Saugeen Conservation has announced that Jennifer Stephens will become the new general manager /secretary—treasurer effective June 1, 2020.
“We are very pleased that Ms. Stephens will be joining our team and look forward to her building on our strong foundation which has been established over the past 70 years,” said Dan Gieruszak, chair of Saugeen Conservation.
Stephens will bring over 15 years of progressive experience to her new role. She excels in the areas of strategic planning, change management, and leadership. She has a proven track record of stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and developing service driven teams that have clear priorities and expectations. Further, Stephens has detailed knowledge of conservation authority programs, administration, and finances, having worked with Conservation Ontario and directly with nine Conservation Authorities.
Stephens also has experience working in both rural and urban areas. Most recently she has worked at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, where she was manager of the Drinking Water Source Protection Program. In this role, she engaged with numerous stakeholders, including 33 municipalities, industry, agriculture, and developers. Her position encompassed the jurisdictions of the Credit Valley Conservation Authority, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority, which are home to more than 6.5 million residents.
“I am truly excited to be working in this area of tremendous potential and opportunity,” said Stephens. “Now is a critical time to engage authority members, staff, municipal stakeholders, and the province to ensure development and sustainable environmental safeguards are working together to improve the safety and quality of life of everyone within the [Saugeen Conservation] watersheds.”
Stephens will be replacing Dick Hibma, the interim general manager /secretary—treasurer of Saugeen Conservation. The members of Saugeen Conservation extend their sincerest gratitude to Dick Hibma for his leadership and passion.
