Cyndy Palleske

Executive Director
T: 705 486 5548 | Email:  

Cyndy joined CFEO in 2022 and has strong roots in Eastern Ontario. She is passionate about supporting businesses and economic growth, leveraging over 3 decades of senior executive experience in the manufacturing and non-profit sectors. She is committed to driving regional and provincial economic initiatives. She has served previously as a volunteer board director for Community Futures Peterborough, and is currently a director on the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council (EOLC) board. Her combined background and experiences across multiple sectors gives Cyndy unique insight into developing strong partnerships and helping businesses grow through connections with regional, provincial, and federal support systems.

Michelle Cathers

SOFII Program Manager
T: 705 486 5557 | Email:  

Michelle Cathers has been the SOFII Program Manager with Community Futures Eastern Ontario since June 2017. She is well versed in Commercial Lending and managing client relationships, having gained significant experience from her previous 11-year tenure at CF Peterborough. She is a knowledge expert in the business funding ecosystem and passionate about helping companies and entrepreneurs succeed.

Leslie Worsfold

Office Administrator/Bookkeeper
T: 705 486 5549 | Email:

Leslie brings extensive experience in Bookkeeping/Office Administration from varied sectors where she was able to contribute to not only the day-to-day operation but the overall financial health of the businesses as part of a strong management team. Leslie attended Fleming College at the beginning of her career and very excited to have returned to the area in 2022 and made Peterborough her home.

Erica Tripp

Marketing and Communications
T: 705 486 5551 | Email:  

Erica is an experienced digital marketer with a passion for design and events and enjoys building lasting relationships with the small-medium businesses and CFDCs we assist across Southeastern Ontario.

Each CFDC is a community-based, not-for-profit organization governed by a board of local volunteers. They are dedicated to helping small and medium sized businesses access services and capital, as well as enhancing their community’s economic and employment growth through community-based planning and economic development initiatives. Through FedDev Ontario, the Government of Canada provides funding, advice and support. There are 60 CFDCs across Ontario and 267 CFDCs across rural Canada.

CFDCs Offer the Following Services:

• Strategic community planning and socio-economic development
• Support for community-based projects
• Business Services and Counselling
• Business Loans up to $150,000 ($300,000 on exception)

Please contact your local CFDC office or click here for a complete listing of CFDC offices throughout Eastern Ontario.

The Eastern Ontario CFDC Network is pleased to announce that St. Lawrence College will receive up to $292,000 for a labour force development project to create and sustain a Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Simulation.

Without EODP funding, NobleGen would never had the opportunity to move to the next stage.

The funding and management support that we have received from South Lake CFDC was instrumental in getting this community based project up and running.