Dear Members,

We hope you found time this summer to engage in the things you enjoy. Although the summer had its busy moments, we are heading into the fall, and our annual general meeting and convention, feeling prepared, refreshed, and optimistic. We are sharing this update today because we have some important tasks ahead of us, and we want to keep you all informed.

We have recently formed a board committee that is overseeing the recruitment and hiring of our next executive leader. The hiring committee is chaired by Dr. Cyndi Gilbert ND; other members of the hiring committee are Louise Stratford, Dr. Dominique Vanier ND, and Dr. Yousuf Siddiqui ND. Sherry Parsley, interim CEO, is supporting the work of the committee and we have released an RFP (request for proposal) to secure the services of a recruitment expert to guide this important search. We aim to have a new executive leader in place this winter.

Our board is also actively planning for our annual general meeting (AGM), which will take place on Friday, November 11, at the start of our convention. We hope to see you that weekend!

Finally, we’re writing with the news that Dr. Angela Hanlon ND has resigned from the OAND board of directors. Angela joined the board in 2014, and over the past eight years she has held the positions of Director, Secretary, Vice-Chair, and most recently, Chair. Her board committee work included the Member Relations Committee, the Government Relations Committee, as well as the Governance and Nominations Committee. Angela gave generously of her time, energy, and experience to the association and the board. Please join us in thanking her for her service on our board and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

With this change on the board we have revisited our executive positions. We are pleased to announce that Cyndi Gilbert (she/they) has been appointed Board Chair. Dominique Vanier and Lara Armstrong continue in their roles as Vice-Chair and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively.

Cyndi has been employed as part-time faculty at the CCNM since 2008 and was the founding Chair of CCNM’s IDEA Committee (inclusion, diversity, equity, and advocacy). In the past, they have also served on a committee with CONO, and continue to volunteer within their local community in the areas of food security, poverty, and gender-based violence. Cyndi has demonstrated an ability to create strong interprofessional relationships both within the naturopathic community as well as externally with other healthcare providers through their work with many naturopathic organizations & institutions, local community health centres (CHCs), and Toronto Public Health. Cyndi also brings with her leadership and board experience from her previous work within the environmental non-profit sector. They are the author of several books, and currently also serve as the Assistant Editor of CANDJ, the peer-reviewed indexed journal of the CAND. Cyndi has a private practice with a focus on mental health, trauma, and LGBTQ2SIA+ health in Toronto.

The board of directors is looking forward to connecting with you at our annual general meeting and convention. We’re committed to ongoing communication with our membership and will keep you updated on all significant issues and events.

For members of our community observing holidays this month, including Dussehra, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Mawlid al-Nabi, Thanksgiving, Diwali, and Birth of the Báb / Bahá’u’lláh, we wish you a peaceful and meaningful holiday period.

With thanks,

OAND Board of Directors