Board Members in the Community... Meet Stefanie Books

• May 13, 2001

  Posted by: Kamillah El-Giadaa

At Volunteer Manitoba, we're always inspired by the people who step up to lead and support their communities!

As part of our Meet a Board Member series, we sat down with Stefanie Books, a registered social worker and Board Chair at Youville. We got to talk about her journey into board leadership, what it means to serve, and her advice for those considering getting involved.

You can watch the full interview here!

Kamillah: What inspired you to join a board?

Stefanie: It was a while ago, so I don't remember the exact moment, but joining a board was something I had always thought about, even back in university, I just didn't pursue it at the time.

Most of my volunteer experience was in frontline roles. Over time, I became curious about how things worked behind the scenes and how decisions were made. Joining a board felt like a great opportunity to better understand that side of things and contribute at a more strategic level.

I think it was around 2021 or 2022 I came across a post on LinkedIn that Youville was recruiting.

I really connected with the work they do, so I thought, 'Why not?' and decided to apply.

Kamillah: I love that. I feel like that's going to resonate with a lot of people, someone started doing frontline volunteer work and to make that jump to board level work can be a bit intimidating. But you did it! What does serving on a board mean to you?

Stefanie: Being on a board, for me, is really about community. I'm very community-minded, and I see it as a social responsibility.

In my current role with Youville, it's about contributing to systems that support collective well-being, advancing health equity, upholding dignity, and supporting healing through the work of the board. It also means being a support to the organization at all levels, from staff and management to the community we serve and our partners.

Kamillah: Do you have anything that you would want to add to that about why it's important that people serve on boards?

Stefanie: I think one thing I didn't mention is the importance of having diverse voices at the table. It helps ensure decisions are made thoughtfully, with a strong focus on inclusion and an understanding of lived realities.

Kamillah: In 2026, we do want our boards to be representative of the community that we're serving. So maybe someone is listening and they're feeling inspired. They're like, yeah, I want to be a part of that change, I want to be a part of community well-being.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about joining a board for the first time?

Stefanie: My biggest piece of advice is to be curious, stay open to learning, and ask questions. Ask questions to help you grow, but also don't be afraid to ask them during meetings.

It's also important to remember that you don't need to know everything about governance right away-many of those skills are developed over time.

At Youville, we place a strong emphasis on alignment with the organization's values, mission, and vision over prior board experience, so previous experience isn't required.

We support new directors by helping them learn the structure and responsibilities of the board.

Kamillah: I absolutely love that-and it's a perfect segue into a bit of a shameless plug.

Youville's board opportunity is currently posted on our website, so if you're feeling inspired and curious, this could be a great place to start. They also offer strong support for new board members.

You can visit /volunteer_opportunities.php to apply directly to this opportunity, as well as explore many other board positions available across the province.

A big thank you to Stefanie for taking the time to share her story and reflections on board leadership. We hope her story inspires others to get involved in community!

 

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