Community Campaign Cabinet

Dave Leonard

Chair, Community Campaign Cabinet
Partner & Chief Executive Officer
McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Dave Leonard is the Chief Executive Officer of McCarthy Tétrault, one of Canada’s leading national law firms with more than 700 lawyers in Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, Vancouver, Quebec City, New York and London (UK). Leonard has over 20 years of experience as a litigator. He received his LLB from the University of Western Ontario in 1992 and was called to the Ontario bar in 1994. Dave practised in McCarthy Tétrault’s litigation group, representing a wide range of clients, and in 2012, he was appointed National Practice Group Leader for litigation before assuming the role of CEO in 2016.

Leonard has been recognized for his leadership and support of D&I initiatives and was named Senior Executive of the Year (Eastern Region) by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion in 2019. The firm also founded its Inclusion Now program under his leadership, which is dedicated to diversity, inclusion and corporate social responsibility. The first-of-its-kind in the Canadian legal profession, the program has achieved tremendous results and industry recognition, earning back-to-back Diversity Initiative of the Year honours at the Canadian Law Awards, including one for its Anti-Racism Strategy in 2021.

Lisa Gonsalves

Chair, Board of Trustees
The Regional Municipality of York

Lisa is an accomplished public sector professional who has led countless human services and policy initiatives over her 30-year career.

For more than 20 years, Lisa has worked for York Region in multiple positions which included working in the Regional Clerk’s office and in the Office of the Chairman and CEO and was the Director of the Strategies and Partnerships Branch of the Community and Health Services department, for 9 years, where she oversaw community investment allocations, strategic social policy, research and analysis, and strategic communications. In her role as Director, she led the development of the Region’s newcomer and seniors strategies and the Inclusion Charter which received international recognition from United Nations Institute for Training and Research. In 2019, she took on the role of General Manager, Paramedic and Seniors Services, where she now provides operational oversight for paramedic services and the Region’s two long-term care homes.

Lisa has also worked for the provincial government in a variety of roles including at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Ministry of Community and Social Services, the cabinet office providing support to the Premier’s Office, and with the management board.

Lisa has a B.A. in public policy and administration and a M.A. in political science.

Damon Williams

Chair, Major Individual Giving Cabinet
Chief Executive Officer
RBC Global Asset Management

Damon Williams is CEO of RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM), the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and sits on the Boards of Directors for RBC GAM’s legal entities in Canada, the UK and the US. He is also a member of RBC’s Wealth Management & Insurance Operating Committee. RBC GAM invests over $500 billion for individuals and institutions, primarily from offices in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia.

Damon joined Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management (PH&N IM) in 2005 as an institutional portfolio manager specialized in fixed income. PH&I IM became part of RBC GAM after being acquired by RBC in 2008. Damon then served as head of the institutional business globally and as President of PH&N IM (the institutional asset management business in Canada), before becoming CEO of the global business in 2015. His previous experience includes leading the global and Canadian investment consulting practices at a large multinational insurance, risk management, and human capital consulting firm.

Damon is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA), a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.

Damon is also a member of the Strategic Development Subcommittee of the United Way of Greater Toronto, and on the Board of Directors of CIFAR.