Toronto, ON – After 25 years as President and CEO of ACCES Employment, Allison Pond, will retire later this year. Her retirement marks the beginning of a new chapter for a deeply respected and valued leader whose contributions have significantly shaped the workforce development sector in Ontario and across Canada.
Under Allison’s leadership, ACCES has grown steadily from a nine person team into leading a community based workforce development organization with over 200 employees, seven offices across the Greater Toronto Area, and an annual budget of $35 million. Her strategic insight into employer relationships enhanced ACCES’s impact, supporting 56,000 jobseekers and more than 5,200 employers annually across Ontario, Canada, and pre-arrival programs.
“Being able to lead one of the country’s most impactful charities in workforce development has been the focus of my career, and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of jobseekers and newcomers to Canada has been an absolute privilege,” says Pond. “Transitions can be hard, but after 25 years as President and CEO, it is time to find the next leader who will be able to lead the organization for the coming years.”
A longstanding champion of newcomers and access to opportunity, Allison created a culture where diversity and inclusion go beyond values and have become daily practices through the establishment of a Diversity Council and five employee resource groups. This set a higher standard for equity, belonging, and inclusive growth within ACCES, and positively impacted the communities we serve.
“Allison is a respected, valued, and capable leader who has been able to improve the lives of thousands of underserved and newcomer jobseekers not only through suitable employment but through unlocking opportunities for growth, connection and contribution. We’re grateful for her years of exemplary and unwavering service to underserved jobseekers, employers, governments and communities and establishing a strong, stable, and excellent organization. We are committed to a smooth transition and will identify a successor who holds the same passion for supporting the underemployed,” says the Board of Directors Co-chairs, Lucille D’Souza and Andrea Robertson.
ACCES enters this transition from a position of strength, supported by a committed Board of Directors, a seasoned leadership team, and dedicated employees. To ensure continuity, Allison will remain in an advisory role, as needed, for up to six months following the appointment of a new CEO.
The Board of Directors has launched an extensive search for ACCES’s next President and CEO, supported by executive recruitment professionals. The search will focus on identifying a leader whose values, experience, and commitment to impact align with ACCES’s mission, and culture.
For any inquiries, please contact:
Julie Hiroz, Director Marketing and Public Affairs, [email protected]
Julia Rim Shepard, SVP Marketing and Public Affairs, [email protected]
