Next Gen Board Profile: Patti Mcdonald

This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. 
We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving.

Meet Patti McDonald, and find out why she was inspired to join NextGen.
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​When I was making the decision to move back home to Cape Breton/ Unama’ki after about a decade living in Halifax I was fervently scouring the internet learning about all of the exciting things that were happening on the Island.
Some of the places that highlighted the growth I was seeing and hearing about were goCapeBreton and the Cape Breton Partnership.
Knowing that there was a vibrant entrepreneurial sector growing on the Island and that more young people were choosing to move home to raise their families or start their business made the decision easy.
 
I packed my bags, bought a (really reasonably priced!) house, and moved home.
 
Once I was firmly planted back on CB ground, I was looking for a way to reconnect with my community and support the growth I had been excited about when moving home. So when I saw the open call for NextGen board members, it seemed like a perfect fit.
 
I’ve spent my entire career supporting youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities in recreational settings, so supporting the youth of Cape Breton/ Unama’ki as a part of NextGen seemed like a natural extension of that.
 
Since being home I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to participate in the CEPI Youth Conference, CB Voices events, the Atlantic Women Entrepreneur Summit, Social Enterprise Sector round table conversations, and of course the Vital Awards, and I find it difficult to describe how inspiring all of those moments were. Interacting with passionate, hopeful, and driven young people who are working tirelessly to improve our community and find their version of success on our amazing little Island will never cease to impress and encourage me.
 
Being involved in NextGen has allowed me to play a small part in improving our community and I am so proud to be able to contribute in even a small way, because the tide is shifting and Cape Breton/ Unama’ki is on a path to a very bright future.
 
One of the new projects of NextGen is to highlight young entrepreneurs in a blog series, and I am SO excited about the responses we’ve received from some amazing community members and business owners.
​Keep an eye on this space for that series to begin very soon.

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