August 9, 1968 - April 27, 2022
Allanah Mooney, 53, of English Bay Mansions, the West End, Vancouver, lost her battle with depression on April 27, 2022. Born on August 09, 1968, to Collette and John Mooney, she grew up on her family's coastal homestead in Sayward, British Columbia. This is where her lionheart, generous spirit and drive to make a difference were cultivated, surrounded by her treasured dogs and horses, family and very close friends.
Allanah taught us that if you want to make an impact, tell a better story. A writer, producer and communications consultant, her courageous storytelling and strategic
vision saw her work translated into seven languages over 20 years of experience. With the Calgary Flames, she saw hockey players as community change agents and
encouraged them to amplify the story of their charity work with children. With the Vancouver Canucks she co-founded the Canucks Family Education Centre and created Fins Friends, a literacy-based character education program which has since benefited over 5,000 classrooms. A Social Venture Partner, she was a trusted resource and friend to powerful changemakers who like her, believed that stories are a powerful force for social justice. She travelled around the world capturing emotionally compelling ways to inspire values-based safety, producing Teck's multi-year Courageous Safety Leadership campaign which resulted in 125% decrease in high potential incidents.
Allanah founded Lionheart Productions, producing heartfelt, social impact film projects to connect audience with a cause and inspire action. She was developing a documentary web series called Making a Comeback, to reduce mental health stigma and transform the understanding and treatment of trauma, despair, and suicide. She was also a TEDx speaker. In her powerful and poignant talk, Rebranding Mental Health, Allanah wove her personal story with a marketing strategy for reducing mental health stigma. This would increase access to life-saving treatment and set the stage for systemic reform. She was right "Attitudes and beliefs that do not serve us and a system that is failing" are responsible for her untimely death.
Allanah's acute intellect, searing honesty and brilliant humour sparked delight in everyone she encountered. She often had a mischievous glint in her eye and knew how to have fun. A generous and loving friend, she listened carefully and offered her wisdom to those closest to her. Allanah's vivacious spirit will continue to be felt in the things she loved - the musical notes of a live band, the tapping of dance shoes, the flicker of a candle over a gathering of friends and the gentle waves of the ocean against the shore.
Allanah was preceded in death by her parents Collette and John Mooney and beloved Hayden Kozeletski. She is survived by sister Maurya, brother-in-law Chris and nephew Darian Seminoff, brother Michael, sister-in-law Aun and nephew John, sister and childhood friend Barb Kozeletski, husband Phil, son Cole and partner Kelsi and all of her devoted friends. Allanah's death leaves a void no one can heal, her love remembered is a treasure no one can steal.
Allanah's legacy will live on through her trailblazing work. Search for Allanah Mooney on TED.com or YouTube and watch her talk "Rebranding Mental Health".
A memorial to be announced at a later date.