Senior Advisor for Islanders with Complex Needs Experiencing Homelessness
In late 2023, the Government of PEI initiated a review of programs and services for vulnerable Islanders led by Carlene Donnelly.
Ms. Donnelly has spent the past 30 years as a senior leader in the social services sector. In 2003, she became CEO of CUPS and has led CUPS through significant change and growth, participated in high profile research and advocacy projects and has shared her learnings with audiences around the globe. Ms. Donnelly believes in a science-informed approach to improving outcomes for children, families and individuals and advocates for organizations to adopt a business framework and apply current brain science to achieve a larger impact. Under her leadership, CUPS has evolved from a traditional charity to a trailblazing, science-based social agency, capable of improving outcomes for generations to come.
Ms. Donnelly’s innovative approach using the practical application of business to increase the impact of the organization has yielded many significant advances. Some of her achievements include growing the budget from $600,000 to $18 million, executing three successful capital campaigns totaling over $25 million to accommodate this growth, securing contracts with provincial health systems to ensure comprehensive primary and specialist care for all CUPS, and expanding child development program to a two-generational model – aligned with current science – to ensure entire families are set up for long-term success. Because of her focus on reporting, CUPS began to develop program plans tied to demonstratable outcomes and put a data infrastructure in place that positioned CUPS to speak credibly about impact.
Ms. Donnelly completed a degree in Psychology at University of Prince Edward Island and later earned her MA in Education from the University of New Brunswick and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Among her other accolades, she’s trained in Coaching Skills and Change Management. Over the span of her career has worked to develop strategies surrounding the challenge of poverty for vulnerable citizens with every level of government, Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, the United Way’s Council of Champions, Alberta Family Wellness Initiative, and advisory committees at the University of Calgary. Throughout her career, Ms. Donnelly has been the recipient of many awards including the Inspiration Award, CARNA Partners in Health Award for non-profit leadership and poverty alleviation and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
In July 2024, the Government of PEI received a interim report that outlined recommendations to improve the system of care over the following six months and beyond. Much progress has been made on those recommendations.
The Government of PEI has received Ms. Donnelly's final report which outlines the recommended operational design for a model of care to address unmet needs of Islanders with complex needs and will be moving forward to create a model of care based on a distributed model that connects Islanders with complex needs to government and community supports.
The Government of PEI thanks the leadership of Ms. Donnelly and hard work of government staff and community partners to improve the system of care for Islanders with complex needs.