A Thunder Bay dairy farmer has joined the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) to oversee the organization's leadership programming.
Peggy Brekveld, who operates Woodstar Farm with her husband in Murillo near Thunder Bay, will start in her new role as leadership programs manager in October.
In this role, Brekveld will help manage the institute's suite of leadership programs, including its flagship Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program (AALP), an “experiential executive leadership program for those who want to shape the future of the agriculture and food industry and make a positive difference in rural communities across Ontario.”
The organization, which made the announcement on Aug. 29, said Brekveld was chosen following a "through and robust recruitment and selection process.”
"Peggy brings a wealth of experience in the agriculture and rural sectors,” Ellen Sinclair, ROI's executive director, said in a news release.
“As a longtime northern producer, she will bring important perspectives to pan-provincial discussions in the agriculture and rural space."
Brekveld is the former president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and currently serves as chair of the Agricultural Adaptation Council. She's also served as executive director of The Gathering Place, a community centre serving people facing social issues such as poverty, mental health and addictions.
For her work in the sector, she was named one of Canada's most influential women in agriculture in 2021.
“Farming and agriculture organizations have benefitted from the experiential leadership development AALP provides,” Brekveld said in the release. “It was a pivotal piece of my own leadership journey and I am excited to be a part of others’ AALP leadership experiences.”
Based in Guelph, the Rural Ontario Institute delivers programs that develop strong leaders who are critical voices around opportunities and key issues facing rural and northern Ontario.
Since it was established in 1984, the Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program has graduated more than 540 leaders. The program is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, the Ontario Ministry of Rural Affairs, and ag-sector organizations and industry.
