Employee Spotlights
| Jeff Walters, Communications Officer |
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It wasn’t long until the Community Communications Committee recognized an alignment with Jeff’s skills in radio, and on Jan. 10, 2024, The Minutes debuted as a City-run podcast hosted by Jeff that recaps what happens at City Council on a weekly basis. “My experience as a local radio reporter for 15 years with 12 of those years covering City Council helped me to develop an in-depth understanding of municipal government,” said Jeff. “Knowing who to connect with and what questions to ask, and just overall simplifying the decisions made at Council into a format that the public can more easily understand is something I’m proud to be a part of.” The Minutes was recently recognized by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario in its 2024 Transparency Challenge that highlights creative and unique projects that advance open data and government transparency. Each episode covers Council highlights on a weekly basis, along with an in-depth interview with a member of City administration to speak to the decisions made. “I learned early on in my journalism career that people care about what’s happening in their communities—they want to know details, and they appreciate when someone makes the effort to share stories that matter to them. I take this same perspective today and apply it in my current job.” As a previous journalist, Jeff spent considerable time traversing northern Ontario meeting many people who helped him cover stories of all kinds. “I travelled as far as Manitoba to the west, Fort Frances to the south, White River to the east, and Pickle Lake to the north to get the story, and I feel just as committed to sharing information now as I did then. It’s important to keep people informed.” Sometimes getting the story can be challenging. “I rely on interviews to do my job, which can be difficult at times when it comes to planning in-studio sessions with staff who have competing priorities. But once the interview is complete, I can take it from there and work to edit the video and sync up the audio versions to be accessible online.” The podcast can be heard on the City’s website, www.thunderbay.ca/theminutes, the City’s YouTube and social media channels, and through numerous podcast providers. Recently, the podcast began airing on Rogers TV, Tbaytel TV and CKSI Radio. |
| Brigitte Champaigne-Klassen, Wellness Coordinator |
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Recently, she focused on organizing a full week of employee appreciation events in October, designed to foster connection, fun, and inclusivity across City departments. These events featured a variety of activities, from art to fitness and entertainment. Looking ahead, Brigitte will collaborate with the Psychological Health and Safety Committee to deliver the City’s Wellness Survey in 2025. The survey, last conducted in 2019, is a vital tool for assessing staff health and wellbeing needs, and helping to shape future benefits, programs, and policies that reflect these needs. She is also excited to organize winter wellness activities for employees to explore. Before joining the City, Brigitte completed her Master's in Health Sciences at Lakehead University, which deepened her understanding of health as influenced by the complex intersections of community, institutions, and individuals. "My education and previous roles in supporting mindfulness and self-care for professionals have shaped my human-centric approach, which seeks to bridge the gap between the academic aspects of health and wellness by finding creative solutions that benefit people in tangible ways.” As the Wellness Coordinator, Brigitte describes her role as a blend of individual and teamwork, focusing on planning and promoting health and wellness programs for City staff as part of the Well at Work program. “As part of the Safety and Wellness team, I am inspired by the broader opportunities ahead to connect all employees as one team supporting our city.” |
| Karen Lewis, General Manager of Corporate Services |
After three decades in public service, Karen Lewis is conflicted. She’s ready to retire – and reluctant to leave. “I’m leaving the best job I ever had,” says Karen. “Working for the City of Thunder Bay has given me an incredibly diverse career with many jobs and opportunities – all with the same employer.” She started with the City of Thunder Bay in 1994 as Corporate Relations Analyst and went on to create the City’s corporate communications function, which she led for 25 years. After about 10 of those years, she added strategy to her portfolio, eventually becoming Director of Corporate Strategic Services. More recently, she oversaw streamlining development approvals as the General Manager of Development & Emergency Services and then the success of programs and services as General Manager of Corporate Services. Karen’s commitment to the City and its people is clear; she’s served on numerous committees such as Clean, Green and Beautiful, two anniversary committees—the 25th and 50th, and was the administrative lead on the creation of the Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC). Karen was also the interim CEO at CEDC for five months in 2013 and has served on the Board as the City Manager’s representative for more than four years. Her leadership has been central to the success of several City-wide projects over the years. Karen credits her energy and drive to her entrepreneurial family who built a medium-sized stainless steel fabricating company from the ground up in Toronto. She believes her upbringing and experiences in the private and not-for-profit sectors led her to become what is known as an intrapreneur, someone who brings the entrepreneurial spirit and mindset to start ups within