From the Board Chair: New Executive Director Welcomed
Dear WRRC Community
The Board of Directors is excited to introduce our next Executive Director of the Women’s Rural Resource Centre Strathroy and Area, Elyssa Rose.
Elyssa Rose, whose Indigenous Spirit name is Little Thunder Woman, is an Anishnaabe Kwe who belongs to the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and is a member of the Marten Clan. Growing up, Elyssa felt the impacts of intergenerational trauma within her family and community.
She witnessed the challenges women face due to a lack of support, access to services, education, employment and connection – and has become determined to create change. Before coming to WRRC, she was the Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator at Atlohsa Family Healing Services. Much of her work is rooted in a strength-based, trauma-informed and holistic framework, informed by
Indigenous knowledge, joined with Western knowledge.
When we met Elyssa, she exuded the compassion, leadership, enthusiasm and spirit that has come to embody WRRC and our values. With this new leadership, Indigenous knowledge will be better recognized, considered, and included in decisions for WRRC, which serves women and children impacted by gender-based violence in Middlesex County.
WRRC resides on Indigenous land and is adjacent to the communities of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Munsee-Delaware Nation and Oneida Nation of the Thames. Supporting, centering and valuing Indigenous leadership is part of our ongoing commitment to reconciliation and our continuous learning, and unlearning, in our efforts towards decolonization.
We couldn’t be more excited to begin this next era with Elyssa leading the way. Undoubtedly, her strong vision, experience and curiosity will amplify our impact and grow our leadership across our community and gender-based violence sector. Please join me in warmly welcoming Elyssa to our organization and our community. You can reach her at executivedirector@wrrcsa.org, or by telephone at WRRC at 519.246.1526.
Sincerely,
Jane McGregor, Chair of the Board
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