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Dana was born and raised in Powell River. She graduated from Max Cameron Secondary School in 1992. She describes herself as having been a good student who liked to play many different sports. After graduating from Brooks, Dana worked at a variety of different jobs which focused on children and youth. She completed an Early Childhood Education Diploma then started working on a Child and Youth Care Degree from Vancouver Island University. 

Dana has previously worked for the Ministry of Children and Family Development as a respite worker for children with severe behaviour challenges. In 2001, Dana was first hired in the local school district as an Educational Assistant at Kelly Creek Community School. As a result of her strong organizational skills, Dana was later hired to coordinate community school activities at Kelly Creek. From there, Dana branched out to coordinate after school activities at every elementary school in the district in addition to running the summer Read and Rec Program. Dana credits Don Fairbairn as someone who was a mentor and helped her understand how all the various programs in the district worked. “He was someone who was definitely involved with all the kids and put so much of his own time into the job.”

Dana also taught Wilson Reading at James Thomson Elementary School and continued organizing Read and Rec and other after school programs for 17 years. In 2021 she took on the challenge of coordinating the school district’s International Student Program. “The job mainly involves making sure that international students have a pleasant place to stay and are enjoying their educational experience in Canada. I really enjoy getting to know all the students who come to Brooks from many different countries.“ 

The most challenging part of her job is keeping international students and their homestay families happy. Dana loves working at Brooks as she feels the staff is amazing and the students are just as wonderful. 

Outside of school Dana likes to spend a lot of time on the ocean, either fishing or adventuring up in Desolation Sound. “I like heading north as that is my happy place where I can relax.” Dana has lived in Lund for the last eleven years and enjoys what the community has to offer. 

In five years, Dana would like to see herself living further north, perhaps in Refuge Cove. Dana’s philosophy in life is to: “Treat each person like you would like to be treated. Live your life to the fullest and be kind on the way!” 

Dana is an asset to our students, staff, and to homestay families in our international program.