Maya Simon

Maya Simon is an administrative professional with a background in education and theatre. Growing up, she was fortunate to travel to many countries with her family, including Czechoslovakia, where she was born, and Zimbabwe, where she lived at age 5. Through her interest in artistic creation and human connection, Maya completed a BFA in Drama Education and a BEd in Early Childhood Education. After graduating, she completed her Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) through Cambridge University. She has taught English as an Additional Language and drama to students of all ages, worked for a children’s theatre company, and was a teacher with the Calgary Board of Education. Transitioning out of education, Maya followed her strengths in leadership, communication, and organization to become an administrative coordinator and assistant in both the business and nonprofit sectors. She is now an Administrative Assistant at Vibrant Communities Calgary, specializing in office management, scheduling, assisting the Executive team and the Board of Directors, developing internal documentation, and working part-time with Community Engagement.

"Growing up, my family traveled extensively due to my mother’s work as an educational consultant. Living in places like rural Zimbabwe, I was exposed to diverse ways of life and saw people facing extreme poverty from a young age. These experiences deepened my awareness of my own privilege and sparked a commitment to help those around me, beginning in my home city of Calgary.

This drive led me to pursue a Bachelor of Education, specializing in Early Childhood. My first role was at a private language institution, Global Village, where I worked for several years teaching English and supervising trips for students of all ages from around the world. Through my students, I gained invaluable insights into how visitors perceive our city. I then joined the Calgary Board of Education, teaching Kindergarten through Grade 12 as both a substitute and contract teacher. Throughout my career as a teacher I was most passionate about creating safe spaces for all my students to learn as well as feel comfortable, explore their creativity, share their experiences openly. However, I often witnessed the impacts of poverty on my students, from hunger and frequent absences to harassment, and saw how these stressors affected their development and learning.

Ultimately, I transitioned out of teaching, which led me to an administrative role in the nonprofit sector. I was fortunate to join the Executive Office team at Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC), where I can combine my empathy and organizational skills in a role that aligns with my personal values. I’m grateful to work with VCC, pursuing a vision of a city where there is Enough for All while supporting young people facing challenges like those I saw among my students."