NEWS RELEASE
CHIGAMIK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE
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Executive Director of Centre de santé communautaire Chigamik Community Health Centre (CSC Chigamik CHC), David Jeffery, announced recently that he will retire on Aug. 13, 2021.
The Board of Directors has named Jessica North as the organization's next Interim Executive Director. Jeffery became CSC Chigamik’s CHC’s Executive Director in 2010, has been the public face of CSC Chigamik CHC for the past 10 years and is well-known in the community as a champion of health equity.
Over the last decade, Jeffery has helped build Chigamik into an accessible, fully-functioning, bilingual Community Health Centre serving three distinct cultural communities in North Simcoe Muskoka – the Francophone, Indigenous and Open communities.
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work every day with our extraordinary staff, volunteers and board members who demonstrate remarkable support and compassion for our clients and community. I am very thankful for the many partners, community members and stakeholders I’ve met over the years, who have shown their support and commitment to Chigamik. It has been an honour to serve our community as the Executive Director of this incredible organization.”
Jeffery has been an integral part of Chigamik’s success from its founding in 2010 to the opening of a new state-of-the-art community health hub in Midland in 2020. Having recently received the prestigious Joe Leonard award from the Alliance for Healthier Communities, Jeffery’s positive impact on the North Simcoe community will be felt for years to come.
“We want to thank David for his dedication and outstanding service. He has built a strong foundation within our community and set the path for Chigamik to continue to move forward with innovative and culturally-relevant holistic health care,” said Élise Robitaille, Board of Directors President, CSC Chigamik CHC. “David has provided strategic leadership throughout his career and the Chigamik staff, board members, partners and stakeholders are thankful for his many contributions. It has been a privilege to work alongside him."
The Board of Directors has appointed Jessica North as the organization’s Interim Executive Director. North has worked extensively with the Indigenous and Francophone communities in health care, education and research settings over the past ten years. She brings a strong educational background and a core understanding of the organization’s mission and vision.
Most recently, North held the position of Program Manager at CSC Chigamik CHC, where she established strong stakeholder relationships, expanded her team and services, and was at the forefront of developing strategic programs to better serve the needs of the community, including the development of Chigamik’s Miijim food market, the expansion of Chigamik’s perinatal mental health services and the development of an Indigenous Doula Collective.
North holds a Masters in Social Work, Bachelors of Education, a dual Bachelors in Psychology and Evaluation and most recently obtained a certificate in Executive Leadership and Change Management from Cornell University.
"The Board of Directors is very pleased with the selection of Jessica North as the Interim Executive Director of Chigamik. Through her education, past experience and current position as Chigamik’s Program Manager, Jessica has contributed a great deal to the success of the organization, and we are confident that she will lead Chigamik to its full potential,” added Robitaille.
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