May 13^th, 2019 marked the 36^th year of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards. More than 1,300 guests and volunteers gathered at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver to honour this year’s inspiring nominees and their achievements.

We’re excited to see that Ingrid Katsen, CEO of Pacific Community Resources Society (PCRS), was recognized for her hard work in helping to provide services for youth, families and individuals, and was the recipient of the award in the non-profit category. PCRS has been an integral partner with Streetohome in creating innovative housing that meets the needs of homeless youth, including those who are Indigenous, identify as LGBTQ2S, and/or are transitioning out of foster care or juvenile detention, as well as those wishing to address their substance use issues in a safe environment.

Recognized nationally, the awards honour extraordinary women leaders, as well as businesses and organizations that support the wellness and diverse needs of their employees. Since the first awards in 1984, YWCA Metro Vancouver has paid tribute to more than 310 award recipients and 1,810 nominees.The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards raise much-needed funds for YWCA programs and services that improve the lives of thousands of people each year across Metro Vancouver.

This year’s recipients are:

Arts, Culture & Design: Dana Claxton – Department Head, Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory, UBC

Business & the Professions: Connie Fair – President and CEO, Land Title and Survey Authority of BC

Community Campion: Colleen Yee – Inspector of Centralized Operations Services Section, Vancouver Police Department

Education, Training & Development: Bethany Edmunds – Associate Dean & Vancouver Lead Computer Science Faculty at Northeastern University

Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Carolyn Cross – Chairman and CEO, Ondine

Environmental Sustainability: Lauren Hornor – Partnership Lead, Western Canada, Swim Drink Fish Canada

Health & Wellness: Sheila Early – Forensic Nursing Educator

Non-Profit: Ingrid Kastens – CEO, Pacific Community Resources Society

Research, the Sciences & Technology: Suzanne Lewis – Chief Medical Officer & VP Research at Pacific Autism Family Network

Young Woman of Distinction: Jennifer Wildi – Coordinator of Canuck Place Visits and Chair of School Visits, Reading Bear Society

Outstanding Workplace: ACL