Who We Are

Council of Champions

The Council of Champions includes Canada’s leading voices for children’s rights and well-being. This diverse group of leaders from across the country speaks as a united voice for children in Canada, working together to urgently drive action through public awareness-raising, public policy influence, research and public engagement. The council also provides guidance on the strategic direction and priorities for Children First Canada, and the members act as champions for specific projects and activities that promote the well-being of children in Canada.

Dr. Shimi Kang

Founder of Dolphin Kids: Future-Ready Leaders, CEO of Spark, and host of the YouTube show; Mental Wealth with Dr. Shimi Kang

Pamela Fuselli

MSc, President & CEO, Parachute

Michael Ungar

Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience

Katie Taylor

Chair of RBC and Former Chair of SickKids Foundation

Bruce Squires

President, McMaster Children’s Hospital

Lori Spadorcia

Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, Partnerships and Chief Strategy Officer, CAMH

Ariel Siller

CEO, Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation

Dr. Holden Sheffield

Chief of Pediatrics and General Pediatrician, Qikiqtani General Hospital, Iqaluit, Nunavut

Rhiannon Rosalind

President & CEO, Economic Club of Canada

Alex Munter

President & CEO, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre

Krista Jangaard

CEO, IWK Health Centre

Julia Hanigsberg

CEO, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Christine Hampson

President & CEO, The Sandbox Project

Mary Jo Haddad

Chancellor of the University of Windsor, Former President & CEO of SickKids, Member of the Board of Directors of TELUS

Dr. Michael Kobor

Professor, Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia

Debbie Field

Debbie Field, Coordinator, Coalition for Healthy School Food, and Associate Member, Centre for Studies in Food Security, Toronto Metropolitan University

Irwin Elman

Former Ontario Child Advocate, Global Strategic Champion, Until The Last Child

Dr. Ronald Cohn

President & CEO, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

Leah Zille

Executive Director, The Treehouse (Vancouver Child and Youth Advocacy Centre)