Board Biography

Helen Burstyn

Helen Burstyn has enjoyed a career in public service, public relations, communications and volunteer service with many local and national organizations for over 25 years.

As well as chairing the Ontario Trillium Foundation Board of Directors, she is currently on the boards of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the Canadian Club of Toronto, The Canadian Stage Company, the Youth Challenge Fund established by the Province of Ontario and administered by United Way Greater Toronto, and Gilda's Club Greater Toronto, of which she is a founder and past president. In addition, she serves on the founding board of Equal Voice, Toronto Chapter, was a member of the Creative Cities Leadership Team and past chair of the Toronto Board of Trade's Finance and Economic Affairs Committee.

Before joining OTF, Ms. Burstyn was Senior Advisor, Stakeholder Relations in the Office of the Premier of Ontario. Previously, she was Senior Vice-President and Partner, Advance Planning/MS&L, a marketing, communications and investor relations firm. Her current company, Public Projects, provides consulting services to governments, corporations and not-for-profit enterprises on their social investment and capacity building strategies.

She was appointed Chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation Board of Directors in December 2004.