New executive director at Vernon & District Immigrant & Community Services

Photo: Contributed

Vernon & District Immigrant & Community Services Society has a new executive director.

Amelia Sirianni joined VDICSS as a settlement worker in schools.

As part of a leadership transition plan, she was promoted to director of operations last year with the aim of becoming executive director of the society.

"Over the past few months, she has been able to diversify, grow and expand the agency beyond our expectations," says board chairman Philipp Gruner.

"We asked Amelia to solidify VDICSS’s presence in the community as a major for-purpose organization assisting and helping our clients. The recent immigration programs both on a federal and provincial level resulted in a record number of new Canadians and immigrants settling in the North Okanagan, making the services and programs VDICSS offers more important than ever."

Sirianni, originally from Vernon, spent over a decade working as a professional actor in Toronto.

She received her formal professional training at the Randolph College of Performing Arts and has performed on stages across North America as well as in film and television.

Upon returning to Vernon in 2016, she started her own business by bringing the program Music Together to the community and was also a drama teacher with the Caetani Centre.

The Vernon & District Immigrant & Community Services Society offers services for newcomers, immigrants, refugees, and naturalized citizens, helping with settlement and integration into Canada and Vernon.