Chantelle Krish has worked with the province’s former lieutenant governor and in the private sector, but her heart has always been in nonprofit. “Big Sisters really felt like coming home,” she says.
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This June marks Krish’s fourth anniversary as CEO at Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland. The organization is known for its signature mentorship program, which pairs young girls and gender-diverse youth aged seven to 17 with a Big Sister offering support and guidance.
Krish’s professional experience in gender equity advocacy goes back to her time at YWCA Vancouver from 2011 to 2019. There, she pushed for policy reform to support women experiencing intimate partner violence. Krish currently serves on the board of YWCA Canada and co-chairs its National Retreat for Women.
“Inclusion is about having a place, whether it’s a seat at the table, a voice in a room or being able to show up as your authentic self,” she says. “I really try to create spaces, cultures, organizations that embody that.”
In her four years at Big Sisters, Krish has expanded the organization’s programming, shifting the focus to long-term prevention and addressing systemic barriers facing young people.
In 2024, her team piloted an after-school gender-based violence prevention program to teach girls and gender diverse youth life skills, financial literacy, human rights and self-advocacy. In 2025, after consulting over 300 stakeholders for the organization’s five-year strategic plan, Big Sisters launched a post-secondary support program and expanded its scholarship initiative to take a holistic approach in helping youth build sustainable pathways after they graduate.
Krish has also set an ambitious fundraising agenda. In 2023, Big Sisters launched Unleashing Potential, the organization’s first-ever multimillion-dollar philanthropy campaign. The initiative is fundraising to create B.C.’s first Mentorship HUB, as well as to establish a sustainable, long-term endowment.
“As a nonprofit, we are also running a business,” says Krish. “Our stakes are so much higher because we’re in the business of helping people.” In under three years, Big Sisters raised 75 percent of its $5 million goal. The organization has set a goal to reach more than double the number of youths it serves by 2029.
Last year, in recognition of her work, Krish was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal and the BC Achievement Community Award. But, for her, it all comes back to the people. “I’ve done so much work on the ground running programs—and that’s really motivating—but there are systems we need to look at,” she says. “How can we shift them? How can we work together?”
What is a skill you are working on?
Being more present and patient.
What is your go-to reset ritual?
An early-morning Peloton workout to house music.
What is your most-used app?
Spotify.
