Nelson’s Kalein Hospice Centre has announced the appointment of Cindy Fairs as the centre’s first executive director.
Originally from Kelowna, Fairs has relocated to Nelson in order to lead Kalein’s development vision for a unique campus integrating a Centre for Dialogue and Education with a hospice care facility serving those at end-of-life and their families.
With over 20 years professional experience in the fields of health care and volunteer management, and a Masters of Arts in Leadership degree from Royal Roads University, Fairs brings an in-depth portfolio of experience to her newest position. Her past experience includes serving as the executive director of two non-profits, the Central Okanagan Hospice Association and the Silver Tsunami Society of British Columbia.
As the founder of her own consultancy, she has provided services to non-profit organizations in strategic planning, program development and volunteer management. Fairs has also been a leader in the field of volunteerism, serving on the boards of both the Administrators of Volunteer Resources British Columbia (AVRBC) and the Canadian Administrators of Volunteer Resources (CAVR). Her most recent appointment was as the program coordinator for Interior Health in the Central Okanagan.
“Our board is really pleased and excited to have someone of Cindy’s caliber taking the reins of our young organization,” says Brooke Leatherman, chair of Kalein’s board of directors. “Her professional background and experience are ideally suited to leading Kalein during this formative time in the growth of the centre. Having a full-time executive director will allow Kalein to advance its plans for Centre development much more rapidly.”
Speaking of her new role, Fairs says, “Understanding and embracing what it means to live fully at all stages of life, even at the end-of-life, and expanding our cultural attitudes and acceptance around death as a natural part of living, offer us the ability to meet the challenges of a rapidly aging world in entirely new ways. Being invited to lead a progressive organization whose work is dedicated to these focuses, is a privilege, as well as a unique and creative opportunity.”
“As a newcomer to the Kootenays,” she adds, “I’m looking forward to meeting and connecting with individuals and organizations in every sector of the community and region.”
In the course of its hiring process, Kalein received over 65 applicants from as far away as Nova Scotia. According to Leatherman, Fairs stood out for her combination of hospice-related experience, and professional expertise and networks in building and growing non-profits from the ground up.
“Cindy’s personal philosophy of cultivating collaborative partnerships and actions will help us achieve our goal of growing Kalein as a regional centre whose programs, services and resources can reach far beyond the centre itself.”
For more information on the Kalein Hospice Centre, please visit kaleinhospice.org or call the centre at 250-352-3331.