September 29, 2022

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Canada Announces New Chief Executive Officer

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Cathy Loblaw, current CEO, is set to retire at the end of this year.

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Canada Announces New Chief Executive Officer

Cathy Loblaw, current CEO, is set to retire at the end of this year

TORONTO (September 29) – The Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Canada Board of Directors today announces the appointment of Kate Horton as CEO, RMHC Canada, effective October 31st, 2022.

Kate Horton currently serves as Executive Director of the national charity and has been with the organization since 2017. With over 20 years of industry experience as a leader in the corporate and social profit sectors, Kate is well-poised to lead the organization forward, having played a leadership role for the last five years at RMHC Canada across strategy, mission excellence, operations, and governance.

“I am deeply honoured to step into the role of CEO at RMHC Canada and to continue to advance, champion, and support our mission of keeping families close™ on behalf of families with a sick child,” said Kate Horton, incoming CEO of RMHC Canada. “During my five years with the organization, I’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact our RMHC network of staff, volunteers, and donors has on families across Canada. I look forward to building upon this strong legacy of support and care.”

Kate succeeds Cathy Loblaw, who after 12 years of dedicated service to families with sick children, will be retiring from the role of CEO. During her tenure, Cathy helped to more than double RMHC’s capacity and triple the number of families being served at RMHC across Canada, seeing the RMHC mission grow to support over 26,000 families with sick children across the country, in an average year.

Cathy will be best remembered for her relentless dedication to families, meeting and connecting with families from coast-to-coast – one family at a time.

“Twelve years ago, I was called to this beautiful mission, and it has been the honour of my lifetime to champion families with sick children,” said Cathy Loblaw, CEO, RMHC Canada. “Our RMHC network of support for families is truly so incredible. I will forever hold in my heart the people I have met and the connections I have built along the way. From our incredible families, to our team members past and present, our amazing donors and volunteers, and our founding and forever partners at McDonald’s Canada. I leave the organization with the same hopeful heart and excitement for the future, as when I first started.”

As an essential service, the 33 RMHC regional programs across Canada enable access to paediatric health care across the country, helping to keep families with sick children close to each other, and close to the health care they need.

Kate Horton’s appointment comes at a time of continued excellence and strength as RMHC across Canada enters the next phase of growth with plans to nearly double the number of bedrooms for families from coast-to-coast.

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About Ronald McDonald House Charities® Canada (RMHC® Canada)
In Canada, 65 per cent of families live outside a city with a children's hospital and must travel for treatment if their child is seriously ill. In an average year, the RMHC network of programs in Canada helps to keep more than 26,000 families close to their sick child and the care they need. The 16 Ronald McDonald Houses provide out-of-town families with a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital, while the 17 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms provide a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge, right inside hospitals. For more information, please visit rmhccanada.ca.

For more information or to schedule an interview please contact:

Stephanie Bateman

RMHC Canada Communications

Stephanie.bateman@ca.mcd.com

416-540-7196