Burlington Mayor’s Office Welcomes Esther Gibbs as New Policy & Community Support Specialist

*Please see below a Statement from Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.Burlington, Ont. — Sept. 21, 2023 — I am delighted to announce Esther Gibbs as my new Policy and Community Support Specialist in the Burlington Mayor’s Office.This is a new position in the Mayor’s Office that was approved by Council at our July 11, 2023 meeting. I thank my Burlington City Council colleagues for their support in approving this new role.Reporting to the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, the Policy and Community Support Specialist is responsible for supporting the Mayor’s Office through conducting thorough research, developing written reports, motions, and presentations, and assisting with developing strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. This position also assists on advocacy matters directly through the City of Burlington and provides support to my roles as Chair of the Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) caucus; member of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s Large Urban Caucus; and participant in the Rural Ontario Municipal Conference (Burlington is half rural) and the Small Urban GTHA Mayors (as a liaison to larger municipalities in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area). These additional roles are important opportunities to learn and share information with other municipalities and help elevate Burlington’s profile to ensure our city’s voice is heard.Esther has more than 12 years of experience in project leadership, stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, issues management, public policy, and advanced research skills, having worked with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, members of Ontario’s Executive Council, Deputy Ministers and the Office of the Premier.These skills and experience will prove invaluable and an asset in this new role in the Burlington Mayor’s Office, as well as with collaborating with local stakeholders and all levels of government to achieve the goals set out in this term of Council.Esther was most recently a Senior Protocol Office in the Ontario Cabinet Office, where she spearheaded five prominent and high-profile projects with complex logistics for the Premier’s Office – bringing with her extensive knowledge of provincial legislative processes, federal guidelines, and international conventions. Esther also led stakeholder engagement for more than 50 of Ontario’s diplomatic partners to support the Province’s overall international interests and implement program requirements.During her time with the Office of the Speaker at the Ontario Legislative Assembly, Esther developed strong political acuity and stakeholder relationship skills by liaising with the Clerk’s Office, MPPs from all political parties, the Premier’s Office, and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office in support of the legislative work of the Speaker.I am confident Esther’s past successes will allow her to excel in this new role in the dynamic and fast-paced political environment of the Mayor’s Office, with a commitment to high ethical standards, integrity, non-partisanship, and diplomacy – making her a great addition to my team.Please join me in welcoming Esther, who will start in her new role on Oct. 10, 2023.Sincerely,Marianne Meed WardMayor, City of Burlington