Kathy Hay earned her BA with a major in Psychology in 1998 — but it wasn’t a straight line from start to finish. Beginning her undergrad studies in 1979, she paused university to pursue a career in banking. Nearly 20 years later she completed her degree through Waterloo’s distance learning option. Now as a former banker, Kathy has brought a strategic and business lens to her roles in the not-for-profit charitable sector.
She is currently President and CEO of Kids Help Phone, leading the strategic direction and culture of Canada’s only national 24/7 bilingual e-mental health service for young people. Previously, she was President and CEO of Women’s College Hospital Foundation for which she was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence in 2017. She has also held senior roles at the University of Toronto, the University of Guelph, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Under Kathy’s leadership, Kids Help Phone counsellors and crisis responders had over 9 million interactions with youth across Canada since 2019.