Rachelle Niemela has been named BPW Greater Sudbury's Woman of the Month.
Niemela worked various positions while she raised her two children as a single parent.
The last 23 years of her career were spent at Cambrian College, with 17 years in the Information Technology Department.
Having started her professional career as a part-time secretary and a continuing education instructor, her final years at Cambrian spent as an operational and project manager in the IT department.
During her career and after she retired in 2010, she has been continuously occupied with her community support for numerous local organizations and causes.
Niemela is an avid cyclist and enjoys working with the community to advocate and assist with the cycling infrastructure growth in the city.
She is currently the Chair of the Sudbury Cyclists Union; a certified Canbike instructor who teaches cycling courses for the City of Greater Sudbury; member of the Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel representing the Sudbury Cycles partnership, which runs programs such as the Kids Bike Exchanges and other cycling events in Greater Sudbury; and she was the project lead for the Celebrate by Bike Ontario 150 bike ride in 2017.
Within her community Rachelle is the Chair of the Community Action Network (CAN) in Ward 8, and has led projects that include the revitalization of the Twin Forks Playground, the installation of a community garden at Twin Forks named in honour of Sudbury Councillour Fabio Belli, and she has fostered community engagement opportunities for all Ward 8 residents.
Niemela was also the chair of the New Sudbury Days community festival for three years, and was the lead for the community garden school project where more than 530 local primary school students helped to grow seedlings for planting in ward community gardens.
Niemela continues to contribute to her community through various other committees and projects. Some of these include being a board member for the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee; Recording secretary for the Sudbury Road Safety Committee and the Keeping Seniors Warm project; Executive member of the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury; Past project manager for the Minnow Lake dog park association projects; Member of the Irish Heritage Club, the Bioski Club, and Rainbow Routes Association as a hike leader; Community rep on the Healthy Kids Community Challenge Planning and Advisory Committee, to name a few.
She has also participated in numerous community-wide initiatives, including the Sudbury Community Garden Network, the Food Policy Council community sessions, the Age Friendly Initiatives community sessions, the Community Safety Wellbeing initiative and she also volunteers at the Sudbury Rocks Race, the River & Sky Music and Camping Festival, the Northern Lights Festival Boreal and other community events.
“Rachelle is an outstanding role model who epitomizes making a difference in her ward and in the city,” said Marianne Matichuk, BPW Greater Sudbury president, in a press release.
“She has redefined hard work, advocacy and service with all her community contributions, and the time she continues to contribute to helping our City become vibrant and active through her work.
“BPW Greater Sudbury recognizes Rachelle for her immense commitment to working within our community and giving so much of herself through her volunteerism.”
