50 BCBUSINESS MARCH 2016 TANYA GOEHRING
Q
ueenie Choo knows
how it feels to settle in
a new country. Born in
Hong Kong, she moved to
Edmonton in 1982 to take a nurs-
ing job and eventually worked her
way up to management positions
in the Alberta Health Service. In
2012, she was recruited to take
charge of
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.—one of the
largest social services providers
in B.C. Now she helps newcomers
to Canada adjust to an unfamiliar
environment while advocating
on their behalf to politicians in
Victoria and Ottawa.
S.U.C.C.E.S.S., which started
40 years ago as a grassroots
organization in Vancouver's
Chinatown, today offers a wide
array of programs in settlement,
housing, employment, language
and business skills to 200,000
clients a year. With more than 20
offices across the Lower Mainland
and one in Fort St. John,
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
has gone far beyond its original
vision of serving the Chinese com-
munity. "This is what I would like to
strengthen—our cultural diversity,"
says Choo. "We have strong Chinese
roots but an open heart."
Syrian refugees are experi-
encing that sense of compassion
as they arrive at YVR, where
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. staff welcome them
and help them with basic needs.
The program, called Community
Airport Newcomers Network, is
funded by Immigration, Refugee
and Citizenship Canada and has
been operated by
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for
23 years. At offices in Seoul and
Taipei, the organization also offers
advice on finding housing and
employment for those approved
W O M E N O F I N F L U E N C E : T H E P O W E R T O D I S R U P T
Building
Community
BE IT FOR IMMIGRANTS,
WOMEN OR GLOBETROTTING
INTELLECTUALS, THESE FOUR
LEADERS ARE HELPING MAKE
B.C. A MORE ATTRACTIVE PLACE
TO BOTH LIVE IN AND VISIT
b y M A R C I E G O O D
CREATING CONNECTIONS As CEO
of S.U.C.C.E.S.S., Queenie Choo helps
newcomers adjust to Canada
