Clarington names new Chief Administrative Officer

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Published January 27, 2022 at 1:30 pm

Clarington will welcome a new top administrator at a special meeting of council tomorrow.

Mary-Anne Dempster, Clarington’s new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), will hit the ground running Friday when she hears from staff and examines the proposed budget for 2022. Dempster officially starts Monday and replaces outgoing CAO Andrew Allison, who is retiring.

Dempster, who has 26 years managerial experience, joins Clarington from the City of Richmond Hill, where she has been the City Manager since 2020. She has spearheaded the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been instrumental in improving service delivery through innovative ideas and the use of technology.

Before taking over as the top manager in Richmond Hill, Dempster was the Commissioner of Corporate and Financial Services. She was also a member of the senior leadership team with the City of Kawartha Lakes, serving as the Director of Corporate Services, and an external auditor and a consultant for the Province of New Brunswick prior to that.

“With her vast experience in leadership in both medium-sized and large governments, Mary-Anne brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Clarington,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “Our community is on the cusp of immense growth and change. I know that Mary-Anne will guide us and provide a vision to support our Corporation and our Municipality as we charter a new course and continue to prosper.”

Dempster, who is already a Durham resident, said she is “thrilled” to join the team in Clarington. “I am happy to help steer this community and support the area as it grows and expands. The Municipality of Clarington is a wonderful community – one that I’ve been watching for a while. I am excited to work here and help shape the path ahead.”

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