Peter Kastner, president of the Board of Trellis Mental Health and Developmental Services, and Jeff Henry, president of the Board of Canadian Mental Health Association Grand River Branch, are pleased to announce the appointment of Fred Wagner to the position of executive director of Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington Dufferin.
In the interests of improved care for the residents of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin, the boards of directors of both organizations voted on Jan. 31 to amalgamate and began their search for an executive director.
Wagner will step into this new role once the amalgamated organization is incorporated which is expected to be April 1.
His primary focus will be to maximize the potential of the new organization for improving the quality of life for people with mental health and developmental disabilities.
Wagner is a seasoned health care executive with over 22 years of management experience in the mental health sector.
“Fred’s leadership experience, commitment to person centered health care and ability to collaborate will be a great asset to the new organization”, said Henry in a press release.
Since joining Trellis as director of programs in 2005 and assuming the executive director position in 2007, Wagner has, officials say, positioned Trellis as an innovative and progressive organization that delivers high quality services to its clients and families.
Wagner has graduate degrees in social work and psychology and has held a variety of program management and senior management positions in the hospital and community sectors within Waterloo Region, Guelph-Wellington and Dufferin County since 1991.
“The Board of Directors looks forward to working with Fred,” said Kastner.
“He will bring leadership and creativity to the new organization’s programs and a deep commitment to creating an organization that achieves outstanding health outcomes for local residents and value for the healthcare system.”
Wagner will work closely with the board over the coming months to lay a foundation that builds on the history of each organization and supports staff in delivering a range of services.
