WORTH Association is a Canadian non-profit society dedicated to advancing equity across the visitor economy. We champion self-identifying women and gender-diverse individuals through mentorship, leadership training, advocacy, and community connection.
WORTH Community Session • Vancouver, BCSydney Woodward Photography
Territorial Acknowledgement: WORTH Association operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples: šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmaɁɬ təməxʷ (Musqueam), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
8,000+
Community Reach
31+
In-Person Events
$84K
Scholarships Awarded
317
Mentorship Matches
325
Academy Participants
Two Clear Pathways
Serving Our Community & Industry Stakeholders
Whether you are a woman advancing your career in the visitor economy or an employer seeking to build an equitable, inclusive workplace, WORTH provides structured pathways.
Pathway 01For Individuals
For Women & Gender-Diverse Professionals
Access peer-to-peer mentorship, fully funded single mothers training, academic scholarships, and transparent job listings designed to elevate your career.
Recruit diverse leaders, sponsor Academy cohorts, advertise to over 8,000 engaged professionals, and demonstrate verified commitment to industry pay equity.
Bridging the Leadership Gap Across the Visitor Economy
While women represent a significant share of the tourism and hospitality workforce, they remain systematically underrepresented in executive decision-making. WORTH equips women with the skills and networks required to eliminate the broken rung.
01 / FOUNDATION
Educate
Delivering career toolkits, resume and negotiation workshops, leadership roundtables, and scholarship funding to remove structural barriers to advancement.
02 / ADVANCEMENT
Elevate
Curated one-on-one mentorship pairing emerging professionals with seasoned executives across British Columbia, challenging the persistent gender pay gap.
03 / ADVOCACY
Engage
Convening annual provincial Leadership Summits, partnering with major hospitality employers, and advocating for verifiable workplace equity and belonging.
Programs & Pathways
Subscribe → Attend → Learn → Lead → Mentor
Structured 3-Month Cohort
WORTH-while Mentorship
“Rooted in care. Guided by experience. Powered by community.”
In recreation, tourism & hospitality, we know how to make people feel at home. We give so much of ourselves to help others, but rarely pause to ask for help ourselves. This mentorship program creates a space to change that, together. It’s a way for women across the industry to say: I see you. I’ve been there. You belong here.
“WORTH helped me believe that anything is possible in my life.”
A fully funded, six-week career launch program tailored for single mothers entering the workforce, returning after time away, changing careers, or advancing in the industry. The program provides a full-day workshop with free on-site licensed childcare, transportation, and lunch provided, followed by personalized career roadmapping.
“Creating space for new connections and actionable industry dialogue.”
From high-impact annual Vancouver summits to regional roundtables across British Columbia, our events bring together leading voices to dismantle pay inequities, share executive insights, and build enduring professional networks.
“I rediscovered my fire and my drive. I am grateful to have found this space. This alone influenced how I will move forward in life and my career.”
Tia Johnston
District Sales Representative, Gordon Food Service • WORTH Mentee
Voices of Transformation
Firsthand Impact Across British Columbia
Verified testimonials from mentees, single mother academy participants, executive mentors, and industry directors.
Mentee Alum
★★★★★
“The mentorship program connected me with a general manager who looked at my career with honesty and ambition. For the first time in 8 years in hotels, I felt seen and sponsored.”
TJ
Tia Johnston
Gordon Food Service • Spring Cohort
Academy Graduate
★★★★★
“As a single mother new to Canada, on-site licensed childcare was the only reason I could attend. WORTH Academy gave me the network to secure an operations supervisor role.”
SK
Sophia K.
WORTH Academy Alum • Vancouver, BC
Executive Mentor
★★★★★
“Mentoring emerging women through WORTH is the most meaningful hour of my month. It challenges senior executives to actively sponsor the next generation of general managers.”
MH
Marion Harper Treskin
Hospitality Executive • WORTH Board Chair
Community Volunteer
★★★★★
“Volunteering with WORTH opened doors to an executive network I never would have met. The culture of belonging isn’t a talking point here — it’s lived every day.”
SQ
Shirley Quinn
Director of People & Culture • Tourism Vancouver
Mentee Alum
★★★★★
“The mentorship program connected me with a general manager who looked at my career with honesty and ambition. For the first time in 8 years in hotels, I felt seen and sponsored.”