an organization. Karen highlights working with Council and the Senior Leadership Team on five successive strategic plans as transformative to her career. “I aim to build things that last,” says Karen, citing her relationships and the work she’s done around initiatives as diverse as the City’s response to the Seven Youth Inquest, the creation of the CEDC, the introduction of the Municipal Accommodation Tax, and the City’s ubiquitous Superior by Nature logo as examples of meaningful work that she always takes the long view on. She emphasizes the importance of working well together and having the tools, resources, and supports in place for employees to effectively do their jobs. “As one of the City’s General Managers, that’s part of my job, to support continuous improvement that ultimately helps to better serve the public.” She knows she will miss the people who keep the City going – and that she’ll stay involved in the community she loves. “It’s been an honour to work with such amazing people over the years that I’ve come to know and love and will remember fondly,” says Karen. “Working at the City with people who are committed to making a difference, and having some fun along the way, has been very rewarding.” Thank you, Karen, for your steadfast commitment and meaningful contributions at the City of Thunder Bay. Best wishes in retirement! |
| Aneesh James, Network Infrastructure Administrator |
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Aneesh James started at the City last fall as a Network Infrastructure Administrator in the Corporate Information Technology (CIT) department. He is passionate about his job, saying it aligns with the interests he’s had since he was a child in India and his uncle introduced him to computers. Aneesh went on to choose engineering in school, where he enjoyed the programming side of things, but found he was more drawn to exploring the intricacies of hardware networking and how information is processed. “I find the work exciting; the fact that everyone needs to connect, and I get to help make that happen and ensure that people and departments are safely and securely accessing and sharing information,” says Aneesh. Whether it’s software, security or troubleshooting, there’s a lot to ensuring network systems continue to run smoothly. Aneesh appreciates the opportunity to gain experience at every stage. “I didn’t get the same opportunities when I worked in similar roles in the bigger cities. Here, there's a wider scope of projects that I get to be a part of from start to finish. I’m learning a lot and look forward to continuing to help my team succeed.” While network speed is a good thing at work, Aneesh prefers a more relaxed pace when it comes to where he lives. “I appreciate the slower pace of Thunder Bay and the work-life balance provided at the City, it's a great place to be.” |
| Allison Farrish, Student Solid Waste & Recycling Analyst |
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| Paula Cunningham, Housing Accelerator Coordinator – Affordable Housing Lead |
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A few months ago, Paula Cunningham saw the posting for her current position, Housing Accelerator Coordinator – Affordable Housing Lead, and felt drawn to apply because it aligned with her values and interests in housing and the building process. She had previously been working closely with the municipal sector in both Sudbury and Thunder Bay and felt she could help others navigate the complexities of obtaining the necessary permits and regulations. “As a resident looking to add another dwelling to my property, I learned a lot about the requirements and how the process works,” says Paula. “I found it all interesting and jumped at the opportunity to guide others towards building affordable housing.” With the new Housing Accelerator funding, there are currently incentives available for members of the public looking to build new units in the Strategic Core Areas—North Core, South Core and Westfort. A Housing CIP is in the works for properties outside of these core areas and will be coming soon. “I love talking to members of the public about the projects they’re considering and how they can take advantage of the funding grants available. Primarily, my role involves assisting non-profits, but I enjoy finding out about innovative, creative building solutions that homeowners are implementing to help tackle the housing crisis.” The City of Thunder Bay has since been awarded up to $20.7 million from the Government of Canada through the Housing Accelerator Fund to fast-track the development of over 600 new housing units over the next three years, to reach a total of 1,691 new permitted homes by February 2027. “So many exciting things are happening in housing in Thunder Bay. I’m thrilled to be a part of it, from helping non-profits through our Affordable Rental Housing Funding Program and our Housing Community Improvement Plan coming soon. Let’s build Thunder Bay!” To learn more about the Housing Accelerator Action Plan initiatives and Program Goals, visit buildthunderbay.ca
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| Norm Gale, past City Manager |
