The following is an account of CC's career in the Ontario Public Service and was posted on the government intranet by CC's colleagues:
Catherine Ciavarella passed away on June 6, 2010. Many of you will remember Catherine. She was very passionate and knowledgeable about her work in culture and with the ministry’s agencies. Catherine was a great lover of art, architecture, and design and was devoted to the not-for-profit sector. She loved film and was an avid Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) attendee. Her contributions were appreciated and she will be missed.
Catherine began her OPS career in November 2000. She often told colleagues about her first day of work, eagerly arriving on Remembrance Day to discover that provincial offices were closed. Before joining the OPS, Catherine was the Executive Director of the Kingston chapter of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).
Neil Downs was a technical advisor on the interview panel when Catherine was hired. Neil’s lead file was the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). John Shipman was the Manager of the Voluntary Initiatives Unit with the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation and he recruited Catherine to provide additional policy advisor support and back up on the OTF file. Soon after she was hired, Neil began a secondment as Manager, Corporate Policy and Catherine became the key policy advisor to the OTF.
In February 2001, the ministry was reorganized and Catherine moved with the OTF file to MGS before returning to the Culture Agencies Unit managed by Shirley Phillips. While working with Shirley, Catherine led a major program review of OTF and then took on the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) portfolio, working closely with the gallery during the Transformation AGO project. She became extremely knowledgeable about the ‘world’ of agencies. During this time, Catherine also chaired the ministry’s Discovery Awards. She mentored interns and summer students, and made it a unique experience for all of them. Catherine was the organizer of all staff birthday celebrations, parties, social events (which usually involved after hours martinis), baseball and the annual Academy Awards staff lottery.
In November 2004, Neil Downs followed Shirley as Manager of the Culture Agencies Unit. Catherine became lead Agency Coordinator for the Royal Botanical Gardens. From 2004 to May 2007, Neil relied on Catherine as the Unit’s most senior Agency Coordinator. In addition to the RBG, she continued to work with the OTF and AGO. Later, Catherine became the lead Agency Coordinator for the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) as they underwent their significant Renaissance ROM capital renovation. Catherine continued as MCL’s social convenor, organizing the popular “Tapas Tuesdays”.
In 2007, the Culture Liaison Unit was established, managed by Suzanne Rowe Knight. Catherine was a member of this ‘small but mighty’ team continuing her work with the AGO, OTF, RBG and ROM. Eventually, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection was added to her portfolio. Over the years, Catherine was involved with most of the ministry’s cultural agencies in some capacity. She also worked with many areas of the ministry and the OPS. Catherine was a member of the Corporate Resources Branch Performance Measures Team, and represented the Unit at the inter-ministerial Agency Coordinators’ Forum meetings. She worked closely with the Sports, Culture and Tourism Partnerships Secretariat on the AGO, RBG and ROM capital projects, and with the Legal Services Branch on numerous Foreign Cultural Objects Immunity from Seizure requests to protect cultural objects while on exhibition in Ontario.
Catherine was absolutely passionate about her files. She had a firm understanding of relevant agency legislation and directives, most importantly the Agency Establishment and Accountability Directive, and she worked hard on behalf of the cultural agencies to ensure central agencies, particularly MBS/MGS, provided the support needed so that these important cultural institutions would grow and prosper.
We are coordinating a donation to the Princess Margaret Hospital in memory of Catherine. If you would like to join us, please contact Ann Kavanagh in the Culture Agencies Branch before Tuesday, June 15th. Ann can be reached by phone at 416-314-7610 or email at ann.kavanagh@ontario.ca
Our thoughts and sympathies are with Catherine’s family, friends and colleagues.
Steven Davidson
ADM, Culture Division
3 comments:
This is a wonderful testament to the tremendous contribution Catherine made towards the cultural fabric of Ontario. As a former mentoree working under Catherine, I was in awe of her unparalleled dedication and integrity towards her work, personal life and friendships. Many (myself included) were well served by her infectious enthusiasm. As someone who cared deeply about the people she worked with and institutions of which she was a part, she left a staunch and unwavering impression upon me, something that will never be forgotten and that I strive to achieve in my own life.
As a friend, Catherine's creative, imaginative and fun approach to work and life was contagious and served to instill an exceptionally high morale amongst those around her. Her wonderful sense of humour and admirable dedication and loyalty left their mark on me, and her spirit will always be remembered.
One of the final projects we shared together was a play that a mutual friend and colleague wrote.... and together we shared a laugh at the end:
Katerina: "My art show an enormous success was. Tell me around your dear life, Katie.”
Katie: "Are obvious we best of friends.”
My deepest condolences to Catherine's family and friends, she was a kindred spirit.
With love,
Katie
When I started at the Ministry as an intern, Catherine was one of the first individuals I met. I was immediately struck by her passion, devotion to her work, and her absolute sheer talent in navigating complex and delicate issues at the agencies that were hers to coddle and nurture.
I was also immediately struck by her warmth and her quick wit and great sense of humour. I had the priviledge of developing a friendship with her beyond just a working relationship.
Over the years over lunches and dinners, I was able to see Catherine's keen curiosity about the world and her interests about so many different artistic pursuits. I ran into her so many times on King Street furniture shopping always looking for that elusive white Sofa. We shared quite a few laughs that she would never find the perfect one.
Her inquisitiveness and curiosity was very well summed up by a question that she would always ask that became her mantra "So, What do you think of that" This became our friendly banter back to one another - instead of hello, we would just say "So, what do you think of that".
Catherine - you will be deeply missed. My deepest condolences to Catherine's family and friends. You are incredibly missed.
Noah Gurza
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