After 25 years as the Victoria Foundation’s CEO, Sandra Richardson will be retiring this fall as we celebrate our 90th anniversary. We’d like to express our immense gratitude to Sandra for her commitment and service to the organization and our community. The board of directors has hired Ian Bird as the next CEO of the Victoria Foundation starting in June 2026.
Please read the letters below from our Board Chair Rob Gareau and CEO Sandra Richardson for more details.
Hello,
On behalf of the board of directors, I’d like to express immense gratitude to Sandra Richardson for her 25 years with the Victoria Foundation. Sandra has informed the board she will retire this fall after a transition period with the new CEO Ian Bird who will start in June 2026.
Sandra’s leadership has been key in the organization’s community impact, asset growth, and development of strategic partnerships. Under Sandra’s leadership, the Foundation developed a strong importance on listening, meaningful engagement, and collective action. A key program that demonstrates this characteristic is Vital Signs, which was started in Victoria as part of the organization’s 70th anniversary in 2006. There are many examples of collective action driven by Vital Signs and community collaboration, and one of the best is the creation of the Capital Region Food Distribution Centre working to distribute rescued food and make the region more food secure.
Sandra was also great at meeting the moment in collaboration, including Rapid Relief at the start of the pandemic with the Jawl Family, the Times Colonist, CHEK, and more.
These examples are a snapshot of the impact over 25 years, and I am sure you have your own personal favourite story about Sandra’s leadership as well!
The Victoria Foundation is fortunate to have Ian Bird returning to British Columbia to take over the role as the Foundation celebrates our 90th anniversary. Ian is a seasoned executive in the community foundation sector and innovator in the field of collective action and network leadership. Ian brings international experience including his current role as CEO of Community Foundations of Australia, and Canadian experience as the previous CEO at Community Foundations of Canada.
He is a former sport advocate and Olympian in field hockey, having represented Canada at two summer Olympics. Born and raised on the west coast and a student at the University of British Columbia, he has many strong ties to the capital region and Gulf Islands including spending summers on Salt Spring Island growing up, and living and working in Greater Victoria while he was an aspiring Olympian.
With his tremendous background, Ian is the right fit to continue moving the organization forward as the driving force for community wellbeing in Greater Victoria and beyond.
To our Australia friends, we recognize the tremendous challenges your communities are facing at this time including with the bushfires. We know how much Ian has meant to the community foundation movement in Australia and the impact of his leadership. As community foundations do across the world, we’re happy to welcome you to Victoria at anytime to share, learn, and collaborate. We’re here for you now and in the future.
Sandra Richardson and I are available to answer questions you may have about the transition and future of the Foundation. Ian will be accessible for further conversations after his official start in June.
Thank you for your commitment and support of the Victoria Foundation.
Sincerely,
Board Chair Rob Gareau
Dear friends and colleagues,
After 25 years as the CEO of the Victoria Foundation, it is an honour to head into retirement knowing the board of directors has selected Ian Bird as my successor.
I have known Ian for decades, and it was a privilege to collaborate with Ian in his role as President and CEO of Community Foundations of Canada. Ian is from British Columbia and has strong ties to Greater Victoria. Ian always felt at home here, and was willing to visit our Foundation’s board and staff, speak at events, and brought the 2019 Community Foundations of Canada Conference to Victoria.
During my career I have been fortunate to work with community foundations across the country and across the world. It’s amazing how much we can learn from each other! In conversations with Ian I can tell how much his time in Australia has meant to him. It truly is a blessing for our Foundation that he is wishing to return home to British Columbia to be closer to his family.
Ian understands the importance of creating a strong community and I know his previous experience locally, nationally, and internationally will allow him to build on the success of the Foundation over the past 90 years.
It has been a privilege to work with tremendous board, staff, partners, and more! I am confident Ian will be able to thrive in this position with support from our exceptional board members and the dedicated and talented staff team.
I look forward to continuing to work with the Victoria Foundation until my official retirement date in the fall and supporting Ian as he assumes the role in June 2026.
I am eager to see you in-person as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Victoria Foundation this year with you and express gratitude for all you have given the community and the Foundation.
Thanks,
CEO Sandra Richardson