As part of our We Are Next Series, we’re putting the spotlight on Niagara’s young professions!
Today’s feature: Lauren Thiessen, Freelance Designer & Photographer (you can find here at @bylaurencreative ), and a graduate of @niagaracollege ’s Graphic Design Program!
➡️ Swipe through to learn more about Lauren’s journey, and the best advice she’s received!
Yesterday our Past Chair Kristen joined council member Kate, and her colleagues from @walkerindustries_ for their annual Litter Day of Action! We spent the afternoon in Niagara Falls, collecting waste across the city!
With over 50 volunteers, a whopping 6,952lbs of waste was collected in the span of 3.5 hours!
It’s great to see an organization like Walker being a leader in both the environment, and in championing their staff to give back to the community. The staff who participated did so through the 2 volunteer days they’re provided each year, which we think is an amazing benefit, for staff and our community!
As we close out the month of April, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to Alexis Kleiman, as her term as Past Chair comes to an end. Alexis joined NEXTNiagara in 2018 and has made countless contributions to the council and our partnership with @the_gncc in her eight-year tenure.
In 2020, Alexis became Vice-Chair, supporting the council through a shift to online programming and engagement during the pandemic. In 2022, she became Chair and led the council as we reimagined the Engage conference, created election voter guides, built partnerships within the community and strengthened the NEXTNiagara platform to better advocate for and amplify the voice of young professionals across Niagara.
In her role as Past Chair, she has provided invaluable guidance to the council and executive team while also volunteering her time and expertise to several Niagara organizations, including the @educationfoundationofniagara and @ywca_niagara .
We have benefited greatly from Alexis’s time on council, and she has left a lasting legacy on NEXTNiagara. We can confidently say that Niagara is a better place with someone as dedicated and community-minded as her!
Looking to strengthen your team and stay ahead in hospitality and tourism?
Join us for GNCC’s Blueprint professional development session, where we’ll explore the latest industry trends and share practical strategies to build a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent.
Hear from industry and academic leaders:
- Shawna Chen, Brock University
- Thalia Semplonius, Workforce Collective
- Matt Giffen, Bench Brewing Company
📅 April 21
🕘 9:00–11:30 AM
📍 Fieldstone at Bench
Thanks to our partnership, you and your team can attend complimentary using promo code IDEA26.
Take this opportunity to invest in your team, gain valuable insights, and connect with others in the industry.
Register through the link in bio!
Key Partners: Workforce Collective, @brockuniversity , @ymcaniagara , @visit_niagara
As part of our We Are Next Series, we’re putting the spotlight on Niagara’s young professions!
Today’s feature: Alyson Clark, Children and Youth Counsellor, at @alysonclark_counselling , and yoga instructor at @bridgewater_yoga .
➡️ Swipe through to learn more about Alyson, her career journey, and some of her unique yoga offerings!
As part of our We Are Next Series, we’re putting the spotlight on Niagara’s young professions!
Today’s feature: Mitchell Lutz, Industry Partnerships Manager with @sonamicanada , @nextniagara council member, and volunteer with the @niagaracommunityfoundation !
➡️ Swipe through to learn about Mitch’s career journey, and his perfect day in Niagara!
Are you a young professional (U40) living or working in Niagara? We’re currently seeking submissions for our We Our Next profiles!
Share your story, career journey, tips for other young professionals, and favourite places in Niagara. The region is filled with so many talented young professionals, and we want to highlight those stories!
🔗 Head to the link in our bio to learn more and submit your profile.
As part of our We Are Next Series, we’re putting the spotlight on Niagara’s young professions!
Today’s feature: Kelly Frechette, Co-owner/VP of @boardbossdrywall , @nextniagara council member, and a dedicated advocate for the trades and construction industry!
➡️ Swipe through to learn more about Kelly and the advice that has helped her the most in her career!
👩🏾🦱👩🏼🔬🧕🏽👩🏻🦰👩🏾⚕️👵🏼💃🏽 Happy International Women’s Day! A special shout out to the talented women on our council who are making a positive impact in Niagara through their work, as NEXTNiagara council members, and through their community engagement! The council is better because of your voice at the table, advocating for young professionals, and sharing your talents with us!
Today, and everyday, we celebrate and honour all the women in our community, and around the world, for everything they do, seen and unseen, big and small, to make our communities, and world, a better place
🤍
We were thrilled to celebrate International Women’s Day with @womeninniagara and @the_gncc !
From recognizing the 2026 IWD recipient Trisha Romance; discussing data about what is lost when women are kept out of Canada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem; learning how economic systems create barriers for women, that compound over time to negatively impact us both financially and in our ability to be equally represented in leadership roles and entrepreneurship; and speaking about how we can ALL champion women in the workplace, the energy was palpable ✨💫
We know we are better together, and we are so proud of the community that came together to celebrate!
As part of our We Are Next Series, we’re putting the spotlight on Niagara’s young professions!
Today’s feature: Laura Carranza, Manager, People and Culture @niagara_casinos , and one of @nextniagara ’s newest council members!
➡️ Swipe through to learn more about Laura, and her recommendations for the perfect day in Niagara!
❄️ NEXTNiagara x Coldest Night of the Year: Looking back at four years of supporting @cnoywestniagara !
🚶♀️The Coldest Night of the Year campaign is a fundraising walk in support of local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness.
⭐ Each year, NEXTNiagara council members participate in #CNOY to raise awareness and funds for @ywca_niagara - one of the largest providers of emergency shelter and transitional housing across #Niagara, giving countless women, children and families a safe place to stay connected to their community.
🔗 To learn more and support #CNOY West Niagara, visit cnoy.org/location/westniagara
