Two employees nominated for YWCA Women of Distinction Awards
Congratulations to Cathy O'Donnell and Jennifer Jahnke
Congratulations to Security Services Director, Cathy O'Donnell and Accessible Media Production Professor and Reseacher, Jennifer Jahnke for being nominated for the upcoming YWCA Women of Distinction Awards. Cathy is nominated in the Education, Training and Development category. Jennifer is nominated in the Pandemic Research, Science, Technology and Trades category. This year's awards will be presented at in-person / virtual ceremony on March 3.
The following is taken from the YWCA Women of Distinction website. For a complete list of nominees visit: https://www.ywcahamilton.org/women-of-distinction-awards-2022/view-nominees/
As Director of Security Services at Mohawk College, Cathy O’Donnell’s vision of training her teams to respond to any issue has been instrumental to ensuring the safety of Mohawk’s students, employees and guests. This has been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, where her leadership helped to prepare the college to manage an unprecedented crisis that challenged our community in many ways. Cathy is a respected leader among Ontario’s campus security professionals and is often approached by others in the field to share her expertise, which contributes to the safety and security of college and university campuses across Ontario.
As a faculty member, applied researcher and community advocate, Jennifer’s passion for creating an inclusive and accessible world is unmatched. Her contributions begin in the classroom, but they don’t end there. Jennifer put students first when she developed a curriculum that was meaningful and relevant to its audience, while also the first of its kind in Canada. Dozens of companies and community partners have sought her and her students for their expertise. And, most importantly, more people in Ontario and elsewhere can now take part in our virtual and digital world because of Jennifer’s belief that accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought.