After 8 years at CCEDNet, Kirsten Bernas, our Policy and Research Manager in Manitoba is moving on to a new opportunity with member organization, West Central Women’s Resource Centre (WCWRC).

Kirsten has been a dedicated and passionate advocate for social change and community economic development while at CCEDNet. She has added capacity to multiple coalitions, including Make Poverty History Manitoba, Right to Housing, and the EIA Advocates Network. In that work, she both brought our Network to crucial social policy campaigns and centered a commitment to ending poverty in our community economic development work. She has been committed to member-leadership, both by relying on guidance from members for strategic direction and working to build capacity in our sector around public policy advocacy. Her contributions to research have been valuable, with The View From Here playing a prominent role in poverty reduction advocacy, as well as other reports including an assessment of the impact of work integration social enterprises, and the need for labour market intermediaries.

Her new work as Director of Housing at WCWRC will keep her at the forefront of affordable housing advocacy while also bringing her much closer to communities and individuals directly facing the challenges of housing insecurity.

Our staff team and Board of Directors offer our thanks for her years of service and wish her well as she takes on this new challenge.

For information or communication about CCEDNet’s Manitoba public policy work, please contact Regional Director, Sarah Leeson-Klym at sleesonklym at ccednet-rcdec.ca or 204-943-0547.