About me
Hi there. My name is Trina Isakson. I grew up in Salmon Arm, BC, and moved here because the first time I came here it felt like home. I wasn’t born and raised here, but I’ve been heavily involved in caring about this community since I moved here in 2018.
I was elected to City Council in 2022, and have served our community with pride over the past four years.
I imagine a future for this community that is vibrant, caring, and safe, and has a place for all of us to thrive. I believe this requires a Council that is forward-thinking yet patient, bold yet compassionate on issues such as mill site development, affordable housing, retaining our youth, and public engagement.
I’m currently in the middle of a two-year appointment managing the Vancouver Island University tiwšɛmawtxʷ campus, where I’m responsible for finance, HR, facilities, programming, and more.
My main professional work is as a facilitator with community groups that need help doing strategic planning, implementing changes, or dealing with conflict. My living is based on my ability to listen well, ask good questions, analyze large amounts of information, and run a good meeting.
I completed my MBA in community economic development over a decade ago. My interest in community well-being is an ongoing theme in my life.
In my free time I hike, garden, work on my house, and do crossword puzzles. You might find me out and about walking around Westview, at the library, or in one of our local thrift stores.
My experience
Work experience
- Operations Manager for Vancouver Island University tiwšɛmawtxʷ campus.
- Self-employed facilitator for the past 15 years:
- I work with groups to gather input, resolve differences, and make decisions. My clients have included SFU Library, BC Civil Liberties Association, Powell River and District United Way, and City of Surrey. My professional website is trinaisakson.com.
- I co-facilitated public engagement for the Possible Name Change Joint Working Group in 2022, reporting to the Joint Working group with members from the City of Powell River and Tla’amin Nation
- Before owning my own business, I worked at YWCA Vancouver, SFU, and as a high school math and science teacher.
Local volunteer experience
Since joining City Council in 2022, my volunteer engagement has dropped in order to balance City Council and professional work, but I contribute how and when I can.
- Volunteer, qathet International Film Festival
- Past board member, Powell River Community Foundation
- Strategic planning support, Texada Island Nonprofit Seniors Housing Society
- Appointed to the City of Powell River Community Finance Advisory Committee*
- Program committee, Powell River Garden Club
- Nonprofit governance workshops facilitator, offered by First Credit Union and Vantage Point
- Primary Care Network Patient Advisory Committee member, qathet Divisions of Family Practice
- Patient representative, COVID testing committee
- Garden friend, Landed Learning (vegetable gardening and food preparation with local elementary school classes)
- Strategic planning support, Knuckleheads Winter Recreation Association
Other local community involvement
- Performed in Theatre NOW!’s production of Savannah Sipping Society
- Donated my watercolour art to Friends of Stillwater Bluffs fundraiser at qathet Art Centre
Formal education
- MBA in community economic development from Cape Breton University
- Certificate in Dialogue and Civic Engagement from SFU
- Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education from UBC
Fun facts
- I used to be a moderator of the Jeopardy! subreddit
- I have fostered lots of cats, and successfully trained two of them to give high fives
*I ended up resigning from the Community Finance Advisory Committee (half the committee did). It was a frustrating experience and it gave me insight into how we can do better by members of the public.