Name: Katie denBok
Volunteer since: 2013
Roles: WPC Committee Member, Former Board Director, Former Finance Committee Member
About Katie: I have been a volunteer with ReForest London for over a decade now. I grew up in the BC interior and that is where my love of trees began – as a Junior Forest Warden when I was 10. I moved to London in 2010 and very quickly fell in love with the Forest City and the new types of trees and ecosystems that surrounded me. Very shortly after moving here I discovered ReForest London and was drawn to their mission. I began volunteering on their Finance and Audit Committee and learning about all the wonderful programs the organization runs. Over the next 10 years, I volunteered for ReForest London in many different capacities, including as a Board member from 2013 to 2019. I am currently a member of the Westminster Ponds Committee.
In my work life, I am an Audit Partner with KPMG in London. I have shared volunteer opportunities and my involvement with ReForest London with my co-workers and have engaged many in my office to become involved with the organization, including participation on Committees and volunteering for park plantings. My favourite time volunteering is when my eight-year-old daughter Talya volunteers with me to plant trees or hand out programs at Celebration Forest. In those times I not only get to teach her about the importance of trees, but also show her what it means to give back to her community.
Why Katie volunteers with ReForest London: I volunteer with ReForest London because they do great things for our community, and I want to be a part of that. Being a Board member or committee member for ReForest London means that I get to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty (sometimes literally!) and contribute to making London a greener, healthier place for us all to live. Volunteers are incredibly important to an organization of this size and as a volunteer I feel like the time I contribute has a direct and meaningful impact to the organization and helps in moving its mission forward. It is very rewarding to see the organization continue to grow and evolve and to know that I played a small part in helping that happen.