Lemoine picked to lead local John Howard Society

The John Howard Society of Brandon (JHSB) board has appointed Michelle Lemoine as the new executive director of the organization.

Lemoine, who is expected to assume her new role on Friday, will be succeeding Ross Robinson, who is retiring after leading the organization since 2018.

Lemoine, a former board member and longtime educator, said she is eager to begin a new chapter while building on the foundation laid by Robinson.

“I know I have big shoes to fill following Ross, and I am so grateful to him for everything he accomplished for JHSB and Brandon,” Lemoine told the Sun. “I hope to continue working closely with the community, following Ross’s lead, while we focus on opening a sobering centre in Brandon.”

Lemoine said one of her immediate priorities will be ensuring the successful launch of the organization’s new transitional housing facility.

“A big focus will be on our new transitional housing space,” she said. “I’ll be supporting staff in overcoming the challenges that inevitably come with starting something new and nurturing our partnerships to ensure the long-term success of our participants.”

She said additional initiatives are also on the horizon.

“We also have some exciting news coming for our Food Rescue Grocery Store that will take some of my focus in these first few months,” Lemoine said in an interview on Saturday.

The transitional housing project, which will accommodate up to 24 residents, aligns closely with the organization’s mission, she said.

“JHSB is focused on repairing harm done by crime and addressing the causes of crime,” Lemoine said. “Our transitional housing will do both.”

Lemoine said collaboration will be central to her leadership approach as the organization addresses complex social issues in Brandon.

“I see these challenges as opportunities for collaboration and shared problem solving, and I look forward to strengthening partnerships in Brandon so that we can address these community concerns together,” she said. “JHSB is a healthy organization, and we’re here to support our community in any way we can.”

Robinson said he is confident in Lemoine’s ability to lead the organization into its next chapter.

“She’s a fantastic fit for the job,” Robinson told the Sun. “Her background on the board of the John Howard Society was really beneficial.”

Robinson said Lemoine brings qualities and skills that will strengthen the organization.

“She’s smarter than I am, she’s got more passion than I have for the John Howard mission, and she brings a lot to the table,” he said.

Robinson said organizations require different leadership strengths at different stages of growth.

“In the life of an organization, the people in leadership bring different skill sets,” he said. “Some people are finders, and they go out, and they find opportunities, and they grow the business, and perhaps that’s me, but now we need somebody who’s really focused on policy and who’s really going to make the organization hum.”

Board president Ted Dzogan said Lemoine is the ideal person to guide the organization forward.

“I think she is a phenomenal human being,” Dzogan said. “Her education, her lived experience, her compassion, her smarts — she’s the right person for the job.”

Dzogan said Lemoine emerged as the successful candidate after resigning from the board and going through the same hiring process as other applicants.

Dzogan said the timing of Lemoine’s appointment is particularly significant.

“Michelle could not have walked into John Howard nine years ago and been as successful as Ross, but in this moment now Michelle is better equipped to take this organization into the future than any of the rest of us,” he said.

Lemoine said she is looking forward to learning from and with the community with the shared goal of making Brandon a better place for all,” she said.

Regarding the legacy she hopes to leave, Lemoine said, “I’m pretty simple really, I just hope to leave things better than I found them.”

» aodutola@brandonsun.com

» X: @AbiolaOdutola