We are excited to announce that Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer, Azra Hussain, has been recognized by the YWCA with their 2023 Woman of Distinction Award in the non-profit category. The award is granted to leaders in the non-profit sector that propel change through leadership, professionalism and vision, and that have showcased significant and sustained impact in Metro Vancouver by advocating for important issues and causes. These award winners are mentors, inspiring leaders, and people of passion.
“I am excited for my long-time colleague, Azra, and this most recent award bestowed on her by YWCA Metro Vancouver. It is just one of the many distinctions over the years recognizing her ground-breaking work with our Foundation” says Jane Adams, President and CEO of Surrey Hospitals Foundation. “Azra, congratulations on this well deserved honour and acknowledgement of your leadership—not just in Surrey, but also nationally in the non-profit sector.”
Azra is a gifted leader, bringing more than 20 years of executive experience to her role as Chief Operating Officer at Surrey Hospitals Foundation. She has professional designations as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). With these, Azra brings a unique skill set to the strategy, fundraising, financial oversight, governance and operations of the Foundation. She also believes in lifelong learning and advancing the power of collaboration that allows for innovation and advancement at both an individual and team level.
Throughout her career, Azra spearheaded multiple projects to support families in their journeys through health care. These projects include: Surrey’s first “Mini-Med School”, a free event to engage local youth with some of Surrey’s top health care professionals; the creation of a new outdoor play area for the pediatric unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital; and an augmented reality app to support families receiving care in the hospital’s Children’s Health Centre.
She lives “leadership by example” through her root passion in volunteer work. She sits on the board of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of Vancouver. She volunteers with the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy’s (AHP) Convene Canada Conference Committee and its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Task Force, and for Surrey Board of Trade’s Women in Business Team. Azra also volunteers at the local Tax Clinic to assist low-income groups with their annual personal tax filing.
This is not Azra’s first distinction. In 2020, she received the Surrey Women in Business Award in the Not-for-Profit Leader category. In 2021, both Azra and her daughter, Hebah, were recognized by the Women’s Executive Network in their list of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award.
We are so incredibly proud of Azra, and are happy to see our extended community recognize and honour the excellence, poise, and passion that we get to see from her every single day at the Foundation.
