Longtime Resident Jennifer Crawford Named Kemptville Pride’s First Executive Director

Kemptville Pride has its first Executive Director since the organization’s inception.

The non-profit announced Jennifer Crawford will be taking over the position, following a month-long search that began in February.

A longtime local resident, Crawford says she feels like she was born to take up the role. 

“Being a Kemptville resident, and working for a non-profit like Kemptville Pride was just an amazing opportunity for me,” Crawford said. “Being able to work in the community I live in has been a goal for a while, and it just seemed like a perfect match.” 

Crawford is  a passionate energetic leader who has worked in the non-profit sector for the last of 20 years. 

In that time, she’s held many positions from frontline worker in the shelter system in downtown Ottawa, to being Executive Director of a Day Program serving those struggling with homelessness, poverty, mental health and addiction issues.

Crawford says her experience will go a long way in helping carve the path ahead for Kemptville Pride.

“Yes, we want to have an amazing Pride event every year in June to celebrate our community and to celebrate our allies, but we also want to be a resource for anyone in the community, parents of LGBTQ+, the youth themselves, or anyone in the community that needs some understanding or education,” Crawford said. 

Crawford adds there’s still some structural work that needs to be done in the organization before planning can proceed for any future Pride events.

She says pending public health restrictions, she’s hopeful there will be a 2021 celebration in some shape or form.

“We haven’t taken our eye off of that,” Crawford said. “That’s something we understand really shines a light on the LGBTQ-community in Kemptville, and if 2019 was any indication, the community loved it. It was such a great event, so fingers crossed.”