The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA), with a membership of over 700 senior municipal / local government management professionals from across the country, has elected their 2023-2024 Board of Directors. The election was held at the Association’s Annual General Meeting on May 30, 2023.
Congratulations to Bev Hendry, Chief Administrative Officer for the Township of West Lincoln, ON and CAMA Member-At-Large for Municipalities with a Population Under 100,000, who continues in the role of President. She finished the 2022-2023 Board term as President, after replacing former CAMA President Cory Bellmore, who left her job as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Dawson, NT at the start of 2023 to start a new position as the Director of Finance for Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation in the Village of Carmacks, YT.
“I am honoured to continue in the role of President of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators,” said Bev Hendry. “Our Association has grown to over 700 members, up 100 since I first joined the Board. This is a very interesting and important time for our profession, and I am pleased to continue to lead CAMA’s work to build and advocate for our roles, and in turn create better municipalities from coast, to coast, to coast.”
Hendry has dedicated her entire 35-plus year career to the local governance sector, starting as a student with several roles at the City of St. Catharines. She began her full-time career with the Province of Ontario, spending most of her 19-years working with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and finishing her time there as Regional Director for Central Ontario. She gained valuable experience in policy development, program administration, strategic planning, stakeholder and government relations, provincial planning, communications, and issues management.
She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Science in Management and Economics from the University of Guelph and a Masters Certificate in Municipal Leadership from the Schulich School of Business, York University. Hendry is a strong leader and community builder, with a focus on good government. Since 2005, she has held the top civil servant position at the Township of Scugog, the City of Oshawa and has been with the Township of West Lincoln since 2018.
In these roles, she has spearheaded advancements in modernizing service to residents and businesses, developing inclusive communications for increased public engagement, implementing new financial strategies and comprehensive growth plans with all stakeholders and has fostered an environment of cooperation that can be held to increased standards of accountability and transparency. She has a high level of integrity and trust and is committed to the Municipal CAO profession. She is also a Past President of the Ontario Municipal Administrators Association.
In addition, Mike Dolter, CAO for the Town of Truro, NS was re-elected for a one-year term as CAMA Representative for Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island at the AGM, while the remaining Board members continued with their terms. Sheila Bassi-Kellett, City Manager, City of Yellowknife, NWT was elected as the new CAMA representative for the Northwest Territories, Yukon Territories & Nunavut. The 2023-2024 CAMA Board of Directors includes:
- Beverly Hendry, President, CAMA Member-At-Large for Municipalities with a Population Under 100,000 / CAO for the Township of West Lincoln, ON.
- Tony Kulbisky, First Vice-President, CAMA Representative for Alberta / CAO, Westlock County, AB
- Brenda Orchard, Second Vice-President, CAMA Representative for Ontario / CAO, County of Lennox & Addington, ON
- Marc Melanson, Treasurer CAMA Representative for New Brunswick / City Manager, City of Dieppe, NB
- Jack Benzaquen, Past President / City Manager, City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC
- Rodney Cumby, CAMA Representative for Newfoundland and Labrador / City Manager, City of Corner Brook, NL
- Mike Dolter, CAMA Representative for Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island / CAO, Town of Truro, NS
- Raffaelle Di Stasio, CAMA Representative for Québec / City Manager, Town of Montreal West, QC
- Gary Kent, CAMA Member-At-Large for a Municipality with a Population Over 100,000 / Chief Administrative Officer, Region of Peel, ON
- Jamie Nagy, CAMA Representative for Manitoba & Saskatchewan / CAO, Town of Langham, SK
- Vincent Lalonde, CAMA Representative for British Columbia / City Manager for the City of Surrey, BC
- Sheila Bassi-Kellett, CAMA Representative for the Northwest Territories, Yukon Territories & Nunavut / City Manager, City of Yellowknife, NWT.