My name is Rachael Tracey, and I am a Bay of Quinte born & raised graduate of the Business Accounting Diploma, Human Resource Management Post-Graduate, and Entrepreneurial Studies-Business Launch Post-Graduate Programs at Loyalist College.
- I am a VERY proud member of the Cadet Instructors Cadre Branch of the Canadian Forces, charged with the duty to develop and train members of the Royal Canadian Air, Army and Sea Cadets.
- In 2014, I was one of the youngest to run for a seat on Prince Edward County Council.
- In 2016, I participated in the District 7070 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and was one of the coordinators for the Rotary Club of Belleville’s Camp Enterprise.
- I have also had the honour of serving as an Expert Judge for Ontario Centre of Excellence’s 2017 & 2018 Make Your Pitch Competition and will be doing so again this year.
- In November 2018, I was a proud Summit Supporter for the inaugural Canadian Rural Innovation Summit in Belleville, ON, which was an opportunity to showcase the Bay of Quinte Region as an innovation destination and leader in rural entrepreneurial growth.
- I have also launched a movement within my own CIC family to get us to live healthier and more physically active lifestyles in order to set the best example for the young people in our charge, the fellow Adult Staff members we work with (civilians and members of the Canadian Forces), and of course, ourselves!
- I am currently posted as an HR Specialist to the Regional Cadet Support Unit Central at CFB Borden, hence the need for an online format and a broader reaching out to young entrepreneurs all across rural Canada. I am always looking for meaningful and viable opportunities to come back to my home area!
- While here at CFB Borden, I am making the most of my time here by continuing to work with young people as a volunteer with the Borden Youth Centre and this past summer, I was a Summer Company Mentor for Nottawasaga Futures (the CFDC in Alliston).
- When I’m not working either at my office or my cozy chair, I’m out hitting the trails of CFB Borden and surrounding areas, discovering more of Ontario and supporting local business along the way! Competitive 5Ks are my thing right now, but I have set a goal of completing a 1/2 Marathon by the time I turn 30 (under 3 years!).
I’ve always had a passion for working with teenagers, and I do experience every week just what they are capable of. I know if they are given access to the right resources, have someone who believes in them, and are passionate enough about something, they really can do anything they set their minds to. I also know firsthand what it is like to struggle with finding meaningful employment in the place that I love, and understand completely why others my age and younger desire so badly to leave. I had my own struggles with this before I decided to take a stand and make some changes. A community without engaged and employed young people is not going to sustain itself for very long.