Priority 2. Lead Together
Strong leadership is built on trust, listening to expertise, and fostering the partnerships that move our community forward.
WORKING TOGETHER FOR SMITHS FALLS
Lanark County
Representing Smiths Falls at the County level for two terms, ensuring our local voice is heard in regional decisions.
Province of Ontario
Securing essential funding and building connections to support public health and infrastructure growth.
Government of Canada
Leveraging federal opportunities for community health and large-scale recreational development.
Town Staff
Working alongside capable professionals, respecting their expertise to set clear, actionable priorities.
User Groups
Collaborating on projects like Lower Reach Park to meet the real needs of residents who use our spaces.
Health & Social Services
Decades of leadership in community health, managing budgets and complex organizational mergers.
Community & Non-Profits
Fostering the spirit of cooperation across boundaries to deliver results for Smith Falls' wellbeing.
Business & Development
Strengthening relationships to attract investment and foster a prosperous, forward-thinking economy.
The things I am most proud of in my career and in our community have rarely been accomplished alone. Collaboration has been at the heart of my work as an Executive Director, community health leader, Councillor and representative at Lanark County.
As Executive Director of Community Health Services, I led an organization with 80 staff and, by 2017–18, scaling from $8 million to $20 million in annual revenues and expenses that I was directly responsible for. I worked closely with staff, our Board, funders and community partners to manage resources, make difficult choices and pursue new opportunities. It taught me something I still believe strongly, good leadership means surrounding yourself with capable people, listening to their expertise and building the relationships that turn good ideas into results.
I have brought that same approach to eight years on Smiths Falls Council and two terms representing our community at Lanark County. I also served as Chair of the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Board of Health during the work that ultimately brought three public-health organizations together to form Southeast Public Health, a process that depended on trust, cooperation and people being willing to work across boundaries.
The same spirit has shaped projects such as Lower Reach Park and will be essential for opportunities ahead, including a regional recreation facility that will depend on neighbouring municipalities, user groups and other levels of government working together.
I also know how fortunate Smiths Falls is to have capable professional staff, thoughtful people around the Council table and residents who care deeply about this community. A Mayor does not need to have every answer. The job is to set clear priorities, ask good questions, respect expertise and help good people work together toward a common goal.
As Mayor, I will draw on a lifetime of working with people and building partnerships to strengthen the relationships Smiths Falls depends on, bring people to the table and make sure our community is ready when opportunities arise.