Mara Conrad joined the QCC Board of Directors in June 2016, and stepped down at the 2019 Annual General Meeting, so that she could devote more time to looking after her three adorable grandchildren. It is with great sadness that we say goodbye, but with much appreciation for her numerous contributions and the legacy that she leaves behind.
Mara always gave so freely of her time and expertise and worked diligently to get things done. One of her major accomplishments was the development of the QCC Board Governance Manual where she took on the lion’s share of the work to complete it. Serving on the Advisory Committee for the newly developed program – ‘Seniors Matter’, along with her sister Michelina Busico, they recruited upwards of 30 new members to the QCC, as well as informing the content and the structure of the sessions, which were a huge success in Windsor, Thunder Bay, Oshawa, London and Toronto. Mara was also an active member on the AGM planning committee each year, ensuring a well-run and engaged Annual General Meeting. Mara volunteered on several committees, pitched in where needed and was a constant source of support and encouragement to the staff, bringing levity and a sense of fun to everything she participated in.
Mara retired from the Ontario Public Service in 2011 after serving for thirty–six years in a variety of positions, with her last position as Supervisor, Client Services & Court Support, Ministry of the Attorney General. She then lent her expertise as a Human Resources Consultant for the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre until 2014. Mara never stops giving back, and her volunteer service is a testament to that. As well as her service to the QCC, she has served as Community Advisory Board Member for the Southwest Detention Centre, Victim Services of Windsor and Essex County, and Advisor with Windsor Essex Community Health Centre, Essex County and Youth Diversion Program, to name just a few. Mara is a role model, personifying the values of what it means to commit to the service of the public.
On behalf of the QCC Board of Directors and Staff, we thank her for her service and all her accomplishments with the QCC.