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A life in Georgina. A career built around people.
I've called Georgina home for more than 20 years, and I live in Ward 1 with my husband.
Long before I sat at the Council table, I was involved in this community as a volunteer, business owner, and neighbour.
My career has taken me through tourism, human resources, entrepreneurship in the wellness space, event planning and non-profit work.
I've taught yoga, trained people, worked with businesses, helped build community programs and volunteered with local organizations.
I learned something from all of those experiences: People know their community best when they live it every day. That is why I spend so much time with people asking questions and listening.
My goal is simple:
Raise the standard. Protect what matters. Grow with purpose.
And through all of it, I try to live by one principle:
Leave it better than I found it.
-Charlene
At the Council table
I've served as Ward 1 Councillor from 2017–2018 and again since 2022.
Over that time, I've worked on issues ranging from parks and public spaces to accessibility, recreation, environmental protection, infrastructure, community funding and planning for growth.
I've learned how municipal decisions connect.
A decision about a park can connect to development charges.
A road decision can connect to drainage.
Growth connects to water, transportation, recreation and finances.
And a provincial decision can show up in a municipal budget.
Experience matters because local decisions rarely happen on their own.
Community has always been part of my work
From volunteering and local events to food rescue and community organizations, I've spent years working alongside people who care about making Georgina better.
One example was helping co-lead and manage a Second Harvest food rescue effort after COVID.
Over eight months, we rescued more than $75,000 worth of food and shared it with more than 400 homes, representing about 24,000 plates of food.
That work reminded me again that community isn't an abstract idea.
It's people helping people.
In the Community
Past Highlights
+20 years
Georgina homeowner & community volunteer
+5 years
Ward 1 Councillor. Half term 2017/18. Full term 2022/26.
Career
Tourism • Entrepreneurship • Training • HR • Business Development • Non-profit
Community
Accessibility • Food rescue • Arts & culture • Local partnerships • Community events
By building a community together
Listen.
Good local government starts with listening, especially before an issue becomes a crisis.
Ground-truth.
Reports and plans matter. So does standing on the street, walking the path, visiting the park and seeing what residents see.
Work together.
A Councillor is one part of a much larger system. Good results usually involve residents, staff, Council, community organizations, businesses and other levels of government.
Keep working at it.
If I say I’ll look into something, know that I have to rely on a team of people. But I still want to know what happened. If the answer is no or not yet, I want to help explain why and help work toward a solution.
Be realistic.
Keep learning.
Not every request can be completed immediately. Some need design, approvals, funding or a future budget. Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes the answer isn't for the municipality to take the lead. Sometimes it gets done fast!
Keep learning.
Keep learning.
At the end of the day, the community changes.
Good leadership means staying curious, planning and adapting. Listen to the needs of people and connect the dots.
