REACH Board Member Erum Afsar is a strong believer in the value of governance boards and the real difference they make in the community.

“I’ve been a long-time volunteer on various boards and committees,” says Erum. “I’m passionate about making communities safer for everyone, which fits with REACH's mandate and the work they do.”

REACH plays a vital role in having those important conversations about community safety and wellness, she says.

“They’re bringing people and agencies together to create change.”

Erum has plenty of experience serving on boards and currently sits as the municipal councilor for Kananaskis.

“I understand the interaction between safety and decision makers within the city and how that works,” she says. “I’ve dealt with different areas of community safety, like emergency services, budgets, taxation. These are intrinsic pieces of what it takes to run a municipality and I have a different lens having worked with non profits like Islamic Family Social Services Association (IFSSA) and the YWCA.

For Erum, serving the community is a lifelong commitment that was founded in childhood.

“I was raised in a family that valued comm service,” she says. “It’s a personal value of mine to always be serving or giving back to the community in a positive way.”Erum is positive that volunteer boards do make a difference.

“People can have a real impact by volunteering on boards and it’s always nice to work with like-minded people,” she says, “That’s the piece that’s really motivating. One person can do some things, but many people pooling their energies together can affect a bigger change.”