Our Leader Spotlight | Melissa Lachnit Losier
Marketing Manager, 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.
Melissa Lachnit-Losier was born in the Niagara region and is the Marketing Manager at Hospice Niagara. She studied Design and Advertising in Toronto as well as Sales and Marketing in Niagara.
Since joining Hospice Niagara, Melissa has implemented a rebranding plan that brings attention to the stories and families that make Hospice Niagara such a valued service for the region. She continues to engage the community with integrated marketing that brings additional awareness to the organization, their services and the need for hospice palliative care. She is also responsible for developing strategies for the promotion of various fundraising campaigns.
In addition, Melissa is also a Director and a member of the Board of Directors for the Young Caregivers Association and participates on several community committees.
She currently lives with her two children (and cat) in North St. Catharines.
Why are you personally motivated to explore civic leadership?
I have recently turned my career attention to the non-profit sector and as I navigate my focus to serving my community, I would like to connect with other like-minded individuals. This redirection in my career has given me the opportunity to inspire and influence others around me to take a moment to reflect on a sector that is often overlooked.
What, in your view, is the most significant issue/opportunity facing our community? Why?
In my opinion, our communities are facing many very important issues and I am not certain that I could land on only one. Whether it’s truth and reconciliation, mental health issues, discrimination, inclusion or poverty and homeless- each represents an area of concern, a vulnerable population, and deserves attention and focus from our community leaders.
What individual attributes do you hope to develop or expand upon?
Great leaders possess many attributes. Great leaders are honest, trustworthy, competent, optimistic, inspiring, intelligent, fair-minded, flexible, courageous, imaginative, powerful, and committed. They must also have a vision for the future and a passion for the work they do. They must also be adept at responding to a variety of situations and skillful at working with many different individuals. I believe that I possess many of the attributes to be a leader to some degree.
With experience and time, I aspire to be a stronger and more confident leader. I hope to learn from others, lead by example and learn to take more risks. I would also like to help others to become better leaders. As I mature and gain more experience, I hope to develop and expand upon all of these leadership attributes because leading is a continual learning experience.
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.