Butt, Debbie

Debbie, who as a student played Thunderbird Varsity soccer, specializes in the areas of fundraising, event planning, brand development, employee engagement and community partnerships.

Debbie leads the fabulous communications, marketing and proprietary fundraising events team for Canuck Place. Debbie also works directly with one of Canuck Place’s most significant donors, the Canucks for Kids Fund and Canucks Alumni Foundation who provide over 5% of the annual operating funds at Canuck Place. Debbie works in partnership with families, volunteers, clinical and fundraising to engage the community, donors and build awareness of the positive impact of Canuck Place programs on children with life-threatening illnesses and BC families.

Previously, Debbie was the Director of Communications & Brand for the Rick Hansen Leadership group supporting initiatives of the 25th Anniversary Man in Motion World Tour, Rick Hansen Heroes CTV Special and the key lead on the Difference Maker Series for the London 2012 Games. As the former Executive Director of the independent not-for-profit Canucks for Kids Fund and Director of Community Partnerships, she led largest NHL-team charity from 2005 to 2010 generating grants of over $14.3 million to BC charities serving children. In her early career Debbie worked in media relations for local professional sports teams. She was the Director of Communications for four years for the BC Lions Football Club and held the same title with the Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA for a six-year tenure and led the Spinoza Bear program for the Grizzlies Foundation.

Debbie and her husband have two teenage boys who inhale the contents of the fridge on the daily. In her spare time she likes to drink Rose, cook, road cycle and ski Nordic style. She has yet to perfect baking the perfect flourless brownie.