Professional Staff
Andrew Pottinger Ph.D., APR - Founder
After more than three decades of professional consulting, Mr. Pottinger specializes in strategic communication planning, issues/crisis communications and community relations for property developments. He has worked extensively in the real estate and development field with well-known corporations including Amacon, Anthem , Bastion, British Pacific Properties, Grosvenor Canada, Ivanhoe-Cambridge, Larco, Marathon (Fairmont), Millennium, and Westbank.
Mr. Pottinger founded the current firm in 2004. He was formerly Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Vancouver office of Hill & Knowlton, an international public relations firm. In the community, he has been appointed by Vancouver City Council as a Director of the City of Vancouver's Heritage Foundation and as a Heritage Commissioner. Mr. Pottinger has been an active member of the Vancouver Board of Trade's Community Affairs Committee for many years and a former Director of the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Pottinger was educated at Keele University in England, McMaster University in Ontario, and the University of British Columbia, where he earned a Ph.D. in English Literature.
In 2016, Andrew left the company in an official capacity to enjoy a well earned retirement. In doing so, Virginia became the sole owner of Pottinger Bird Community Relations.
Mr. Pottinger founded the current firm in 2004. He was formerly Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Vancouver office of Hill & Knowlton, an international public relations firm. In the community, he has been appointed by Vancouver City Council as a Director of the City of Vancouver's Heritage Foundation and as a Heritage Commissioner. Mr. Pottinger has been an active member of the Vancouver Board of Trade's Community Affairs Committee for many years and a former Director of the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Pottinger was educated at Keele University in England, McMaster University in Ontario, and the University of British Columbia, where he earned a Ph.D. in English Literature.
In 2016, Andrew left the company in an official capacity to enjoy a well earned retirement. In doing so, Virginia became the sole owner of Pottinger Bird Community Relations.
Virginia Bird BA - Principal
virginia@pottingerbird.com
A community relations professional with close to 10 years of hands-on experience, Virginia Bird has contributed to a variety of successful development approvals since joining the firm in 2006.
Virginia became a Principal of Pottinger Bird in 2013 and is responsible for management and effective execution of all client programs and projects. She is an active member of the Urban Development Institute Board of Directors and was a former Chair of the Women of UDI Committee. She also sits on Board of the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, the Vancouver Resource Society and the YMCA Greater Vancouver Foundation.
Virginia was the recipient of the 2018 Maureen Enser Future Leader Award and was also recognized as one of Business in Vancouver’s Forty under 40 winners in the same year.
Virginia became a Principal of Pottinger Bird in 2013 and is responsible for management and effective execution of all client programs and projects. She is an active member of the Urban Development Institute Board of Directors and was a former Chair of the Women of UDI Committee. She also sits on Board of the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, the Vancouver Resource Society and the YMCA Greater Vancouver Foundation.
Virginia was the recipient of the 2018 Maureen Enser Future Leader Award and was also recognized as one of Business in Vancouver’s Forty under 40 winners in the same year.
Zoë Boal B.Urb.Dev - Director of Community / Civic Engagement
zoe@pottingerbird.com
Zoe has assumed an increasingly broad range of responsibilities since joining the firm in 2015, accumulating in-depth practical experience of community engagement projects for property developments throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. She now also directs the strategic planning and execution of client public engagement programs from initial planning through final approval.
Prior to joining Pottinger Bird, Zoe was trained in Urban Planning and gained professional experience in the field in both public and private sectors. She holds an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Development (Sustainability) from Queensland University of Technology. Zoe is also a member of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Regional Civic Affairs Committee.
Prior to joining Pottinger Bird, Zoe was trained in Urban Planning and gained professional experience in the field in both public and private sectors. She holds an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Development (Sustainability) from Queensland University of Technology. Zoe is also a member of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Regional Civic Affairs Committee.
Kirsten Avison BA - Project Manager
kirsten@pottingerbird.com
Kirsten joined the team at Pottinger Bird in 2017. Since that time, she has successfully planned, organized and managed participation in numerous public information meetings, open houses, and municipal public hearings for the firm’s major clients in the BC real estate industry. These responsibilities also encompass detailed community research and profiling as well as professional reporting on public engagement events.
Her prior employment includes five years with a strategic advisory and public affairs consultancy where she gained a full range of project management experience, including the delivery of strategic planning sessions.
Kirsten holds a BA in Communications, Art & Technology from Simon Fraser University
Her prior employment includes five years with a strategic advisory and public affairs consultancy where she gained a full range of project management experience, including the delivery of strategic planning sessions.
Kirsten holds a BA in Communications, Art & Technology from Simon Fraser University
Giovanni Gunawan BA PDD - Project Coordinator
giovanni@pottingerbird.com
Gio has been a member of the Pottinger Bird team since 2016. With a background in Human Geography and Urban Planning, his role in the community engagement process focuses around his research and expertise in bylaws and planning regulations that govern public input to the development approval process in different municipalities.
He has a BA Geography from Simon Fraser University and a Post Degree Diploma in Applied Planning from Langara College.
He has a BA Geography from Simon Fraser University and a Post Degree Diploma in Applied Planning from Langara College.
Carly Marek BA - Project Coordinator & Executive Assistant
carly@pottingerbird.com
Carly Marek BA - Project Coordinator and Executive Assistant
Carly is the newest member of our team! While obtaining her degree, she worked in Property Management for 4 years alongside industry professionals learning the trade. Since graduating, she has continued within the industry with a found love for community development and participation. With 5 years of professional experience in the Real Estate realm, Carly brings a lively approach to planning community events and understanding the importance of civic engagement amongst various municipalities.
She is responsible for planning and assisting community relations programs, conducting research and client reporting, as well as assisting the schedules of each manager. To add to the rest of the team, Carly holds a BA in Communications, with a minor in Marketing from Simon Fraser University and an AA in English Literature from Capilano University.
Carly is the newest member of our team! While obtaining her degree, she worked in Property Management for 4 years alongside industry professionals learning the trade. Since graduating, she has continued within the industry with a found love for community development and participation. With 5 years of professional experience in the Real Estate realm, Carly brings a lively approach to planning community events and understanding the importance of civic engagement amongst various municipalities.
She is responsible for planning and assisting community relations programs, conducting research and client reporting, as well as assisting the schedules of each manager. To add to the rest of the team, Carly holds a BA in Communications, with a minor in Marketing from Simon Fraser University and an AA in English Literature from Capilano University.