BC's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 78
78
BC’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
A rebranding energizes VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation
I
t’s a small, green plush with
shiny black eyes, pink cheeks
and a cute smile — just
one small part of the recent
rebranding project at VGH
& UBC Hospital Foundation —
but Reina Castaneda couldn’t be
prouder. Castaneda, a marketing
assistant in marketing and brand
engagement, pitched the idea of
creating a signature toy tagged with
the foundation’s logo that could be
put on a bag, wallet or key chain
and then developed it alongside
the marketing team.
That’s how the VGH PLUSh
was born, a playful nod to the
foundation’s newly unveiled
“VGH+” brand platform.
Everyone has a unique
value that they can bring
to the organization.
— Liza Jerome
Senior Vice-President,
Community Giving and
Engagement
“I wanted a touch point for
people to be able to recognize
our brand, and a plush is all the
rave with kids these days,” says
Castaneda. “I was nervous initially
but everyone at the foundation was
really supportive, from developing
how it should look and feel, all the
way to launching it into the
VGH shop.”
The creative process included
everything from sourcing materials
to organizing the plush’s first photo
shoot — key opportunities for her
to apply and expand her marketing
The leadership team at VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation is committed to creating an environment where
employees feel valued and supported.
knowledge. Castaneda is part of the
foundation’s co-op program and
credits the one-on-one guidance
from her foundation mentor with
helping her build confidence and
improve communication skills.
“Through this co-op work
experience, I learned that it’s
important to bring your values to
work every day and to uphold who
you are and also to contribute to
the organization’s mission,” says
Castaneda. “The values here truly
match my own.”
Liza Jerome, senior vicepresident, community giving and
engagement, says the rebranding
was a transformative process
that helped clarify and reinforce
the organization’s core values
in everyday practice, aligning
everyone with the mission. As
Vancouver Coastal Health’s
primary philanthropic partner,
VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation
fuels groundbreaking research and
world-class health care across the
province.
Staff not only participated in the
rebrand — they were given a
real voice.
“We went through a process that
involved our board, our staff and
our leadership team, identifying
Bold, Integrity and Community as
our core values,” says Jerome. “I’ve
never experienced an organization
where an organizational change
has been so powerful in bringing
the staff together and helping them
think about how they reflect the
organization’s values in their dayto-day work. It gives people focus
and excitement.”
Jerome notes that many people
have expressed how empowering
it felt that they were invited into
such a major organizational
process to come forward with their
ideas and thoughts. Staff are now
actively involved in the next stage
of strategic planning in much the
same way as for the rebrand.
“It’s the power of the group
together,” says Jerome. “Everyone
has a unique value that they
can bring to the organization.
Everyone’s input is extremely
valuable and we have that
perspective.”
