Katie Taylor, One of Canada's Most Powerful Women, Joins Campaign for Trent Durham GTA as Honorary Chair
NATIONAL LEADER JOINS TRENT CAMPAIGN TO HELP NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS REACH THEIR POTENTIAL THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES
Katie Taylor, the first woman to chair the board of a major Canadian bank and one of Canada’s most influential and powerful citizens, has joined the Campaign for Trent Durham as its honorary chair, taking the lead on achieving an ambitious $5 million fundraising goal.
“There is no question that education transformed my life, and I can see that transformational power at work in the lives of so many young people today,” Ms. Taylor said. “I strongly believe that The Campaign for Trent Durham GTA will help give students the chance to pursue their dreams and reach their potential. It is an investment in the region’s leaders of tomorrow.”
Ms. Taylor joins the campaign composed of Trent alumni, business executives and community leaders, chaired by Doug Kirk ’70, president of Durham Radio, and Steve Apostolopoulos, the managing partner of Triple Group of Companies, the developer of Durham Live.
“As a distinguished leader renowned for her extensive community involvement, we are grateful for Katie’s commitment to our growing Durham campus,” said Julie Davis, vice president of External Relations and Advancement at Trent. “Her values of inclusive leadership, community responsibility, and challenging the conventions of business are all virtues embraced by Trent. As honorary chair, she joins a distinguished group of leaders who are invested in the success of the Trent Durham GTA Campaign.”
Ms. Taylor is the chair of the Royal Bank of Canada, the former president and chief executive officer of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the chair of the Sick Kids Foundation, and trustee of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Ms. Taylor began her career practicing competition and securities law on Bay Street before she began working in the hospitality industry with Four Seasons. During the span of her 24-year career with Four Seasons Hotels, Ms. Taylor held many senior leadership roles before being named chief executive officer in 2010. She played an instrumental role in establishing the portfolio of luxury properties around the globe, and her leadership was deemed a contributor towards the company’s widespread expansion. Transitioning to her time with RBC, Ms. Taylor has served on the company’s Board since 2001 chairing the Human Resources and Corporate Governance Committees, and serving on the Audit and Risk Committees before being named the chair of the Royal Bank of Canada. Ms. Taylor is described as having an uncanny ability to build bridges across boundaries such as class, gender and race.
In recognition of her accomplishments, Trent University presented Ms. Taylor with an honorary degree – the University’s highest honour – in 2016.
About The Campaign for Trent University Durham GTA
The Trent Durham GTA expansion, currently underway and to be completed by fall 2020, will integrate both residence and academic space and will feature a 200-bed residence, a 100-seat tiered lecture hall, two 64-seat classrooms, research space, student common spaces, new green space, and faculty offices. The $5 million Campaign for Trent University Durham GTA will support the campus expansion project, increase financial aid for students, and provide more career-enhancing experiences to ensure the success of Trent graduates. Over $3.2 million has been raised to date and Ms. Taylor’s involvement signifies how important growing the campus, and educating students in the region is as the campaign gains momentum.
Learn more about the Campaign for Trent Durham GTA, view photos and get a sneak peek of what’s to come.