Nathan Townend Biography

Nathan lives down a gravel road on the far southwest corner of Amherst Island, in the heart of Lake Ontario, with his partner Peggy, their dog, two cats, and 20 Bielefelder hens. Nathan first moved to the Island to work as a herdsperson for a family dairy operation and later rented a 75-acre farm where he has bred registered Jersey cattle, and currently hobby farms. Nathan also leads a small congregation as a lay preacher.

First elected to AMO Rural Caucus in 2024, Nathan is passionate about rural Ontario and comes with a broad range of municipal experience. Elected in 2018 as the councillor for Ward 1, Amherst Island, and then as deputy mayor of Loyalist Township in 2022, Nathan has also served two consecutive terms as Warden of the County of Lennox and Addington and was vice chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC). Nathan is also currently the chair of the board for Southeast Public Health, a recently merged health unit serving half a million citizens in Eastern Ontario. 

Nathan holds a Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) jointly from Saint Paul University & The University of Ottawa, an MA from Queen’s, and is currently completing his Masters of Political Management (MPM) at Carleton University. 

Recently hired as the director of communications and community development for the County of Lennox and Addington, Nathan is poised to contribute a unique blend of elected and professional experience to his work with AMO and ROMA, such as training and hands on experience in strategic communications, policy, government relations and advocacy. Nathan ardently hopes to continue playing a role in strengthening rural Ontario’s voice on the AMO and ROMA boards.