Basketball Canada losing its president/CEO

MICHELE O’KEEFE MOVING ON

Canada Basketball is looking for a new boss.

The organization announced Wednesday that Michele O’Keefe is stepping down from her role as president/CEO on June 30. O’Keefe has accepted a position as associate director, athletics and recreation in her hometown of Welland, Ont.

O’Keefe has served as president/CEO of Canada Basketball since 2015 when she was promoted from her role as executive director. Under her watch, Canada’s women’s team advanced to the quarter-finals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, while the national men’s U19 squad won the World Cup last year in Italy.

“It’s a bittersweet day for all of us at Canada Basketball. The tremendous work Michele has done and the leadership she has provided over these past 7 1/2 years has so much to do with Canada’s rapid development on basketball’s world stage,” John Mills, cochair of the board of directors at Canada Basketbll, said in a statement.

“Canada Basketball will miss her leadership, but my hope and belief is that Michele will continue to be a significant player in the Canadian basketball community for a long time to come.”

O’Keefe also helped bring the FIBA Americas women’s championship to Edmonton in 2015 and led the charge to land next month’s FIBA U18 Americas Championship in St. Catharines, Ont.

“I’m very proud of the work we‚Äôve done at Canada Basketball,”O’Keefe said. “We set out with our strategic plan and we’ve made incredible progress against all of it. I want to thank the incredible staff and Board at Canada Basketball for their support, hard work and determination. Canada has taken many steps forward in basketball and we should all be excited for the future.”