U of W Professor is Making Poverty Everyone’s Business
April 19, 2011 – 10:35 am
Heather Liffiton, outgoing Co-Chair of Pathway to Potential, and Fabio Costante, Co-Chair of Pathway to Potential, are pleased to announce the appointment of Gemma Smyth as the new Pathway to Potential Co-Chair. Pathway to Potential (P2P) is a community-based collaborative strategy for reducing poverty and ensuring social and economic well-being for the residents of Windsor and Essex County. Poverty reduction is a critical first step toward creating a strong, healthy, and vibrant community. Because poverty affects the entire community, we see poverty reduction as a shared responsibility and believe there is a place for everyone within this strategy.
Pathway to Potential’s Selection Committee conducted a local search to replace former Co-Chair Heather Liffiton, whose 2 year term ended. Gemma is a professor and Academic Clinic Director at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. She was previously Executive Director of University of Windsor Mediation Services, a community-based mediation, facilitation and training service. Gemma has a B.A. (Hons.) from the University of Western, an LL.B. from the University of Windsor, and an LL.M from Osgoode. Gemma is currently involved in the coordination and delivery of student education at Windsor Law’s clinics, including; Legal Assistance of Windsor and Community Legal Aid , Gemma is committed to understanding and addressing needs of marginalized populations in the Windsor-Essex community, and to the pursuit of social justice using innovative and multifaceted approaches to poverty reduction.
Gemma is honoured by the opportunity to work with the staff and volunteers with Pathway to Potential, stating that “P2P has grown exponentially since its inception. The next two years present exciting possibilities to garner further support for this important work, particularly at this time in our community.”
Current Co-Chair Fabio Costante states, “It is an absolute pleasure to have Gemma appointed as Co-Chair to the P2P roundtable. As a multi-sector collaborative, it is vitally important that P2P not only advocate and support poverty reduction initiatives in the region, but also coordinate partnerships within the broad community, including the University of Windsor and St. Clair College, service providers, non-profits, business, government and individual activists. Gemma has the experience and ability to foster these relationships and her addition to the team will be extremely beneficial. We look forward to working with her as we continue making poverty everyone’s business.”
