Sam Sullivan, former Mayor of Vancouver, was a Featured Presenter at the 2012 UBC Student Leadership Conference. Lee caught up with him after this presentation to ask a few questions.
Since Sam Sullivan broke his neck in a skiing accident and became a quadriplegic at age 19 he has had to breakthrough limitations to achieve goals. He spent seven years on welfare and in social housing until he emerged from a period of depression to found six nonprofit societies which have provided quality of life to over 10,000 people with disabilities while raising $20 million.
Sullivan served four terms on Vancouver City Council before being elected Mayor. He started the EcoDensity Initiative, catalyzed the largest increase in social housing in 40 years and set about preparing the city for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He currently organizes Public Salons, supports multiculturalism through the Greeting Fluency Initiative and advocates for urban reform. He has been awarded the nation’s highest honour, the Order of Canada.