her bachelor of arts in English from the University of Calgary in 1979 and became the acting co-ordinator and educational liaison for Mount Royal College in 1980. She also worked for the Calgary Regional Planning Commission and as a senior public affairs officer for the provincial government before heading west in 1988. Austin worked briefly for Canada Post before joining BC Housing as its communications manager in 1989. She held that position until 1993 when she became the director of housing and community services with the Crown corporation, and spent a year as its director of development services.
Austin said her career has always been defined by what she feels she can add rather than what she takes home.
“Money isn’t a big motivator for me,” she said. “Of course you want to be paid what you’re worth, but what has always inspired me to do my best work is the chance to contribute to the community and see positive progress in that way.”
By 1997 Austin had left BC Housing, becoming the executive director for Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. She said the switch to leading a non-profit organization was a conscious decision, the result of a period of introspection in her early 40s.
“I thought about what was most meaningful to me and in my work and my volunteer work, so taking on leadership of a non-profit organization is perhaps a fuller realization of what I think has always been an impulse for me.”
Austin enjoyed her role with Big Sisters, and its ability to bring about change in the community.
“There’s something wonderful about being the CEO in an organization where you actually have the flexibility to have an idea and execute it very quickly. So for me that was a very exciting aspect of moving into a leadership role in the non-profit sector.”
Austin held that position until 2002, when the YWCA came calling, but she still enjoys the freedom to effect change that the role brings, something she said was missing in her job with the government.
“What is great about it is that we can move fairly quickly. We have a very good strategic frame and have worked very hard with our board over the years. And that flexibility has allowed us to jump on opportunities when they occur.”
YWCA Metro Vancouver has 40 locations across Metro Vancouver including single mothers’ support, employment, housing, early learning and care, youth education, mentorship, legal education and health and fitness. It has an annual operating budget of $28.3 million with more than 400 employees and 700 volunteers.
“I like to get things done,” said Austin of what she enjoys most about her role. “And of course when you’re the CEO you do have that opportunity to a greater degree, because you’re a leader.” •
Join us to celebrate this year’s honourees at the 2016 BC CEO Awards November 1, 2016, hosted at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. For tickets and event info, visit www.biv.com/ceo.
