When Juliana Vallée, a REALTOR® and Salesperson with RE/MAX Heights Realty, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2018, her world shifted. Facing the unknown transformed how the single mother of four lived—turning her focus onto making meaningful impact in the present and committing to never accepting limits placed on you by others. “You just look at life so much differently, appreciating the littlest things,” reflected Juliana. That perspective sparked a journey of purpose that’s changing the lives of youth in British Columbia.
<iframe width="100%" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zoWjxmjaqng?si=2GxVIl8aODHrwBge" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>In 2022, Vallée co-founded a REALTOR®-led Gala celebrating local philanthropy in the industry. There, fellow REALTORS® John Patricelli and Phil Moore introduced her to young men benefitting from the mentorship provided by the East End Boys Club and an annual camp known as Camp Choice BC. Moved by the boys’ growth, resilience, and new outlook on life, Juliana joined the camp as a mentor and quickly took on a leadership role in fundraising.
“Juliana’s impact on Camp Choice has been empowering,” said John. “She empowers us as a board. She empowers the kids when she’s at camp. She raises the bar on you.”
Each year, under her guidance, the board raises upwards of $80,000 to send 40-60 at-risk youth from across British Columbia to camp at no cost. These endeavours are supported by both Greater Vancouver REALTORS® and the Fraser Valley REALTORS® Charitable Foundation, which have provided funding to ensure no available bed is left empty due to a lack of resources.
The immersive programming at Camp Choice helps teens who have experienced substance abuse, self-harm, domestic violence, and gang influence face their trauma-based limiting beliefs, and build skills focused on leadership, respect, teamwork, responsibility, and courage. The beneficial and trusting relationships with peers and mentors developed throughout the week are further reinforced for the young men at the camp through year-round support programming in their local communities like the East End Boys Club. As soon as she got involved, Juliana realized that no such resource was available for the girls returning to the Vancouver region. She founded the Vancity Girls Club that same year and enlisted other women connected to the real estate sector as mentors.
“She was an answer to a prayer,” shared Phil. “You’re running a camp and you’ve got follow up for the boys and you’ve got no follow up for the girls. She took what we were doing at the East End Boys Club and created her Vancity Girls Club.”
The free afterschool club supports marginalized teen girls referred by schools, or parents, or peers. It provides a safe space for its members to tackle the pressures and influences young women face today.
“Every time I go to Vancity, even just talking to the other girls or mentors or Juliana herself, I just feel like I get to be who I am,” said Cameron, a club member and Camp Choice attendee. “I don’t have to worry about what other people think of me or how I’m supposed to perform. I can just be myself and talk with those girls and just, it’s amazing every time.”
The club’s bi-weekly meetings begin with a shared meal followed by guest speakers or skill-building projects. With topics ranging from addiction recovery to goal setting, self-worth, and navigating social pressures, each gathering is more than a meeting—it’s a lifeline.
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<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>The club’s support doesn’t end when the meeting wraps. Juliana and her team of mentors are also on-call around the clock, offering emergency coaching and everyday encouragement. Whether it’s a texted photo of a hard-won test score, a message from a teen considering self-harm, or a 2 a.m. call from a parent whose child hasn’t come home, they are there.
“They save people, and they help them grow in their lives, and they show them who they can be and who they are,” explained Cameron. “Having this whole village of people, and team that you’re able to rely on, means everything.”
Beyond the circle of chairs at Vancity meetings and the rustic cabins of Camp Choice, Juliana hopes her efforts can become a blueprint for what compassionate leadership looks like—rooted in authenticity, resilience, and an unwavering belief in possibility. Her dream is to see Girls Club chapters started across the region so that every teen has a safe place to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
“Life is too short to play small,” shared Vallée. “I’ve faced the unimaginable and come out stronger. There are no limits unless you put them there. It’s about changing the question and stepping into a solution-based thinking. That’s where empowerment begins.”
That mindset is what Juliana instills in every young woman she mentors—showing them that limits are meant to be challenged, strength can come from struggle, and even the most unlikely paths can lead to transformation. Because of this, for young women in Vancouver, this Canadian REALTORS Care® Award nominee isn’t just a mentor—she’s the example that lights the way.
REALTORS Care® Spotlight shares stories of how featured nominees of the Canadian REALTORS Care® Award are working to make their communities a better place for all.
