Spotlight Story: Sheila Biggers from JABC
Say hello to Sheila Biggers, President & CEO at JABC, a not-for-profit impact organization that delivers innovative educational programs to youth. We had the chance to sit down and ask her a few questions. Read below to learn more about her story and passion for the nonprofit world:
What do you oversee at JABC?
My role is to set strategy, engage stakeholders, foster a strong culture, manage performance, hire great people - and essentially give my team what they need, then get out of their way.
What is your favourite part about your role at JABC?
Naturally, my favourite part is 100% the people. The people I work with buoy me up everyday; they're passionate, hard working, respect each other for all that they are, and want to make a difference. A close second is the incredible community that gives time and money so that JABC can inspire and prepare BC youth for success. Being with people who want to make a difference gives me so much energy.
How did you come to work in the nonprofit sector? For JABC?
It was a relatively short journey to get to the nonprofit sector. I studied marketing and sociology for my undergraduate degree, and started my career as a marketing coordinator in a marketing company. Then, I worked in a business association, where I did all the marketing, event planning, lobbying and beautification for the downtown area in Ontario. That’s where I learned the power of the private sector and public sector working together to build great communities, and that’s when I knew what I wanted to do in my career. I spent 18 years at UBC working for the business school, where I helped engage the community to advance education and help educate students. It seemed like a natural place to come to JABC afterwards, where they provide work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy education to youth.
Who is the most influential person to you?
I have many influential people in my life. I’m very fortunate to have met many great leaders during my career. What stands out about the best leaders is that they are humble, fabulous listeners, and respectful of everyone they deal with. Also, my step-daughters play a big role in how I think about my work. I look to them a lot to help me understand how they see the future, and how I can ensure that JABC remains relevant.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Ask for help. I wish somebody told me this when I was 21, 25, 30 years old. I noticed that wherever you go, there are always people who are willing to help you learn, do better, achieve your goals, problem solve - and all you have to do is ask. We don’t need to accomplish things by ourselves - in fact, we’ll get there a lot faster and a lot more enjoyable if we ask for help!
Thank you to Sheila and JABC for giving us the opportunity to learn more about her story! To learn more, please visit www.jabc.ca.
