Cathy Renfrew
Associate General Secretary

Prior to joining the OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office team in 2008, Cathy was a Speech and Language Pathologist with the Waterloo Region District School Board. Cathy brings extensive OSSTF/FEESO leadership experience to the role as the Associate General Secretary of Professional Services. Having worked as an Executive Assistant in the Educational Services Department as well as the Negotiations and Contract Maintenance Department, Cathy has a full service perspective on the Federation. During this time, Cathy was influential in leading the Federation’s work in a number ways. Cathy’s strong advocacy work on behalf of OSSTF/FEESO members was evident as OSSTF/FEESO’s lead on the Special Needs Strategy portfolio and the Provincial Advisory Team - Autism, as well as when she represented OSSTF/FEESO at Ministry tables/advisory groups, Coalition, and Affiliate committees.

In 2017, Cathy was appointed Director of the Educational Services Department. As a Director, Cathy was instrumental in establishing and strengthening OSSTF/FEESO’s relationship with groups such as the Ontario Autism Coalition, Children’s Mental Health Ontario, and School Mental Health Ontario. Cathy’s work in coordinating responses and developing strategies that represent members’ interests with both employers and the government has helped ground OSSTF/FEESO priorities in well-researched and reasoned positions.

Cathy has been active at the local and/or provincial level of the Federation since 1999. Her enthusiasm for and commitment to publicly-funded education is demonstrated by the various leadership roles she has taken on.

Cathy was appointed as the Associate General Secretary of the Professional Services Division in March 2021.