Toronto, ON (December 17, 2025) — CAMH Foundation is pleased to welcome Sara Byrnell as the new Chief Development Officer, effective January 5, 2026. In this newly created role, Sara will lead the national philanthropic strategy, major gift and corporate partnership efforts across the organization.
Sara is a senior fundraising and social impact leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing healthcare, international development, and philanthropic strategy both nationally and globally. Her background spans leadership roles at several world -renowned charitable organizations including SickKids Foundation, Plan International Canada, as well as Women’s College Hospital Foundation.
“Sara joins CAMH Foundation at a pivotal moment, as we work to grow our community and advance key priorities in mental health,” said Anne-Marie Newton, President & CEO of CAMH Foundation. “Our mission is clear: to help more people in Canada get the mental health care they need, when they need it. Sara’s proven ability to build strategic partnerships and mobilize donor support will help us harness philanthropy as a force for change and accelerate progress toward that goal.”
Most recently, Sara expanded her portfolio by joining KPMG Canada’s Family Office as Executive Director, where she led the national philanthropic advisory practice for high-net-worth clients, mobilizing more than $87 million for charities across Canada and helping clients align their wealth with high-impact philanthropic strategy.
Sara’s proven leadership will further strengthen CAMH Foundation’s commitment to building inclusive donor communities, stewarding long-term relationships, and designing philanthropic strategies that support the critical moment for Canada’s leading mental health hospital.
About CAMH Foundation
CAMH Foundation is charged with raising and stewarding funds in support of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada’s largest mental illness and addiction hospital. Since its inception, CAMH Foundation has raised over a billion dollars. We drive change for mental health by inspiring philanthropy that enables leading-edge care, research and education at CAMH. We are transforming the way we understand and address mental illness by raising awareness and increasing engagement in our community. Our generous and dedicated supporters help CAMH advance discovery and innovation, build spaces that promote recovery, and break down the stigma of mental illness. We are leading a movement that will create a society that believes mental health is health.
For more information please contact:
Isabella Kuscu
Communications Officer
CAMH Foundation
Isabella.kuscu@camh.ca
