Sherri Vieira
Sherri is the first female Trainmaster in Operations at Southern Railway of British Columbia where she started in 2014 as an Assistant Conductor. She qualified as a conductor, then locomotive engineer, making her one of three female locomotive engineers in company history. During this time, she served in the Union, safety committee, and on various committees. Sherri became an Operations Supervisor in 2021 and has since progressed where she is responsible for contributing to SRY’s safety objectives, service strategy, terminal fluidity, personnel management, and supervisor development in her role as a Trainmaster.
Sherri grew up in the Lower Mainland where she spent 17 years as a competitive cheerleading coach, starting the program at the age of 13. As a coach, she served as a mentor for adolescent girls, teaching them foundational skills in confidence, accountability, and respect. In 2011 she was awarded Coach of the Year honouring these attributes. Sherri jokes about the goal of having 100 dogs but is only at the dog count of two: Cheyenne, the golden retriever, and Myah, the black lab. During her first year at SRY, Sherri rescued an abandoned kitten who she named Annie, after Orphan Annie.
Sherri is committed to learning and is nearing the completion of a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She also holds several university level certificates in topics such as communications, HR management, mental health, trauma, and crisis intervention. Sherri is trained in Mental Health First Aid and is a Certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisor through the Canadian Mental Health Association. She provides support for employees impacted by railway trauma using critical incident stress management protocols gained through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Sherri has goals to continue into graduate level studies to further research in psychosocial topics within the railway sector.
Sherri has contributed psychological health and safety by improving shift structures in operations, co-contributed to the development of a Close Call Reporting program, provides crisis intervention to employees, and developed a virtual health program where employees have unlimited access to doctors 24 hours a day, free prescription delivery, and unlimited access to mental health therapists within 12 hours.
Sherri is proud to be a purpose-driven leader, passionate about reducing psychosocial risk in the railway industry!
