Her Excellency, Sharon Johnston, has led by example with her professional work as an occupational therapist, her dedication to volunteer and community work, her work as an author as well as her commitment to raising five accomplished daughters.

After working for a few years in the field of occupational therapy, Mrs. Johnston completed her master’s and doctoral degrees in rehabilitation science.  She lived in Montreal for 20 years, raising her five daughters, becoming fluently bilingual and volunteering on administrative boards related to education and healthcare.

In 1999, Mrs. Johnston began and entirely new life at a hundred-acre farm and small horse-boarding business called Chatterbox Farm. It was then that Mrs. Johnston began to write.  She has recently published her debut novel Matrons and Madams, a fictional account of life in south-western Alberta set during a colourful, post-Great War era, and based on her grandmother’s experiences.

The Governor General and Her Excellency are patrons of HIPPY Canada and recognize its powerful impact changing the lives of mothers and their families.