Micaela Hachey, a Behaviour Intervention Mentor with a school district in Miramichi, NB, is the kind of person who makes you feel seen the moment you meet her. Whether she’s coaxing a nervous student to try again, cheering on a rookie rugby player, or steadying a paddleboard for a hesitant first-timer, she radiates the kind of calm confidence that says, “You’ve got this, and I’ve got you.” Her career is built on advocacy, resilience, and the belief that everyone deserves to feel seen and supported.
In 2013, Micaela graduated from New Brunswick Community College’s (NBCC) Personal Support Worker program. Like many new graduates, she was unsure where her career would lead, but one thing was clear: she wanted to help people. “My instructors pushed me past the limits I thought I had,” she reflects. That encouragement set her on a path defined by empathy, patience, and resilience, qualities that inspired her to pursue further education at university and, in time, opened the doors to Micaela’s career and community work where she’s actively involved with the well-being of youth.
As a Behaviour Intervention Mentor, Micaela advocates for students who may be struggling in or outside the classroom. She focuses on uncovering the root of behaviours and creating proactive supports that set students up for long-term success. This work is built on trust and persistence, and the results are transformative.
Her office reflects Micaela’s spirit. A mirror tattooed with positive affirmations greets every student who steps inside, and the room vibrates with comfort. Micaela’s space encourages young people to breathe, to try, and to see themselves differently.
One story still moves her. “I had a student who was barely attending school and sent home before noon almost every day,” Micaela reflects. “Together, we built trust by learning what he liked—we played pool quite often, and slowly his resilience to be in school grew. At first, he couldn’t even look in the mirror in my classroom and say a single positive affirmation about himself. By the end, he was bringing other kids in and teaching them how to say affirmations. It was enough to build that connection where he trusted me to look out for his best interest.”
Micaela knows that growth never comes from a single formula. Some days it begins with a quiet conversation, other days with a game of pool, laughter spilling across the room as trust slowly builds.
But Micaela’s impact doesn’t stop when the school day ends. She pours the same energy into her community, leading initiatives that create belonging and opportunity. When she introduced Girls on Boards to Miramichi, she brought with it a chance for girls to leave behind their phones, find balance on paddleboards, and gain confidence in themselves. Some arrive trembling, even in tears; by the end, they’ve fully embraced being on the water.
Micaela also revitalized the local Slammin’ Salmon Rugby Club, guiding it from a small restart to a thriving, multi-level program where more than 100 kids now play weekly, alongside senior men’s and women’s teams. Her leadership also inspired the team’s pajama drive, a grassroots initiative that delivers comfort to hospital patients across the community.
The transformation in participants, both on the water and the field, is visceral. Where insecurity once sat like a heavy jacket, confidence becomes a lighter layer.
Through her career and volunteer commitments, Micaela has built a reputation for showing up where she’s needed most. What ties it all together is her philosophy on leadership: “It’s about being the best version of yourself and encouraging others to push their limits, too.”
This year, Micaela stands as a 2025 Alumni Recognition Award recipient, celebrated for what she has accomplished and for what she inspires others to believe they can do. The Awards honour graduates who transform lives and communities, and Micaela embodies that mission wholeheartedly. She has built bridges between education and community, between sport and self-worth, and between challenge and confidence.
For the students who find courage in her office, the families who gather on the sidelines, and the girls who paddle into new confidence, Micaela’s journey is a reminder that one person’s career can ripple outward and lift a whole community along the way.
NBCC’s Robertson Institute for Community Leadership proudly supports our communities through the Community Engagement Fund. Thanks to this initiative, a $250 donation has been made in Micaela’s honour to a non-profit organization of her choice, New Tide Partners in Action Inc. in Miramichi, NB.