She has over 15 years of experience in public legal education and information
Community Legal Education Ontario (CLEO) has announced the appointment of Jessica Reekie as its new executive director, effective April 3.
CLEO is a non-profit organization that develops clear, accurate, and practical legal rights education and information to help people understand the law and exercise their legal rights. The organization focuses on providing information to people who face barriers to accessing the justice system.
Reekie brings over 15 years of experience in public legal education and information (PLEI) to her new role at CLEO. She is a graduate of Harvard University and Dalhousie Law School. She practised immigration and refugee law before she began working in the field of public legal education.
Reekie has been active in public legal education since 2008 when she began developing programs and resources for newcomer youth at Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN). Reekie later became the director of programs, overseeing OJEN's outreach activities and working with vulnerable communities. In 2014, she became OJEN's executive director.
Reekie is the president of the Public Legal Education Association of Canada (PLEAC), an organization facilitating communication and cooperation between provincial and territorial PLEI groups, promoting knowledge-sharing and skill development, and acting as a national voice on issues concerning the PLEI community.
In a press release, Reekie said she is excited to join CLEO and participate in the organization's continued success. "I have always admired the breadth and quality of CLEO's work. My appreciation for the organization and its talented team has only grown in the eight years since OJEN and CLEO began sharing a workspace and collaborating on public legal education initiatives."
Reekie will take on her new role with the support and guidance of CLEO's outgoing executive director Julie Mathews, the board of directors, and the entire staff team.
CLEO's board chair Paul Evraire said, "CLEO's board is excited to work with Jess to continue our work to advance meaningful access to justice and maintain CLEO's well-deserved reputation for leadership in delivering practical and responsive legal information to the communities we serve."
