Originally drawn to the caregiving industry through her personal experience with her grandmother having Alzheimer’s, Kelly saw firsthand the impact that a caregiver can make.

Kelly’s natural interest in people was also a key factor that led her to pursue a career in human resources. As Director of People & Culture, she draws inspiration from her long-time mentor and boss, Cathy Thorpe, who is the CEO & President of Nurse Next Door and author of Bold Kindness.

“Cathy is always pushing me to continue to develop myself. She is a thought-leader and someone I go to when I need advice,” says Kelly.

Outside of her busy career, Kelly serves as a mentor and volunteer with organizations such as JA British Columbia, the YWCA, and The Forum Mentorship Program. Whether it’s sharing her expertise with young people building their own career path, working with newcomers trying to find their way in Canada and North America, or inspiring future entrepreneurs, Kelly believes she can make a difference by sharing her experiences, learning from one another, and listening to provide the best level of guidance and mentorship.

Kelly started at Shawnigan in Grade 9, and it proved to be a turning point in her life.

“My really good friendships and relationships started at Shawnigan. I grew confidence in my own leadership skills. Shawnigan taught me about discipline, expectations for things like cleaning my room, the way you present yourself, and the energy you bring to something,” says Kelly. “The Shawnigan experience really gives you a leg up in the real world. The life skills that Shawnigan teaches you are significant, and it really transformed my life.”

Past Kaye’s House Director Mrs. Erica Dalrymple – or Mrs. D., as the students affectionately called her – made a significant impact on Kelly when she was at Shawnigan.

“Mrs. D. was like a second mom to me while I was there. She was so caring and loving, but also strict and knew where to draw the line. She treated us like her family,” says Kelly.

Mr. Peter Yates was another inspiration for Kelly, instilling in her the value of perseverance and the ability to push through when things are hard.

“Even when your body did not feel like it [to push through in sport], that discipline helped me during times when I didn’t want to do something. There is a lot of learning through that experience – not underestimating yourself and challenging yourself to do things that you think are not possible,” says Kelly.

Reflecting on her time at Shawnigan, Kelly’s favourite memories are the friendships that she established. Most of her best friends today are friendships which began at Shawnigan. And as her friend group enters their next phase of life with young families – Kelly is a mother to three children ages 3, 4 and 6 – they continue to nurture their strong bond.

One special connection is with Rebecca Neat ’06 (Groves’), a close friend of Kelly’s since Grade 9. Kelly was the surrogate mother for Rebecca, carrying twins. The foundation of their friendship started at Shawnigan and led to this next level of connection for the friendship.

When asked what her hopes are for Shawnigan, Kelly shared, “I hope that Shawnigan continues to develop future leaders and gives students a chance to learn what their individual strengths are, whether it’s academic, sport or leadership, that there are unlimited opportunities for growth available.”

Kelly encourages young alumni and current Shawnigan students to get curious about what excites them the most, and find out what their passions are. She believes that the combination of passion and interest can often lead to a future profession.

“I set up informational interviews and that taught me a lot about what I wanted to do and what I didn’t want to do,” says Kelly. “Utilize the Shawnigan alumni network; people love sharing about themselves. Ask people to share their time and learn about different industries. 

The Advancement & Community Engagement team thanks Kelly for sharing her post-Shawnigan journey. Interested in telling your story? Reach out to alumni@shawnigan.ca and a team member will be in touch.