A force for growth and good—meet Grace Chiu
Widely recognized as a “force for growth and good,” Grace Chiu is a part of Scotia Wealth Management and the BC & Yukon Regional Leadership Team in a previous role as Senior Manager, Regional Marketing. Blending strategic vision with deep community commitment, she is shaping inclusive practices and catalyzing lasting, progressive change across the region. Affectionately known as “Amazing Grace,” she is lauded for her ability to navigate complex challenges and unite people around shared purposes.
A lifelong volunteer—beginning with community policing shifts alongside her mother and launching her high school’s first food-back fundraiser—over the years Grace has contributed to such organizations as Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, the Canadian Cancer Society, BC Children’s Hospital, and the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation.
Today, she lends her leadership expertise with a position on the Board of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver and is a founding committee member of the First Nations Health Foundation Gala.
Learn more about Grace in this Q/A.
What stands out as a highlight of your career?
Oh goodness, the highlight of my career? I hope it’s yet to come as I think I have a long road ahead. However, if I had to choose.....working with and learning from incredibly talented, passionate and driven leaders and peers in various fields and staying connected with them and supporting each other’s various endeavors is a common thread throughout all my experiences thus far.
Working for VANOC was certainly a once in a life time opportunity. As a result of looking for coop positions, I was able to obtain a summer internship at VANOC in Summer 2008 which led to a formal SFU coop with the Vancouver Canucks Community Relations department that truly expanded my understanding of philanthropy and my network in BC. I returned to VANOC in 2010 and our offices were in the Athletes Village, and well, I can't say any more than that!
How did SFU impact your career?
SFU and specifically the communications coop program opened a door of opportunities for me in field I never thought of, didn't know about and wouldn't have considered if it were not for the process of finding a coop. Once I got that Canucks coop, my career snowballed from there as my network increased and was able to get a job at Canuck Place while I completed my 4th year and the rest just snowballed from there.
Personally, I'd like to add, some of my longest friendships have come from university. My friend Rosie and I were in communications together, we went backpacking in Australia and Bali together after we graduated and we both became mothers in 2025.
What is a piece of advice you would like to pass along to current students?
One piece of advice I would pass along to current students is try everything! Push yourself out of your comfort zone because that is where you'll grow.
Help us celebrate Grace at the 2026 Outstanding Alumni Award event in Vancouver on April 16. Tickets will be made available through the Outstanding Alumni Awards website.