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“Once I began to seriously consider it, I found the position appealed to me in many ways—so I applied—and the outcome changed my life forever,” says Norm. Having held previous leadership positions in public service and taking a personal interest in leadership, strategy, business and politics, Norm called upon his experience and interests to lead with a style that brought out the strengths of his teams. “It’s about collaboration. I’m interested in everyone’s viewpoint, and I will change my mind when presented with new information,” says Norm. “I count on my team day in and day out. Their professionalism even when we have differing views is really something I’ve come to value and respect.” Norm brought to the role an organized and efficient style that saw meetings start on time and to the minute. This, along with his commanding presence, proved effective in many ways but notably during emergencies where he led his teams during First Nations evacuations, several near-strikes and an unprecedented global pandemic. There were a lot of trying situations on Norm’s watch and yet he made it look easy. “It’s important to be decisive and the best way to do that is to be informed,” he says. “In an evermore unstable world, it’s imperative to have a baseline on what’s happening with the economy, business, and geopolitical affairs because all of these things have implications on a municipality.” Norm reads voraciously. Every day he starts with the local news, followed by the major dailies in Toronto and onto international affairs. He reads several books at a time— currently all non-fiction except one he’s reading now that’s been on his list for years: Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer. Prior to the pandemic, Norm read extensively about pandemics and the disruptions they have on society, the economy, supply chains and the labour market, so when one happened, he was able to call upon that knowledge. In fact, he keeps a library at work (and at home) that he references often for a myriad of topics. In talking one-on-one with Norm, he’s surprisingly more reserved, with a quieter voice and thoughtful insights—and a rich sense of humour. He attributes his more subdued nature to being an introvert, which is often met with disbelief. He points to a book in his office library, Quiet, it’s called, by Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. The book discusses the power and potential of the quiet ones who largely avoid the spotlight but have much to offer. (It’s worth noting that there’s a difference between being shy and being an introvert. Norm isn’t shy.) “I make a point to ask the quiet ones in the room what their thoughts are on the issues at hand,” says Norm. “I love working with a diversity of people overall who help get the job done and who enjoy doing it.” Norm feels lucky to have worked with such great people over his 33 years with the City, and the feeling is mutual. On behalf of everyone at the City, and on City Council, thank you, Norm, for your dedicated service.
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| Karen Kerk - Coordinator, CityStudio |
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“CityStudio explores ways for the City to leverage student and faculty resources on a variety of innovative, community-driven projects in areas such as healthcare, marketing and even GIS mapping,” explains Karen. She says her job has been likened to a matchmaker of sorts where she looks to match the needs of City projects with post-secondary capabilities. “I network with a lot of people to sort of shop around ideas and find a fit for a project, which at times can be challenging, especially when it comes to ensuring projects and plans align with academic calendars.” One thing Karen would like to do more of is connect with City staff on ways that CityStudio can support some of the projects that employees are working on. “I welcome employee input and ideas and plan to meet with more City staff in the weeks ahead to provide brief training sessions that explain the benefits of CityStudio and how it can be applied towards advancing strategic and operational plans, while also supporting real-world experience for students and employment opportunities throughout the community.” After a successful year that saw more than 100 students from Lakehead University, Confederation College and NOSM University participate in 24 different project collaborations, Karen looks forward to continuing to make community connections that make a difference. “The most rewarding part of my job is sharing in the enthusiasm that new ideas can generate and exploring the potential to improve Thunder Bay for the betterment of all.” To learn more, visit www.thunderbay.ca/CityStudio or contact Karen at 807-631-4997, karen.kerk@thunderbay.ca |
| Jeff Coull - Supervisor, Marina Park Operations |
Water continues to be an ever-present theme for Jeff as he recently decided to enter the popular fundraiser, Polar Bear Plunge, to help kids in our community access sports and recreational activities through PRO Kids. “I look at the lake everyday and I’ve contemplated participating in the Polar Bear Plunge before, so this year I decided it’s time,” said Jeff, who has since recruited coworkers, Jason Corbett, Supervisor - Parks Operations North, and Brock Bodnar, Field Supervisor – Operations, to join him. Calling themselves New Kids in the Park, the team of newbies to the Polar Bear Plunge aren’t doing anything special to prepare for the ice-cold dip into Lake Superior on April 6. “Jason is in Cuba right now, so I wouldn’t call that preparing,” laughs Jeff. “Other than that, I’m just hoping it’s not -40 out!” The event will be one more way that Jeff contributes to the community in addition to his job where he balances the cruise ship terminal, boater services and overseeing maintenance and operations of Marina Park. “Really, what’s not to love about the Marina, it’s the most beautiful place in the city with so much happening,” said Jeff. “One moment we’re servicing the ice rink, and next, looking to accommodate 250 boats that want in the water; it’s very fast paced.” Jeff notes a unique factor about his work at the Marina is that he works with all the various municipal departments at some point. “We work with Arenas, Facilities, Roads, Sewer and Water, Recreation & Culture, Fire, Police and more. Teamwork is key at the Marina and keeps things interesting for sure.”
