Catherine Anastakis is a skilled and experienced consultant and facilitator with over 18 years experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Catherine provides senior-level expertise in the areas of strategy development and strategic planning, board governance, and organizational effectiveness and has experience in a range of policy areas including health, education and financial services. She specializes in working with clients to build effective strategies and collaborative solutions to their most challenging problems.
Catherine has designed and facilitated successful strategic planning processes for a wide range of clients in the private, public and non-profit sectors including Rouge Valley Health System Foundation, UNICEF Canada, the Ontario Medical Association, VHA Home Healthcare and numerous credit unions. Catherine recently spent two years at the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), first as Strategic Planning Advisor to develop the LHIN’s first Integrated Health Service Plan for Toronto and lead on the Mental Health and Addictions portfolio, and then as a Senior Integration Consultant responsible for the planning and integration of health services for seniors.
In addition to strategy development, Catherine has worked with many Boards of Directors to improve their governance effectiveness. She understands very well how a high performing board should function and the critical contribution that effective governance makes to the well-being and success of an organization. Past clients include the United Way of Greater Toronto, the United Way of Peel Region, The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation and Meridian Credit Union.
Catherine’s background also includes seven years’ experience as a government relations and communications consultant, and three years as a fundraiser for the Canadian Opera Company.
Catherine has a B.A. (Honours) and a Master of Public Administration, both from Queen’s University. She is an active volunteer at her children’s schools and in various community organizations. She currently serves as a Board member and Chair of the Board Development Committee of the Canadian Mental Health Association (Toronto), where she is providing Board leadership for a number of governance improvement initiatives and development of a new strategic plan.