Media Releases

Sharon Bristol appointed as Amherst’s Community Living Director

Sharon Bristol is Amherst’s new Community Living Director.

Amherst town council appointed Bristol to the position on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022, during their regular council session. She was unanimously selected by the selection committee, which interviewed two others for the position.

“We look forward to working with Sharon,” Mayor David Kogon said. “She will help us place greater emphasis in the area of community well-being, which is one of our priorities. She will enable staff to focus on fostering an accessible, inclusive and diverse community for all residents and visitors, help build capacity to address and eliminate systemic barriers and address complex community issues.”

The mayor said he was also pleased the town was able to find a director from within its own ranks.

“It shows the quality of the staff that we have working at the town,” Kogon said.

CAO Jason MacDonald said he is confident Bristol will prove to be an invaluable addition to the town’s senior management team.

“Sharon will help us to continue and improve upon our current efforts in the area of community living, including accessibility, poverty reduction, diversity, inclusion and equity as well as community events and active living,” MacDonald said. “I know she will do an excellent job and I look forward to working with her.”

Bristol noted her entire career has been focused on helping people in the community, and that is what motivated her to seek her new position.

"I'm excited to be starting this role,” she said. “I love the town. The town is where I built my life, raised my children. My husband and I are both committed to this community and always have been. I look forward to giving back in a positive way."

Bristol joined the ‘A’ team in April 2022 as the town’s new community well-being manager. In that role, she was responsible for providing leadership in developing community well-being for the Town of Amherst. She acted as liaison
with external stakeholders and supported the various committees that are addressing poverty, diversity and accessibility.

Her arrival in April was sort of a homecoming for the lifelong resident of Amherst as her first job after graduating from Dalhousie University with a bachelor of science in psychology was as a case worker with the Town of Amherst.

Following her first stint with the town, Bristol worked with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development for a couple of term placements before working for nine years with the Cobequid Housing Authority as a tenant relations officer. The last 14 years she worked for the Canadian Cancer Society and Muscular Dystrophy Canada as a fundraiser.