When opportunity knocks, some people can’t wait to open the door. For a mindful and strategic person like Marilyn Conner, opportunity had to knock a few times before she turned the door handle.

Twenty-five years ago, Marilyn was working for the Government of Alberta within the Persons with Developmental Disabilities program in Wetaskiwin when she was recruited by the Wetaskiwin and District Association for Community Services (WDACS). She took an interview for their Executive Director position but didn’t take the job.

“I went through the interview because it was a good learning opportunity. But I had no intention of being the successful candidate. And I was. So I turned down their offer,” says Marilyn.

WDACS filled the role, for a short time, but it wasn’t a good fit. They circled back to Marilyn and, again, she turned the position down. But this time they found a compromise. Marilyn took a part-time secondment from her government position to help the association out during the recruitment process. It turns out, Marilyn was the right fit all along.

“I didn’t feel as qualified for the job as I wanted to be,” she says. “But after recognizing the opportunity for learning, challenge and community service — I threw my hat in the ring.”

And that’s how Marilyn became the Executive Director of WDACS. A role that, from the very beginning, she didn’t take lightly. In fact, shortly after starting she also began studying to receive her Master of Business Association degree. “It felt important to me to improve my business skills with a view to not-for-profit sustainability for WDACS,” she says.

Both the organization and the individuals it serves have benefitted from Marilyn’s compassion, business savvy and tenacity. She’s a bold leader, clearing pathways for her staff and the people they work with. “My position is really about empowering our teams to increase the quality of life for the people we serve,” Marilyn says. “It’s about making a stand and standing in front of it.”

It helps to be a part of a generous and supportive community too, Marilyn says: “We’re grateful to provide services in a community like Wetaskiwin that values inclusion.” Fundraisers like their recent Annual Pumpkin Ball have funded facilities, a fleet of vans and even a new accessible home. But Marilyn and WDACS know that giving is a two-way street. The association strives to shop locally for their purchases and, with support, their individuals give back through volunteering.

Like most organizations, WDACS is facing new and unprecedented challenges caused by COVID-19 restrictions. One of the association’s cornerstone programs, Connections, was temporarily suspended in March on provincial orders. Connections focuses on physical, emotional, and social wellbeing, often bringing individuals out of their homes and into the community. WDACS is working towards a gradual relaunch. Recently, Marilyn was reminded of the significant impact of these programs as she welcomed back one of their individuals. “He walked through our facility and had tears of joy. He was so pleased to be back in something meaningful and be with the people he had so clearly missed,” she says. 

Despite the uncertainty of what the future holds, Marilyn will navigate whatever comes next with the same compassion and dedication she’s built her career on. “Although I never set out to work for a not-for-profit, I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” she says.