Vanshika Singla [she/her]

Rise on Boards | Cohort 9

I’ve always believed that challenges are just opportunities in disguise. As the eldest daughter in my family, I naturally stepped into the role of a leader—guiding my siblings, taking on responsibilities, and navigating life with resilience.

I was born in a small town in India, where I thrived in academics, music, sports, and dance. I was preparing for one of Asia’s toughest exams, the IIT-JEE, when life took an unexpected turn—my family immigrated to Canada. At 16, everything I knew changed overnight. Faced with immigration hurdles and financial struggles, I experienced a long gap in my education. But I didn’t give up. I began tutoring students, many older than me, and found strength in supporting others. I completed high school and joined UBC Okanagan, where I threw myself into both academics and community. I co-founded the campus’s first Bhangra team, establishing Punjabi folk culture , now one of UBCO’s most loved clubs. I was blessed to get other co op opportunities where i interned with the provincial government as a QA and now work as a data engineer in the federal sector—soon joining Amazon as a SDE.

Through it all, I’ve held onto faith and purpose, I know a higher power will always stay by my side. I know my journey is bigger than me—my goal is to give back, uplift others, and lead with heart and I am ready for it.