TJ
Tia Johnston
Gordon Food Service • Spring Cohort
Academy Graduate
★★★★★
“As a single mother new to Canada, on-site licensed childcare was the only reason I could attend. WORTH Academy gave me the network to secure an operations supervisor role.”
SK
Sophia K.
WORTH Academy Alum • Vancouver, BC
Executive Mentor
★★★★★
“Mentoring emerging women through WORTH is the most meaningful hour of my month. It challenges senior executives to actively sponsor the next generation of general managers.”
MH
Marion Harper Treskin
Hospitality Executive • WORTH Board Chair
Community Volunteer
★★★★★
“Volunteering with WORTH opened doors to an executive network I never would have met. The culture of belonging isn’t a talking point here — it’s lived every day.”
SQ
Shirley Quinn
Director of People & Culture • Tourism Vancouver
Corporate Sponsor
★★★★★
“Supporting WORTH Academy directly solves workforce shortages while empowering single mothers. It’s the most impactful social investment our restaurant group has ever made.”
EL
Erin Legge
Director of Finance • BCPavco • WORTH Board
Summit Speaker
★★★★★
“The WORTH Leadership Summit isn’t a passive conference. The energy, tactical negotiations training, and cross-sector dialogues make it the premier event in Western Canada.”
TR
Teresa Ryder
Director of Partnerships • Indigenous Tourism Canada
Hotel GM / Mentor
★★★★★
“We cannot expect female leadership to magically emerge without intentional structures. WORTH provides the exact framework that our industry has needed for decades.”
MG
Mathé Grenier
General Manager • Shangri-La Hotels • Director
Scholarship Recipient
★★★★★
“Receiving the Leadership Excellence Bursary allowed me to complete my sommelier diploma without taking on crippling debt. WORTH invested in my future before anyone else did.”
GH
Genevieve Huneault
Tourism Strategist • Royal Roads University
Corporate Sponsor
★★★★★
“Supporting WORTH Academy directly solves workforce shortages while empowering single mothers. It’s the most impactful social investment our restaurant group has ever made.”
EL
Erin Legge
Director of Finance • BCPavco • WORTH Board
Summit Speaker
★★★★★
“The WORTH Leadership Summit isn’t a passive conference. The energy, tactical negotiations training, and cross-sector dialogues make it the premier event in Western Canada.”
TR
Teresa Ryder
Director of Partnerships • Indigenous Tourism Canada
Hotel GM / Mentor
★★★★★
“We cannot expect female leadership to magically emerge without intentional structures. WORTH provides the exact framework that our industry has needed for decades.”
MG
Mathé Grenier
General Manager • Shangri-La Hotels • Director
Scholarship Recipient
★★★★★
“Receiving the Leadership Excellence Bursary allowed me to complete my sommelier diploma without taking on crippling debt. WORTH invested in my future before anyone else did.”
GH
Genevieve Huneault
Tourism Strategist • Royal Roads University
Joanna Jagger (she/her) • Founder & Executive Director
Executive Leadership
“Transforming our sector through intentional mentorship and systemic equity.”
Joanna Jagger is the Executive Director and founder of WORTH Association, incorporated in 2018 to provide opportunities for mentorship, education, and leadership development. Formerly a Convenor and Instructor at Capilano University, she has held leadership roles in sales, catering, and human resources at premier hospitality brands including Marriott International, Shangri-La Hotels, and Sequoia Company of Restaurants.
She currently serves on the Board of BCPavco, supporting the Vancouver Convention Centre and BC Place Stadium. Joanna holds a Provincial Instructor’s Diploma from VCC and a Master’s in Leadership from Royal Roads University.
Support the Future of Women+ in Tourism & Hospitality
Select a giving tier to see how your tax-deductible contribution directly removes structural barriers for women and single mothers across British Columbia:
Full-Day Licensed Childcare
Funds certified on-site professional childcare during workshops, allowing mothers to focus fully on professional development.
Registered non-profit society in British Columbia | Society No. S0069800
Audited Outcomes
2025 Community Impact Report
Review our annual performance, financial stewardship, scholarship allocation, and firsthand alumni outcomes across BC.
