Paving the Way: 40 Years of Leadership at Community Care
November 5, 2025
As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations, we are reflecting on the leadership and vision that has guided Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes over the past four decades. Our four CEOs have each played a pivotal role in shaping the organization and expanding its impact in the community. In this series, we are sharing stories and reflections from past and current leaders who have helped Community Care grow and evolve. Today, we focus on our second CEO, Cathy Danbrook, whose leadership paved the way for significant growth and set the foundation for many of the programs and initiatives that continue to serve our community today.
Cathy Danbrook
Community Care CEO, 2010 – 2018
A Move with Purpose
When Cathy Danbrook left city life in Ottawa for the quieter pace of Kawartha Lakes in 2010, it wasn’t just for a change of scenery. It was an opportunity to make an impact in a new community. After a long and accomplished career in health care administration, Cathy had been semi-retired and looking for meaningful work that would allow her to stay connected to the community level of care. When she came across a posting for Chief Executive Officer at Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, it immediately caught her attention.
“I thought I could bring value to Community Care,” Cathy recalls. “It was the kind of work I cared deeply about, connecting people with the health and community supports they need to live well.”
What began as a post-retirement opportunity turned into one of the most meaningful chapters of her career.
Building a Foundation for the Future
Cathy joined Community Care in December 2010, bringing with her a wealth of experience in healthcare administration. Over the course of her career, she had worked in mental health, home care, rehabilitation, geriatrics, and palliative services, among other areas. She stepped into the CEO role at a time when Community Care was ready to expand beyond its established programs and explore new ways to meet the needs of the community.
“Community Care’s board wanted to introduce new service offerings beyond some of its staple programs, like Meals on Wheels,” she reflects. “The goal was to expand what Community Care could offer.”
Under her leadership, that vision came to life. Cathy oversaw the addition of several new programs, including the Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Network (GAIN), the Good Food Box, and the Community Dental Clinic. She also helped bring Hospice Kawartha Lakes under the Community Care umbrella of services and moved the program to its current home on Kent Street West in Lindsay.
Behind the scenes, Cathy helped modernized the organization’s management structure and invested in new administrative systems to support growth. She strengthened partnerships across the health sector, including with Ross Memorial Hospital, and brought Community Care’s voice to regional tables through the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).
Championing the Community Health Centre
Perhaps Cathy’s most enduring legacy is her role in laying the groundwork for a dedicated Community Health Centre for Kawartha Lakes, a process that took more than a decade.
“When I arrived, my predecessor Valmay Barkey had already begun the thinking around a standalone Community Health Centre,” Cathy explains. “But at the time, the government was only authorizing us for primary care, not the other community support services we wanted to include under the scope of work.”
Working closely with architects and staff, Cathy and her team redeveloped the proposal, successfully securing government approval and acquiring the land at 21 Angeline Street North in Lindsay. This land is now the site of the current Community Health Centre. While Cathy left Community Care before the centre’s construction began, her work paved the way for subsequent CEOs to lead the groundbreaking, oversee construction, and celebrate the grand opening.
“It was incredibly rewarding to see the completed building and be able to tour it,” Cathy reflects. “That moment allowed me to reflect on the part I played in the process. It is wonderful to see a vision I helped develop become a reality that serves our community every day.”
From Ottawa to Kawartha Lakes
Having spent most of her life in Ottawa, Cathy found the shift to a smaller community refreshing, if sometimes an adjustment. But she quickly fell in love with the region’s sense of connection and care. Through her involvement with the Rotary Club, local boards, and Kawartha Lakes Food Source, she found herself embraced by the very community she served.
“I enjoyed living in Kawartha Lakes, the people and the atmosphere,” she says. “It’s a relaxing place to live, and the work of Community Care really makes a difference in people’s lives.”
She recalls one story that embodies the caring spirit of Kawartha Lakes. During a routine delivery, a Meals on Wheels volunteer noticed that a client did not answer the door, something unusual for them. The concerned volunteer called the Community Care office, prompting a wellness check. It turned out the client had suffered a stroke and needed urgent help.
“That volunteer could have just walked away, but they didn’t,” Cathy says. “They truly cared about the client and knew to ask for help. These volunteers are not just delivering a meal, they are making contact with an isolated person. The check-in is almost more valuable than the meal itself. It is more than a meal.”
A Legacy of Growth and Gratitude
During her seven years with Community Care, Cathy helped shape a stronger, more connected organization that continues to evolve today.
She helped restructured the Foundation, introduced staff and volunteer recognition programs, and led two successful accreditations. Through it all, she credits the people, staff, volunteers, and board members alike, for making Community Care what it is.
“It is all about the people,” she says. “Team-oriented, caring, and dedicated despite the obstacles. The staff and volunteers make such a difference, and the boards were always supportive and open to innovation.”
Looking ahead, Cathy sees endless potential for Community Care to build on its 40-year legacy, exploring new partnerships, expanding digital and virtual services, and engaging people of all ages.
“Community Care has an excellent reputation, and it is well deserved,” she says. “If it continues to build on that foundation, it will only keep growing stronger.”
As she reflects on her time in Kawartha Lakes, Cathy’s gratitude is clear.
“Working for Community Care was one of the best experiences of my whole career,” she says. “I was privileged to be part of it, to help develop programs, to get to know such caring people, and to see the difference the organization made every day.”