Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation

Jennifer Ritter is the President & CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation in Newmarket, Ontario. She brings her vast legal and business experience to the Southlake Foundation, specifically in strategic and business planning, cultivating corporate alliances, individual philanthropy, and government funding. Prior to her arrival at Southlake Foundation, Jennifer was President and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Canada (MAWC) for over ten years, where she led collaborative strategic visioning and planning initiatives that created transformative growth within the foundation. In addition to her work with MAWC, Jennifer has previously served as executive director of two holocaust and human rights education organizations. Jennifer started her career as a practicing lawyer in Toronto, Calgary, and Ottawa, focusing on employment and labour law. She has a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and a Bachelor of Arts from Western University. Additionally, she holds executive leadership and management certificates from both the Ivey Business School at Western University and Harvard Business School. Lesley Ring is Chief Development Officer at the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation, following five years of service as Vice President, Major Gifts and Campaigns. Lesley leads a dedicated team of fundraisers and works in partnership with distinguished leadership volunteers and a world class clinical team to inspire investment in Southlake. Previously, Lesley had the privilege of working in the fight against cancer for 17 years in progressive positions at the Canadian Cancer Society, National Office and Ontario Division. As Vice President, Development and Marketing for the Ontario Division, Lesley led a comprehensive and diverse development portfolio from annual and community giving to major and planned gifts while advancing the Society’s brand and mission reach. Lesley has also enjoyed additional experiences in the public and private sectors but firmly set her sights on a career in the charity sector following her first fundraising role as a Sponsorship Officer with the British Council in London, UK, managing sponsorship campaigns for international projects. The opportunity to make a real difference every day proved galvanizing then and prevails to this day. Lesley is proud to support the next generation of fundraisers as a member of the Program Advisory Committee for the Fundraising Management at Humber College. She holds an Honours BA from Queen’s University and an MA in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Working together with their community networks, the Philanthropy Cabinet is a group of ambassadors committed to helping Southlake improve the health of our communities and keep pace with advancements in technology so the patients we serve can trust they will receive the best possible care at our hospital, when they need it most. Our Physicians’ Council is a group of Southlake’s medical staff who generously volunteer their time to offer valuable insight into our hospital’s needs, challenges, opportunities and impact on health care in our communities. Providing first-hand accounts of the impact that directly affects them and their colleagues every day, these ambassadors and advocates are instrumental in inspiring our donors to invest in the future of Southlake.