Claudette Gleason is a business person through and through. She has brought her vision and passion to the francophone community in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario since her arrival in 1988. She started her volunteer journey at her kids’ school, stayed home for ten years to nurture them, developed a career in finance and then truly rolled up her sleeves for major accomplishments in socio-economic development.
Conscious of economic development, Claudette brought her business approach in building up the newly formed French language catholic school board Aurores Boréales in 1998 in addition to a francophone centre, a festival, a day care and immigration services.
Claudette, who is now the president of Aurores Boréales, has been a school trustee for 25 years.
She is passionate, engaged and truly a leader.
In 2016, Claudette received a Governor’s General Award for her volunteerism.
Journalist and educator Marcel Vaillancourt sits down with the North Bay native for a chat.