Northumberland County is announcing today that Lisa Horne, Director of Community and Social Services, will be retiring after a distinguished 34-year career of public service. Ms. Horne, who has been with the County since 2001 and has served as Director since 2016, will officially retire on October 25, 2024.
“Lisa’s leadership and contributions have significantly impacted our organization and our community,” says CAO Jennifer Moore. “Her unwavering commitment to a people-centered model of service has not only enhanced capacity within our Social Services division to address the evolving needs of our community, but has also fostered long-term stability and empowerment for many individuals and families. While we will miss her leadership and dedication, we wish her all the best as she embarks on this next chapter.”
Ms. Horne began her career in social services in 1990 with the Metropolitan Toronto Social Services Department before moving to Durham Region Social Services in 1993. She joined Northumberland County’s Community and Social Services department in 2001, initially as an Ontario Works caseworker.
Her roles evolved over the years, leading to her appointment as Housing Services Manager in 2009 and ultimately as Director in 2016.
During her tenure with the County, Ms. Horne has played a pivotal role in several transformative initiatives. Notably, she led the local implementation of the province-wide System Service Manager model for housing services in 2016, and Early Years services in 2018. This transition created a more integrated, coordinated approach to meeting community needs, and fostered improved collaboration across agency partners in the delivery of these services. Also under Ms. Horne’s guidance, the County developed its first 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, a 5-Year Early Learning and Child Care Plan, and a comprehensive Affordable Housing Strategy. These strategic plans have significantly shaped service delivery to meet the complex needs of residents.
Ms. Horne’s leadership was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she spearheaded the department’s response, ensuring that vulnerable community members received continuous support and access to essential services. She has often reflected with pride on the exceptional resilience and compassion demonstrated by the Social Services team during this challenging period.
“Lisa’s tenure has been marked by a steadfast dedication to improving the lives of our residents,” says Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander. “Her ability to lead a team in adapting to evolving community need and a complex social services environment has set a high standard for public service.
On behalf of County Council, I extend our deepest gratitude to Lisa and wish her a joyful and fulfilling retirement.”
Effective September 30, 2024, oversight for Community and Social Services will transition to Glenn Dees, Northumberland County Director of Health and Human Services. Glenn will also continue his role in overseeing operation of the Golden Plough Lodge long-term care home.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
