Sophia Woo was elected to the Vancouver School board in 2011 and seeks a second term as trustee in November election.
In her first term she is recognized and applauded for raising issues of public safety, opportunity for public participation in board decision making, and increasing transparency. She was recently named one of two Chinese Heroes in Politics in ten top newsmakers in 2014.
Her background as a mental health clinician gives the VSB a key perspective on human resource issues and youth behaviour. She is able to deal with matters of a sensitive nature in a discrete way in the face of harsh and predatory political response.
Sophia is running as opposition to provide opportunity for participation by an increasingly diverse population and full and insightful discussion of matters before the board. She listens to parents, staff and the public and is sensitive to the changing profile of public education.
One issue she is tracking is support for drug prevention. Through repeated motions she was successful in maintaining some funding. Without her persistence, the drug prevention program would be restricted to triage rather than education and prevention.
In her professional role, Sophia is recognized by her peers for selfless devotion to fair play, transparency, and personal integrity. She is Chief Steward, Community Mental Health, Health Science Association, Vancouver Coastal Health.
Sophia came to Vancouver from Hong Kong in 1978 to attend secondary school. She is educated both here, a graduate of Simon Fraser University, and in Hong Kong with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from HKU.
Twitter: twitter.com/woo_sophia
