SUNSHINE FOUNDATION WELCOMES NANCY SUTHERLAND AS NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

January 7, 2009 (LONDON, ON) … The National Board of Directors of The Sunshine Foundation of Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy Sutherland as its new National Executive Director, effective January 5, 2009.

Michael Barr, President of Sunshine’s National Board of Directors, is excited about Nancy’s addition to the Sunshine team. “With more than 15 years of senior management experience in guiding local and global service organizations in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, Nancy is the right person at the right time for Sunshine. Her leadership abilities will take Sunshine to the next level as we enter our third decade of fulfilling dreams.”

Nancy is deeply committed to Sunshine’s mission to fulfill dreams for children with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. Prior to her appointment, she served for two years as a volunteer member of Sunshine’s National Board of Directors. Since September 2008, Nancy has served as Interim Executive Director for Sunshine Foundation, upon the departure of Gabriella Catolino.

Nancy’s own family background equips her well for this role. Growing up in a home with a severely disabled brother, she has a keen appreciation for the powerful role that individuals and organizations can play in serving and supporting families who face similar challenges.

 “Last December, I was privileged to participate in a Sunshine DreamLift from Vancouver to Disneyland with 83 special needs children,” says Nancy. “During this one-day trip, I witnessed firsthand the impact of Sunshine’s mission. I look forward to working with our outstanding staff team to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead and achieve new heights for Sunshine, with a goal of fulfilling a dream every day for a special child somewhere in Canada.”

The Sunshine Foundation of Canada is a national charitable organization dedicated to fulfilling dreams for children with severe physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. Since its inception in 1987, Sunshine has fulfilled more than 6,500 dreams across Canada, including thousands of Individual Dreams and 45 DreamLifts for large groups of children to exciting locales. For more information, visit www.sunshine.ca.

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For more information, contact:
Suzanne Edmondson
National Director, Marketing & Communications, Sunshine Foundation of Canada
1.800.461.7935, suzanne.edmondson@sunshine.ca