Stacy Sathaseevan is running for School Board Trustee in Area 5, Wards 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12 for Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario in Greater Sudbury.
Stacy (she/her) is a mom of 3 children who is currently working for the Office of Graduate Studies at Laurentian University. She also holds the office of the Dean of Residence at Thorneloe University. Stacy is also passionate about her community and has sat as an Executive Member for the Ward 10 Community Action Network as well as a founding member of the Ward 1 Kingsmount/Bell Park CAN. She served as President of the Greater Sudbury Kinette Club, sat as a member of the Conseil d'éducation catholique at École St. Denis, volunteered with Sole Hope, and served as Vice-President for the United Nations Association of Canada - Sudbury Chapter.
Why are you running for this position?
Education and student wellbeing have been passions of mine for nearly two decades. Starting with a life-altering event in a Peruvian orphanage in 2005 that solidified my need to work with and support children and youth, I have continued to pursue this passion in various aspects of my life. I believe that as a mother, and an engaged community member, I have the ability to bring a compassionate, supportive, dedicated and inclusive leadership style to the board that will positively impact our youth for the next 4 years.
What innovative projects would enhance life in your municipality?
I think that projects that highlight the natural beauty of our city and encourage our youth to be outdoors more often are the perfect way to enhance our municipality.
What do you think are the greatest challenges your municipality faces?
Sudbury's homeless population has been growing considerably in recent years. Not only do we need to make housing more affordable, but we need to offer easily accessible services that will help mitigate issues such as increased drug and alcohol treatments, mental health supports and fair wages.
Other than the official ways of communicating (minutes, municipal notes), how else will you reach out to your constituents to involve them in the decision making process?
I believe it's important for trustees to be in their communities and in their schools in order to foster relationships with students, parents, and teachers alike in order to better understand how those involved are most impacted by the issues and decisions that the board faces. Social media is the easiest way to reach a large group, such as zone 5 with CSCNO, and I think it best caters to parents and students. I think that making agendas/minutes more accessible by offering a 1 page debrief via email or portal allows more members to understand what their trustees do and what issues are relevant to them.
What is your favourite thing to do in your municipality?
Hiking and visiting local restaurants. Nothing beats a good stone-baked pizza after a long fall walk!
Why do you think it’s important for women to be represented in civic leadership, including on committees, boards and municipal councils?
Equal representation in civic leadership is paramount to a thriving community as it is the only way to ensure that every member of the population feels seen and heard. Additionally, we need to show our children that their genders do not restrict them from pursuing their dreams and leading their communities.
