NEWSFLASH FEBRUARY 2026 – Holy Names High School; New Windsor Regional Hospital President/CEO; Multicultural Council Of Windsor & Essex County Award Winners
The Holy Names High School Class of 2000 proved that strong friendships can make an even stronger impact during their recent 25-year reunion celebration, raising $3,000 for the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation.
In addition, the school matched theses funds taking the total to $6,000. Held on November 22, 2025, at the Giovanni Caboto Club, the reunion brought together classmates from near and far to reconnect, share memories, and give back to a meaningful cause.
Through a combination of donations, raffles, and reunion activities, attendees collectively raised funds to support cancer research and patient services. The evening featured music, dinner, dancing, a slideshow, and speeches, creating an atmosphere of celebration and gratitude. Alumni expressed appreciation not only for the chance to reunite, but also for the opportunity to contribute to a cause that resonates deeply within the community.
The funds raised were donated to the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation, helping advance ongoing efforts in cancer care, research, and support.
Kristin Kennedy joins the Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) as its President and CEO in April 2026. Current WRH President and CEO Karen Riddell will continue to lead WRH and assist with the CEO transition before her well-deserved retirement in spring 2026. “Kristin’s wealth of experience and accomplishments will offer tremendous leadership to WRH as we continue to modernize and excel on our road to a new acute care hospital which will open a few years from now,” says Ian McLeod, Chair, WRH Board of Directors. Kennedy is well known to our region following several years as President and CEO of Erie Shores Healthcare (2020 to March 22, 2026) and previously its Chief Nursing Executive (2018-2020). Duffy Kniaziew, Chair of the Erie Shores HealthCare Board of Directors comments: “We want to thank her for her strong leadership, dedication, and the countless hours she has given to our organization and this community over the past seven years, including guiding us through the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent cyberattack. Her steady presence during some of the most challenging moments in recent healthcare history has helped shape Erie Shores into the organization it is today, and her foresight and innovation will leave a lasting mark on Erie Shores for decades to come.” As for her new appointment, Kennedy is very familiar with WRH, through her coordination as a local hospital partner, but also as a previous administrator at WRH (Director of Critical Care and Cardiology, 2017-18) and Operations Manager for the Neurosciences Program (2015-2017).
Her health care career journey has also included management roles at the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. She began her career as an NICU registered nurse and registered flight nurse at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Kennedy also gives back to the health care sector as an educator, currently serving as an active part-time professor at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business for its Master of Health Management Program.
“I am humbled and excited to join WRH and look forward to making a meaningful impact on its present and future, working with its dedicated and talented team, and as we enter an era leading up to a new state-of-the-art acute care hospital for Windsor Essex,” Kennedy expresses.
HALL OF FAME
The Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County (MCC) Foundation announced in January that the Director of Education for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, Emelda Byrne, and Dr. Mark Awuku are the 2026 recipients of the Herb Gray Harmony and Champion Awards.
They will be recognized at the MCC Awards Gala to be held on Friday, May 1 at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. Director Byrne and Dr. Awuku are distinguished community leaders whose professional excellence, sustained service, and commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion have had a profound and lasting impact across Windsor Essex. “For more than two decades, the MCC Awards Gala has recognized individuals who are dedicated to helping others and making our community a more welcoming place for all,” says Fred Francis, Executive Director of the MCC. “Both of these worthy recipients exemplify the values and dedication to community that these awards represent.”
The Herb Gray Harmony Award, presented by WFCU Credit Union, recognizes individuals that have made outstanding contributions toward building a welcoming and inclusive community.
Byrne has dedicated more than 35 years to Catholic education in Windsor Essex, shaping learning environments that prioritize equity, dignity, accessibility and student success. She began her career in 1987 with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB), serving in a wide range of roles including classroom teacher, vice-principal, principal, and senior administrator. In 2021, she was appointed Director of Education, becoming the first woman in the Board’s history to hold this position — an important milestone for educational leadership in our region.
A recognized advocate for equity and inclusion, Byrne leads the WECDSB’s Equity Action Plan, advancing culturally responsive practices, Indigenous learning, and system-wide professional development. Beyond the school system, she has championed collaborative partnerships with numerous community organizations, including the MCC, where she assisted launching their Education Program in 2022; Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, United Way, and the Windsor Police Service.
Through these partnerships, she has supported initiatives addressing mental health, bullying prevention, youth engagement, and diversity awareness, helping to create safer, more inclusive faith-filled learning environments and stronger community connections throughout Windsor Essex. Presented by Cogeco, the MCC Champion Award, recognizes first-generation Canadians whose leadership and service have made a lasting positive impact on our community.
Dr. Mark Awuku is a highly respected paediatrician whose career spanned more than three decades of service to children and families throughout the region. Born and raised in Ghana, Dr. Awuku discovered his passion for medicine at a young age. He earned his medical degree from the University of Ghana in 1975, before completing postgraduate training in paediatrics and paediatric critical care medicine at the University of Toronto. After relocating to Canada, he established his medical career in Windsor, until his retirement in 2022.
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Awuku served as Chief of Paediatrics at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and as a Professor of Paediatrics at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry — Windsor Campus. His leadership, clinical excellence, and commitment to mentorship have been recognized through numerous prestigious honours, including the King Charles III Coronation Medal, the Ontario Medical Association Presidential Award, and the Spirit of Medicine Award from Windsor Regional Hospital. He was also named Ontario Paediatrician of the Year (2017) and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Windsor in recognition of his lasting contributions to medicine, education, and community service.
The Foundation invites the community to join in celebrating this year’s award winners at the May gala which includes the live announcement of the Kathleen Thomas Inspire Award recipient. Presented by St. Clair College, the award recognizes a Canadian newcomer whose resilience in overcoming significant barriers reflects the spirit of hope and opportunity.
