Lena Horswill - Nelson Police Board

Lena Horswill has been a resident of Nelson, B.C. for 38 years and is the mother of three adult daughters. She has an extensive background in social services and holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training. Originally from Malaysia, she immigrated to Canada at the age of 25, initially settling in Ottawa. Upon her arrival, she began working with CUSO (an international development agency) as a volunteer resource person, preparing Canadian volunteers for their assignments in Malaysia. Shortly after, Horswill became a permanent employee of CUSO. Over the next 15 years, she advanced from an entry-level clerical role to positions in the personnel office and the Development Education Program. Eventually, she became a program assistant responsible for matching volunteer applicants in Canada with vacant positions overseas in CUSO’s Asia-Pacific region.

In 1987, she relocated with her family to Nelson, her husband’s hometown, and shortly after accepted a position as the executive director at the Nelson Community Services Centre, a multi-service community agency. Over a span of 26 years, Horswill transformed the organization from a small team of enthusiastic counsellors and community advocates operating out of a warehouse into a stable, fully accredited agency. Under her leadership, the staff expanded to include over 30 unionized and professionally qualified youth workers, women’s support workers, family and children’s counsellors, and family support workers. The organization now operates out of three separate facilities, one of which is fully owned by the agency. This growth has enabled the agency to provide comprehensive services to the community, supporting the well-being of families, youth, and individuals through counselling, housing, support, and outreach services.

From 1993 to 1998, Horswill served as a government-appointed community representative on the board of the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons. Additionally, she was a member of the Board of Directors of the Social Planning & Research Council of B.C. Horswill retired in 2013. She currently serves as the Chair of the Nelson Police Board, with her six-year term concluding this summer. Since 2017, she has been a member of the Kootenay Boundary Community Services Cooperative, serving as Chair from 2018 to 2024. Beyond her board commitment, Horswill enjoys singing with the Nelson Choral Singers and playing the ukulele.