What resilience looks like: My first 90 days at Dixon Hall

I started my new role as the CEO of Dixon Hall on May 22nd and this week marks just over 90 working days for me. I’ve lived in this downtown east community for several years now and I had no idea what  starting a new job in my community would look like. I had a concept of what working for an agency with such a rich history in a community with great need might be like, and did my best to manage expectations and to enjoy whatever new experiences came my way.  But I had no idea that I would (so early on) have experienced moments with community members and staff that will resonate with me for the rest of my life.

What I’ve witnessed is resilience.  The stories that have been shared with me from the diverse community members we support, our ability to adapt the programs we are implementing

Director of Employment Services, Haris Blentic shares how his team is adapting programs to the changing job market.

We’re excited to share some big news with all of our supporters and community members today – the selection of our new Chief Executive Officer, Mercedes Watson. Mercedes was unanimously chosen by our Board of Directors based on her extensive leadership background and her experience in advocacy, as well as her commitment to supporting vulnerable populations.

For the past two decades, Mercedes has led large-scale organizational change initiatives, while creating innovative systems that have helped collect and generate millions of dollars for those whose rights she has represented. We’re thrilled to have Mercedes join us at such a pivotal time for our organization, as we embark on some of our most ambitious projects to date.

Mercedes has been a senior partner with the Thought Dept. for the last 10 years and has also successfully managed a mediation practice. She serves as a rostered mediator for the Ontario Public Service and has been

Dixon Hall Manager of Children and Youth Kenneth Slater wins a Bhayana Family Foundation award.

Today is International Women’s day, a global event which celebrates and recognizes women worldwide for their achievements, while simultaneously measuring progress and setting milestone goals in the quest for gender equality.

Our staff team at Dixon Hall consists of numerous dynamic and hardworking women, who bring incredible talents, skills to the organization, and show amazing dedication and compassion for the clients we serve. Our leadership team is over 50% women, all doing incredible work in the public sector and impacting the lives of clients while strengthening the surrounding community. In celebration of International Women’s Day, we wanted to recognize these women, and talk about some of the progress they’ve seen in the sector as well as barriers we have yet to overcome.

Christine Chow has worked with seniors for over 25 years. She began her career with Mid-Toronto Community Services, working with clients with Alzheimer’s on the frontline. Chris has seen the