Ms. Atkinson is the President and owner of Atkinson Design Group Inc, a professionally accredited interior design firm providing Corporate Commercial, Health Care, and Retail Design Services. She is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Architecture, Bachelor of Interior Design, 1976. She is a member of the ARIDO Association of Registered Interior Designers, IDC Interior Designers of Canada, BOMA Building Owners and Managers Assoc. IFMA International Facilities Management Association. Her work experience consists of 8 years as Director of Interior Design for the Imperial Group of Companies (Winnipeg), 2 Years as Operations Manager of Forrest Bodrug Design Firm (Ottawa), and 25 years as owner of Atkinson Design Group.
The firm is currently providing design services as a donation to the Regional Ottawa Cancer Foundation for their new facility “Wellspring Home” at the Cancer Survivorship Park, Ottawa. She has served on the ROH Gala Committee contributing to the most successful year ever, Vice Chair of the Platinum Club (Champions for Children – Children’s Aid Society) organizing networking functions for its members while membership fees were contributed to the CFC, and table captain for the Ottawa Hospital Foundation breakfast as well as ROHF. She has donated generously to the Royal Ottawa Hospital Foundation, Ottawa Hospital Foundation and the Regional Cancer Foundation and looks forward to actively participating in ROH fund raising events.
She is passionate about bringing mental illness out of the shadows and has witnessed firsthand the joy and relief of sharing family illness with others. She is a champion for all of those who suffer directly and indirectly. Her focus, now, is on giving back to the community as her business matures and she plans her succession. Currently residing in Ottawa, she has lived in Guelph, Winnipeg and travelled extensively throughout western Canada on business.