New board Chair for the GFCF

The board and staff of the GFCF are delighted to announce that Ian Bird has been appointed as the new Chair of its board.

Ian will already be well known to many in the GFCF network, as at the end of 2019 he concluded a decade of collaboration with philanthropic networks and community foundations in Canada and around the world, including roles as the President and CEO of Community Foundations of Canada and Executive Director of the Rideau Hall Foundation. Ian has been a close ally to the GFCF for many years. He was a driving force behind the significant Canadian delegation that attended the 2016 Global Summit on Community Philanthropy in Johannesburg, and has since played a key role in spreading the #ShiftThePower message to colleagues in Canada and beyond.

Ian takes on the role of Chair following the term of Rita Thapa, who has held the position since 2017. As Rita passes the mantle to Ian, they offer their thoughts:

“The board is delighted with Ian’s appointment, and I personally look forward to working with him in doing this work that has become even more valuable in our present world! As a Nepali women, I feel privileged to continue serving on the GFCF board, and would like to take this opportunity to thank the GFCF team – both the board and staff – for their thoughtfulness and dedication, and for the support they provided me during my term as Chair.” – Rita Thapa

“First and foremost, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Rita for her leadership and care. The board is enormously appreciative of the critical role she has played, guiding the GFCF over the past four years. Looking forward, the GFCF remains committed to the #ShiftThePower movement, and to supporting broader efforts in this regard – particularly as we all grapple with the inequities of the global pandemic, and as the importance of shifting resources and power to local actors is further underlined.” – Ian Bird