Article by Iglika Ivanova and Amanda Adams
Dear friends, colleagues and champions of social justice,
We are excited to introduce ourselves as the new co-Executive Directors of BC Policy Solutions and to share our vision for this pivotal moment in British Columbia’s history.
We are stepping into leadership at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher.
With the rise of authoritarianism, the coordinated attacks on equity and the weaponization of mis- and disinformation at home and abroad, the social fabric is fraying and democracy is at a breaking point.
Now more than ever, we need bold and collaborative intellectual leadership that offers not just critiques but transformative solutions.
Growing inequality, the unabating affordability crisis and the climate emergency are not inevitable—they are the result of policy choices that have shifted power from working people to wealthy elites. These policy choices can be reversed.
“We need bold and collaborative intellectual leadership.”
People are ready for bold policy ideas that work for the many, not the few. Our role is to shine a light on what’s possible when we put people and the planet before corporate profit.
As co-Executive Directors, we bring complementary strengths that will enable BC Policy Solutions to generate and activate ideas to advance social, economic, environmental and racial justice.
Iglika is well known in BC’s policy landscape.
As a labour market and public finance economist with nearly two decades of experience in BC policy research, she is a respected policy thinker who brings important continuity as we build on a long history of impactful work.
Iglika previously served as Senior Economist and Public Interest Researcher with the BC Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives until its closure. Her research and insights on labour and employment policy, poverty reduction, inequality, living wages, tax fairness and government finances have informed policy-makers and helped shape the debate on key issues facing British Columbians. She co-directs the Understanding Precarity in BC Partnership, a SSHRC-funded community-university project investigating precarious work and multi-dimensional precarity in British Columbia.
Amanda has extensive experience in nonprofit leadership.
Her cross-sector advocacy brings fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to BC Policy Solutions’ work. She has a background with service providers directly addressing issues related to education, food insecurity, climate change, mental health, health care in the province and DEI initiatives in the community at the municipal level. These experiences have led to Amanda’s keen ability to build organizational effectiveness and lead innovative and agile growth strategies while maintaining a community focus. This will strengthen our capacity to deliver high-quality, creative and insightful research and public engagement that is needed to address BC’s pressing problems.
“We bring complementary strengths
to generate and activate ideas.”
Together, we’re committed to enhancing BC Policy Solutions’ ability to produce high-quality, accessible research and analysis, providing a crucial counter to corporate-funded voices and generating bold ideas to address the complex challenges we face.
What excites us most about jointly leading BC Policy Solutions is the opportunity to build something truly collaborative—where rigorous analysis meets the wisdom of lived experience, where research serves movements and where policy solutions are co-created in partnership with academic experts and grassroots advocates.
This work has never been more critical and it requires collective action and sustained commitment from all of us.
We thank Kevin Millsip for his steady, empowering leadership during a pivotal time for this organization. He built a solid foundation for the work that is to come. We are grateful to all our allies and supporters who believe in the power of ideas to create meaningful change.
Continued partnership is essential as we work to meet this moment with the creativity, expertise and determination it requires. We hope we can count on your support.
We look forward to seeing you in person at Heritage Hall in Vancouver for our BC Policy Solutions launch party on October 16th. We’re excited to connect with supporters, allies and other advocates who share our commitment to building a BC that works for everyone.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to working together to inform conversations about BC’s public policy choices and advance bold, evidence-based policy solutions for a more equitable, just and sustainable province.
