As chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan, Tammy Forrester has spearheaded the expansion of the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon from a modest support mechanism for families to a modern, inclusive and welcoming space. The House grew from 13 rooms to 34 in the span of two years, and families are reaping the benefits.
Forrester is continually identifying new partners to work with in the corporate and not-for-profit space, and has become a go-to resource for the Ronald McDonald Canada and North America network. Her leadership and guidance have proven valuable, as she has built a strong team able to work across the province from the southern tip to the northern regions.
For this dynamic CEO, diversity means, “difference of thought, opinion, culture and values. When you can embrace diversity in your work environment and include all views as a part of the whole, you are truly working towards an inclusive environment. All opinions matter and all opinions count.”
She goes on to explain, “We live in a diverse world, with a mix of cultures, races, experiences, thoughts and opinions. There is so much strength in a work environment, and growth on a personal level, that can be gained by opening ourselves up to truly listen to others. Perspective is an important thing and we each have our own. When we can see another’s perspective, we are better able to solve problems and make valuable, strong and right decisions for our organizations and ourselves. Diversity and true cultural humility helps us see and value our place in the world, as well as others’.”
Finally, Forrester offers this advice to women on their way up, “Honor one another and raise each other up whenever you have the opportunity to do so. There are so many things that you can accomplish and influence, but you first must know yourself, value your own strengths and create teams that bring different strengths to the table. As a leader you can only be as strong as the team you have around you.”
