Board of Directors
Dawn McColl, Chair
Dawn has worked in the employment services field for more than 14 years. As a facilitator, employment counsellor, job coach and job developer, she has worked directly with job seekers and employers and community stakeholders throughout the region. Presently, she is the Assistant Executive Director of VCCS Employment Services in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Dawn joined the WDB in 2013 because of her passion for building strong communities and her belief in the importance of education, training and skills development to meet the needs of a changing labour market.
She participates in a number of community partnerships that support employment, apprenticeship and community development. She is proud to be involved in the W2 young women leaders of tomorrow annual event held within the Trillium Lakelands District School Board.
Prior to her current role, Dawn worked for 15 years in various community development and management roles within the non-profit sector including health and long-term care, human resources, municipal and national heritage sectors. She grew up in the City of Kawartha Lakes and for the past 23 years, has operated a construction company with her partner in the area.
Darla Price, Vice-Chair
Darla Price is the Managing Director of the Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association (NMA). She is responsible for managing the operations and activities of the NMA and advancing the strategic directions of the Association, supporting the Board and general membership. Darla provides organizational leadership, vision, strategic thinking, risk assessment/management and fiscal responsibility.
Darla has worked for over 16 years in the marketing and communications field, managing and maintaining marketing strategies to develop new/existing sales, brand evolution and programs/services for the corporate and non-profit sectors. With over 10 years in the non-profit realm, specific to member management, Darla brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her current career and personal goals.
A mother of three beautiful children, an avid volunteer in her community, and a travel junkie, Darla brings energy, passion and commitment to all that she does.
Andrea Bull, Secretary/Treasurer
Andrea was born and raised in Haliburton County, leaving long enough to obtain a Business – Accounting Diploma from Georgian College. She started her career in 2000, working in the finance department with the District Municipality of Muskoka.
In 2005, an opportunity became available with the County of Haliburton – an opportunity to do what she loved within her own community. She served as a finance assistant and confidential finance assistant before assuming the role of deputy treasurer in 2013. Andrea also continued her education by completing a range of programs through the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario. She also serves on that organization’s executive committee and holds the position of treasurer for her local zone.
In 2016, Andrea decided to try something new and applied to a newly created human resources manager position within the County of Haliburton.
On a personal note, Andrea is the mother of two young children and continues to live in the community in which she was born and raised.
Mike Gannon, Past Chair
Mike has served as a volunteer with the WDB since 2008 and joined the executive in 2014.
Starting his career in human resource management, he has been employed in municipal government for more than 20 years, most recently as the employment services manager with the City of Peterborough’s social services department.
He holds a degree in economics and environmental resource management, with a post-graduate diploma in human resources management.
Mike is responsible for planning employment services and supports to help social assistance clients build skills and find employment. This work requires deep understanding of the local labour market opportunities and challenges.
Mike is active on the boards of several community and provincial organizations, including serving as the past chair of the Community Employment Resource Partnership; chair of the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network’s employment and training working group, a member of the Ministry of Community and Social Services – Central East Region employment roundtable; and the Ontario Works employment assistance transformation technical working group.
He is committed to improving employment and training services at the community level through evidence-based human service modernization, collaboration and integration.
Jamie Clysdale, Director
Jamie Clysdale is a graduate from Trent University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in the Honours Program. Throughout his career, he has stayed committed to the principles of continuous learning and has pursued professional and leadership training through Loyalist College as well as the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
For more than 21 years, he has worked in the field of Social Services and employment programming. In that time he has worked in Northumberland County as well as the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton where he has worked as a Caseworker, Intensive Caseworker and in a variety of Management Roles. Since 2017, he has worked as a Program Supervisor for Human Services in the City of Kawartha Lakes where he supports Ontario Works staff in both the Lindsay and Haliburton Offices. One of his key areas of specialty involves working with agency and Employment Ontario partners to develop employment and life stabilization programs that help enhance the employability of the participants in those programs.
