Our Leader Spotlight | Chelsea Rothwell
Clinical Lead, Psychosocial and Bereavement Counselling Team – Hospice Niagara
This series is dedicated to introducing and celebrating the participants of the ACL+ 2021/22 program. Each week, we will focus on one of our leaders, sharing a little bit about them and what motivates them to explore community leadership in Niagara.
Chelsea Rothwell is a registered social worker, certified thanatologist, and psychotherapist with deep commitments to equity and justice.
Each day, she endeavours to practice these commitments in her work as the clinical counselling lead for Hospice Niagara, and in her volunteer efforts at Positive Living Niagara.
Chelsea has a special interest in identifying and bridging systemic gaps for people who would otherwise fall through the cracks. As a psychotherapist on the palliative care outreach team, Chelsea has been supporting people in dying where they live, across the Niagara region, for several years now.
When she’s not at work, Chelsea can usually be found oil painting, writing bad poetry, or frolicking barefoot in the forest with her two hounds, affectionately known as The Gentlemen.
Why are you personally motivated to explore civic leadership?
As a social worker who is deeply committed to building and maintaining community, I’m motivated to explore civic leadership through this program to sharpen and expand my existing skill set, gain an appreciation for other leadership styles across sectors, and meet potential collaborators/change-makers.
What, in your view, is the most significant issue/opportunity facing our community? Why?
In my view, the opioid epidemic is the most significant issue that our community is facing. It is a preventable ongoing crisis that has cascading impacts across all public social, health and political sectors. Research also shows that this population is among the most significantly impacted by COVID.
What individual attributes do you hope to develop or expand upon?
I hope to learn more about others’ leadership styles and develop my ability to engage politically in order to advocate more effectively for systems-level change.
What Is ACL+?
Accelerate Civic Leadership+ is our answer to adapting our flagship Accelerate Civic Leadership (ACL) program for virtual learning.
Designed as a tool to expand the number of individuals who accept leadership roles in business, government, and social organizations to meet future challenges in the region, ACL+ strengthens the bonds within the region. It serves as a retention and engagement tool for our Niagara businesses and non-profits.