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Faces of WEST

Sep 12
Lisa Kolody

Lisa Kolody

By Faces of WEST

Faces of WEST

Lisa Kolody

Lisa Kolody

WindsorEssex Community Foundation – Executive Director

“If you surround yourself with allies who see your worth and help you do more, you will achieve anything you choose to explore and do in life.”

  1. Tell us about yourself.
    My name is Lisa Kolody. I have lived in Windsor-Essex my entire life and worked in healthcare, health promotion and community service. For the last 10 years I have been at the WindsorEssex Community Foundation which allows me to support the community by investing, bringing community together and promoting what makes Windsor-Essex a great community to live work and play. We love to explore Windsor-Essex parks, restaurants, markets and wineries and venture to Detroit as well. We are so thankful to live in a border community.
  2. What does WEST mean to you?
    WEST is an organization that I have known and appreciated since I worked at the Multicultural Council of Windsor. As a child of newcomers, I understand and value the work of all our newcomer agencies, and WEST has a special focus on women and employment that makes their work essential to the success of families. WECF continues to support the staff, volunteers and clients of WEST. Their work to elevate women, build skills and support families is transformational. Supporting women and promoting enterprise ,skills and training is an important investment in our future.
  3. What advice do you have for women striving to achieve their dreams?
    My advice to women to achieve their dreams is to believe in yourself and surround yourself with people , especially other women, who will support you and build you up. Often we are discouraged from tackling difficult situations or taking on more responsibilities, and I would suggest that you can do more than you know and to push yourself to conquer fear or self-doubt. If you surround yourself with allies who see your worth and help you do more, you will achieve anything you choose to explore and do in life.
  4. In your opinion, what sets WEST apart in its approach to supporting women in the community?
    WEST is an organization that I have known and appreciated since I worked at the Multicultural Council of Windsor. As a child of newcomers, I understand and value the work of all our newcomer agencies, and WEST has a special focus on women and employment that makes their work essential to the success of families. WECF continues to support the staff, volunteers and clients of WEST. Their work to elevate women, build skills and support families is transformational. Supporting women and promoting enterprise, skills and training is an important investment in our future.
  5. Describe the collaboration between your organization and WEST. How does this partnership contribute to achieving shared goals and objectives?
    WECF and WEST have worked together for a number of years in supporting women. As we faced and moved past a global pandemic, we recognized that women and families were heavily affected, and with support from national partners and our government, we were able to provide financial supports for our most vulnerable, as well as support the organization in strengthening their systems. Our charities play an important role in the community and its important to recognize the charity and all the staff who support community every day. We have been proud to strengthen our community and our families with this important investment and support. WECF uses our Vital Signs program to determine our investments, and from this we support organizations that support building a sense of belonging, promote learning, build skills for work, and encourage mental health and wellbeing. We are honoured to support the mission of WEST and strengthen our community together, today and for tomorrow.
Sep 12
Alona Lievlieva

Alona Lievlieva

By Faces of WEST

Faces of WEST

Alona Lievlieva

Alona Lievlieva

Settlement Counsellor

“Improve your skills! Notice opportunities around and use them! Don’t be afraid to try! If you don’t try, you will 100% fail, but if you try, you still have a chance to get what you want.”

  1. Tell us about yourself.
    My name is Alona Lievlieva. I came from Ukraine in the summer of 2022 and joined WEST as a participant of the EWE Program. This program really helped me to enhance my skills in public speaking, resume writing, business communication, customer service, and a lot more. After that program, I joined the WEST Team as a Settlement Counsellor as I wanted to work with Ukrainian newcomers and help in their settlement process as much as I can. Speaking of my life: I have a dog, I am into Psychology, and my favourite TV show is Friends.
  2. What does WEST mean to you?
    To me, WEST means the beginning of new life in Canada. I made very good community connections working here. It gave me the opportunity not only to give support to my clients, but also get it in my own settlement journey in Windsor.
  3. Reflecting on your journey with WEST, what’s one significant lesson or insight you’ve gained that you’d like to share with others?
    Working at WEST taught me some lessons: “Speak up! Don’t give up! Self-care is very important!”
  4. What advice do you have for women striving to achieve their dreams?
    The advice I want to give women striving to achieve their dreams: “Improve your skills! Notice opportunities around and use them!” Very often I see people just refuse to use opportunities as they think they are not good enough. They are afraid to try. So, “Don’t be afraid to try! If you don’t try, you will 100% fail, but if you try, you still have a chance to get what you want.”
Sep 12
Nadine

Nadine Manroe-Wakerell

By Faces of WEST

Faces of WEST

Nadine

Nadine Manroe-Wakerell

President of the Board at WEST

“Stay positive – don’t lose your confidence and seek out other people that you aspire to be like and learn from them. I am grateful for all the women in my life (past and present) that play a role in leading by example. I would not be the woman I am today without them.”

  1. Tell us about yourself. Career? Passion? Favourite book or tv show? Pets? Hobbies?
    I am a wife, mother, active community member, health care leader, and currently the President of Board at WEST. I have a passion for wanting to help people to reach their full potential (mind, body and spirit).I get a kick of memes – I’ll seriously laugh for 30 minutes straight by myself (much to my families concern). I have a golden retriever who follows me everywhere. For fun I love to walk, sing, and hangout with family and friends. I also like card games even though I always lose.
  2. What does WEST mean to you?
    WEST means that there is a place that women who are driven to succeed and want to live out their potential but have been disadvantaged for whatever reason have a place to go and get training, develop meaningful relationships, get mentored and get real life job experience to support their dreams and build their confidence.
  3. What advice do you have for women striving to achieve their dreams?
    My advice would be: stay positive – don’t lose your confidence and seek out other people that you aspire to be like and learn from them.
  4. Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time at WEST that has been meaningful to you?
    One of my most memorable moments at WEST were the times I had the pleasure of spending time with graduates of the Skilled Trades and LEAD programs. To hear about the impact the training had on them and their families were transformational moments, not only for them, but for me as well. It’s been in those moments that the tangible impact of us helping and empowering one another is felt and seen. I could see the women and their families filled with hope for the future. You never forget those moments. Those moments forever shape and motivate me to serve others the best way I can. It reminds me that it so important to ‘Lift others as we Rise’.
  5. Is there any woman that has inspired you or continues to inspires you?
    There are so many women that inspire me every day. There are women that inspire me spiritually, as they act with virtue, love, encouragement and generosity.  There are women that inspire me professionally, as they share the gifts and talents they have to create action and do so with tenacity and effectiveness, and there are women that inspire me on an emotional level as they walk through and overcome tremendous adversities with such strong spirits, even when it appears hope may be lost. I am grateful for all the women in my life (past and present) that play a role in leading by example. I would not be the woman I am today without them.
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