Janet Gasparelli will head up the Hamilton Aboriginal Health Centre starting April 2.
Gasparelli, from Six Nations, was chosen after an extensive search process, the health centre noted in a press release last week.
SHe will oversee three separate health centre sites in Hamilton, Brantford, and Niagara when she takes her new post.
Gasparelli said she is “Excited to return to serve the urban Indigenous community in this new capacity and get back to the inclusive and welcoming nature in these settings.”
The board of the health centre, also referred to as De Dwa Da Dehs Nye>s – Taking Care of Each Other Amongst Ourselves – said it was important to have a CEO of Indigenous ancestry to fulfill its mission and namesake.
“This was integral in our search for the CEO role and leadership of the organization,” the health centre said in a press release. “After an intentional search and multiple qualified candidates were considered for this role, the board selected an individual who is Indigenous and representative of the communities we serve, embodies the work of DAHAC, and comes with several years of experience in both health care and social services from an urban and on-reserve perspective.”
Gasparelli was raised in Northern Ontario along the north shore of Lake Superior and has lived for the past 20-plus years in Southern Ontario. She has worked with the urban Indigenous population in Toronto and the last six years with Six Nations Health Services.
She said she, “looks forward to learning from the team and continuing to grow together. With exciting changes on the horizon, there are opportunities to enhance our ability to support community wellness.”
De Dwa da des Nye>s is often the first choice and last hope for Indigenous peoples, the board said, in supporting indigenous people in the communities they serve in a culturally-welcoming environment.
