Executive Director Report February 2019 marked the beginning of a new chapter for Skills Society and for myself as the incoming Executive Director. I’m new to the role, but not new to leadership in the sector nor this great organization. Coming into the role of Executive Director I’m excited and honoured to continue to steward, lead, and bring out the best of one of the most respected and innovative disability service organizations in Alberta. I’m really grateful having been passed the torch from the previous Executive Director Pat Conrad who mentored me and passed along much wisdom and experience that I want to make sure to keep alive. I could imagine some might want me to cut to the chase and share what my focus will be at Skills now that I’m the new Executive Director, however I’ve also heard some people may not be familiar with my background and would like to know a bit about me, my values and what experiences I bring. So, even though it makes me cringe a bit to focus on myself, before I get to our emerging focus at Skills, I’ll share a bit so you can get a sense of my leadership style. Bear with. Bit of my story Over twenty years ago I got into disability rights and services. I was seventeen, idealistic, a bit of an artist and influenced by my step brother who has a significant developmental disability. I wanted to make a difference in the world and saw that people with disabilities still hadn’t truly had their liberation
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moment yet. I was gripped by that urgent sense that many in our organization feel, that there is much to be done to help people with disabilities be recognized, respected, valued and authentically included in community life. Around this time, I met a family who needed support for their son who has a significant developmental disability. Somehow this family took a chance on a misfit kid and allowed me to learn how to support their son. To this day I still have a strong connection with this family and I’m grateful they let me in, taught me and allowed me to be part of their story as they are part of mine. From this formative experience, I went on to a variety of front line roles in disability services, went to MacEwan University in Disability Studies, worked front line in the inner city and was fortunate to land at Skills Society fifteen years ago. Since that time, I’ve worn a few hats, such as being a coordinator, working in outreach, being senior leader of research and social innovation, and helping steward many of our social change initiatives from the last ten years. I feel fortunate that through mentors, continuous learning, and a culture of creativity and healthy risk tolerance for trying new things, I’ve been part of the story of shaping what Skills Society is today. A key thing that is not lost on me and that I won’t forget, is that I’m standing on the shoulders of leadership giants who have come before and many who are still at Skills leading positive change in order to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
