Marg Spina is a second term Kamloops City Councillor, and also a Thompson Nicola Regional District Director. She was elected President of the Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) in 2013 and has been on the executive board since 2009. Born in Vancouver, B.C, Marg Spina has lived in many different communities and airbases across Canada. She moved to Kamloops in 1976, was the first female debt counsellor in B.C., and was promoted to BC Regional Consumer Affairs Manager.
Marg is a founding member of the BC Council on autism and served on the Ministry of Social Services Autism parent advisory group, and the Kamloops Community Health Council by government appointment. Marg developed and ran the Giant Steps West autism therapy centre for 5 years as a volunteer, which continues today as the Chris Rose Centre. In 1992, she was awarded the Governor General 125 Award for Community Service. Marg owns and operates Spina Consulting Services. Her years of employment cover many areas, from the Broadcast Centre, CFJC TV, to on-reserve First Nation’s health training and community development. She writes consumer finance articles for the Financial Pipeline, and provides community credit and debt workshops for disadvantaged people. In 2007 she was appointed to the College of Licensed Professional Nurses as a public representative by the government.
Marg was awarded the B.C. Community Achiever Award in 2006 for her work with the Kamloops Food Bank. Other awards that Marg won include YMCA-YWCA Woman of Distinction 1999, Giant Steps Parents Award, Paul Harris Rotary Award, City of Kamloops Volunteer of the Year 1991, Kiwanis Everyday Hero Award, April 2006.