COABC seeks new ED

Jen Gamble is leaving her role as executive director of the Certified Organic Associations of BC at the end of February after nine years in the role.

“Under her leadership we have become more professional in how we grow, how we certify, how we accredit, and how we trade our organic commodities,” says COABC co-chair Heather Stretch. “She has brought us into the national and international conversations while protecting the grassroots principles that make organics so important to us all.”

Gamble is making the change for personal reasons, primarily to continue her studies.

COABC is undertaking a search for a full-time replacement, either an individual or a team, to be “responsible for overseeing organizational leadership, operational functions, and strategic plan implementation.” The position will continue to be based at the COABC offices in Vernon.

The deadline for applications is December 2, with an approximate start date of January 6. The timeline will allow for the integration and smooth transition between executive directors.

The transition comes as Stretch steps into the chair’s role full-time, as Carmen Wakeling’s term comes to an end.

The departure of key figures from the organization’s leadership comes as COABC completes a core review and moves forward with key learnings from that process.

“The core review provides valuable guidance on how to focus our energies during this time of transition both at the [executive director] level and the chair level,” says Stretch.

The review follows from the organization’s strategic plan, unveiled two years ago, which included the mission statement, “To cultivate a resilient organic movement in British Columbia.”

COABC is the umbrella organization for the province’s 10 organic certifying bodies. It will host its annual conference in Richmond at the end of February.