My job as Executive Director at Orchard is to ensure that our ministry is best positioned to serve as many people as possible, as effectively as possible, for as long as possible. Our critical mission demands that! So, I’m writing today to share some changes we have made to ensure Orchard remains strong and effective for years to come.

After five years of serving on our team in Communications, Bradley Tomlinson and I decided to shift him to the Development Director role two years ago. It was a chance for career growth for him and he did some great work in that time. But, as time went on, we sensed the need for an experienced fundraising professional to join our team. At the same time, we saw many opportunities to expand the awareness of Orchard’s work through focused marketing and communications efforts. We needed to bring on a new team member for fundraising, and we also needed to redirect an existing team member to focus on his area of expertise. So, we decided that Bradley would return to his role as Communications Director, where he can concentrate on improving our marketing strategies, enhancing messaging, and increasing awareness of our ministry.

After that shift was decided, our team began focusing on hiring a new Development Director. We wanted someone with deep fundraising experience who could lead Orchard’s fundraising efforts with a focus on engaging new donors, expanding foundation grants, and better inspiring all of you – the donors who have invested in us for so many years! I received fifty-nine applications from various channels for this role but one of them stood far above the rest: Ms. Cindy LeBlanc. Cindy has worked in a variety of fundraising roles for over two decades! She brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and energy to our team and I’m confident she is going to take us to the next level in fund development.

I’m excited for you to get to know Cindy more in the months ahead. I’m grateful to God that we have such a seasoned, skilled leader like Bradley overseeing our communications efforts. Orchard will be thirty years old on January 9, 2026. As we move closer and closer to that point, I can’t help but to get excited thinking about the next thirty years. Greater things are yet to come! We are so grateful to have you on the team!

– Jonathan Goode