Marni Flaherty

Alumni of Distinction Award Recipient
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Marni Flaherty

Alumni of Distinction

Marni Flaherty

Award Category
Community Services
Award Year
Program of Study
Early Childhood Education
Graduation Year

Deeply committed to serving the needs of families and children in the Hamilton and Halton regions, Marni Flaherty is the Chief Executive Officer of Today’s Family – Caring for Your Child. Under Marni’s leadership, Today’s Family has grown from a small agency with a $500,000 budget and few staff to a major social service agency, with a budget of $7.5 million delivering programs and services to over 3,000 children and families each year. Today’s Family is a “centre of excellence” in child care in Ontario operating high quality child care centres, licensed home day care and family resource centres.

Marni has been instrumental in the evolution of Today’s Family – Caring for Your Child. Her creativity, passion and dedication to the well-being of families and children are evident in the breadth of the agency’s “Milestones of Development”. Her career has embraced a wide range of community-based programs, with a special focus on developing creative models of child care, improving coordination of family services, increasing access to licensed home-care, ensuring accreditation of caregivers and enhancing availability of centre-based care, day camps and after school programs.

Marni graduated in 1982 as an Early Childhood Educator. On the strong foundation provided by her education at Mohawk College, Marni has fashioned a remarkable career and a lasting legacy for the families and children of Hamilton and Halton regions. Her education at Mohawk continued as she earned an Ontario Skills Management Certificate in 1988. Marni has ensured that her professional skills remain current through undergraduate course work at McMaster University, and professional development workshops through Dellcrest, the Home Child Care Association of Ontario and the Association of Early Childhood Education of Ontario.

Marni is an active participant in numerous community initiatives designed to improve the lives of children.

Marni Flaherty also received an Ontario Premier's Award in the Community Services category in 2006.

Learn more about Marni Flaherty's career journey