Women Inspiring Women - meet Diana Vuong, CPA, CA

Women Inspiring Women! It is my great honour and pleasure to introduce you to my friend, Diana Vuong, CPA, CA. Diana is a mom of two rockstar kids, a wife to a rockstar husband, a daughter, a sister and a friend. She is also the VP of Finance and CFO for Vancouver International Airport.

I’ve known Diana for most of my life and became good friends with her in high school. We shared a love of dance and spent many hours together choreographing and rehearsing. She has always been a mentor for me - from high school boyfriend drama to pursuing a career as a CA, Diana has always provided clarity, focus and optimism when I needed it.

Diana is the best. She is focused and driven. She is funny and kind. She is a team builder and cheerleader. Diana embodies strength, focus and professionalism. She is also the most real and least judgmental person I know.

Diana we are so proud of you - we’ve always known this Gr. 12 valedictorian from our little SK hometown was definitely going to shake things up and make big impact. Thank you for sharing Diana…. You are such an inspiration to me and to so many of us in your life! ??

1. Tell me about you and the work you do!

Firstly, I am a mom of two kids that are 10 and 8 years old. They are two very busy little humans so “momming” takes up most of my personal time, whether it is playing, biking, overseeing homework, piano practice, prepping meals, running around to hockey, ringette, dance, swimming, etc…all the standard momming work.

I am the Vice President Finance and CFO for the Vancouver Airport Authority. In this role, I am responsible for ensuring the overall financial sustainability and resilience of the airport. The traditional areas of accounting and finance are in my portfolio, as well as enterprise risk management and sustainability reporting. Although money matters, I am passionate about how we can do better in all aspects of sustainability. I am a firm believer in finding ways to strategically align the objectives of making improvements for people, the planet while building our financial strength!

I also serve on the Board of the Richmond Hospital Foundation, which is extremely rewarding work as we support building a better and healthier future for Richmond, the community in which we live.

2. What do you love most about your roles?

Both in momming and working as CFO, what I love most is the ability to continuously learn and to make changes for the better. I am a naturally curious person and learn from those around me (including my kids) every day. The Airport is a complex business with multiple lines of businesses and many partners. After 13 years at the airport, I am still learning new things every day. I am so energized by those moments when we connect dots to creatively solve challenges or improve how we do business.

3. What advice do you have for women who are looking to succeed in their career goals while still being present in their other roles (i.e. caregiving roles, self-care, etc.)?

Be kind to yourself. That voice inside your head can sometimes be quite critical and loud. Be sure to celebrate your successes, rather than focusing on what you did not accomplish. And make sure that taking care of you is part of the “to-do” list. Remember the safety instructions on the airplane, put the oxygen mask on yourself first so that you can help others around you. As a working mom, it is so easy to forget about my own physical and mental health. With limited time, I try to choose an activity that gives me the most opportunity to disconnect – my go-to activity for this is hip hop class!

4. What strengths do you think women bring to leadership?

Women have so many strengths as leaders, but the most important thing they can bring to the table is their voice. The whole point to diversity is to bring different perspectives into the workplace - we all have different upbringings, education, work and life experiences. Our voices and encouragement of others to share their perspectives are what brings diversity to life.

5. Who are the women that you draw inspiration from?

I am inspired by so many women around me who are warriors, leading and caring for their teams, organizations and their families and friends. My mom, of course, is the first inspiring woman in my life. Not only was she a working mom to me, she also juggled being mom to my younger brother with cerebral palsy. Never once has her strength waivered. She has always taught me to make the most of what I’ve got, to never compare myself to others and to believe in myself. The other woman I have to mention is the person who asked me for this very post – Ms. Alicia Fowler! Alicia and I became friends in high school, where we shared our love of dance, being in the studio together for many hours and who can forget dancing in the high school musical together! She has always had this magnetic, positive energy and has been such a strong force in my life. It is no surprise to me that she is blazing a trail with her own women-led firm, raising two beautiful daughters through open-adoption and raising awareness for all that she believes in. You are so inspirational, Alicia. I am so proud to call you my friend.

***

Awww, tearing up here! Thank you Diana! It is my honour to feature you today - you’ve been such a bright light in my life. You’ve been a great advocate for me and my family - thank you.

Four last words…. Flash Dance redo anyone?