Deputy Fire Chief Laurie VandeSchoot (Retired) consistently advocates for diverse communities and the change initiatives necessary to shift culture. She is an executive-level change agent who is known for building inclusive and high-performing cultures that strengthen communities while working in municipal government (32 years) and consulting internationally (25 years).

Laurie holds several interdisciplinary degrees, including an MSc in Sustainable Development; leads numerous international fire service programs and committees on diversity, executive leadership, and human relations; and has delivered over 500 training and development programs to emergency service, public service, and post-secondary institutions on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Gender, Cultural Competency, LGBTQ+ Awareness, Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, and Mission Focused Transformation.

In recognition of her passion for diversity and inclusion, she received an Immigrants of Distinction, an Organizational Diversity Award for outstanding achievements in implementing cultural diversity initiatives, and a Federation of Canadian Municipalities Award for outstanding contributions to international cooperation.