Trustee Lisa Soulliere will be the Chair of the WECDSB for the next year, while Trustee Jason Lazarus will take on the position of Vice-Chair. Both were elected to their respective positions at last night’s annual organizational meeting.
“My hope for each of us is that we will evolve as collaborative, engaging leaders over the next year to best serve our communities,” said Soulliere, who replaces former Chair Fulvio Valentinis after a vote amongst the board’s nine trustees. “I look forward to working collaboratively with everyone at our table to ensure the best possible outcomes for all our students.”
Elections for the position of chair and vice-chair are held on an annual basis, and trustees cast their votes for these positions at the board’s yearly organizational meeting.
Soulliere, who represents schools in the Area 3-Lakeshore ward, has served as a trustee with the board since 2000, including a previous stint as vice-chair from 2018 to 2022. She has served on the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee, the Special Education Advisory Committee, the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, and the Child Care Committee.
Jason Lazarus, who represents Windsor Wards 5 and 8, replaces Trustee Mary DiMenna after a vote for the position of Vice-Chair. A first-term trustee elected in 2022, he serves on the Parent Involvement Committee.
“It’s an honour for me to serve in this position and I look forward to continuing the good work that parents and students connected to this school board have come to expect from us,” he said.
Valentinis had been chair of the board since 2019, while DiMenna had served as vice-chair from 2009-2017, coming back to the position again in 2023. Both remain on the board as trustees.