After six years as the backbone of ABLE2’s operations, Executive Assistant Kathleen is hanging up her hat (or many hats) for retirement, leaving behind a legacy as impactful and capable as she is.
Before ABLE2, Kathleen built a successful career in corporate IT, moving from programmer to project manager roles across the high-tech sector. However, the pressure, resistance to change, and the relentless pace had taken a toll on her. She yearned for something more meaningful. After connecting with a career counsellor, the opportunity at ABLE2 presented itself. A small team with a powerful mission and an opportunity to make a real difference— “It was exactly what I was looking for,” she reflects.
She joined ABLE2 in January 2020, welcomed by a team full of warmth and passion, a world away from anything she’d experienced in corporate life. Then, within weeks, a global pandemic ensued. Rather than letting the chaos derail momentum, Kathleen leaned in. She helped staff navigate the technologies of remote work, supported people through the uncertainties, and ensured that the rhythm of work continued even as the world seemed unpredictable. “Helping people continue to do their jobs and keeping us all connected—it jump-started my involvement with staff.” It was a difficult transition, but Kathleen helped set the tone for everything that followed.
Over the next six years, Kathleen’s talent for practical problem-solving became indispensable. She took on major undertakings, including digitizing a completely paper-based HR system, leading three big office clean-ups, and overseeing the recent move out of the office space ABLE2 had called home for 30 years. These were no small feats, and each one left the organization more efficient, more adaptable to modernization, and more resilient.
But beyond these projects, Kathleen is most often working hard behind the scenes, ensuring meetings run smoothly, keeping records accurate and accessible, supporting leadership, and always open to answering the steady stream of questions that arrive in her inbox. Most of all, Kathleen has scaffolded the environment where everyone could do their best work, and its impact was felt by every staff member, volunteer, donor, and person ABLE2 supports.
Among her most treasured memories are ABLE2’s events for the community, particularly the Annual Picnic. “It’s wonderful to see how much people look forward to the social interaction,” she says. One year, a picnic attendee was hoping to hear their favourite song Dancing Queen by ABBA—Kathleen made it happen, and it made someone’s day. It was a small gesture, but one that reminded her of how simple actions can have a significant impact.
This reflects her belief about why supporting ABLE2 matters. “ABLE2 provides a means for anyone to participate in their community. It’s something we don’t think about too much or often take for granted. People with disabilities face many barriers, and ABLE2 gives people the freedom and confidence to participate in the community. And that’s fundamental.”
As she steps into retirement, Kathleen is embracing the next chapter with enthusiasm. She is looking forward to travelling more, spending quality time with her grandchildren, reconnecting with friends, and staying active (pickleball is high on the list). She describes the upcoming freedom as “almost unreal”— and she’s earned every bit of it.
And for those who don’t already know: Kathleen is also a published author. Her debut novel, Whiteout, was released on Amazon in 2021 and garnered raving reviews. A completed draft of her second novel is waiting patiently to be finished, and we have a feeling it won’t wait much longer.
Looking back at her time with ABLE2, Kathleen shares that she has no regrets shifting from the corporate setting to the charitable sector. “It ended up being far more satisfying than I could have imagined. It’s been a great job. I’ve really enjoyed working here. We’ve got a really good group of people, and I’m very proud to work with this organization.”
Kathleen, you have steadied us through a pandemic, modernized how we work, and brought a quiet dedication to every task—big or small. You have supported our staff, strengthened our operations, and helped shape the experience of countless community members who have simply felt, in the way that matters most, that they belong.
On behalf of the staff, the Board, and the people we support—thank you. Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and your unwavering commitment to the mission. We wish you endless joy in the adventures ahead, and we cannot wait to cheer you on as you write your next chapters—both in life, and on the page.
Congratulations on your retirement, Kathleen! You will always be a part of the ABLE2 family!