Mayor Lisa Helps worked tirelessly on behalf of the City of Victoria, she led and participated in dialogue and community engagement regarding tough questions around authentic partnerships, restoration, and truth and reconciliation. The Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness Society was a beneficiary of her dedication for the past six and a half years to address the systemic barriers associated with the disproportionate number of First Nations, Metis and Inuit who are unsheltered, and the most vulnerable and at risk in our city. She has been our biggest champion, drawing attention to the challenges and also to the solutions that were being framed by our organization and the voices of the Indigenous Street Family.

– Fran Hunt-Jinnochi, Executive Director, Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness

I have had the pleasure of working alongside Lisa for over five years. In that time, I have come to know her as a natural leader whose creativity and drive have helped to bring ideas to life. That same leadership, coupled with her passion and compassion, has led Victoria to becoming a stronger, more inclusive, and more connected city.

– Ewa Jackson, Managing Director, ICLEI Canada

There’s a force for change in Canadian cities which goes untapped without specialists with keen skills to listen, engage, generate ideas, and to lead. Lisa Helps has no rival when it comes to the capacity to define and bridge issues across community partners for results. Those looking to make a civic difference ought to reach out to her, early.

– Ehren Lee, Water Strategy Consultant, Urban Systems

Lisa brings that rare blend of strategic vision, people empowerment and ongoing positive momentum that enables organizations to not only embrace change but better yet, to be the leading edge of change. Lisa’s leadership style creates strong teams of highly energized and engaged people who want to achieve the best possible outcomes for their organization. Lisa is the type of person you will always look for future opportunities to work with again.

– Peter Rantucci, Head of Strategic Real Estate, City of Victoria

There is one word that best describes Lisa Helps, and it’s a doozy, as she is: indefatigable! She brings her extraordinary energy and insights to understanding every challenge she encounters, and then tirelessly sets out to involve everyone in creating an effective solution. You know that person you can take any problem to and be sure of a thoughtful response: that is Lisa Helps.

– Mary Rowe, President of the Canadian Urban Institute

Lisa Helps is a highly effective and motivated leader, with a superb understanding of the necessity of getting both strategic decisions and the detailed implementation of them correct.  She knows how to make change happen – through listening, helping craft a common vision, and then implementing, implementing, implementing.

– David Miller, Former Mayor of Toronto, Managing Director, C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy.

During her time as Victoria’s Mayor, I observed Lisa to be an optimistic and future focused leader who ably combined long-term thinking with a bias towards near term action. Tireless in her work ethic, she used her formidable skills as a collaborator and consensus builder to take on hard problems and co-create progressive action on matters with resonance far beyond short term political cycles. I have deep respect for the courage, empathy, and unwavering commitment to the community that she brought to elected office and I sincerely hope that our region can continue to benefit from her leadership talents in whatever she chooses to do next.

– Robert Jawl, Managing Director, Jawl Properties

I have had the pleasure to work with Lisa when she was Co-Chair of the British Columbia Social Procurement Initiative (BCSPI) In our two years+ of working on a new and innovative project, I was impressed by her deep curiosity, ability to hold space for many different voices, ability to turn ideas into action, and love of developing creative governance structures! Not only is Lisa a ‘get things done’ kind of person, she does it with humour, openness and from a basis of trust. I look forward to seeing what’s next.

– Kristi Mader, Principal, Scale Collaborative

I’ve travelled far and wide in search of the leaders of the future; those who understand community and convening. Lisa is world-class, deeply nuanced and a genius at navigating wildly divergent viewpoints and passions to advance progressive agendas for a better world. 

– Vicki Sanders, Founder and CEO, Coralus

I had the great pleasure to work closely with Lisa Helps while I was Chair of BC Transit and CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. Lisa Helps is a leader.  Successful leadership requires many things including courage, intelligence, knowledge, humility, honesty, optimism and, almost more important than all of those combined….determination.  Lisa demonstrates all of these traits.  It made her an excellent mayor and will ensure she succeeds at whatever she is determined to do next!

– Catherine Holt, Chair, BC Transit Board of Directors, former CEO, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

Lisa is a natural and refined leader. She has the ability to bring people together, gain consensus and execute to deliver results. There are many people who can do one or two of these, but it is a special leader that can do all three.

– Don Grant, CEO, Ocean Start Up Project

Over the last two terms as Mayor of Victoria, Songhees Nation has had the pleasure of working with Lisa Helps. Helps’ dedication to reconciliation has been proven honorable and sincere, shown through her actions to make fundamental changes throughout the city. She is motivating, personable and understanding. Her efforts have built a solid foundation for leadership to continue the path of strong government-to-government relations with the Lekwungen people.

– Chief Ron Sam, Songhees Nation