CORNWALL, Ontario – Big Brothers/ Big Sisters (BBBS) Cornwall has hired a new Executive Director, Pierre-Luc Byham. Byham started in his new job the week of Feb. 14, replacing former Executive Director Ron Graham who left the position earlier this year to pursue other opportunities.
Byham, a native of Vankleek Hill, went to high school in Hawkesbury and graduated from the University of Ottawa with a BA with Honours in Communications and a minor in History. Currently, Byham is half-way through a course for a Management certificate from Ottawa U.
For 10 years from 2011 to 2021 Byham worked as the Executive Director of the Hawkesbury General Hospital Foundation.
After a brief stint working at a bank, Byham applied for and was hired by BBBS Cornwall.
“I missed the mission and the work of the non-profit sector,” Byham said. “It feels good to know that you are making a difference in the community.”
Byham, while never having been a Big or Little Brother himself, is excited to lead this organization and said that his main focus is finding more people to volunteer as Bigs for their program.
“COVID related isolation has been really tough on kids and we’ve seen the difference having a Big in their lives can make,” he said. “I think that the relationship is as fulfilling for the Big as it is for the Little.”
Byham also stated that he was going to be working on building relationships between BBBS Cornwall and other community organizations.
BBBS Cornwall also hopes to return to its annual fundraising campaigns, some of which have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ongoing now until March 4 is the annual Tim Hortons Bowl for Kids Sake fundraiser.
