Our featured champions are dedicated leaders working in the public sector who have been nominated for their innovation, resilience, dedication and empathy in the face of a complex and ever-changing world.
Name: Gwen Martinez
Title: Executive Secretary to the Superintendent and School Board
Organization: Lafourche Parish School District
We’re excited to spotlight Gwen Martinez, Executive Secretary to the Superintendent and School Board at Lafourche Parish School District, as July’s Community Champion!
Gwen is an accomplished Executive Administrative Assistant providing high-level support to the Superintendent and the nine-member School Board in Lafourche Parish. Over her impressive 25-year tenure, she has been vital in supporting operations for a large district of over 13,000 students and nearly 30 schools. She has served the district in many areas, including 14 years of experience and dedication as a Middle School Secretary, Cheer and Dance Coach, Secretary to several District Supervisors, Executive Secretary to the School Board, and Executive Assistant to the Superintendent for the past 10 years.
Known for her professionalism, organizational commitment and unwavering support, Gwen is a natural helper. Her colleagues deeply value her as a kind, patient, and thoughtful teammate who is always ready to lend a hand and elevate those around her.
Gwen shared with us: “To me, good governance is the foundation of trust. It means creating an environment where decisions are made with absolute transparency, accountability, and ethical integrity. It’s about ensuring that the focus is not just on what is achieved, but how it is achieved—safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders through responsible stewardship.”
We’re so grateful to honor Gwen as this month’s Community Champion — congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
Name: Gwen Dombroski
Title: Manager of Legislative Services and Clerk
Organization: County of Renfrew
We're pleased to recognize Gwen Dombroski, Manager of Legislative Services and Clerk for the County of Renfrew, as our Community Champion for June!
In her role, Gwen supports council, staff, and community partners through transparent governance. She oversees legislative processes, agendas, minutes, records, and privacy, helping keep County decision-making accessible and responsive.
Gwen is known for her people-first leadership and for helping residents and lower-tier municipalities better understand the County of Renfrew’s governance and advocacy work. She values strong relationships, open communication, and continuous improvement in making local government clearer, more responsive, and more connected.
Earlier this month, Gwen shared her experiences with municipal leaders from across Ontario during a presentation at the AMCTO Conference, where she discussed practical strategies for modernizing governance, improving transparency, and supporting more effective council operations. Her willingness to share lessons learned and real-world insights continues to help other clerks and local government leaders navigating similar challenges.
When asked what good governance means to her, Gwen shared: “Good governance is about building trust, developing and following processes that work, serving the community, and providing the tools, reports, and information needed to support clear, informed decisions. It also means recognizing there is always room for improvement and being open to change.”
Congratulations to Gwen on this well-deserved honor!
Name: Sha Fields
Title: Coordinator of Board Governance
Organization: Riverview Gardens School District
Congratulations to Sha Fields, our February Community Champion! With over 20 years of experience in education and community service, Sha has dedicated her career to making a meaningful impact in her district.
As the Coordinator of Board Governance for Riverview Gardens School District, she plays a key role in supporting her board by ensuring they have the tools and resources needed to make informed decisions and create brighter opportunities for the students and families in their community.
Sha believes that good governance means "creating the conditions for effective leadership and oversight, ensuring the board can positively impact the educational system they serve.”
Her leadership has been instrumental in helping to modernize governance processes for her district, first by implementing BoardDocs and later by successfully guiding her district through a seamless migration to Diligent Community.
Meet the Diligent People of Purpose 2025
Our People of Purpose series is a monthly program that highlights our Diligent Community team members who are here to support you. Each month, you’ll meet the friendly faces — both familiar and new — who work hard to help you reach your goals and make your experience better.
Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 streamlines meeting packet prep with Diligent Community
Modern Governance 100 honoree Shiona Nash is the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Education for Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8, which serves over 9,000 students. Creating board packets was a major source of stress and frustration for Nash. The manual process involved creating, printing and collating hundreds of pages of materials. Often, Nash would have to hand-deliver packets to each board member before the meeting and make last-minute edits that usually required full packet reprints. “I always told my coworkers that if there were one reason I would quit it would probably be because of the board packets,” Nash said. “Through Diligent, we’ve been able to increase our transparency with our community,” Nash said. “Our mission is to develop a generation of world-class learners, and Diligent helps us to achieve that mission — helping our board members to do their jobs to their fullest ability.”
