Tania Douglas has been in her role of Executive Director of the St.Amant Foundation since June of 2024, but it seems her interests and gifts were leading her there all along. “I’ve been in non-profit for 20 years,” shares the seasoned fundraiser. “I’ve gone back and forth between working in the arts and with those who have disabilities. I’ve gotten the chance to learn about fundraising, advocacy, and all the ways that we can support people in community.”
In her first professional role, with an organisation called Continuity Care, Douglas helped family members answer the question of what will happen to their loved one with an intellectual disability once their family can no longer care for them. “I joined a support network for an individual at that time,” she shares. “I still talk to him every Monday, we got to baseball games together, and we just planned his birthday. Because of the relationship I have with him, I’ve stayed very connected to this community, and it feels wonderful to be back.”
With stints at Children’s Hospital Foundation and Inclusion Winnipeg, Douglas is bringing her curiosity and her love of relationships to her new role. “So far, my goal has been to meet with as many people as I could, including donors, staff and families,” she says. “It’s all been so comfortable and easy; it really speaks to the environment at St.Amant. It’s a unique culture here where people are very warm and excited to connect and share.”
The Foundation team is made up of five staff, and has a simple goal: “We’re here to help all the people who are supported through St.Amant to live a full life in whatever way makes sense for them,” explains Douglas. “There are so many things and experiences not covered by government funding that make quality of life so much better for people, like funds to go to a sports game, or a specialized wheelchair, or even communication equipment.”
Douglas is looking forward to connecting one-on-one with donors to help them truly understand the impact that their gifts bring to the St.Amant community. “My favourite part of fundraising has always been the relationships,” she admits. “I love people, learning about them and what interests them. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. And if we can connect the work we do to the values that our donors hold, well, that’s truly what this is all about.”
On the personal front, Douglas is the proud mother of a daughter who’s 8 years old. She, her husband and her daughter are all active and love to be outside all year round. “Every opportunity to be in nature, I’ll take it!” she says enthusiastically. She also hails from a large francophone family and is enjoying the chance to be able to speak French at work again.
“It’s been such a great experience so far in this role,” concludes Douglas. “And it’s an exciting time to be here. There’s a new strategic plan and lots to do. We want staff and families to know that their innovative ideas and dreams can be supported, and that we’re here for that. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do together.”