Jennifer Gillivan

Jennifer Gillivan is President and CEO of the IWK Foundation. The Foundation is the primary fundraising and outreach partner of the IWK Health Centre in the East Coast of Canada.

Jennifer is a passionate champion for the rights and wellbeing of Children and Women and is Co-Founder and Past Chair of the Board of Directors of Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations, one of the largest funders of children’s health in Canada. Jennifer has led her team to historic fundraising results and has also led the organization to become a member of The Women’s Health Collective. Jennifer is a seasoned executive leader, passionate and motivational speaker and contributor to her community and country.

Jennifer has received both regional and national recognition for her work, she was awarded by Waterstone Capital as the “Most Admired CEO in a Social Profit Organization” in Canada. Jennifer was inducted into the Atlantic Business Magazine Business Hall of Fame, and she was recognized as one of the most powerful Atlantic Canadian Businesswomen. Jennifer received the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant award, Halifax Chamber Business Person of the Year and many other national and regional awards. Jennifer is a board member of the Frank H Sobey for Excellence in Business Awards Board of Trustees and is past Co-Chair of the Sobey national mental health partnership and currently the Chair of Governance & Nominations for CCHF Board of Directors. Jennifer was appointed in 2016 – 2018 by the Prime Minister of Canada to serve on the Independent Advisory Board for Senate appointments representing Nova Scotia and she has served on many local and national boards over the years.

Jennifer is dedicated to ending the unconscious bias towards women’s healthcare and research and making real and sustainable change for women and for future generations.