Joan Krisch

Joan Krisch is truly the mother of Bridges. Joan had a passion for improving the lives and the futures of women, and was so sure of the vision for Bridges right from the start. She was pragmatic and discerning, a woman of action, and she took the lead in writing the initial proposal and gathering strong women to serve as Bridges advisors. Without her, Bridges would not exist. Joan was the program administrator at Bridges from 1988 till she left due to illness. Joan died in 1994.

Dr. Katie Cooke was a famous Canadian who was in retirement when she helped to found Bridges. She was a mentor & role model for Bridges women. She was the first president of the Canadian Advisory Committee on the Status of Women, wrote the Canadian Child Care Task Force report, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award through the Victoria Women of Distinction. She helped pull together a community advisory committee to ensure the project considered all of the supports the women would need; access to child care, legal services, and housing. She chaired the Bridges Advisory Committee in the early years and later helped form the Bridges for Women Society in 1992. She died in 2003.

Diane Erickson

Diane Erickson is a founding mother of Bridges who has continued to work closely with Bridges. She was a consultant on the original Bridges funding proposal and advocated for ongoing research and evaluation that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the Bridges approach. She brought to Bridges her experience as a policy planner in government and in the private sector as well as her passion for justice for women. She was a member of the Bridges Advisory Committee and was the first Chair of the Bridges for Women Society Board.

Kathryn Ogg

Kathryn Ogg is a Bridges founder who helped to research and prepare the
initial funding proposal for Bridges in 1988. Kathryn worked on 
women’s employment projects with Joan and Arlene in the 1980's.The 
assistant administrator from 1988-91, she also was the Employment 
Preparation Facilitator at Bridges from 1988 to 2000 and then Work 
Placement Coordinator until 2002. She is a strong feminist, a proud 
single parent (and grandmother) who advocates for positive change in 
women’s lives at Bridges, and continues to support Bridges.