ABOUT HOLLY
A practical voice for Esquimalt.
I spent over 25 years working in municipal public service, three years serving as the Esquimalt representative on the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board and five years as the Esquimalt Chamber president. That experience has taught me that decisions made in isolation rarely stay isolated. Housing affects infrastructure. Growth affects services. Public safety is connected to how neighbourhoods are planned, how services are funded and whether problems are addressed before they grow. Spending decisions affect what comes next.
WHY I’M RUNNING
Plan for the consequences before they arrive.
I am running because Esquimalt needs a council that listens early, asks difficult questions and plans for the consequences before they arrive.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
A record of showing up.
My experience includes more than 25 years in municipal public service. In Esquimalt, I served for three years as the Township’s representative on the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board and for five years as president of the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce. My community service also includes having served as president of CUPE Local 333 and the Esquimalt Farmers Market Board, serving on the Leadership Victoria board and coaching Little League for several years.
EDUCATION
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
• Master of Human Rights, University of Sydney
• Certified Executive Coach, Royal Roads University
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Victoria
• Residential Trading Services, UBC Sauder School of Business
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME
What keeps me curious.
MY FAVOURITE MUSIC
Sting, obviously. My playlists otherwise move between Manu Chao, Robbie Williams, Pearl Jam, The Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Ren and Bic Runga, with plenty of house music mixed in. There is no sensible genre progression here. I like strong writing, distinctive voices and music that either says something or makes it impossible to sit still.
BOOKS I RECOMMEND
My favourites include Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Godfather by Mario Puzo and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Apparently, I am drawn to philosophical dogs, impossible love stories, organized crime, sprawling adventures and the end of the world, provided it is funny. What connects them is less obvious: memorable characters, difficult choices and stories that offer a different way of looking at people and the world.
PLACES I WOULD GO BACK TO
Turkey, Colombia and the Philippines are among my favourite places in the world. I am drawn to destinations with strong personalities, remarkable landscapes, good food and plenty to discover beyond the obvious attractions. I am also very happy in the middle of the ocean on a dangerously small boat. This is either adventurous or evidence of questionable risk assessment. Probably both.
WHEN I AM NOT WORKING
In my spare time, I tackle renovations with my dad, hang out with Cedar the Wonder Dog, take on home-improvement projects that become unnecessarily time-consuming and make ongoing attempts to garden. The renovations usually work out. The gardening remains a developing skill.