Deputy General Secretary - Mary Lachapelle (She/her)

Mary Lachapelle was appointed Deputy General Secretary on June 1, 2019, following years of work with OECTA at the local and provincial levels.

Mary holds Junior, Intermediate, and Senior qualifications. She taught elementary core French, was a Junior/Intermediate teacher, a teacher-librarian, and a continuing education secondary teacher with the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

Mary’s involvement with OECTA began with the Hamilton-Wentworth Unit as an Association Representative, Chair of the local Professional Development committee, and as a member of the Unit Executive serving as Recording Secretary and as Councillor, as well as a member of the Local Collective Bargaining Team. In 2004, Mary became the Unit Chief Negotiator and Contract Manager, and in 2005 she was elected President of the Hamilton-Wentworth Unit.

In 2009, Mary was appointed Staff Officer at the OECTA Provincial Office in the Counselling and Member Services department. In that role, she was the provincial contact for local units regarding Children’s Aid Society, Ontario College of Teachers’, disciplinary, and criminal investigations. As well, she was responsible for all Long-Term Disability (LTD) matters and acted as staff liaison to the LTD committee. She was also OECTA’s Assistant Pension Officer, an OECTA representative to the Ontario Teachers’ Federation Pension Committee, and a member of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Staff Association executive and negotiating team. Mary developed and presented numerous workshops and training programs on a wide range of topics to members throughout the province.

As Deputy General Secretary, Mary Lachapelle serves Ontario’s Catholic teachers with dedication, determination, and passion.