Karen Reader

Background

About Karen Reader

My goal is to engage in a progressive leadership position that optimizes my varied background and provides opportunity for further growth and education. When I started out my work career with BC Tel/Telus in 1989, I never expected to end up working in emergency services or that the communication skills I developed as a credit and collections representative would become so transferable to my paramedic career. At the time, I just felt good that I could respectfully navigate difficult conversations with strangers and get results. My thirteen years with the Surrey Fire Department started at at time when women were rare newcomers to the environment and it could be challenging. Staying focused and determined earned me respect and led to further opportunities, specifically, teaching First Responder and supporting driver training. Those experiences were the catalyst for my desire to become a leader and mentor. Moving into BC Emergency Health Services (formerly BC Ambulance) in 2002, my experiences from Telus and the fire department helped form my new career. The communication skills, determination and leadership have helped me to navigate literally hundreds of situations as a paramedic, instructor, event planner, mentor and leader throughout more than two decades with BCEHS as I have taken on progressively more challenging leadership roles. Now, working on the Business Operations Support team, I continue to flex those experiences to work collaboratively with others to find solutions for our modern work environment. I look forward to the challenges to come!