OTTAWA.- The National Gallery of Canada Foundation announced the appointment of Barbara Stead-Coyle as the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer. She will take the helm on November 16, 2020.
Ms. Stead-Coyle brings fifteen years of executive experience in the non-profit healthcare sector and has held senior leadership roles in the areas of fundraising, strategic planning and management, strategic partnerships, and donor, board and government relations.
Most recently, Ms. Stead-Coyle was CEO of Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) where she led a national team in fund development, research development, program/service delivery and advocacy. She was responsible for transformational restructuring which resulted in increased mission spending, reduced costs, and streamlined operations nationwide. Her focus on building research capacity and increased advocacy ensured MDC had a voice on critical matters including drug shortages, clinical trials and more support for the MDC community. She also served on the Board of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada, and the Patient Advisory Committee with the Canadian Institute of Health Research.
Ms. Stead-Coyle served previously as the National Vice President of Annual Development with the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), where she worked to standardize and align their $50 Million annual revenue portfolio including Relay for Life, direct response, special events and the well-known Daffodil Campaign. She held CEO roles at the Nova Scotia Division of CCS, leading the division to receiving the Charity Intelligence 4-star rating, and at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation. While with the Nova Scotia Division of CCS she led a successful campaign to ban flavoured tobacco, including menthol, making Nova Scotia the first jurisdiction in the world to introduce such progressive legislation.
A dynamic, personable and inspirational leader with a collaborative management style and genuine passion for the arts, Ms. Stead-Coyle holds both Bachelor and Master degrees in Music (Voice) from McGill University and performed as a professional singer and actress for several years.
Ms. Stead-Coyle’s leadership experience is warmly welcomed. “Barbara brings a breadth of CEO experience leading strategic transformations nationally and regionally, as well as strong fundraising impact. We welcome the combined experience and an engaging approach with her deeply rooted interest in supporting the arts and the vision of the National Gallery of Canada” says Foundation Board Chair, Ann Bowman.
“We welcome Barbara Stead-Coyle to the National Gallery of Canada at a pivotal time in its history. As we embark on our first ever Strategic Plan, we know she will help us realize some of our most important goals, including increase diversity, engaging with our community, and sharing the visual arts here in the national capital region and across the country,” said Director & CEO of the National Gallery of Canada, Dr. Sasha Suda.
Founded in 1997, The National Gallery of Canada Foundation is a not-for-profit registered charity. Composed of a volunteer Board of Directors, its primary mission is to cultivate support in Canada and abroad, to raise capital and to manage and grow an endowment for the benefit of the National Gallery of Canada. The Foundation benefits from the support of its Distinguished Patrons initiative, launched in 2005. Through their financial support and donations, the patrons who hail from all parts of Canada contribute to the Gallery’s collections and exhibitions. In 2009, the Foundation launched the American Friends of the National Gallery of Canada to facilitate the support of art patrons living in the United States.
