Creating, supporting and managing collective impact initiatives requires a separate organization/entity with staff and a specific set of skills to serve as the “backbone” for the entire initiative and to coordinate partner organizations and agencies.
In keeping with a collective impact framework, a backbone staff team of three was recruited in 2015 to support the collective impact work of WPRC.
As Executive Director of the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council (WPRC), Pam leads the talented and committed team providing backbone support to the WPRC and its Steering Committee in implementing the Council’s overall vision and Framework for Action.
Pam began her career as a community public health nurse working to provide needs based health prevention services to some of our city’s most vulnerable communities. Prior to joining United Way of Winnipeg and the WPRC in 2015 Pam served in a number of senior management positions at the City of Winnipeg including Continuous Improvement Coordinator, Manager of Information and Project Management for the Planning, Property & Development Department, and Manager of Corporate Communications in the City’s CAO Secretariat. Pam has extensive experience leading diverse teams through innovative and inclusive strategic planning processes focused on furthering organizational priorities, as well as ensuring continuous measurement and reporting on performance. She is committed to utilizing the theory, principles and tools of collective impact, project management, and public participation to ensure broad-based stakeholder engagement in initiatives aimed at better meeting community needs.
Pam holds a Bachelor of Nursing degree and an MPA from the University of Manitoba.
Melissa Chung is of Chinese/Métis descent and grew up in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Before coming to United Way Winnipeg, Melissa was employed as Program Manager with BUILD Inc., an Indigenous social enterprise and trades training program. Melissa brings with her experience in grant writing and reporting, social enterprise development, and volunteer and program management.
She is a graduate of Ryerson University with a Master of Arts degree in Immigration and Settlement Studies, where her research focused on Indigenous and new Canadian relations. Melissa is a volunteer mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg and is on the board of directors for BUILD Inc. and the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce.
Before coming to United Way Winnipeg, Erika spent 27 years working for the Provincial Government as a Community Development Worker. She was stationed in the West Central community of Winnipeg for the first 23 years, where she founded and facilitated networks, helped develop new programs, and led grassroots community efforts toward a safer, healthier community.
In 2011 she joined the department of Housing and Community Development in the Neighbourhoods Alive! (NA!) office, where she assisted neighbourhood renewal corporations and other community organizations supported by NA!. It was here that she first learned about and implemented principles of collective impact.
Over the years Erika has worked with a diverse and extensive range of community leaders and has gained valuable experience bringing people together to tackle complex problems.
