what others say…

“Sonya has a rich understanding of the human heart and mind. She is a grounded and knowledgeable guide, and a thoughtful and compassionate listener. I was immediately comfortable in a counselling relationship with Sonya and felt safe to share in her warm presence. ”

“I was lucky to spend time with Sonya in a volunteer counselling training program. In witnessing her as a counsellor I have seen the depth of her skill and her gentle yet fierce compassion. She is empathetic, extremely present, and asks questions that help deepen one’s understanding of self. I felt instantly comfortable with her.”

“In the truest sense of the word Sonya is a leader. For years, I have had the pleasure of working with her in multiple settings. Walking along-side of her, I have witnessed other’s respect and appreciation for her as a trusted colleague. Indeed, she is a ‘connector’ from which transformation is initiated; she activates change by holding a system’s level perspective. She carries ideas from one person to the next building and strengthening the possibilities for change. And, Sonya brings people together, via their strengths, and commitment to service and purpose, and energizes them toward purpose-driven action. In a complex and dynamic environment, such as a health authority, Sonya is a confirmed and admired change leader.”

“Working with Sonya has been a great privilege. She has embedded skills that make her a great counsellor, including her capacity to hold space for her clients. Her empathy and non-judgemental attitudes help me open up about my life struggles. Her passion for fairness and justice speaks volumes of the kind of professional she is. She is thoughtful and inclusive. Finally, Sonya offered resources that were very helpful at a time of my life I was feeling helpless, and for that, I will forever be grateful.”

“Sonya is a passionate and thoughtful facilitator. Her meetings invite connection, growth, and she weaves personal and professional development together for systems change at work. This means her meetings are dynamic - just like the people and systems she’s working to shift. It’s a joy to team up with her! ”

“​Sonya is a natural collaborator and strong community advocate. Having worked with Sonya to develop one of the first municipal civic engagement strategies in Canada, her practical and progressive nature was evident in championing foundational values and priorities for increasing public involvement in City decision-making.”

“Sonya’s DNA is wired to innovate, which leaves her little time to accept the status quo in health care. She is continually leading from the edge, in a way that brings people together to truly engage in complex problem solving and radical solution finding. She has the unique ability to truly care about how people experience a process and yet still has the courage to push that process to the limit of it’s boundaries- and sometimes beyond.”

“Sonya is smart, strategic and effective. During her time as a Victoria councillor, she used her leadership role to make change - be it promoting the living wage or strengthening local food security. Her respectful and collaborative ways of working with community groups like the Community Social Planning Council strengthened and deepened levels of understanding and action within our community.”

“She is a bold advocate that is not only responsive but proactive when it comes to the health of our communities. She has spent several years working towards institutional change while maintaining her focus on the determinants of health and the ‘upstream’ approach to governance. Sonya’s broad experience gives her insights that will allow her to continue to push the boundaries of what is generally understood as health and health policy. Sonya is a caring, brave leader in her field and will no doubt be an asset to any organization she chooses to work with. ​”

“Sonya is a breath of fresh air! She has a mindset that is “yes and” which allows for ideas and partnerships to flourish. Working in complex environment with intractable problems is her wheelhouse. She can navigate systems skillfully to get to the implementation phase. I would work with her tomorrow if I could.”

“… a delightful and inspiring visionary, Sonya is that person on the team who challenges me to think beyond the boundaries of what we do to consider what else is possible. She is a remarkable human being. An authentic and courageous light bearer, she is someone who truly leads the way”

“As a leader, I found Ms. Chandler to be brave, in the sense that she was not afraid to disagree with her colleagues or to take on issues that were controversial. She is a big-picture person, able to imagine a better future and creative and diligent in formulating actions and plans – at both micro and macro levels - to get there.”

“Sonya is a joy to work with and the kind of person who makes dreams feel possible by being strategic and realistic about how to turn ideas and dreams into action. She has a vast array of experience behind her that makes her skill-sets and perspectives diverse and innovative. She is a disrupter and change-maker that cares deeply about making the world a better place.”

“Sonya is a creative spirit who inspires others to think differently and dream big. She radiates authenticity and compassion and is not afraid to stand up and speak when something needs to be said. Her bold leadership and her unique ability to bring people together highlights her commitment to make a difference and leave things better than how she found them. She is an inspiring colleague, a brilliant teammate and courageous leader.”

“I had the pleasure of collaborating with Sonya on the startup of Island Health’s Innovation Lab and intrapreneur program—a initiative that empowers health care communities to implement proactive change from the bottom up and inside out. She is both a challenger and a champion, a values-based leader and an evidence-based decision maker. She is, as her social media moniker says, positively edgy.”