Nancy Gothard joined the City of Courtenay in mid-2010 as the City’s first Environmental Planner. Currently, she is Manager of Community and Sustainability Planning. She also recently served as Acting Manager of Development Planning for 6 months.

Nancy is the only person still with the city who was part of the regional team experience as an “experiment in collaboration” under the umbrella of the Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Education Initiative (IREI).

Nancy’s tenure and commitment give her the perspective to reflect on her journey with the city and how what she was part of years ago has influenced what she does in her job today.

“There is a view out there that professionals should be moving to different organisations and climbing ladders to lead a fulfilling and advancing career. I have not done that,” states Nancy Gothard. “Supervisors have asked me, where is the diversity on your resume?”

“My commitment is to the community that I love and so my career strategy has been different. It has meant I may not grow as quickly as I could, but in the passage of time I feel rewarded for staying with one organization.”

“We are currently experiencing rapid change in our organization and priorities. Many staff changes, a re-elected and extremely progressive Council, multiple master plans now in place, and the recent adoption of a guiding vision (Official Community Plan) that focuses on climate, reconciliation, equity, and community well-being as cardinal directions.”

“With all this change there is a need for institutional memory to provide stability, insight, and rapid response to these new opportunities. Now that I have evolved into a more senior role, I feel the strategy of commitment and patience is allowing me to contribute more decisively and effectively.”

“I know the history, I know the players, there is TRUST. Now we can get to work. As challenging as the work is, it is extremely rewarding.”