Living Your Best Encore: Gemma Raeburn-Baynes

What is (or was) your career, and how many years have you dedicated to it?

This year, as I celebrate my 75th birthday, I look back with pride on the 35 years I dedicated to Bank of Montreal (BMO).

My BMO career began at age 25 as Secretary to the Assistant Bank Manager, but I was determined to grow. While working full-time, I pursued part-time studies at McGill University and completed the Certificate Program in Marketing and Public Relations.

That education opened the door to my dream role as Manager of Workplace Equality, where I advised the Bank’s Task Force on the Advancement of Women, Visible Minorities, and People with Disabilities. In this capacity, I contributed to initiatives that earned BMO the prestigious U.S. Catalyst Award and recognition by the Conference Board of Canada as one of the “Best Companies to Work For.”

Passionate about continuous learning, I continually advanced my skills and later became a Senior Auditor in the Corporate Audit Department, where I remained until my retirement in 2015.

Was there a defining moment that led you here?

Yes, there was a defining moment—but in truth, it was a journey that began long before my professional career. At just nine years old in my birthplace, Grenada, I started gathering children in my village during summer breaks to share what I had learned in school. When I immigrated to Canada at 13, that spirit of advocacy continued as I encouraged my friends to sing, dance, and perform at senior homes, accompanied by my mother on the piano.

Later, during my tenure at the Bank of Montreal, I had the privilege of working on initiatives that supported women, visible minorities, and people with disabilities. That experience deepened my understanding of how essential it is to create opportunities and pathways for those who are often overlooked.

When I retired, it was only natural to carry this mission forward into my community.

Founding Playmas Montreal Cultural Association, and later the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship and Mentorship Program, allowed me to bring my passion full circle, this time focusing on our youth. Knowing that I can use my skills and experiences to empower young people and help them achieve their dreams is the defining force that continues to guide me today.

How do you define success or fulfillment today compared to earlier in life?

Earlier in life, I measured success through my career achievements—advancing at Bank of Montreal, pursuing my education at McGill, and working hard to build a solid professional foundation. Recognition and career milestones were very important to me at the time.

Today, fulfillment has taken on a deeper meaning.

Through Playmas Montreal and the GemStar Circle of Excellence Scholarship and Mentorship Program, I now define success by the lives I can touch, the students I can support, and the opportunities I help create for the next generation.

Watching young people grow in confidence, pursue their education, and become leaders in their own right gives me a sense of pride and purpose that surpasses any professional award. For me, true success today is about giving back, uplifting my community, and leaving a legacy that empowers others.

What is one powerful lesson you learned later in life that you wish you could have whispered to your younger self?

One powerful lesson I’ve learned is that true success comes from service, using your gifts to uplift others.

If I could whisper something to my younger self, it would be: “The greatest joy you will ever know will come from investing in your community and creating opportunities for others, especially young people, to shine.”

Through Playmas Montreal and the GemStar Program, I’ve seen firsthand how empowering others creates a legacy far greater than any individual achievement.

Please complete this sentence: The thing I value most about where I am in life right now is….

The thing I value most about where I am in life right now is having the freedom and opportunity to give back—mentoring youth, uplifting my community, and watching the next generation grow with confidence and purpose.

Interested in reading other's experiences of Living Their Best Encore? Check them all out here.