TORONTO, March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kids Help Phone (KHP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Rebecca Shields as President and Chief Executive Officer of KHP, effective March 9, 2026, and Aaron Sanderson as President and Chief Executive Officer of KHP Foundation.
These executive appointments mark a momentous milestone in the organization’s evolution and is announced alongside the reappointment of Tracy C. Sandler as Chair of KHP’s Board of Directors and the appointment of Paul Griffith as the inaugural Chair of KHP Foundation’s Board of Directors.
KHP Appoints Mental Health Champion to Continue Scaling Impact
Shields is a highly respected leader in Canada’s mental health sector, bringing more than 25 years of executive experience rooted in impact, scale, and equity. For the past 13 years, she has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe, where she significantly scaled the organization’s impact and improved mental health access for vulnerable populations by expanding the organization’s workforce from 65 to more than 350 employees, as well as the organization’s budget from $8 million to $50 million. Since 2018, Shields has held a position on the Board of Directors at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
As an authentic, values-driven leader with deep operational expertise, proven scalability and a strong equity lens, Shields’ work is grounded in youth mental health, community impact, and continuous innovation, making her uniquely positioned to lead KHP into its next era.
"I am honoured to join KHP and champion the organization’s important purpose and promise to young people in Canada, especially as young people in Canada are navigating so many new challenges alongside so much uncertainty and stress,” said Shields. “I am eager to work alongside colleagues across the country to accelerate programs and services, research, innovation, and advance the Feel Out Loud movement to remind young people that every feeling matters.”
Sandler joined KHP’s Board of Directors in 2020 and has served as Chair since 2024. A highly respected legal professional, she is a Partner at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and a longtime supporter of KHP. Her relationship with KHP began in 1991 when she served as one of the original legal counsel working with the organization’s founding partners. Most recently, Sandler has provided valuable oversight to the organization during the CEO recruitment process and launch of KHP Foundation.
Susan Morris, who has served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of KHP, will transition to Interim Group Head and Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations following the appointment of Shields as President and Chief Executive Officer of KHP.
“On behalf of the KHP Board of Directors, I extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to Susan for her steady leadership in her interim role,” said Sandler. “Susan’s exceptional impact and unwavering support for youth mental health spans decades, having spent nearly 30 years at KHP, almost as long as the organization has existed.”
KHP Foundation Appoints Visionary Inaugural Leadership
On January 1, Sanderson was appointed as the inaugural President and Chief Executive Officer of KHP Foundation after joining KHP in 2020 as Group Head and Executive Vice President, Advancement and Donor Experience to lead the organization’s fundraising efforts which doubled under his leadership. As an internationally recognized philanthropic leader with more than 18 years of experience supporting children and youth, Sanderson’s new mandate will include shaping the strategy of KHP Foundation while accelerating fundraising capacity to ultimately expand KHP’s impact and reach more young people in Canada.
“Everything KHP does is focused on our purpose and promise to unlock the hope young people need to thrive in their world,” said Sanderson. “For nearly four decades, KHP has been the safe and trusted space for young people to share their feelings 24/7, and the extraordinary, inaugural team at KHP Foundation will help propel our collective impact forward to support youth mental health which is the most pressing challenge facing youth in Canada today.”
As the newly appointed Chair of KHP Foundation, Griffith brings deep governance expertise, a strong entrepreneurial lens, and a longstanding commitment to advancing youth mental health in Canada. Having served on the KHP Board of Directors since 2018, Griffith is a visionary social entrepreneur having founded Over the Edge Global which has raised more than $165 million for countless important causes.
KHP and KHP Foundation to Advance Youth Mental Health in Canada
In 2025, KHP announced the search for a new leader following the appointment of the organization’s former President and Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Hay, to serve in the Senate of Canada. The organization also announced the launch of KHP Foundation, a national youth mental health foundation designed to advance fundraising capacity and long-term sustainability. KHP Foundation and KHP will operate as two distinct but connected entities—an evolution that allows each organization to focus deeply on its core mandate while working seamlessly together to support more young people, in more ways, across Canada.
KHP and KHP Foundation are also pleased to announce the esteemed members of the Boards of Directors for both entities.
KHP Board of Directors:
- Tracy C. Sandler, Chair
Partner, Insolvency and Restructuring, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
- Jennifer Publicover, Vice Chair
Group Head, RBC Insurance
- Carole Shankaruk, Vice Chair
Indigenous Education Coordinator, Mountain View School Division
- Neil Manji, Treasurer
Partner, PwC – National Energy, Utilities, and Resources and Industrials and Services Leader
- Doug Nathanson, Secretary
Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer and General Counsel of Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc.
- Brian Ross, Honourary Past Chair
Chief Executive Officer, Jackman Reinvents
- Rebecca Shields, Ex-officio (effective March 9)
President and Chief Executive Officer, KHP
- Tonie Chaltas
Chief Executive Officer, Achēv
- Greg Karpel (effective March 10)
Managing Director and Canadian Practice Co-head, Alvarez & Marsal
- John McNain
Head, North American Retail and Small Business Payments, BMO
- Margaret Stuart
Corporate Director, Software Executive, Executive Advisor
- Anjana Sudharshan
Co-Chair, National Youth Council, KHP
- Mark Taylor
President and Chief Executive Officer, Lactalis Canada Inc.
- Charmaine C. Williams
Dean and Professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto
- Jeremy Wilmot
President and Chief Executive Officer, Interac Corporation
KHP Foundation Board of Directors:
- Paul Griffith, Chair
Founder, Over the Edge Global
- Tony Cugliari, Secretary
VP, Legal Affairs & General Counsel, Lactalis Canada
- Lianne Hannaway, Treasurer
Founder, WealthNuvo Financial
- Claire Gillies, Past Chair
Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Division, BT Group
- Aaron Sanderson, Ex-officio
President & Chief Executive Officer, KHP Foundation
- Mark Cecchetto
Business Executive Officer, Ice Cream, Nestlé Canada
- Mona Hunter
Chair, Converge Mental Health & Strategic Advisor, Hunter Family Foundation
- Brian Levine
Founder & President, Envision Sports & Entertainment
- Lesley Marks
Chief Investment Officer, Equities, Mackenzie Investments
- Matt McGowan
SVP, Business Solutions, Bell Media
- Linda Schuyler
Chief Executive Officer, Skystone Media Inc.; Co-Creator & Executive Producer, Degrassi
Kids Help Phone and Kids Help Phone Foundation
Kids Help Phone (KHP) is Canada’s only free, national, 24/7, multilingual and confidential e- mental health service for youth to get help and Feel Out Loud. KHP Foundation inspires generosity and raises funds across Canada to deliver on KHP’s promise to youth. Together, KHP and KHP Foundation unlock the hope young people need to thrive in their world by scaling access to support, advancing equity and accelerating innovation so youth can always Feel Out Loud and get trustworthy help for any feeling or issue, big or small. Help means everything at KidsHelpPhone.ca.
Media Contact:
Nicole Danesi
Senior Director, Strategic Storytelling and Communications
media@kidshelpphone.ca