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| Hafi Sayed - Community Anti-Racism & Equity Coordinator Intern |
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Hafi Sayed joined the City as a Community Anti-Racism & Equity Coordinator Intern in December 2023. His focus is on supporting the Anti-Racism and Equity Previously, Hafi held a variety of community-minded positions in Thunder Bay, such as being a youth ambassador promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, and serving on the Friends of the Conservatory Board. All this, while also pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Lakehead University. “I enjoy keeping busy and staying engaged on what’s happening locally,” says Hafi, who acknowledges his schedule is hectic. “Being a part of helping citizens learn about and get involved in important programs and services is something I find motivating.” Hafi recognizes when it comes to addressing racism and promoting greater diversity and inclusion, there are many shared objectives with various agencies and organizations, and he looks forward to collaborating more with the broader community to help shape change in our city. “My work is very much team-oriented with many people involved in making decisions,” says Hafi. “It’s very rewarding working with a committed group of people who have a passion for making our community stronger.”
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| Samantha Stovel - Volunteer Program Coordinator |
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Samantha Stovel began working at the City as a Volunteer Program Coordinator with Recreation and Culture in April 2021.
“The City is a fun place to work with a lot of great opportunities to collaborate with amazing people and learn and grow along the way,” says Samantha. She and her colleague Tessa Hettrick, Program Volunteer Coordinator, are collaborating as Co-Chairs of the volunteer committee for the Ontario Winter Games happening Feb. 16 –26. “Initially, we had a goal of recruiting 800 volunteers—and we were confident we could reach that, but then we got to a place where we had to close applications early because we had 1000 volunteers sign-up—a good problem to have,” laughs Samantha. “I think it speaks to the excitement of residents—that our city is hosting such a huge sporting event; people want to be a part of this unique opportunity in our community.” Managing communication with so many volunteers requires a separate email address that sees an average of 50 emails a day from volunteers asking questions and offering ways to help. Samantha and Tessa find themselves juggling competing priorities between the Games and their regular day-to-day duties. “February is a very busy month in general for our section with Winter FunDays and SnowDay. Our team is always planning and preparing for the next event, and we couldn’t do it without the amazing volunteers of Thunder Bay!” adds Samantha.
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Keri Greaves - City Treasurer |
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After spending most of his career in the public sector as a finance manager, Keri Greaves felt it was time for a new challenge, so he applied and was hired as the His office is responsible for handling financial affairs of the municipality, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations, maintaining accurate records and accounts, and providing information as required or requested by City Council. Right away Keri recognized the strengths of his team saying they are truly experts in their field as he observed their ability to juggle competing priorities with pride. “My team and I oversee an effective system of internal controls and essentially ensure corporate assets are protected,” says Keri. It’s that level of cross-functional collaboration within his team and the City overall that Keri appreciates. “We’re here to provide expertise and advice, whether that be financial services, planning, or supply management, to help other areas of the Corporation to be successful.” |
The City has a new Wellness Coordinator! Brigitte Champaigne-Klassen began in late June and has been immersing herself in all things health and wellness, planning new and improved programs and initiatives to promote employee mental health and wellbeing.
As a self-described introvert who had no sights on becoming a City Manager, Norm Gale retires this June as the longest standing City Manager in Thunder Bay’s history. He took the reins eight years ago in January 2016 after being nudged to apply by people who saw in him the potential to lead the City.
Karen Kerk joined the City in 2023 to lead innovative collaborations between post-secondary students and the City as the Coordinator of a three-year pilot program known as 
Jeff Coull began working at the City in 2006 as a student in Parks. From there, he went on to the Water Pollution Control Plant as an Operator, where he remained until finding his way back to Parks as a Supervisor of Marina Park Operations in 2022.
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