Following interviews that occurred on June 16, the Durham District School Board (DDSB)’s Board of Trustees appointed Kate Bird to the role of trustee, replacing former trustee Patrice Barnes.
The board also appointed Linda Lowery to the role of trustee, replacing former trustee Linda Stone (see below) for the remainder of the 2018-2022 term, ending on November 14, 2022.
“On behalf of the DDSB’s Board of Trustees, we wish to sincerely thank everyone that put their name forward to serve their community. We are pleased to welcome Kate Bird and Linda Lowery to the Board of Trustees as we complete the 2018-2022 term. We look forward to working collaboratively with them to continue advancing the Board’s important work over the next five months,” said Chair Carolyn Morton.
Kate Bird has over 25 years of senior leadership experience. She has been recognized as the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Whitby Woman of the Year, one of Canada’s Top Women Business Owners for many years, and more. Kate currently is the Executive Director of a charity providing housing with supports to people who are experiencing homelessness, and she was previously the Executive Director of the Community Development Council Durham and CEO of WindReach Farm.
Kate is a Certified Teacher and is currently a director on the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association Board. She has also served as an Ajax Library Board Trustee and is a member of the Local Diversity and Immigration Partnership Council. She is an active volunteer with numerous charities and has had two children graduate from the French Immersion stream at the Durham District School Board. In her spare time, Kate enjoys spending time with her family, live music, Dragon Boat racing, cooking and fostering Retired Racing Greyhounds.
Linda Lowery has a long history with DDDSB as both a former employee and trustee. For 23 years, she was the Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention Coordinator for the DDSB where she worked extensively with the community and participated in numerous District committees, including the Partnership Committee and Child Abuse Prevention Committee. Among other initiatives, she was the founding Chair for 11 years of Racing Against Drugs Durham, the chairperson of a district committee on bullying prevention and the lead researcher and author of the Board’s past ‘Imagine Bully-free Schools’ and ‘Be Aware…Be Safe’ (violence prevention) resources.
Linda left her career in the fall of 2010 to continue to care for her son who suffered a Catastrophic Brain Injury in October 2008. In 2015, her family launched a community mobilization, Heads Up! Durham, dedicated to shining a light on the prevention of traumatic brain injuries. When Trustee Larry Jacula sadly passed away in March 2017, she was appointed to serve as Oshawa Trustee until the next election in 2018.
Quick Facts
- Two Trustee vacancies occurred in May and June 2022 due to resignations.
- The vacancy notice was advertised widely, and the board sought applications from qualified individuals. All candidates were given the opportunity to speak about their qualifications and desire to be appointed in a public meeting, Trustees voted to determine the successful candidate for each vacancy.
- The new trustees completed their Declaration of Office/Oath of Allegiance at the start of the regular Board Meeting held on June 20, 2022.