Katherine (Katie) MacCabe is a life-long Niagara resident whose ultimate goal is to strengthen and grow the community she loves so much.
Katie recently graduated from Brock University with her BSc (Honours) Biological Sciences and Political Science. During her time there, she worked with the Brock University Students’ Union to write and develop
Since graduating, Katie has worked locally with the Niagara Workforce Planning Board. She conducts preliminary research into the labour force needs of the agricultural
Most recently, she has worked with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on Great Lakes policies and initiatives. She is excited to return to Niagara. She will obtain her graduate certificate in Public Relations from Niagara College, which she intends to utilize in Niagara.
Community leadership is having the ability to empower and enable fellow community members in working towards the common goal of a bettered community. A person may have this ability because of their professional role or because their personal traits inspire positive change. In either
“[Community Leadership]… fosters a feeling of togetherness and unity in all aspects of a person’s life, not just professional or personal.”
I am fulfilled when I am involved in my community. This motivates me to explore community leadership.
Those times in my life when I have felt a lack of purpose have been the times when I am disconnected from my community. When I invest time in my community, I’m right where I’m supposed to be.
However, I believe that the reason I feel this way is because I am inspired by the community leaders. Leaders that I have had the privilege of interacting with. I’m sure that I have the capability to follow in their footsteps and inspire the next generation to feel connected and empowered by their community.
I believe that the most significant issue facing the Niagara community is a lack of diversity. As a life-long Niagara resident, I have experienced the community through my education, career, volunteer and extra-curricular endeavours. It wasn’t until my later years at Brock University that I noticed a marked increase in the diversity of the student population.
Through my classes and student leadership activities, I was able to witness first-hand the difference that diverse perspectives can bring to projects, ideas, and the future. I believe that what I witnessed at Brock does not translate to Niagara as a whole. It would be an incredible opportunity for the community if this issue was to be addressed.
In order to strengthen and grow the Niagara Region both economically and socially, I believe we need to invest time, energy, and resources into retaining Brock students in the community. In order to do this, we must take tangible steps to ensure that students feel comfortable and supported by the Niagara community. We must show them that should they choose to remain in Niagara after graduation, there will be opportunities for them to connect and grow.
I believe that the most important attribute of a leader is to have the ability to motivate positive action in others. Leaders are individuals who inspire those around them to do better. In order to do this, a leader must have a persuasive and enabling personality. Their energy must be genuine and infectious.
“I believe that a leader can be present at any level of an organisation and inspires both their peers and superiors.”
What individual attributes do you hope to develop or expand upon?
The term leader often has a top-down connotation associated with it and that simply isn’t true. I believe that a leader can be present at any level of an organisation and inspires both their peers and superiors. Leaders must create change by motivating others to work towards a common goal. In order to do so, leaders must act with integrity, respect and passion. They need to believe in themselves and the work they’re doing in order to support others in doing the same.