Kay Blair

Since 1988, Kay Blair has been the executive director of the Community MicroSkills Development Centre, a community agency in the Toronto area that provides services to the unemployed, the underemployed, immigrants, low-income women and youth. Under Kay’s leadership, MicroSkills has grown dramatically and is viewed as a leading agency by funders, government, the business community, clients and other service providers. Kay has initiated many innovative programs and projects, including the first Women’s Enterprise & Resource Centre, the first Women’s Technology Institute in Ontario, and the Dixon Youth Centre. Most recently, in North York, she launched the Centre of Excellence for Women and Newcomers, which features programs designed to enhance the leadership capacity of women and newcomers, and to accelerate their labour market participation. Kay is often consulted on issues of access, equity, and organizational and community development, and has participated in numerous task forces and public forums concerned with improving the quality of life for women, immigrants and racialized individuals. Kay frequently meets with government, the corporate world and other community agencies to discuss diversity issues and the concerns of newcomers, women, youth and other disadvantaged groups. Kay holds an MBA with a specialization in leadership from Royal Roads University, and is currently a Doctor of Education candidate at OISE/University of Toronto.