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Denise Coutts was born and raised in the Okanagan and it was there that she developed her passion for sports. As a young girl growing up in the sun and the snow she played everything and took her passion to UBC where she earned both a Bachelor of Physical Education & Recreation and a Masters Degree in Sport Administration & Program Planning.
After graduating from UBC, Denise worked at Sport BC for 17 years: first as the Program Coordinator at Basketball BC and then as the Executive Director for Squash BC, Badminton BC and BC Disability Sports. Over the years she has amassed more than 25 years of provincial, national and international multi-games sport experience as a player and coach; and as a volunteer and administrator through involvement as a member of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation Paralympic Work Group (2001-2002); the Canada Games Team BC Mission Staff and Communications Team (2001); the BC Delegation to the National Sport Summit in Ottawa (2001); the BC Olympic Youth Leadership Academy (2001); the Sport BC Athlete of the Year Selection Committee (2007 to present); the organizing committees for the Canadian Junior Badminton Championships (1993), the Women’s World Squash Championships (1992), and the National Wheelchair Basketball Championships (1991); and the Board of Directors of Badminton Canada (1991-1996).
A dedicated volunteer, some of Denise’s commitments include a 22 year stint organizing the Vancouver Basketball Commission’s women’s league; sitting on the Boards of the Night Hoops Basketball Society (current holds the position of Chair) and ProMOTION Plus (currently holds Treasurer position); participating as a member of the Richmond 2010 Stakeholder Advisory Committee for the Olympic Oval project; being a Host at the 2009 Richmond BC Senior Games; and most recently, becoming a member of the City of Richmond’s Advisory Committee on the Environment. Denise is married and she and her husband Randy, a teacher, administrator and coach at Kitsilano Secondary School, live in Richmond. Besides enjoying playing and watching all sports, Denise loves the outdoors and also likes to travel and garden. She is a certified coach in basketball, volleyball, softball and ringette and has coached at the community, elementary, high school, post secondary, regional and elite levels.
Denise is a results-orientated person and has extensive experience in strategic planning, fiscal and human resource management, building and advancing partnerships and relationships, and managing prospects and stewarding donors and sponsors with all of the organizations for which she has worked and volunteered with such as the Minerva Foundation for BC Women, Sport BC, the Richmond Youth Service Agency, the City of Richmond, and the Rick Hansen Institute. She is excited about her new role as the Executive Director of the Pacific Parklands Foundation and strongly supports the organization’s mandate of protecting green space, enriching communities, and encouraging philanthropy.