An accomplished public speaker and presenter, Jamie has presented numerous times on a variety of subjects at the Ontario Works Forum, National Convention on Employment (CANNEXUS), Ontario Works SAIL Regatta, OMSSA Leadership Symposium and Ontario Works Human Services Integration forum. Committed to fostering and promoting programs and options that lead to real, substantive and positive outcomes for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, Jamie has worked on a variety of committees and initiatives over the past two decades to achieve that goal. In that time he has worked with a diverse group of community partners to achieve those goals including non-profit, government and private sector groups.
Jamie is a lifelong resident of the City of Peterborough and is the fourth generation of his family to call such home. Along with his much-loved and committed wife Karen, they are proud to be the parents of three involved, gifted and fantastically passionate teenagers.
Robert Gaudette, Director
Robert has worked both on the front line and in leadership for many years in the Regent Park area of Toronto. A long history of entrepreneurship in the tech sector allowed Robert to contribute to this community through supporting social enterprise, employment and entrepreneurship programming for vulnerable populations.
Last year, Robert returned to his hometown of Lindsay to coordinate the John Howard Society’s Skills Development Department. This opportunity has allowed Robert to support the community through literacy, leadership training, and pre-employment programming in the City of Kawartha Lakes & Haliburton County.
Jennifer Glover, Director
Currently in the role of Ontario Works Manager for Northumberland County Community & Social Services, Jennifer has been working in Social Services since 2008. As Ontario Works Manager, she oversees both income and employment services through the Ontario Works program for the County. In addition to her experience in municipal government, she is a licensed Paralegal through the Law Society of Ontario (since 2009), and completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree at Trent University (2007) and Justice Studies Diploma (Paralegal Studies) from Loyalist College (2008). In her spare time, when she’s not on a golf course, Jennifer assists in her family’s agri-business ventures in Warkworth, ON, including attending a weekly Farmers’ Market on Sundays from May until October. She is also the current Secretary for the Codrington Farmers’ Market Board.
Developing strong relationships with the labour community and connecting job seekers to employment is foundational to Jennifer’s current role and what she looks forward to continuing and enhancing through her time with the Workforce Development Board.
Jordan Hill, Director
Jordan grew up just outside of Peterborough in Lakefield. He attended elementary and secondary school within Peterborough, as well as, played junior hockey and junior lacrosse in the city.
He has a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Waterloo, where his studies focused on labour economics and econometrics, and he also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Trent University. Jordan is currently a senior analyst of business intelligence for the global transaction banking division of TD Securities. He lives in Peterborough with his wife, Ashley.
Michelle Macklin, Director
Michelle has over 7 years of Human Resources experience, with a focus on recruitment and retention and holds her CHRP. Currently, Michelle works at Watton Employment Services Inc. (WES) as part of the Employer Liaison Team. During her employment with WES, Michelle has fostered relationships with many employers in Northumberland and is aware of the labour market concerns in this region.
She also has the opportunity to administer various Employment Ontario programs, assisting job seekers in finding meaningful, long-term employment. Michelle supports WES in their partnership role with the Northumberland Manufacturing Association and attends regular Chamber of Commerce meetings on behalf of WES.
Within the community, Michelle is involved with the “Youth Wellness Hub Research Project” which investigates the idea of universal access to services for youth in mainly rural areas such as Northumberland.
Suzanne McCrimmon, Director
Suzanne McCrimmon is the Director of Business Development for Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. PKED is the lead economic development organization for the City of Peterborough and the County of Peterborough. Before arriving in Peterborough, Suzanne was the Executive Director of the Squamish Chamber of Commerce.
Her volunteer portfolio consists of Vice Chairperson of the Squamish Food Bank, Director, Golden BC Chamber of Commerce, Director, Golden BC Tourism Board, Advisor, Columbia Basin Trust – Manufacture & Technology Sector Initiative and Director, Durham Region Strategic Energy Alliance.