Quebec City – The Regional Development Network (RDN) took a major step forward towards enhancing the vitality and supporting the development of regional English-speaking communities across Quebec with the hiring of its first executive director, Cathy Brown.
Ms. Brown, previously executive director of the Committee for Anglophone Social Action (CASA) in the Gaspé, takes up her position on August 3, 2020. She will lead the organization as it engages in its first partnership opportunity for the further development of the regional English-speaking communities in Quebec.
“We are extremely pleased to have Cathy join us as executive director,” says Brigitte Wellens, RDN president. “RDN was formed with the primary purpose of working collaboratively with organizations to assist in the development of regional English-speaking communities and she has been a model in this regard throughout her career.”
RDN will be supported by the Community Health & Social Services Network (CHSSN) to further enhance regional development capacity for English-speaking communities as the ERCC program broadens its sphere of activities to additional socio-economic sectors beyond health & social services. This initiative, funded by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise (SRQEA), supports English-speaking community organizations to expand their capacity to better represent the needs and priorities of their English-speaking populations with government stakeholders and extend the reach and scope of their activities.
Ms. Brown, a graduate of CEGEP de la Gaspésie et des Iles, has worked in various roles at CASA since 2001 before becoming executive director in 2008. During her tenure, she led a significant expansion of program activities and service delivery at CASA for the benefit of the English-speaking communities along the Gaspe coast, particularly in the areas of health & social services, employment, and economic development (tourism). She has also participated on various provincial boards and committees including the Provincial Access to Health & Social Services Committee and the steering committee for the Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT).
“It was a tough decision to leave the Gaspé and move to Québec City, but the chance to lead a network of regional development organizations was even tougher to turn down. There are so many opportunities for socio-economic development for the English-speaking communities across Québec, I am eager to get the ball rolling through RDN,” says Ms. Brown.
RDN’s main objectives are to engage with the various actors involved in the field of community development, including governments, institutions, and other organizations, while providing a forum for dialogue and discussion on issues related to the socio-economic development of regional English-speaking communities served by member organizations.
For more information:
Brigitte Wellens, President
[email protected]
www.regdevnet.ca
