WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR CHS STUDENTS WHO MIGHT FACE SIMILAR CHALLENGES IN LEADERSHIP ROLES ?
Own your space . Remember why you ’ re at the table and that you have the right to be there , even if you don ’ t feel 100 % confident . Pick your battles . Try not to react to everything . We all have to choose what or whom we ’ re going to react to and how much of our energy we will let a situation or person take up . It ’ s not your job to own someone else ’ s problem .
Embrace the shock value . As a woman — and particularly as a racialized woman — people often still assume you can ’ t be the person leading the project or meeting . I go into those situations thinking of how I can use this to my advantage . If someone is shocked , it means they ’ re on the back foot . You can take that opportunity to set the tone of the meeting , ask whatever questions you want and take charge .
Surround yourself with strong , supportive people who remind you what you bring to the table , who can relate to your experience and who are different . They will help you see different perspectives and ways to recognize and navigate challenges and opportunities .
Recently appointed the Ambassador of Canada to the State of Kuwait by the Governor General of Canada ( upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister ), Aliya Mawani has served as a diplomatic representative of Canada to various countries in the Middle East over the past two decades , and is the first Muslim woman to serve as a Canadian ambassador abroad . She has deliberately and proactively worked to highlight and expand the role of women in meaningful ways , including advocating for women ’ s rights , bringing more women into policymaking and decision-making , and amplifying the voices and narratives of women leaders in contexts where they are under-represented .
She studied international relations at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie , New York , holds a law degree from McGill University in Montreal , Quebec , and was a Leadership Fellow at the THNK School of Creative Leadership in Amsterdam .
2022 Lifetime Achievement Award : Sheila Ross ’ 49
WHAT WAS IT LIKE LIVING AT CHS AMONG THE OTHER STUDENTS IN THE DORMS ?
Life in the dorm took a bit of getting used to , but we ended up being very close , and we always argued that the dorm you were in was the best dorm in the house ! I was in quite a few dorms — the lower dorm , the green dorm , the blue dorm ; the best dorm was the one you were in at the time .
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORIES FROM CHS ?
I remember the midnight feasts where we ’ d sneak all sorts of food , including all of the roast chickens , into the dorm , and then we ’ d wake up about midnight and eat it — that was great , certainly one of the highlights . Completely illegal , of course !
In my first year , we used to go out to one of the buildings in Kerrisdale to play basketball . And then we started going to a gym in the basement of the School . We played basketball for much of the year , including House basketball games . Then , after Easter , we would play volleyball , run , do the high jump , and race in the slow bicycle race !
WHAT CAUSES HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO YOU ?
My father always explained to us how it was always very necessary for those who had wealth , or some money , to give to other people who didn ’ t have any . After my husband and I established the Grayross Foundation , our main focus was children in the city of Vancouver who needed help . My other focus was saving some of BC ’ s land because you cannot save animals if you don ’ t save their habitat first .
Sheila and her sister , Jane Graham , boarded at Crofton House in 1942 . She graduated from Crofton House School in 1949 as Head Girl and received a degree in economics from the University of British Columbia . She was the first in three generations of Crofton House students , with her daughters Nancy Ross ’ 76 and Cathie Ross Sabiston ’ 73 and her granddaughter Rosilind Ross ’ 11 attending .
As a young mother , Sheila joined the charitable institution Junior League , learned Braille for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and volunteered at the genetics lab at BC Children ’ s Hospital , writing up genetic profiles . Sheila gives anonymously to several causes through her fund created at the Vancouver Foundation . In 2017 , Sheila was recognized with the Joseph and Rosalie Segal United Way Community Vision Award .
Sheila is an avid supporter of the Nature Trust of BC , and her focus on supporting children extends to those in Ukraine .
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