After a rigorous selection process, Social Planning Toronto enthusiastically announces and welcomes Devika Shah as our new Executive Director.

Devika is passionate about building a civic society in Toronto—the city she loves—that is grounded in diversity, equity, social and economic justice, and active democratic engagement. Her interdisciplinary background and experience in the environmental sector have strengthened her commitment to advancing grassroots, community-led, multi-stakeholder solutions, which she views as the most powerful lever for achieving systems change.

Devika comes to us from World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada), where she held the position of Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives. While at WWW-Canada, Devika helped to increase the organization’s conservation impact through public engagement, strategic integration and planning, impact measurement, and government engagement. In her previous role as Senior Advisor and Director of Strategic Relationships at the Pembina Institute, Devika contributed to organizational strategy, building a network of external relationships, securing philanthropic support, and enlisting key influencers in support of Pembina's policy solutions. She has also held positions as Chief Development Officer, International, at the York University Foundation and as a Consultant with KCI Philanthropy.

Devika currently serves as an Advisor to the Board of the Catherine Donnelly Foundation and previously served on the Boards of the Children’s Aid Society of York Region and GreenPAC.

Devika holds an MBA from York University's Schulich School of Business and a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto. 

Social Planning Toronto looks forward to Devika joining in our work on the broad range of issues confronting Toronto’s current and future social well-being. Devika begins her new role at Social Planning Toronto on December 10, 2018.

Jasmin Earle
Board Chair