My name is Debbie Dossantos. As a relatively new resident of Squamish (March, 2020, from Langley), I found myself quickly falling in love with its beauty and the warmth of the community. I’ve been looking for ways to give back and contribute to its long-term success. Firstly, I joined SORCA. Now that the opportunity exists to provide my skills and expertise to support the SORCA Board, I’d like to throw my hat in the ring to be considered as a nominee to join the SORCA Board for the position of Advocacy. I would also like to be considered as a nominee for the position of Vice President in the event that another nominee is successful for the Advocacy position.
I am a member of the BC Bar, and have been a lawyer for over ten years practicing mostly in an in-house capacity. My areas of practice have centered on contract/commercial law. This has allowed me to become engaged at the ground level in support of business development, project planning and execution, risk management (including insurance) and regulatory matters. I’ve also been engaged on First Nation’s matters in the mining and health care industries. Reviewing legal documents, as important as it is, constitutes only about 10% of what I do in any given day as a lawyer. The remaining 90% is the really fun part of my work: bringing together multiple stakeholders to work on a common goal, despite their perceived differences. It’s kind of like herding cats, but it’s very rewarding.
Before I went to law school, I was a Registered Nurse for 11 years, practicing in ER and ICU. This could be very helpful as a SORCA Board member in the event we engage with local health authorities and government representatives in matters of COVID-19 and other public health concerns.
I can (gladly) devote at least 8 hours a week to the SORCA Board duties, or more if needed. My children are grown up, and have moved out. I’m free as a bird to devote my time to my community, my athletic aspirations and my passionate pursuit of healthy living. In my free time, I am an avid cyclist (Gran Fondo 2021 anyone?), a figure competitor (think weight lifting- but with sparkles), and a musician, among other things.