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Jennifer Gillivan named recipient of 2023 Canada’s Most Admired CEO™ in the Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector 

IWK Foundation logo           waterstone most admired CEO logo

For Immediate Release 

Halifax, NS, November 23, 2023 – Waterstone Human Capital, Canada’s leading cultural talent advisory firm, has named Jennifer Gillivan, President & CEO, IWK Foundation a 2023 Canada’s Most Admired CEO™ in the Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector as part of the Canada’s Most Admired™ Program.  

“The 2023 Canada’s Most Admired award recipients exemplify how culture drives performance, especially in the face of economic uncertainty and other recruitment and retention challenges,” says Marty Parker, President and CEO of Waterstone Human Capital and Chair of the Canada’s Most Admired™ program. “This year’s winners are leveraging culture to drive growth and success and in today’s highly competitive talent market through the acquisition, retention, and optimization of high-performance leaders, teams, and corporate cultures.”  

This award honours the country’s most admired CEOs—those who recognize culture isn’t just connected to performance; it drives performance in a way that cannot be achieved through other means. Award winners are recognized in five categories including Enterprise, Mid-Market, Growth, Emerging, and the Non-Profit and Broader Public Sector. 

“Jennifer is a fearless leader, tireless supporter and a true advocate for the health and well-being of our Maritime women, children and families. In all of Jennifer’s work with the IWK Foundation and beyond, she sets an example of passion, dedication, and commitment that is to be both admired and emulated,” says Wendy Griffin, Chair, IWK Foundation Board of Trustees. “On behalf of the IWK Foundation and its Board of Trustees, we are so proud that Jennifer is being recognized with this tremendous national honour.” 

Jennifer joined the IWK Foundation in 2012 and together with her amazing team, has worked diligently to ensure access to world-class health care for Maritime women and children. They also played a critical role in the creation of Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF) of which the IWK Foundation is a proud co-owner. Jennifer recently concluded her term as Chair of this national organization that has grown to be the single largest non-government funder of children’s health in Canada.  

“I am deeply grateful for the honour of this award which I accept on behalf of the IWK Foundation team and our generous community of donors,” says Jennifer Gillivan. “Together we are creating a profound impact on the lives of Maritime patients and families while building a legacy of exceptional health care for generations, both now and for years to come.” 

“This year’s winning leaders and organizations actively craft culture in alignment with their purpose and values every day, and help drive culture as competitive advantage,” continues Parker. “On behalf of Waterstone Human Capital and our partners, we look forward to celebrating this year’s winners and the impact culture is having on their success.”  

For more information, please visit waterstonehc.com or canadasmostadmired.com 

 

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About Waterstone Human Capital  

At Waterstone, we inspire organizations to build high performance teams and cultures. We are a leading cultural talent management professional services firm working with entrepreneurial minded, high-growth organizations that see culture as their single greatest asset. We support organizations in unleashing the power of their corporate culture to drive growth and performance through our best-in-class executive search and recruitment practice; and the Waterstone Culture Institute, a proven resource for organizations looking for culture transformation, culture measurement and advisory, leadership assessment, and leadership and team development services. Waterstone is also the founder of the Canada’s Most Admired Awards programs. These national programs annually recognize best-in-class Canadian organizations, CEOs, and Chief People and Culture Officers for fostering cultures that enhance performance and help sustain a competitive advantage.  

About the IWK Foundation 

The IWK Foundation is a champion of excellence in women's and children's health and medicine and works in partnership with IWK Health to support their vision of providing quality care to women, children, youth and families in the Maritime Provinces and beyond. Our donors are passionately committed to making a difference for Maritime families, contributing over $19.4 million in support of the most urgent care priorities at the IWK last year. Funds raised also support the IWK's global leadership in research and knowledge sharing, which in turn improves lives worldwide. Visit www.iwkfoundation.org for more information. 

For media inquiries: 

Robyn Levy, Program Manager – Most Admired Awards 
647-505-4536 
rlevy@waterstonehc.com  

Sarah Greening, IWK Foundation
902-266-3306 
sarah.greening@iwkfoundation.org