Vera LeFranc was born in Prince Rupert, attended grade 1 in Terrace, grew up on Haida Gwaii and lived in the Okanagan before ultimately moving to the Lower Mainland. With connections to northern and interior British Columbia, Vera brings a unique combination of skills and experience to her role as COO of Elizabeth Fry Society of the Lower Mainland.
With a degree in Business and Liberal Studies from Simon Fraser University, Vera brings a solid mix of business sense and a passion for social justice and reconciliation to her work.
Vera is currently a member of the Provincial Child Care Council, with a mandate of providing support and advice to The PCCC provides advice on the policies and programs that affect the affordability, quality and accessibility of child care. Its members are appointed from throughout the province and represent key partners in delivering universal child care: Indigenous communities, the business sector, child care providers, the education system, the non-profit sector and local governments.
For over a decade, Vera worked with Vancity Community Foundation and the Surrey Homelessness & Housing Society to distribute almost over $5 million in funding to organizations working with Surrey’s most vulnerable. As well, Vera led the team that administers over $10 Million in Homelessness Partnership Funding annually to organizations working across the region to reduce homelessness. This meant closely working with EFry and other organizations delivering programs to our most vulnerable residents.
From 2014 to 2018 Vera was an elected City Councilor with the City of Surrey where she led initiatives such as the Surrey Urban Aboriginal Leadership Committee, laying the foundation to ensure the full economic, social and cultural participation of the Indigenous people who call the City of Surrey home. In addition, Vera was the Vice Chair of the Finance Committee, Co Chair of the Social Policy Advisory Committee including extensive work on poverty reduction, Co Chair of four very successful Social Innovation summits aimed at creating a culture and eco-system conducive to tackling significant social issues in the City of Surrey, Chair of the Surrey Aboriginal Social Innovation Strategy, grounded in the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action, Vice Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Co-Chair of the Healthy Communities Partnership. In addition, Vera was named by the Federation of Municipalities as one of the inaugural 2018 Top Ten Best for Canada Municipal Innovators.
Vera spent has spent the majority of her career working within women serving organizations to advance women’s equality, provide employability and life skills training, develop programs that meet the needs of the most vulnerable, including crime prevention, housing and homelessness, and community economic development.
Vera has been married to Jen for over 14 years. They live in Guildford and are deeply involved in the community volunteering to support young people who are exiting the foster care system.