Sophia Woo (胡慧儀) is a graduate of Simon Fraser University and has a Master Degree in Social Work from Hong Kong University and is a Mental Health Clinician in Vancouver  She served as School Trustee on Vancouver Board of Education 2011-2014. She is a recipient of the Outstanding Chinese Women Award , 2007 and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Sophia served on boards of a number of community organizations including Riverview Hospital, community policing centers and the Rotary Club. She publishes in professional journals and medical education booklets. She speaks at local, national and international conferences, coordinates community workshops and facilitates family support groups.

Sophia has experience  balancing priorities in public organizations with best financial management practices. She has served on multiple stakeholder groups including advisory committees at City of Vancouver and as representative and as decision maker in financial, legal issues and human resource management at the Vancouver School Board. In 2006-2007, she and the chair of Vancouver School Board Ken Denike had successfully negotiated with the Federal Conservative Government for funding support for settlement workers at school districts to serve the new surge of immigrants whose health had been ignored for years. 

Sophia has experience advocating for and promoting public safety moand school safety. Being in clinical health she had placed a motion to advocate  for suicide barrier on bridges to deter people from attempting suicide by jumping from bridge. She also recognized the  problem ofcolour codes differences between facilities. Schools use traffic signal designations, “green, red” that students understood, but security, health and safety use a more elaborate set of codes and green meant get out of the facility by safe exits. She addressed the  serious safety concern and placed a motion at Vancouver School Board and approached other districts through BC School Trustee Association and BC Public School Employers Association to have an emergency session between school board senior administrators with police, first responders, health authorities to look at the codes and implications of having differences. 

 As vice-chair of the Finance and Legal Committee of the Vancouver School Board, she organized a sub-committee to evaluate the opportunity of combining housing on school property when upgrade or new construction was to occur. The evaluation of transformation of property occurred over the three-year term of office and identified building trends in housing and analyzed the business system of data from the perspective of quantification, evaluating adaptation, human resources, financial, clinical, operational, and socioeconomic effects.

Sophia Woo has 30 years experience in public services, she wants to bring common sense, public safety and fiscal responsibility back to our municipal government. Sophia hopes to use her experience from her public life, working life and as a volunteer to represent Richmond residents. It's a natural fit between her own profession and public office. She is passionately committed to public services and has been in the helping profession all her career. Through her experiences, she recognizes the diversity of people, the importance of common sense in dealing with issues and the importance of collaboration and co-operation between various levels of government.