Community Futures Cowichan has named Dana Thorne as its Volunteer of the Year for 2019.
The associate director of Housing for Cowichan Tribes, Thorne has been volunteering with CFC since 2015 and is a member of its board of directors.
“I want to bridge a gap between Cowichan Tribes and other organizations,” explains Thorne of her interest in Community Futures.
She believes her volunteer experience will contribute to Cowichan Tribes’ success in their economic development ventures.
A mother of two soccer-playing daughters in a “sports crazy” family, Thorne brings an impressive resume to her role with Community Futures.
A former commercial lender, she has also worked in marketing, advertising and the non-profit sector. Thorne is a board member with Island Coastal Economic Trust and holds a Masters certificate in project management and an MBA from Royal Roads University.
She was a representative on the CVRD’s economic development committee before it disbanded.
Thorne recently expanded her volunteer role to sit on CFC’s Business Development Committee. She also stepped up to lead the organization and staff through a facilitated Customer Journey Mapping Process which will improve many processes that benefit clients and stakeholders.
Process and organizing data is a passion for Thorne.
“I love Excel, I’m self-taught, and everywhere I’ve worked I’ve helped with streamlining processes and reporting structures,” she says.
Working with non-profits is a win-win for Thorne and the organizations she volunteers with. “It’s my way of assisting them and I enjoy it. It may take me a couple of days to do something but it saves them so much time.”
With daughters Jaeda, 11, Kaliya 7 and husband Drew Douglas heavily involved in sports both as players and coaches, Thorne brings her expertise with Excel into play behind the scenes, helping track statistics and even keeping track of which officials are refereeing football games in a local league and determining how much they will be paid.
“I’ve got an analytical type of brain and a financial type of brain and I’ve always enjoyed business and process,” she says.