People of PacifiCan: Rachel Soares
Meet Rachel,
We’re thrilled to introduce Rachel Soares, who has recently joined our team as a Senior Business Officer at PacifiCan! After 15 years in London, UK, where she helped Canadian companies expand internationally, Rachel is excited to return to Vancouver and support British Columbians in finding solutions and reaching their full potential.
With her extensive background, Rachel is now helping to deliver the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), a program focused on bringing new AI technologies to market and accelerating AI adoption in critical sectors like healthcare and the environment.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys cycling along less-travelled routes, which helps her feel more connected to her surroundings.
We’re thrilled to have Rachel on board and can’t wait to see the great things she’ll do to help British Columbian businesses and communities thrive.
Learn more about this active Calgarian, who’s ready to inspire innovation and support growth across our province.
How did you arrive at PacifiCan?
It’s funny where life takes you – I left Vancouver for what I thought was a year abroad, and almost 15 years later I am just making my way back. Growing up in Calgary and then moving to Vancouver for undergrad, I eventually made the jump across the pond to London, UK, where I worked as a Trade Commissioner supporting Canadian companies looking to expand internationally. Returning to Vancouver, I wanted to continue working with both government and the private sector in a role that supports economic development – PacifiCan offered the perfect opportunity.
What interested you about PacifiCan?
I was attracted to the idea of strategically supporting businesses, organizations and ecosystems at a local level.
What do you do in a typical day?
At the moment, we are delivering a program focused on artificial intelligence (AI) in British Columbia. The program, Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), will provide over $32 million in PacifiCan funding to support for-profits and not-for-profits in commercializing and/or adopting AI tech. Our aim is to bring new AI technologies to market and help to accelerate AI adoption in critical sectors such as healthcare and the environment.
BC has a strong AI ecosystem, including researchers, tech developers and adopters – so, as you can imagine, the program has proven to be very popular! As a result, a lot of my days over the past few weeks have been spent working with companies as they put together applications for the program.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
Being able to help companies, organizations and British Columbians that are seeking to innovate, identify problems and create solutions, achieve their potential.
Can you share one of your greatest accomplishments?
Not a personal accomplishment, but more a special memory that honours an accomplishment, is when my partner and I attended the 80th anniversary of D-Day at Juno Beach in honour of his grandfather, Bill Cameron.
As a veteran of D-Day, Bill was planning to attend the commemorations but sadly passed away the day he was meant to travel to France. He was 100 years old at the time of his passing.
On the day of the anniversary there was a blue sky and a bright sun. In many respects it was lovely. The perfect way to remember.
Can you give us one or two things that you enjoy outside of work? This can be a hobby or some fun fact that your colleagues may not know about you.
I absolutely love to travel by bike. You can cover large distances but typically do so on lesser travelled routes – interacting with your surroundings in a way that you never could in a car. There is something so great about using your own energy to get around and you see so much more when you slow down (literally and metaphorically).
Name 3 songs that are on your Spotify Playlist
Kungs, This Girl
Kacey Musgraves, Slow Burn
Charlie XCX’s recent album(s) (I couldn’t just have moved from London without putting her on this list)