Avonlea spent her earliest years moving from town to town throughout the British Columbia, before settling in Pemberton when she was ten. The constant shuffle meant that she learned quickly to adapt to new social settings, turning on the charm to make friends in each new school. After the loss of her stepmother at twelve, Avonlea had to quickly step into the mom role for her younger brother, which didn’t leave much time for being a typical, happy-go-lucky kid.

Having grown up quickly, it felt natural to her to move in with her now-husband when she was just seventeen years old. After testing several career paths she found the right one for her; event management, which was a great fit for her perfectionist nature. Now a mom of two young boys, Avonlea looks after them full time, while her husband works in construction. They love to do the simple things as a family: camping and spending time outdoors.

All of this work and looking after others hasn’t left much time for travel, and one of Avonlea’s dreams would be to live overseas for a stretch of time. One of her hopes for her children is that they get a chance to learn about other cultures from their schoolmates, as she feels it’s important that they learn that there are many ways to live. She believes all Canadians should have the right to live how they choose as long as they don’t negatively impact others.

Avonlea has spent her life caring for others, from her brother to her own young sons, and her big-heart and compassion are her defining qualities. Open to learning and change, she is curious and excited to explore Canada.