KBRS is pleased to have assisted Canadian Mental Health Association-NL in the appointment of Dr. Chandra Kavanagh as the new CEO. Additional details can be found in the recent appointment notice below.
Dr. Chandra Kavanagh appointed as CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association-NL
CMHA-NL is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Chandra Kavanagh to the position of Chief Executive Officer.
An experienced leader and academic, Dr. Kavanagh brings to CMHA-NL a range of deep experience and skills to support CMHA-NL’s growth plans, including organization effectiveness, program delivery, fund development, human resource management and financial planning. Known for her engaging and strong leadership approach, she has led diverse teams to great achievement. Dr. Kavanagh also brings to the team demonstrated success with significant fundraising campaigns stewarding multi-million-dollar budgets.
Dr. Kavanagh holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Ethics from McMaster University, a Master of Arts in Biomedical Ethics from Toronto Metropolitan University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Sociology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. During her undergraduate tenure at Memorial, she earned a Diploma in Applied Mental Health Ethics. Dr Kavanagh also teaches at Memorial University’s Medical School and the Philosophy Department specializing in medical and mental health ethics.
Dr. Kavanagh has a profound commitment to supporting equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization, as evidenced throughout her career and as Feminist-in-Residence for the St. John’s Status of Women Council, through to her postgraduate diploma in Gender Studies and Feminist Research.
“The search committee was impressed with Dr. Kavanagh’s calibre of leadership, her versatile skill set related to medical and mental health, and her passion for supporting the well-being of our communities. Her experience aligns closely with CMHA-NL’s values, as do her incredible work ethic and visionary leadership. We are so pleased to welcome her to CMHA-NL.”
Joe Thorne, Vice President, CMHA-NL
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to join the team at CMHA-NL. As a teenager, I took part in the Katimavik program. This program took me to Vernon, BC, where I volunteered for the local CMHA 40 hours per week for three months. During this time, I developed a passion for the work of enabling folks with mental health concerns to thrive. At that time, I dreamed that someday I could lead an organization like CMHA-NL.”
Dr. Chandra Kavanagh
CMHA-NL is a provincial leader and champion for mental health education and advocacy. Our mission is to facilitate access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health. The entire team is excited to welcome Dr. Kavanagh to the team! We thank KBRS Executive Search for their support on this critical hire for the organization.
Dr. Kavanagh begins her role with CMHA-NL on January 9, 2023.
