Award Year: 2025

Serving as an advocate, leader, and mentor for artists from diverse backgrounds, Amarjeet Singh Vabhana has contributed to the arts and culture scene in Surrey.  He founded the Naad Arts Festival in 2006 which has become a cornerstone cultural event and an essential platform for local talent—helping to elevate Surrey’s cultural profile and foster greater community engagement through the arts. 
 
Through the Naad Arts Centre, Amarjeet promotes local arts, organizes large-scale events like the Naad Festival of Music & Dance, and forges connections between local and international artists, strengthening community ties and pride. His mentorship inspires many aspiring artists, with several going on to successful music careers, and his creation of two widely used Tabla syllabus books ensures the continuity of cultural education. 
 
Amarjeet’s leadership has helped to transform Surrey into a vibrant cultural hub, fostering collaboration across artistic disciplines. His online teaching programs expand access to music education internationally, creating sustainable pathways for future cultural development. Amarjeet continues to celebrate and amplify cultural diversity through his work, ensuring the arts remain central to his community’s identity. 

In 2025, Rob Olson marks his 25th year of teaching, a career defined by his commitment to fostering growth, equity, and community service. A multifaceted educator, with a background as a tree planter, carpenter, and former Navy Reserve member, Rob applies his diverse experiences to create impactful programs. As a new teacher, he developed the North Vancouver School District’s high school engineering courses, focusing on gender equity, and has inspired many students to pursue engineering at top universities such as MIT, UC Berkeley, and UBC among many. In addition to his academic leadership, Rob has launched programs like Community and Global Initiatives, where students serve monthly dinners for food-insecure community members and build infrastructure in the Dominican Republic and Mexico. 
 
Rob’s efforts extend to extracurricular activities, founding the Robotics Academy and volunteering for  the Boys Club Network, which mentors at-risk boys. His commitment to service also includes volunteering with the North Vancouver District Heritage Committee, the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, and the Salvation Army. Rob’s advocacy for both education and community engagement has transformed the lives of students, instilling values of empathy, leadership, and global citizenship. 

A trailblazer in advancing women in the fire service across British Columbia, Debra Rogers is the Acting Captain and Fire Investigator with the Campbell River Fire Department (CRFD). She began her fire service career as a fire dispatcher at CRFD in 2009 and transitioned to firefighter in 2017 at the age of 47, becoming the first professional female in the CRFD suppression division. A key figure in the execution of several Camp Ignite youth camps, she has helped empower young women by providing hands-on training, mentorship, and exposure to female role models in firefighting. This program has been crucial in breaking down barriers and offering pathways for young women to pursue careers in this traditionally male-dominated field. This experience led to her role as the founding President of the Island Ignite Mentorship Society, which extends similar opportunities on Vancouver Island—further engaging, encouraging, and empowering young women through firefighting within a safe and supportive community.

As the Project Manager of Fire Service Women BC, Debra continues to advocate for gender equity, providing resources and networking opportunities for women in the fire service by overseeing the application of their Women and Gender Equality grant funding initiatives. Through her leadership, she has created avenues for women to enter the field while ensuring they have the support needed to thrive in their careers. Debra’s dedication has impacted the fire service, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in British Columbia.

With over 30 years of experience in sustainability, including a quarter-century of service with the Fraser Basin Council, Bob Purdy is known for his ability to foster informed, collaborative and solution-oriented dialogues that drive meaningful change. As the independent facilitator of the ECHO Program since 2014, Bob has enabled a diversity of voices from the marine industry, Indigenous communities, federal government agencies, environmental organizations and others to work together to reduce the impact of commercial shipping on at-risk whales off British Columbia’s southern coast.

His expertise in relationship-building and communications has turned once-tense discussions into productive collaborations. Under his guidance, the ECHO Program has thrived, creating strong, trust-based relationships among advisors and enabling all to collaborate effectively towards a common goal. With just 73 southern resident killer whales left, Bob’s work is crucial in helping to ensure their survival.

Bob’s leadership has provincial, national, and global impact. His collaborative approach to the ECHO Program has set a world-class example for large-scale voluntary conservation measures, making him a key figure in sustainability efforts in British Columbia and beyond. Bob’s mentorship, energy, and dedication continues to inspire others to choose collaboration and joint action in support of a more sustainable future. 

 

Tli’ichilwet Heather Andrew and Yuwunat Eileen Guss have spent the last 25 years transforming health and wellness services for Squamish Nation members through their deep-rooted partnership and shared commitment to healing. As leaders in mental health, harm reduction, and addiction recovery, Heather and Eileen have developed and led culturally grounded pathways of care that center Indigenous knowledge and lived experience. 

Heather, a Senior Addictions Counsellor, integrates ceremony and cultural values into her approach, supporting community members through harm reduction, direct referrals, and innovative tools such as the ta skwálwentn app and the Treatment Navigator project. Eileen, a Mental Health Intake Coordinator, shapes Indigenous-led digital health solutions to ensure faster and more culturally safe access to care.  

Together, they have led Squamish Nation’s frontline response to the opioid crisis and systemic challenges posed by the State of Health Emergency declaration. Their work is grounded in professional training, cultural practice, ceremony, and life experience. By weaving traditional teachings with clinical knowledge, they have earned the trust of their community and created a model of holistic healing. Their partnership has fostered lifesaving programs, inspired Indigenous health leadership, and built a foundation for lasting wellness.