Alumni Highlight: Natasha Tsevene, RP

Natasha Tsevende, RP

Mental Health Worker, Kenora Catholic District School Board

Parishioner, St Louis Church, Keewatin, ON

3^rd Cohort, 2020-2021

I often think about the experience of being in the CWLF Program.  I loved exploring the models of leadership and my place as a leader within my community.  I have continued to be involved to varying degrees in my parish community and within Development and Peace.  While on the Board of Directors for our local women’s shelter, Saakaate House led the creation of a home and program for young moms, opened transition housing for women and those they support, and facilitated programming for young men and women to stop gender-based violence before it begins. 

As part of the Mental Health Team for KCDSB, our team has worked with the Canadian Center for Child Protection to get programming into all of our schools to teach kids about personal safety (both online and in real life) to reduce victimization.  These are things that I am very passionate about as a mom of two incredible girls (age 13 and 10).  I am also passionate about providing support to parents in the challenging and immensely rewarding vocation of parenthood.  It is important for me to do this work within our community and with a Catholic lens. 

Lately I have found myself knee deep in my children’s activities – and they are active!  I am on the Board of Directors of the gymnastics club and involved with the Lake of the Woods Wrestling Club.  This keeps me very busy as we work towards providing quality programming that builds physical literacy and confidence.  In all of these things I am also driven by the reflection and insight I gained during my time in the CWLP. 

In my final reflection I wrote about the intentionality of Transformative Leadership, and how I can accomplish more from BE-ing than DO-ing. It has been helpful to reframe leadership and relax into who God is calling me to be. In that process, God continues to provide opportunities for growth and community, miracles of all shapes and sizes if only I have eyes to see!