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Profile 1 – Pam Fountas

By Christine Hamelin
with photography by Kat Kopiak

Pam Fountas, a Life and Business Coach and Strategist, has had a positive impact on countless women’s lives. Her own periods of struggle, whether she was confronting damaging social messaging or completely overextending herself, have allowed her to understand the women who turn to her for help. “I’m grateful for every chapter,” says Pam, a vivacious woman with a warm laugh and an intense focus on the present moment. “I’m the culmination of so much of the work I’ve done.”

Her father, Chris Fountas, emigrated from Greece to Kingston when he was ten, and her mother, Toula, was born in Montreal to Greek immigrants. “They’ve always been hard-working,” says Pam, who is very close to her parents and her sister, Anastasia. “But one of them was always there for our sports games.” Her father’s parents lived with them for several years, “and we spoke Greek to them.” Pam adds that when she went off to nursery school, “Mom had to teach me ‘yes,’ ‘no’ and ‘bathroom’ in English, which were instrumental for day one!” She has wonderful childhood memories of taking Greek dance lessons on the Sundays leading up to Folklore, “my favourite weekend of the year,” when she and Anastasia would joyfully perform at the Greek Community Hall . . .