A Brief Bio

Councillor Michele Rule - a brief bio:

first elected to Kelowna City Council November 2005

brings to council an emphasis on social planning, safe streets, increasing parks and green spaces, and public transit.

Committee Activities Include:
Court of Revision
Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities
Community Heritage Commission
Social Planning and Housing Committee
Women's Advisory Committee
Youth Advisory Committee
Citizen of the Year/Civic Awards Committee
Communities in Bloom Committee
Central Okanagan Committee for Safe Schools
Kasugai Sister City Society
Veendam Sister City Society
Kelowna Arts Foundation
Affordable & Special Needs Housing Task Force
Okanagan Library Board, Alternate
Joint Kelowna Vernon Biosolids Facility Advisory Committee

Also:
Director, Regional District Central Okanagan
Via 97 Committee
Central Okanagan Poverty and Homelessness Action Team
Central Okanagan Healthy Food Council
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Advisory Committee
Kelowna-Zambia Partnership
Okanagan Volunteer Opportunities Fair Committee

Michele can be contacted via phone at 250-762-3749 or e-mail at: mrule@kelowna.ca

An Introduction

Michele Rule was born October 11th, 1966, to parents Arina (Rini) Imthorn and Larry Runnalls. Her mother was remarried in 1974 to Marinus (Rene) Elyzen. She has one brother, three step-brothers, one step-sister and two half-sisters. She attended Glenmore Elementary School, Dr. Knox Junior High and Kelowna Secondary School, graduating in 1984. Michele attended Okanagan College for two years and then received a B.A. in Arts (Canadian Literature and Canadian History) from the University of Victoria in 1990.
Michele spent two years abroad in the late 1980s, one year in Germany and Holland and another in Japan. She is a single mom with two boys, Justin aged 15 and Thomas aged 8.
Michele has her own consulting firm, "Rule's Consulting", working with mainly non-profits on media and marketing. She has been focused on her role as city councillor for the past three years. She has been honored to sit on 12 council committees as well as serving as a regional district director for the past year.
Michele first became interested in local politics in the early 1990s. Returning to Kelowna from Victoria, she saw the growth that was occuring and realized that city council's decisions were key to shaping that growth in a way that would create a vibrant economy but maintain and enhance the quality of life that made Kelowna such a desirable place to live.

I've been active in the community all my life. Here is a list of activities over the past few years. I have created links to those groups that have websites so that you can check them out and maybe get involved yourself!

Current

Glenmore Valley Community Association
Secretary (2004 to present)

Central Okanagan Heritage Society
Guisachan Garden Show Committee (2001 – present)
Executive – secretary (2003 - present)

City of Kelowna Social Planning and Housing Committee
Committee member (2000 – present)

Kelowna Kasugai Sister City Association
Host Family (2004)
Expo 2005 Delgation Committee Member

Kelowna Homelessness Steering Committee
Committee member (2003 - present)
Provincial SCPC Representative (Fall 2004 to present)
Homelessness Awareness Week Chair (May 2004 to present)

University 2000
Committee Member (1999 – present)

First North Glenmore Scouting Group
Group Committee Member (2002 – 2004),
Section Leader (2004 to present)

MS Walk - Team Captain (2002, 2003, 2004)

Kiwanis Music Festival Society Volunteer (1998 – present)

Okanagan International MarathonWater Station Captain (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)

Okanagan Jazz and Blues Society
Board Member (1996), Volunteer (1997 –present)

Central Okanagan Hospice Association
Honorary Chair (2004 and 2005)

Salvation Army Kettle Drive
Kettle Volunteer (2002 – present)

Apple Triathlon Host Family (2005)

City of Kelowna Celebrate Canada Committee
Committee Member (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004,2005)

Okanagan Families - Iridian Centre Advisory Committee
Community Member (2005)

Previous

City of Kelowna Community Housing Needs Committee
Committee Member (2001-2002)

BC Disability Games
Venue Host (2003)

Lady of the Lake Society
Judge (2003), 75th Anniversary Committee member (2005)

Kelowna Philharmonic Festival Society Board Member (1995 – 2000)

North Glenmore Elementary Parent Advisory Council
President (2001/2002), Vice-president (2000/2001)

Okanagan Symphony Orchestra Volunteer (1992 – 1995)

Kelowna Fibromyalgia Support Group
Executive member (1992 – 1994)

Administrators of Volunteer Resources – B.C. Branch
Committee member (2001)

Okanagan-Thompson International Sculpture Symposium
Kelowna Committee Member (2001-2002)

Awards and Recognitions

City of Kelowna Sarah Donalda Treadgold Memorial Award (Woman of the Year)
2002 Top Three Finalist

International Year of the Volunteer 2001 Government of Canada Recognition Award