by Sharon Harrison, TIMES
County Foundation welcomes new executive director
For the first time in its 14-year history, the County Foundation will have a full-time employee as it welcomes Dominique Jones this week to the role of executive director. Jones fills the position after the departure of Jefferson Gilbert, who previously held the job part-time.
Gilbert’s departure leaves big shoes to fill, but Jones is not only highly qualified to fill them, but comes with a solid résumé with leadership experience within several financial institutions, as well as a not-forprofit organization.
“We’ve created a very solid foundation with Jefferson in his role for the past seven years, and we are looking forward to how we move forward from here; we have a lot of ideas and a lot of touch points in the community. “In welcoming Dominique as our new executive director, we look forward to expanding our relationships and increasing the scope and level of impact in our community.”
On maternity leave from Prince Edward and Lennox Addington Community Futures Development Corporation, and enjoying time spent bonding with her four-month-old son, job hunting was certainly not on Jones’ radar.
She had heard Gilbert was stepping down from the executive director role, but it wasn’t until she saw the position advertised that it got her attention.
“It checked a lot of boxes for me, the qualifications they were looking for and the kind of responsibilities, and it really resonated with me and I thought that really fits the bill.”
Then she realized the timing wasn’t ideal in terms of her family obligations, especially since she was a new mother. It was a supportive husband
who encouraged her to explore the opportunity further because the job was a good match in terms of her experience and financial background.
She says personality-wise it was also good for her.
“I’ve always been really big into the community and volunteering, and a lot of the things the Foundation does just really hits home with who I am.”
As with many young career women and new mothers before her, Jones says she did struggle a little internally about what to do, trying to decide whether family should come first and that she allow her career to take a back seat. Jones says it’s all about balance. An accommodating
employer in the County Foundation, as well as a supportive partner in her husband, helped in the decision-making process.
“Luckily, the team and the board at the Foundation are so understanding and they are so involved that they didn’t see that as a weakness for me at all.”
“They have been very encouraging and we found a way to make it work, which is very exciting. I came into this thinking what horrible timing, and now I am at the point where this couldn’t have worked out any better for any of us,” she says.
“I think that speaks to the ethos of the organization and the board as well; you really see what they stand for.”
Jones was no stranger to the County Foundation’s work and their role in the community, as her work at Community Futures at one point meant they shared office space with the County Foundation. “I had a lot of awareness about what the organization did, and the Vital Signs work is something that I have always been interested in.” She said she has even referred people looking to get involved in local causes to the Vital Signs reports to learn more. “I have always had my thumb on the pulse in terms of what the Foundation is doing and I have always been very interested in the work
they do, so when that position came up, it was just something I had to reach for,” she says.
“The County Foundation hasn’t been around for a long time, but it’s incredible what they have been able to achieve in the past 14 years: they are a small but mighty organization.”
Going forward, one of Jones’s top goals is to increase awareness about the organization, such as what it is and what it does. While those groups who benefit from funding from the County Foundation know about the
organization, along with those who generously contribute financially, many in the community may not necessarily be aware of the function of the County Foundation and the good work they do to help make Prince Edward County better for so many.
“Awareness is number one, because the Foundation really does great work and it’s something that we want the community to be aware of, and we want community participation. The next year is going to be a lot of learning and taking on knowledge, but I am excited to see where it goes, and I am excited to spread the word and make the County Foundation more of a household name.
Having most recently held a finance specialist role with Prince Edward and Lennox Addington Community Futures in Picton overseeing an $11 million investment fund, Jones’s experience extends to various senior finance roles in the Belleville and Kingston areas with several banking institutions. She is also a Queen’s University alumna. Volunteering and community involvement has been a significant part of Jones’s life, and she is currently on the board at Alternatives for Women and is a volunteer with the Prince Edward County Community Care for Seniors Association.
As a young woman embarking on a key leadership role within a vital organization in the local community, Jones can be a role model for many females climbing the career ladder, and for those attempting to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling.
“I’ve been in leadership roles through chartered institutions and also in the not-for-profit sector, and both were in industries that were predominantly male-driven,” says Jones. “It can be a challenge absolutely, it can sometimes be a little bit isolating and lonely, but I think Prince Edward County, and now in 2022, this is becoming a bit more of the norm and its less outside of the lines than it once was.“
She says she has always had a desire to prove herself. “There is a desire to prove my qualifications and prove my expertise, and I think that is going to come across in this role,” she adds. “I am absolutely thrilled and raring to go, and very excited to get started.” For more information on the County Foundation, including accessing the Vital Signs reports, please visit thecountyfoundation.ca.
